There seems to be lots of CsV (& SWH) breeders (and buyers) who only care about the wolfy looks; -the wolfier the better, they seem to think, and by any means necessary.
Some of them know wolves, and they know what it is like to live with a wolf/very wolfy wolfdog. But most of them have NO idea, they only have romanticized dreams and lots of falce information.
Falcifying pedigrees in a breed like this is especially dangerous. There are so many possible bad effects on it, starting from the fact that nobody nolonger has any control over the hereditary traits, -most importantly the health & character. -If you do not know who you are truly breeding with, you cannot
breed. You only make puppies. You don't know what to expect from the offspring, and everyone can start wiping their ass with the pedigree papers.
But when it comes to breeds like the CsV & SWH that unfortunately are allready banned in some countries together with all wolf x dog crosses in general, it is very, very risky to mix them with hybrids (theoretically incorrect term but I use it here just for clarification); if the public & authorities loose their trust to these breeds' pedigrees and breeding purposes, it will cause trouble. In the best scenario it would only lead into compulsory DNA testing before registration, but in worst case it could lead into more banns.
And if this monkey business with falcifyed pedigrees goes on for too long, there is a risk that these genetically allready small breed populations will get too badly polluted to survive anymore.
There is one thing though that I disagree with Vaiva.
Quote:
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It is - first of all - a working breed, designed to - let's be open - attack people.
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First I must note that I am well aware of the origins / histroy of this breed and it's original purpose. But I know wolves and I know dogs, and I know WORKING dogs especially well. And I think nowadays it is (and should be allready) generally admitted that if you want to have better working dogs, you don't mix wolf into the breeding stock. And IF you do, you need very carefull selection and many generations away from the wolf, to get to a point where you have somewhat homogeneous population of potential dogs (and you most certainly will not have high interest in other things such as keeping the wolfy looks). It (crossing wolf into dogs) is not worth the efforts today, if you only have the working abilities in your mind. The dog population in the world is big enough to scoop from, if there is a need to cross breed for better health or wider gene pool for example. For better working abilities you mix ideal DOGS with suitable traits, and you reach your goal alot faster and easier, and you may even truly create
better working dogs compared to what there allready is.
When viewing from the working perspective, there is nothing so unique in the wolf that we would need to try to get into dogs to improve their working abilities, and/or what we would not be able to get by mix breeding different dogs. It is vice versa: -wolves do not make good workers for human purposes; for every advantageous trait along comes atleast as many unadvantageous ones that have -for a reason- been selected against in the domestication process of dogs. All the desired traits we see in working canines these days are originally wolf behaviour allright, but strongly modified by human breeding selection, and at this point allready far away from wolf.
So who are we kidding here? If the authorities need top working dogs, they don't buy wolfdogs and though they may have done experiments in the past and crossbred wolves to dogs, the fact is that they lost their interest because they failed for the reasons mentioned above. And if top competitiors search for a new dog to compete with (in any dog sports from schutzhund to agility, sledding or hunting), they don't buy wolfdogs because there are other breeds much more suitable for these sports and much more likely to succeed in their task.
So who we have left? -The people who like to attend dog sports but looks for special challenge? Yeah, maybe some wd buyers are this type. How many in reality?
And the rest? -I'd dare to say that more than 90% of the wd buyers look for nothing more than active companion dog, -and yes, honestly said: a dog with exceptionally wolfy looks compared to any other breed.
In such hands a hard core working dog with high drives is a fiasco; a scandal; an accident awaiting to happen.
So, may I ask a few questions:
For who are these dogs truly bred for these days (now that they are nolonger a military experiment)?
Do we need just another German / Belgian Shepherd? -Is it even a realistic goal?
What are the characteristics the average buyers are hoping for their CsV?
If we think about the best intrests of these dogs, wouldn't it be to breed dogs that fill these hopes; that are most suitable for the main target group ~ (= an avarage buyer)?
Please, be not mistaken;
I am definately NOT saying that because of the romanticized dreams of uneducated wolf -lovers who want to have a pet wolf, we should try to modify the CsV into a Golden Retriever in wolf's clothing.
No, no, no!
It is what it is and besides, there is no such thing as a '
wolfdog for the average Joe'. ~Wolfdogs, -whether FCI breeds or hybrids-, are high maintenance canine companions with special needs for their owners. They are active and higly intelligent animals, who should never be taken for purely decorative purposes. They need lots of excercise, socialization and special training, and all that plays a huge role in building a tight bond and good relationship between a wd and it's owner.
But, as it is highly dubious to breed CsV into '
decorative sofa-wolves', is it any more reasonalbe to breed for '
military wolves'?