Designer dogs: conscious crossbreeds, to limit hereditary problems. VTM aired a report/ Read the breeder’s response here.
Response from Erik Verschueren (Woefkesranch)
on the VTM news broadcast on Thursday 12 and Friday 13 January 2017
Just for information: VTM contacted us with the fact that more and more ‘conscious crossbreeding’ is happening. We assisted them by giving an interview. We did not contact them ourselves. The reason for this interview was a prior report indicating that there are more and more hereditary defects in purebred dogs. I am absolutely not against breeding purebred dogs, but humanity must finally start using its brains. A dog is not always perfect on the outside, but it is on the inside. By adjusting the outside, you also affect the inside! Inbreeding should be banned, and crossbreeding of purebred dogs should no longer be viewed as inferior!
Inbreeding is done to accentuate certain points such as a heavier head or a shorter snout or the like. In itself, there is nothing wrong with that, but the problem is that certain bad points are also accentuated by that inbreeding, with all the negative consequences that entails, of course. However, the law and the pedigree associations do allow this.
This has led to more and more deviations in purebred dogs, and that is what is called overbreeding. This problem has been getting seriously out of hand in recent years, as you could see in the BBC report. What we do is cross 2 breeds, those 2 dogs are guaranteed to have different genes, and thus we obtain strong and especially very healthy dogs. We only do this in the 1st generation because if you go a few generations further, you are guaranteed to have the same problems as with the classic dogs.
The animal welfare law in Belgium prohibits professional breeders from crossbreeding 2 breeds. Private breeders (read black breeding and/or illegal breeding) are allowed to do so, and that is precisely what annoys me so much about the whole affair. I am portrayed as a charlatan who is only after money and sensation, simply because it goes down smoothly with many without further thinking about the intention behind my crossbreeding. I have been breeding dogs for almost 40 years, and I see the problems increasing year after year. As one of the perhaps oldest professional breeders in this country, I have realized, partly due to my professional pride, that someone must take responsibility.
I have attended debates and engaged in discussions with so-called specialists who are always shouting, but when it comes down to it, they (20 meetings and 50,000 euros later) have achieved nothing and do nothing but badmouth others. When they can no longer see eye to eye and can no longer get along, the debates end, and the blame lies again with the big (read commercial) breeders. 2 years ago, there was such a consortium with veterinarians, genetics specialists, the Ministry of Animal Welfare, pedigree associations, animal rights organizations, and me as the only fool to represent the professional breeders.
Minister Peeters came with much fanfare to hand over 50,000 euros to conduct genetic tests and the like. After a few weeks, the money was, of course, already spent, and they went looking for new funds. No money to be found anywhere except with the professional dog breeders. We were ready with another 50,000 euros, and if necessary, we would have gathered another 50,000 euros extra.
However, our money was not good because if positive solutions were to come out of it, it would be thanks to the commercial breeders, and that cannot be done in this corrupt little country. Everyone claims that we know nothing and only multiply dogs, and everyone seems to swallow that easily. I am not going to be hypocritical and say that I do not do it for money (just like everyone does something for their income). BUT I can assure everyone that, partly due to my professional pride acquired over the years, I want to do something about the serious problems that certain purebred dogs suffer from.
I have realized that if something needs to be done, I have to do it myself and not wait until the big players have finished arguing. That the result of a cross between 2 breeds is also beautiful, I gladly accept, but I already have a rough idea of what to expect when I cross 2 breeds, i.e., it is already considered in advance what coat, character, size, etc., my pups will have. In the meantime, my 2 sons, along with my wife, are involved in the business, and we intend to continue in a bona fide manner for years to come.
Dog breeding with us is no longer just putting 2 dogs together and selling pups; dog breeding is done with knowledge of the matter. We are also evolving more and more towards new techniques (such as testing sperm cells, artificial inseminations, selection of mother animals to eliminate cesarean sections or birth problems, …) AND I am convinced that dog breeding will become as much lab work as fieldwork in a few years.
It’s a pity that the government (without thinking, but under pressure from a very large group of activists who lump everything together like import and animal neglect, etc.) does not see that. I have been raising this issue for a long time, but always without result. Hopefully, now the debate will finally be opened in a serene manner, and there will be an amendment to the law so that people with knowledge of the matter and the right intentions can perhaps do something positive about this problem in a legal manner. Be aware that before actual results will be seen in the field, we will be several years older. I am very aware that when reading this text, a mountain of criticism will again come over my head from activists, but I am long used to that.
In Belgium, no one can open their mouth about a dog, or they are immediately shot down. I can follow those people to a certain level, but the biggest problem nowadays with animals is that the love for animals completely overshadows the common sense of the person who owns an animal. The animal is so loved and humanized that common sense is lost, and sometimes (without them even realizing it) animals are mistreated by an excess of love. There are plenty of examples of this.
Having said all this, I want to express with this writing my wish that something can be done as soon as possible in a legal manner and without interference from pressure groups about the problem of inbreeding and hereditary defects in dogs, and I hope that we can work together towards a world where dogs are healthy as they were 30 years ago.
Erik Verschueren
Dog Breeder
