Purebred

From ArticleWorld

To be considered purebred, a dog may only have parentage that is traceable to other purebreds of that same breed. The word purebred itself has longstanding arguments on both sides due to a difference of opinions as to what is actually considered a breed. Kennel clubs from different countries have their own rigid rules on what they consider a breed. Kennel clubs may recognize or deny recognition to any breed, based on their own guidelines.

Kennel clubs

Kennel clubs generally require a history of the dogs’ lineage before they will consider the dog a purebred. Some kennel clubs may not recognize the offspring of purebred dogs as being purebred themselves because of color variations, while other kennel clubs may recognize it as a different color of the same breed. Kennel club criteria for what constitutes a breed vary widely from country to county, with each kennel club strictly enforces its own rules policies for recognition. A kennel clubs date of recognition for any particular breed is not always considered to be the length of time that breeds have been in existence.

Independent breed clubs

Independent purebreds are generally dogs that are well known in their home counties and have a long history of having been bred true. Breeding true is considered to be the mating of two of the species where the offspring carry the same characteristics of behavior and appearance. There are many factors that can result in a breed remaining independent, such as the lack of a nationally organized kennel club. Another factor that keeps some breeds independent is the desire preserve or control the characteristics of the breed. One recent threat to the independent breed clubs has been the introduction of breed specific legislation which has caused many independent breed clubs to seek out kennel clubs in order to save their dogs’ purebred designation.