Pedigree dogs are becoming stupid

[kcurly]

Pedigree dogs have become increasingly stupid as they are now bred for their looks, not their brains, according to new research




http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/4283328/Pedigree-dogs-are-becoming-stupid-as-we-breed-them-for-looks-not-brains.html

[ruffian]

I am beginning to wonder who in the UK made purebreds are horrible so high on their agenda.

[Viking Lady]

I remember reading something like this 20 years ago. It was about inherent problems being magnified and not being as smart. That was one of the reasons alot of people were going to the pound to get dogs.

I don't have that much faith in studies. They change their minds every few years anyway.

I have to admit, if I hadn't stumbled upon this website, Luke would be eating Purina Dog Chow and I would have thought I was doing a good thing. The Average Joe doesn't know about the info all of you have. They think they are buying a good product.

[ruffian]

I can say the same thing about Tonka, he is just not that bright, by some people standards.  I mean you can not teach him a stupid pet trick to save yours, or his life but on the flip side I think he can tell time because once you start a schedule with him the last thing you can do is change it.  And he is in no way food driven.

Ruffian is easily trained anything with a piece of food or 2, but does that make her smarter? or just hungry?

Gage is also smart I guess, but he is very food driven as well, AND eager to please his people on top of that so he is easily trained with or without food. 

I would really like to know how they did this "study" what the variables were, like food, puppy enrichment, socialization and breeding.  Or did they just grab random purebred dogs and mutts and "test" them?

[vmimom2006]

It's not just dogs-take a look (for example) at Brittany Spears and the mentioned Paris Hilton and compare to Katheryn Hepburn, Barbara Striesand, Madonna, or Cher to name a few. Whether you like the latter group or not, at least they were (are) astute business women that managed to turn themselves into more than fluff and eye candy.
I deal every day with people that are too stupid to read, comprehend and fill out an application written (by law) at an 8th grade reading level. And I am not talking ditch-diggers, I am talking Doctors, nurses, engineers, architects, pharmacists and vets. It is frightening.
Seems the gene pool could use some chlorine.
Stella

  You go girl!!! Amen Sister. Don't blame it on the dogs!

[ZooCrew]

It's not just dogs-take a look (for example) at Brittany Spears and the mentioned Paris Hilton and compare to Katheryn Hepburn, Barbara Striesand, Madonna, or Cher to name a few. Whether you like the latter group or not, at least they were (are) astute business women that managed to turn themselves into more than fluff and eye candy.
I deal every day with people that are too stupid to read, comprehend and fill out an application written (by law) at an 8th grade reading level. And I am not talking ditch-diggers, I am talking Doctors, nurses, engineers, architects, pharmacists and vets. It is frightening.
Seems the gene pool could use some chlorine.
Stella

I was going to say the same thing.  I don't necessarily think its due to being "bred" for looks for people or dogs, but its the evolution of society as a whole.  With dogs, yeah it's true that in most cases they aren't being bred for their original purpose.  So it was only a matter of time before they lost their "instict" to do what they were bred originally to do.  But I don't think that makes them "dumb" by any means. 

Keiko is one of the smartest dogs I've ever met.  I know her mom, never ran a sled, and I'm sure you would have to go back many generations to find one that did.  Can't say on the father, we don't know who he was.......lol.  She still does have that inate instinct to pull, as well as some herding instict from her shepherd side.  I don't use her for either.  Gunther's not the smartest, but he sure tries hard, and makes up for it in heart.  And he most certainly is a good "guard" dog and protector.  Nigel and Posey........w ell, they still breed those guys for drive, but Posey is much smarter than Nigel.

With people, its almost the same.  As a whole, we are losing many factors of our intelligence.  Partially b/c of our education system, and partially b/c in many cases it doesn't seem to be important anymore.  For instance, most kids can't even do basic math anymore b/c they teach them on a calculator.  They can't write proper english b/c of text messaging/emailing.  Penmanship has gone out the window b/c no one writes on paper anymore, it's all computerized.

Lord help us all if there is a worldwide meltdown/disaster.  I really don't think many in the "developed" countries would know how to survive.