It does. I'm trying to get to the root. Is it opinion that it doesn't work or is it fact that it doesn't.
Personally I think it could work, but now I question whether or not it should be done. If the AB started as a mix of whatever works, why change the formula? Or should the AB be refined and narrowed down? I can see the benefits, reasons, and faults of both both camps. I'm "on the fence" I guess you could say. So the more info I get from the members here and from other sources, the better armed I will be when deciding for myself.
The text below is taken from that link:
8) How do you test for these qualities?
I test for these qualities in many ways. First is observation of the dog in it's environment, interacting with other dogs, in society, at shows, etc. I like to observe what his parents, grandparents, siblings, and other relatives are like. I test in the Vet's Office with genetic screening and certification, in the Conformation Ring, and on the Trial Field for Titling and Competitions. 9) Is it important to put show champion titles on breeding stock as well as working titles? Why? Which is more important?
I feel that both Show and Working Titles are equally important. Together they make the "Total Package" Dog. Without both, you are shortchanging the breed. The "Total Package" is what all Breeder's should be trying to achieve. Anything less is not giving 100 percent, and you are selling the dog and yourself short.
10) Racing Greyhounds, seeing eye dogs, Idiatrod sled dogs, fighting Pitt Bulls, and Police line GSDs do not meet any conformation standard. Yet these breeders have met with success Do working only breeders of American Bulldogs that select for function alone harm the breed? In what way? Do show titles on parent dogs attract higher quality customers?
Working only Breeder's are only completing one half of the equation. A Titled, working dog is great, but a great looking, Conformationally correct dog that is titled and works is Awesome! This is the "total package" dog, the dog that deserves to be bred. There doesn't have to be a separation between Working and Showing, they need to work hand in hand for the improvement of our breed.
Show Championships on parents do not necessarily attract higher quality customers. Show Titles, like Working Titles, prove the dog in competition against it's peers. They show that the dog was consistently better then the other dogs it was competing against.
11) Conversely, there are AB breeders that select entirely for conformation. In what way does strict show breeding hurt the breed?
Strict Show breeding hurts the breed because it is also only one half of the equation. The dog bred for show only may look and move great, as well as fitting a Standard, but it hasn't proven itself in the Working arena. Strict Show breeding has caused dogs to lose their Working ability, becoming only a shell of it's original self. We have seen this in many of the AKC breeds, it is very sad.
This is just what the article said. I don't know much of the matter.
