There is nothing cuter than a dog, and especially one with impeccable bloodlines. As many princesses have learned through history, it is not always a happy ending to keep it within the family.
Inbreeding is a problem that affects purebred dogs. While purebred puppies and dogs are coveted because of their beautiful appearance, they can also have many health problems.
Purebreds have a major problem because to produce a purebred pup, you must use two dogs that come from the same gene pool. Inbreeding is a common practice by breeders who use the gene pool of dogs in a family to produce more puppies. Many dog clubs require their members to breed within the club. This again severely limits the variety of the gene pool. Many of these closed or limited gene pools increase the likelihood of genetic defects with every successive breeding.
A higher chance of developing cancer, tumors, eye or heart diseases, joint and bone problems; neurological and skin disorders, and epilepsy. But there is no reason to be alarmed. It is important to know that purebred puppies are more likely to have defects than mixed-breed dogs.
Quality Breeders test their prospective parents for defects in genes and do not breed them if they are defective. However, the problem continues to increase as the current breeding methods narrow the gene pools.
You should get a purebred if you want one. If you can’t afford to pay the veterinary costs that may come along with your puppy, it might be time to consider a mixed breed.
Happy puppy days, whichever you decide.