And how do present breeders give a damn? By sentencing other pets to death and making a profit from it??
Fawn.... if you want to continue this fantasy idea that you can take the value out of dogs, more power to ya.
I won't say that all dog breeding has been beneficial, in fact, history shows that along with the good characteristics that have been bred into dogs, some defects have also been found. Selective breeding has always been a many-pronged endeavor. But from it has come dogs bred for, and who excel at, particular skills. That's what makes dogs marvelous... their inate special features and instincts, and that there is a type of dog out there for every personality and need. But it will always be trial and error... and sometimes, it will involve fallible people who breed with the wrong priorities. Breeding beautiful idiots is one fad that has about run it's course in some show breeds where a pretty face is all it takes to have value. The prevalence of sad defects is another. That's the nature of people... their ideas get in the way of common sense sometimes, then hopefully as the mistake becomes evident, the pedulum swings the other way.