If you work in the shelter system you have heard of the black cat/dog problem. The dogs that don't photograph well, the plausible stigma behind owning them. You traverse the show world you see it all the time. The desire for the perfect markings, color, favor for one color over another. Preference for even border collie white neck, with socks that come just so on both sides. Preference for coat is its own collection of problems.
I am not immune to this. I hate all white jack russells, even with ticking, I do not find it pleasing to the eye. I try to not let it cloud my judgement or quality of the dog but alas it does. Just recently in light of Gus I have started to catch myself judging him. He is a phantom marked poodle and a poorly marked one at that. His markings are silver and subtle, handsome in its own way but nonetheless people judge him. He can't show AKC because he is not solid and the UKC will allow him but the phantom standard says they prefer the clean markings.
There is perfect reason for banishing some colors in breeds due to the linkage between certain color genes and genetic disease. Lethal white is the most common issue in a variety of mammals. But some color 'rules' are just plain silly. Dog 'color racism' is prevalent all over. Assuming certain colors or markings are attached to personality or behavior ( theoretically certain heritable traits could connect to color). I keep trying to tell myself that the color doesn't matter, only the dog underneath it does.
No comments:
Post a Comment