Your friend is correct Tango..but it doesn't make it any easier I know. Regarding the aside re the AKC. I must take issue with that. Anyone, anywhere can have a population of dogs relatively free of genetic problems. Let mother nature weed out the weak and affected and of course you have the strongest, smartest and fittest that survive. These pariah dogs and other wild dogs(like dingos)can be found in many places on the globe. Most all of our modern breeds, if turned loose and left alone would, in a few generations, come to resemble the generic feral dog. The trick here is to breed a particular set of characteristics into a gene pool and come up with a breed for a particular purpose. One that can help the hunter get the game, the sheepman herd or protect the sheep, the stockman control the cattle, lead the blind, rescue the lost, pull the sleds across the northern wastes, trail the criminal, protect the officer, carry the messages in war, guard the premises, run down the wolf, tree the ****, save the swimmer, retrieve whatever from the field,or from the bottom of the lake etc. To keep a certain breed and have it retain the characteristics that define that breed and keep that breed going is the trick. The most important characteristic of a breed is type. Without it, you just have a dog. Without Kennel Clubs(of whatever country), before very long, with everyone just doing their own thing and breeding whatever to whomever..there would no longer be a recognizable breed anywhere. Then, the attributes so carefully imbedded would all disappear along with the special uses of that breed. That's what breeding is all about. Managing a breed so you keep the type that makes it what it is, keeping the qualities so needed and at the same time limiting the problems that come with it. Dog shows are a valuable tool to help the breeder gauge just how they are doing...field trials, coursing, herding, obedience, terrier trials, agility and many other competitions help them keep in touch with what the breed is bred to do. Many, many champions are duel or triple champions..excelling at Doing as well as Looking like they are supposed to. So don't be too quick to hollar about the AKC, or The Kennel Club of GB etc. Not everyone can make do with just a mongrel, although goodness knows there are lots of wonderfull mixed breeds out there. If you want to herd sheep..you need a sheep dog. If you are going to be working cattle..you need a tough, no-nonsense dog with cow sense. Mixed breeds just don't have the consistancy to be able to pass qualities on that the person needs when they go to buy a pup. YOu want to know what you are getting. Hang in there...things will get better. LQ