From: jpk@Ingres.COM (Jon Krueger)
Subject: Re: German Shepherds for Adoption
Reply-To: jpk@Ingres.COM (Jon Krueger)
Organization: Ask Computer Systems Inc., Ingres Division, Alameda CA 94501
Date: 12 Jan 93 09:24:42 GMT

Dan Sugalski writes:
> [Adopt] if you know (or know someone who knows) how to do a
> temperament test.

Better yet, learn how to train, including temperment training.
Useful regardless of where you get your dog.  Why select for
X or hope for X when you can do something about X?

> At least in this area, [Shepherds] that end up in the shelter
> have often come from abusive homes, where someone got them for
> "macho" reasons.

Can't replicate your data.  Here the ratio mirrors that of the
population at large.  As is the case for most characteristics.

> The only puppy I've seen lately was extremely lame, probably
> with a crippling case of hip dysplasia.

Sorry, can't replicate this either.  Of the Shepherds I've seen at
shelters, none had hip dysplasia.  Of course, if one had, it probably
wouldn't be available for adoption anyway.

> I've seen too many people who can't deal with this breed when they've had
> the dog from puppyhood, let alone trying to rehabilitate a problem dog.

As have I.  Of course if you can do either you're at an adavantage to
perform the other.  And either can be learned.  And both help prepare
you to be a responsible owner, regardless of where the dog comes from.
But, as you say, many owners are ignorant of both.

> The shelters need to take more of a role in doing temperament testing.

Of course.  And in doing temperment training.  The former indicates
where the latter is most needed and demonstrates when it has been
accomplished.  The latter solves the problem.  This is an area where
volunteers are critical for success, by the way.

> The shelter said nothing about [hyperactivity] on her card,
> just that she was cute and in need of a home.

A good shelter discloses everything known about the dog, good and bad,
inherited or acquired, easy or difficult to solve.

> Yes, [dog] was already a repeat customer.  "Daughter off to college"
> indeed.  Random was less than a year old!

Welcome to our throwaway culture.  Where sometimes pets are throwaway
objects, too.  Sorry, but that's the way it is.  But I'm glad you're
doing something about it.

> I spent enough time with her to get an
> idea of her temperament, but then I know enough to.
> The interview which I was subjected to was of as little use.

The interview varies widely from shelter to shelter, by the way.  This
is an area where volunteers are perhaps inappropriate.  Full time time
staff needs to provide the professionalism and consistency.

> Unfortunately, it's not a perfect world, and some people will continue
> to dump dogs at the shelters.

Sure.  But dogs also arrive at shelters for valid reasons, unavoidable
tragedies.  Owner died.  Owner lost job.  Owner lost job nine months
ago, has been unemployed since then, now must move to cheaper housing.
Owner in jail.  Owner had heart attack.  Owner had to go to England to
care for sick child.  And so on.

> But let's at least help to match dogs and people into the right
> situations instead of simply looking at the bottom line of numbers of
> adoptions.

I agree.  The goal is NOT the most pet biomass on the planet.  It's
happy and healthy pets, happy and healthy owners, and good
relationships between pets, owners, and the public.

Of course, there's no need to add Shepherds to the planet to do this.
Or, of course, any kind of dog, or pet.  There are plenty.  That's
what the numbers remind us.

On the other hand, simply increasing adoption will NOT solve the
population problem.  Very small amounts of reproduction will in a few
generations wipe out very determined amounts of adoption, and has, and
continues to.  We've got to turn the damned thing off.  Until we do,
we will continue to euthanize and abandon millions of dogs.

-- Jon
--
Jon Krueger  jpk@ingres.com  
From: cressler@hpcupt1.cup.hp.com (Scott Cressler)
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 17:10:21 GMT
Subject: Fairfield Basset Breeder?
Organization: Hewlett Packard, Cupertino