# petition to change the chihuahua standard!!??



## *Tara* (Jun 15, 2006)

hey guys!!! i just got an email from my breeder telling me that some people are trying to change the standard to NOT include merles or any chihuahua with blue eyes.....
i love seeing all kinds of colours in shows! thats what is so great about chihuahuas!!they are all very different!!
it does infuriate me when people breed merles and DONT do their RESEARCH! because thats when problems occur.....if they have to do anything maybe just regulate merle breeding somehow?????i dont know....
either way.. heres the petition 


******Hi Everyone , there is going to be a CCA meeting at the Nationals and they will be voting on wether to adjust the standard to make eye color a serious fault if blue or combo or blue & brown .Please note that a big majority of blues & chocolates and dilutes can have what appear to be blue or blueish eyes. They have nothing to do with merle which is what the breed standard change is truly about.They need to mailed out immedietly as the Chicago Specialty is two weekends away and they need all petitions signed and handed in before then.

http://www.laud-dogs.com/petition.html PAss this along to as many people as you can think of.

Mail petitions to the address on the Color petition.You do not need to be a CKC member or AKC member.Anyone that feels the Chihuahua does come in all colors and the eyes that go with the coat color needs to sign.In Canada when this happens and I am sure it will I will be looking for as many CKC members signatures as possible to make sure the CCC does not get away with changing the CKC standard.

This is a petition trying to get the eye color changed.

http://tanyastoys.com/CCAP2.htm *************


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## *Tiffany* (Sep 27, 2005)

wow i think thats kind of weird....what about hazel eyes or something?! i just think so many people are against merles its hard for them to see thats its not always bad....i think it would be too hard to regulate the breeding bc there are SOOO many "breeders" that there were never be enough people to check regularly..  i personally love merles and blue eyes so i wont be signing that haha


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## *Tara* (Jun 15, 2006)

this link (http://www.laud-dogs.com/petition.html) is actually a thing to sign to KEEP merles and blue eyes in the standard...the other link is the link to ban them....  
ive already printed mine off  hopefully there will be enough merle lovers signing to keep them in the show ring!!!!


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## vckums (Jun 24, 2006)

Sorry Im new to Chi's, but whats a merle?


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## *Tiffany* (Sep 27, 2005)

if you look at taras new dog merlin hes blue merle  soo cute!


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## *Tara* (Jun 15, 2006)

vckums said:


> Sorry Im new to Chi's, but whats a merle?


merle is just the colour of their coat- just go to my post called 'merlins home' in chihuahua pictures... he is a merle.... some people are against them because they can have health problems if you breed two merles together(thats why its VERY important to do research if youre going to breed merles-one of them can have the gene and the other cant have it in their background anywhere)... you can look up 'merle chihuahuas' in yahoo or something and you can see how people are very divided on whether they're good or not 
i personally love them  i think they are beautifull


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## Kristin (Nov 12, 2004)

If it is a chi, I love it lol. If it's a chi mix I love it lol. I don't see why people need to be so freakin' picky about their coat color.


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## Katie (Apr 9, 2005)

How sad. To me that's something special about the breed. They come in any color and pattern. Maybe they'll attempt to ban chocolate and tans next... 

I wouldn't be too worried. I really can't see it happening but if it does they'll still be around regardless


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## Ory&C (Mar 20, 2005)

Well FCI and KC don't include merles anyway, so nothing to protest about here  ......

Never seen a merle here in Europe, so obviously they don't appear just like that. There much have been some mixing with other breeds in US, but hey that's not something I really wanna start researching. The point is hat we don't have eny and that means we don't need to include them into our standard.


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## chi-momma (Jun 21, 2006)

Not to be rude but this isn't an attack about the color. This is about the health issues associated with the coat color. Merles are known to be carries of gene's that cause unwanted health issues. Like hearing, vision, and other health problems.


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## *Tiffany* (Sep 27, 2005)

as long as the breeders are doing all the right tests and dont breed merle to merle then it should be ok, its the "breeders" that dont do research and have no idea what they are doing, just see the $$$. there are problems associated with blues too, but no one says anything about that. its all about the breeding, not the color IMO


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## chi-momma (Jun 21, 2006)

I was not making a personal attack on anyone. I was just stating the facts. Also this post was regarding merle chi's. The problem with these dogs does come down to the breeders but we can't control people that breed dogs for profit. The problem lies in the bad breeders and uneducated people that buy these dogs.


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## CM Katie (Sep 28, 2005)

*Tiffany* said:


> as long as the breeders are doing all the right tests and dont breed merle to merle then it should be ok, its the "breeders" that dont do research and have no idea what they are doing, just see the $$$. there are problems associated with blues too, but no one says anything about that. its all about the breeding, not the color IMO :iconbiggrin: :iconbiggrin:


I completely agree.



Ory&C said:


> Never seen a merle here in Europe, so obviously they don't appear just like that. There much have been some mixing with other breeds in US


So you're saying merles are mixed breeds?
I find it interesting that people are calling merles "mixed" when anyone who knows our breed's history knows that small terriers were "mixed" with the dogs brought here from Mexico (our very own chihuahuas) to help improve their health/hardiness...


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## Katie (Apr 9, 2005)

chi-momma said:


> The problem lies in the bad breeders and uneducated people that buy these dogs.




I must be uneducated?  But it's not a personal attack or anything.


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## *Tiffany* (Sep 27, 2005)

Ory&C said:


> Never seen a merle here in Europe, so obviously they don't appear just like that.


just bc youve never seen one in europe doesnt mean they are purebreds. i just think there are some people who will never except merles for what reason i have no idea....but all i know is they are GORGEOUS and when bred right and responsibly they have no problems at all. i know some arent standard but that has nothing to do with the pattern, there are ALL colors out of standard. thats bc breeders or so-called breeders not caring about standard. and i have even seen out of standard chis from europe  

.....calling people who have merles uneducated is not very nice IMO there are a few members on here who have merles so of course that will hurt their feelings. 

btw katie JACKs the best!! hehe :-D


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## Gypsy (Feb 13, 2006)

Merles can be prone to more health problems which is why anyone breeding them needs to be very careful. If done carefully they can be bred safely. They are certainly beautiful.  As to their origin, it is questioned but at this point they're fully in the breed so the best thing to do is make sure those breeding them are doing it as well as possible and stop worrying about whether they were originally there. And I think banning them from the breed standard will just discourage those that have been trying to breed nice ones into stopping and leave them to the bad breeders and puppymills. 

Also, there is the fact that merles aren't the only color to have blue eyes. Alot of blue and chocolate chis have blue or hazel eyes, so it would be unfair to all these colors. 

For the members who have merles, your chis are lovely so don't take it to heart.


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## *Tara* (Jun 15, 2006)

obviously somewhere in EVERY dogs background there has been mixing....there are tons and tons of dogs out there and you cant say that they all just appeared one day-there was mixing done to make them-but because that breed eventually holds certain chacteristics they can officially name it as a certain breed.......how do you think we got longhaired dachounds, merle shelties etc. etc......
and yes, i do agree that merles can carry a 'problem gene' thats why extensive reaserch is necessary to ensure healthy puppys... obviously theres people out there who dont care and will breed anything to make that extra buck-and thats where problems can occur.....
obviously theres merle 'haters' out there but i pay no attention-theyre allowed their opinions-i just dont let them get to me because if they do they feel theyve won


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## LadyBelle1 (Sep 10, 2005)

The only problem I have with merles is that I have never seen one that fit the chihuahua standard. That doesn't mean they are not out there, I just haven't seen one. I personally don't like the color but with me if a dog has a good personality I love them all.


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## *Tara* (Jun 15, 2006)

LadyBelle1 said:


> The only problem I have with merles is that I have never seen one that fit the chihuahua standard. That doesn't mean they are not out there, I just haven't seen one. I personally don't like the color but with me if a dog has a good personality I love them all.


meet galaxy   

http://members.shaw.ca/crystaljems/galaxy.htm

shes one of merlins pups.. shes a showdog and does very well! 
(sorry i just love all nicoles dogs, i like ot show them off, hahaha :tongue5: )


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## LadyBelle1 (Sep 10, 2005)

Galaxy has a nice form. Legs look a little long but that may just be the angle of the picture. Galaxy is the best looking merle I have seen, but still a puppy so could change a lot. If people would breed to the standard I don't think I would have a problem with it, but I am always seeing RARE Merle just so they can make more money. Your Merlin is not the dad right, cause he is not the standard. Wrong shape nose and head and legs are way too long. That comment is not meant to be rude I am just curious to see what a puppies mother and father look like. If he is the dad, who is the mother? There are some very gorgeous chi's on that site! Please don't take this offensive because I have Fudge that is standard but then Stormy and Flower have faults.


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## Katie (Apr 9, 2005)

http://www.chihuahua-people.com/showthread.php?t=21468&highlight=violet


And look! She's not from the US!! Who woulda thought. They DO exist!


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## LadyBelle1 (Sep 10, 2005)

She's cute but I still haven't seen a full grown merle chi that is to the standard. Most breeders that are honest will tell you that you can't tell if they are going to be show quality until around a year old. I wonder if she has a nice side shot of her?


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## Nona (Mar 27, 2005)

I've never seen a merle that's absolutely "standard" either, but i've also seen plenty acceptably coloured Chihuahua's that aren't "standard"....

I think instead of making these specific merle petitions, we should be signing some kind of petition to demand that only registered, licensed breeders be allowed to breed these dogs that we all love so much. That would make me far happier because there are so many awful breeders out there who only breed for money, and don't do the necessary health tests - on both accepted coloured Chihuahua's and as-yet unaccepted coloured Chihuahua's.

I hope I live to see the day when the breeding of any domestic animal is properly controlled and monitored.

Iona
~x~


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## *Chloe* (Feb 6, 2006)

i must agree with Ladybelle1 i havent seen a picture of one that is to standard - i always thought the chis didnt carry the merle gene i thought i would post this link as it is quite an interesting article http://www.cameochihuahuas.net/Merles/Dr_willis_new_article

i love all chi's and chi mixes and i think the merle colouring is beautiful as long as the dog is healthy thats the most important thing they are all great pets


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## Lin (Jun 7, 2006)

I am soooooooo thankful I have "just regular old pet grade chis". I have no desire to show, and I don't breed, so if they are imperfect, it's fine with me. I love my guys and all their imperfections. Sounds to me like showing takes a lot of joy out of ownership. How sad.


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## Katie (Apr 9, 2005)

I'll never understand why anyone would want to ban ANY chihuahua. If you don't care for a certain color... don't get one that color. Merles are loved by so many people and it doesn't effect anyone else. It's a personal choice that shouldn't be judged by anyone. If the world only worked that way haha 
I'm fine with merle bashers... there's always going to be one of them around. It's just irritating when people think they're better because their dog is standard. Why someone would want to make anyone feel inferior is beyond me and I can't imagine looking at an innocent chihuahua and saying "OMG he's not standard!!" and think he's not as good as a standard chihuahua. 
It's unfortunate that merles are so controversial when there are plenty of "regular" colored chihuahuas out of standard with breeding problems who would never be questioned.


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## *Tara* (Jun 15, 2006)

LadyBelle1 said:


> Galaxy has a nice form. Legs look a little long but that may just be the angle of the picture. Galaxy is the best looking merle I have seen, but still a puppy so could change a lot. If people would breed to the standard I don't think I would have a problem with it, but I am always seeing RARE Merle just so they can make more money. Your Merlin is not the dad right, cause he is not the standard. Wrong shape nose and head and legs are way too long. That comment is not meant to be rude I am just curious to see what a puppies mother and father look like. If he is the dad, who is the mother? There are some very gorgeous chi's on that site! Please don't take this offensive because I have Fudge that is standard but then Stormy and Flower have faults.


dont worry, i dont offend easy, lol
yes my merlin is the dad-and no, hes not standard.... he just has the most wonderfull personality-i just HAD to adopt him  .... and my dogs are just for pets so it dosnt matter to me 
and galaxy is around a year old now...if you look at the pic where theyre recieving the award shes about a year old there.....theres also a pic of her mom on that site 'reeses' is her name....(and if youre curious, bella is daves mom and spirit under'chihuahuas we have known and loved' is his dad  )


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## Gypsy (Feb 13, 2006)

There are alot of people breeding non-standard chis of all colors, not just merle. I think there needs to be work to get them up to show quality but banning them is just going to make it worse. 

There aren't too many of us on the forum with show quality chis  (Myself included) so it's really silly to say a chi isn't as good if it's not standard, as well as rude. 

In reality, breeding isn't putting two perfect dogs together and having perfect puppies. It's more researching behind the lines and finding two dogs that compliment each other, there is not a perfect dog, so pairing them to cancel out any small faults one may have is what most breeders do. That's with any color, not just merles. (Still breeding close to the standard of course)

I think we see more unstandard merles just because they're the color of the time so so many unscrupulous breeders are trying to cash in. There are a few good breeders who breed them and have some nice ones, but this goes for all colors really. 

I don't know where Violet's owner has gone as she hasn't posted in awhile but she is one of the prettiest merles I've seen.  So far she looks very to standard, and I know she was going to show her.


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## *Tiffany* (Sep 27, 2005)

i love my cheese said:


> http://www.chihuahua-people.com/showthread.php?t=21468&highlight=violet
> 
> 
> And look! She's not from the US!! Who woulda thought. They DO exist!


awww i was goingto put up violets pic bc i thinks shes standard and just GORGEOUS!!! and she is full grown now i do believe so that is what she looks like. i just think it is sad that people are only bashing merles when the REAL problem lies with breeders. ALL COLORS can have problems...not just merles.


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## *Tiffany* (Sep 27, 2005)

just wanted to add that i find it quit funny that people are against all these non-standard breeding esp of merles...but there have been NUMEROUS people on this board that have bred NON STANDARD chis and no one says anything.....i think the best part about chis is that they come in every color so people can pick what they like and they dont have to get what they dont like, and if people dont like merles then dont get a merle!


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## Ory&C (Mar 20, 2005)

chis rule said:


> I am soooooooo thankful I have "just regular old pet grade chis". I have no desire to show, and I don't breed, so if they are imperfect, it's fine with me. I love my guys and all their imperfections. Sounds to me like showing takes a lot of joy out of ownership. How sad.


Now where did you get this one from?  I don't understand what's wrong with showing your dogs..... people that decide that they want to get into breeding SHOULD spend enough time and money conferming that their dogs are worthy of reproducing. We all love dogs here and we all think our babies are the best and the cutest animals ever (as it sould be anyway!!  ) and believe me that I loved my Staffy mix Ory just as much as I love my registered, `show boy` Billy. Showing for me means spending quality time with my dog (much better than lounging in front of TV the whole weekend), meeting old friends and talking about our babies. Billy enjoys it just s much and you show see his tail wagging the whole day as we walk around the showing grounds and present ourselves in the ring........ it doesn't get any better than that!


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## Kari (May 13, 2004)

I just want to say that I absolutely adore merles just like I adore tri-colors or any other color. They are gorgeous. I think if they are healthy and being bred with careful breeders, then what's the harm? 


The conversation has stayed pretty calm but just wanted to stick this in here, please stay respectful in your posts. Thanks :wave:


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## chi-momma (Jun 21, 2006)

*Tiffany* said:


> just wanted to add that i find it quit funny that people are against all these non-standard breeding esp of merles...but there have been NUMEROUS people on this board that have bred NON STANDARD chis and no one says anything.....i think the best part about chis is that they come in every color so people can pick what they like and they dont have to get what they dont like, and if people dont like merles then dont get a merle!



I didn't say anyone in particular on this forum is uneducated so I don't think it is nice to put words in my mouth. The reason for the problem with that coat type is the uneducated people that keep breeding these merles that are carriers of the health issue. 

Also, I think merle's are beautiful and I really like the chocolate one's myself. 

I myself don't breed and would never do so b/c of the over population of animals in general. 

I'm also a board member of our local chi rescue and I foster chi's. I don't mind breeders at all it's just a big percentage of them are uneducated b/c they are in it for the money. Plain and simple fact.

Again I'm sorry to offend anyone that took my post to heart is wasn't directed at anyone inparticular. And I promise you that.


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## janstevens (Oct 20, 2006)

I don't like the merles, there are so many health risks. Most of them are blind and deaf and then they have blind and deaf babies. They are all out of breed standard with deer heads and long legs. They are huge too- most of them are way over 6lbs. They should not be bred. The pattern isn't even good looking. There are so many better colors. Even that show one isnt good looking, the legs are wayyyy too long and the nose is long too. They should not be used to breed. They need to be banned. I for 1 am going to sign the petition against them.


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## LadyBelle1 (Sep 10, 2005)

*Tara* said:


> dont worry, i dont offend easy, lol
> yes my merlin is the dad-and no, hes not standard.... he just has the most wonderfull personality-i just HAD to adopt him  .... and my dogs are just for pets so it dosnt matter to me
> and galaxy is around a year old now...if you look at the pic where theyre recieving the award shes about a year old there.....theres also a pic of her mom on that site 'reeses' is her name....(and if youre curious, bella is daves mom and spirit under'chihuahuas we have known and loved' is his dad  )


Reeses is gorgeous!!!! I have this thing for the short little nose lol. One of the main reasons I kept Stormy was because blue chihuahuas can have health problems just like merles. I was so scared that all of her fur was going to fall out lol, but she is as healthy as ever. I didn't expect any blue chihuahuas from Flower and Fudge until I took a good look at the pedigrees and saw blue was in the background.


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## janstevens (Oct 20, 2006)

Blue chihuahuas are nice. This is a normal color in chihuahuas. Merle is not normal- they have to be mixed.


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## LadyBelle1 (Sep 10, 2005)

Gypsy said:


> There aren't too many of us on the forum with show quality chis  (Myself included) so it's really silly to say a chi isn't as good if it's not standard, as well as rude.


Now I don't think anyone ever said that. In fact in my first reply I said that if a dog has a good personality I love them all. I volunteer at a no kill shelter on Thursday evenings and some of those dogs are ugly but have the best personalities so to me they are all wonderful. I don't care for the color merle but that is just my preference. Just like I love Chocolates and blues but some people think they are ugly. You would not believe some of the people I got contacted by for puppies that have said "I don't want a chocolate one because they are ugly" My mother-in-law thinks that my dogs are the ugliest things in the world but oh well she doesn't have to like them because I love them.


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## janstevens (Oct 20, 2006)

I love chihuahuas, but merles arent chihuahuas. They are mixed breeds, they dont even look like chihuahuas with their deerheads and longlegs. they look like they have dachound in them.


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## LadyBelle1 (Sep 10, 2005)

Have you seen the pics of Galaxy and Violet? They look like chihuahuas to me. I have seen a lot of them that don't look like chihuahuas either but some have a very nice form.


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## janstevens (Oct 20, 2006)

those are the only ones i've seen looking like chihuahuas. even galaxy's nose is a little long and shes really leggy. most dont look like chis, maybe rat terriers and dachounds.


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## janstevens (Oct 20, 2006)

how are these chihuahuas?


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## *Tiffany* (Sep 27, 2005)

janstevens said:


> I love chihuahuas, but merles arent chihuahuas. They are mixed breeds, they dont even look like chihuahuas with their deerheads and longlegs. they look like they have dachound in them.


if you look back years and years ago even the akc "standard" of chis was different...i thinks it harsh to say they HAVE to be mixed...all of them were at one point or another. i have seen plenty of mereles that look stadard, there are chis out of stadard of ALL colors.


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## *Tiffany* (Sep 27, 2005)

oh and i think its very hurtful to say what your saying about merles as there are several merle owners on this board!


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## janstevens (Oct 20, 2006)

http://www.picassochis.com/merles.htm 

here is a good article. 

i've seen 1 nice merle and tons of nice other colored ones.


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## *Tiffany* (Sep 27, 2005)

just bc youve never seen them doesnt mean they dont exist....


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## janstevens (Oct 20, 2006)

do a search in google or yahoo for merle, they are deerfaced and big


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## *Tiffany* (Sep 27, 2005)

so are other colored chis...its all about the breeding it has nothing to do with their color.


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## janstevens (Oct 20, 2006)

did you read my link? it will tell you all you need to know about their defects.


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## *Tiffany* (Sep 27, 2005)

i have read about the problems merles can have as well as blues and other colors...but like i said its up to the breeder to test and make sure the chis are standard and wont produce sick puppies.  i know there are lots of people that have merles that are blind and deaf


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## janstevens (Oct 20, 2006)

my friend had a litter of merle puppys and only 1 lived (3 died and were born w/o eyes). The one that lived was blind and deaf and it is so sad. she bred merle to non merle. there is a 36% chance of having puppies with defects when you breed these dogs. it is so sad 

i think they need to be banned. please tell me how the merle gene got into chihauhuas? it is from mixing. they all lead to one dog. it has to be dachound.


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## *Tiffany* (Sep 27, 2005)

ok well im not going to argue about it i just think there are nicer ways to say things bc there are merle members on this board, it seems like you joined this board just to say how much you hate merles bc it almost every post you say how much you dont like them. i think this board is for ALL chi lovers wheather they are fawn or merle, or if they are standard or not


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## janstevens (Oct 20, 2006)

well this thread is about petition to change standards which i agree with.


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## *Tiffany* (Sep 27, 2005)

i understand that THIS thread is about that but i saw some other posts and all youre saying is how bad merles are....kind of makes me think you joined the board to be mean and hurtful to merle owners...thats just my opinion.


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## Kristin (Nov 12, 2004)

I happen to think that merles are beautiful. And I too think that there are much nicer ways to disagree than to keep repeating yourself and saying merles are not chihuahuas. They are clearly chihuahuas. Just because they're not standard doesn't mean they're not chihuahuas.


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## foxywench (Feb 7, 2005)

i refuse to sighn either way because throughout all the reaserch ive done ive yet to find any true proof either way whether the merle gene was natural or introduced and since we dont have any of the "ORIGIONAL" chis to do a gene map on.
I do find it hard to belive that the merle coat just kinda popped up out of nowhere all of a sudden, (since documentation of merle chis is only fairly reacent) and i also find it difficult to accept that the merle gene in chis is so aparent here in the US but yet in europe melres are extreemly rare.
But at the same time theres no documentation of mixing a merle carrying breed with the chis so with no written proof we wont know either way unless extensive gene mapping is done.

I have seen a few (and a very small few) of beautiful breed standard merle chis.

Im the kind of person that wont vote unless i know ALL the facts, and i wont sighn a petition unless im 100% certain im in the right, since i dont have the pure evidence either way to show merle is natural or introduced who am i to say yes or no?!

I DO think however that all breeding of ANY colour of ANY breed should be strictly goverend and there should be some kind of regulations and rules and repocussions against Mills, backyard breeders and the like who breed for money or "because they wanted one of the puppies.

I do feel that puppies from a merle to merle breeding should be automatically disqualified for any kind of registration (as this encorages people to continue breeding thier merles to melres because theres no written rule that says doesnt...who cares if some of the pups are blind and/or deaf ect...)
And i think any breeder that breeds merles to merles shoudl have some kind of reprocussion through ther breed registry sort of like a warning.
but i also thingk this should be done for people breeding sub par and unhealthy dogs of nay breed of any colour.

And now ive ranted long enough. I hope this comes across as me trying to be nice and equal and not condesending lol.


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## LadyBelle1 (Sep 10, 2005)

Foxy you said that perfectly. I will not sign either way. Thankyou for stating your opinion because that is the exact way I feel about it.


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## Gypsy (Feb 13, 2006)

Janstevens, it sounds like your friend may have bred to a hidden merle because breeders safely breed merle coloring in many breeds and have for years, including collies, shelties, australian shepards and it's simply not true that you have a 36% chance of defects if you breed dogs which have been health tested and breed a merle to a tricolor black only. (Which is really in my opinion the only color they should be bred to as you're more apt to have hidden merles with other colors and definitely shouldn't breed to a blue since you're doubling a dilute) 

Are you a breeder, because it seems like you're saying alot of things about breeding the dogs which factually aren't true. I've seen alot of out of standard merles but I have seen some nice ones. Those dogs you posted aren't great looking and the bottom one actually belongs to someone who used to be a member here and is a very unscrupulous breeder. She breeds the merle to a black and tan female that is just as out of standard so the color isn't meaning anything there. I agree that people need to be really careful when breeding any color. 

ETA You could choose your words a little more carefully, perhaps saying you don't like the coloring but saying they're ugly, etc is really hurtful to those that have them. To most of us our chis are like our children and it's just like saying your child is ugly or fat or has crossed eyes, etc. which I'm sure you wouldnt' do.


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## *Tara* (Jun 15, 2006)

Ory&C said:


> Now where did you get this one from?  I don't understand what's wrong with showing your dogs..... people that decide that they want to get into breeding SHOULD spend enough time and money conferming that their dogs are worthy of reproducing. We all love dogs here and we all think our babies are the best and the cutest animals ever (as it sould be anyway!!  ) and believe me that I loved my Staffy mix Ory just as much as I love my registered, `show boy` Billy. Showing for me means spending quality time with my dog (much better than lounging in front of TV the whole weekend), meeting old friends and talking about our babies. Billy enjoys it just s much and you show see his tail wagging the whole day as we walk around the showing grounds and present ourselves in the ring........ it doesn't get any better than that!


not everyone has to show there dogs to get out there and be social.... we go to the park almost everyday and see the same dogs, they play and have a great time!! then the owners of the other dogs and i talk about how wonderfull owning a dog is...lol
ive been to a few dog shows and some(not all)people are snarly and awfull.... one lady was ranting about her dog caling him stupid because he did a little skip while they were in the ring... the poor thing was a little puppy,of course hes gonna play  im not saying all show people are like that by any means i would just rahter go to the park and talk to a bunch of average people where thers no competition... just fun for our dogs 

and to janstevens-its fine if you dont like merles, we all know that now... but alot of people do have merles and love them to pieces....so lets just move on from the negativeness  i know there are others on this site who are not fond of merles-but they dont talk about how much they hate them all the time-a pet is a pet, and we'll love them irregardless of colour


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## Lin (Jun 7, 2006)

*Tara* said:


> the owners of the other dogs and i talk about how wonderfull owning a dog is...lol
> ive been to a few dog shows and some(not all)people are snarly and awfull.... one lady was ranting about her dog caling him stupid because he did a little skip while they were in the ring... the poor thing was a little puppy,of course hes gonna play  im not saying all show people are like that by any means i would just rahter go to the park and talk to a bunch of average people where thers no competition... just fun for our dogs
> 
> and to janstevens-its fine if you dont like merles, we all know that now... but alot of people do have merles and love them to pieces....so lets just move on from the negativeness  i know there are others on this site who are not fond of merles-but they dont talk about how much they hate them all the time-a pet is a pet, and we'll love them irregardless of colour


Well now I couldn't agree more Tara! Thanks for saying it.  This is in part what I was trying to say. Thanks for putting it in clearer words.


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## Ory&C (Mar 20, 2005)

Not sure about the US shows and handlers but here in Europe we're mostly having fun doing it. There are professional handles and yes there are breeders who spend half of their lifes at dog shows around Europe and sometimes get competitive, but that' the way it is in every `profession`  .
I was only responding to that post saying that some of us think that our show quality dogs are so much better....... I wanted to explain that that's not the case at all and that it doesn't matter HOW you spend quality time with your dog, as long as you do and as long as you treat them with love and respect.
If you think that I don't go to parks and the woods to meet up with friends then you'r mistaken. Billy runs in the park at least one hour each day and he's all dog!!  
As for the people that actually decide to breed their dogs, I think showing is a must!! We have standards for each breed and thank god that we do! At least in a few generations we'll still be able to buy our beloved breed and it will still look the same as it has in the past....


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## Roxy (Nov 24, 2004)

Just wanted to let you know that even if Violet was born in Germany at least her merle dad is from the US. I don't know any merle Chis in Europe that were not bred out of an imported dog from the states. 
I really like the color merle but also know about the problems.


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## Krista (Dec 29, 2005)

janstevens said:


> I don't like the merles, there are so many health risks. Most of them are blind and deaf and then they have blind and deaf babies. They are all out of breed standard with deer heads and long legs. They are huge too- most of them are way over 6lbs. They should not be bred. The pattern isn't even good looking. There are so many better colors. Even that show one isnt good looking, the legs are wayyyy too long and the nose is long too. They should not be used to breed. They need to be banned. I for 1 am going to sign the petition against them.





janstevens said:


> I love chihuahuas, but merles arent chihuahuas. They are mixed breeds, they dont even look like chihuahuas with their deerheads and longlegs. they look like they have dachound in them.


Now you are insulting "deer head" chihuahuas, not just merles =/ btw, ALL chihuahuas are mixed breeds, anyone who knows anything about chihuahuas knows this. You are insulting a LOT of chis here saying that long legs and long noses don't look good. 



chi-momma said:


> Not to be rude but this isn't an attack about the color. This is about the health issues associated with the coat color. Merles are known to be carries of gene's that cause unwanted health issues. Like hearing, vision, and other health problems.


So are white chihuahuas ... HEY, lets ban them too. Oh, and blue ones. Let's just ban ALL chihuahuas, they're all a bunch of mixed breeds anyway >_< And while we're at it let's ban the breeding of mentally retarded, deaf and blind people ... you know, it'd be a shame to pass those on to their babies. They don't deserve to reproduce. My GOODNESS people!!! Listen to yourselves.

ps. I do believe in breeding to standard, but jeez, just because you don't like merles doesn't mean they should be banned. If you don't like them, so what? Don't buy them. Don't breed them. You don't have to like them, but let the others who do have their merles. Fact is, ANY poorly bred dog will have health problems, not just merles.


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## Lin (Jun 7, 2006)

i love my cheese said:


> I must be uneducated?  But it's not a personal attack or anything.


Me too Katie, but I still love my non-standard babies.


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## Ory&C (Mar 20, 2005)

chis rule said:


> Me too Katie, but I still love my non-standard babies.


Okay I'm not sure whether we're on the same page here........who ever said that you shouldn't love your dogs, because of their size, breed or colour???  We all love our animals and this is what we've been talkin about all this time. Whether we should breed from them or not however is a completely different story! But then again, what has the love for your animal got to do with breeding anyway?


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## *Nikki* (Jun 25, 2006)

No were not all on the same page and I dont think anyone will be with this topic we all have our own opinions on this


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## *Tiffany* (Sep 27, 2005)

i dont mind hearing other opinions, but when it get down to picking out the "cute" merles or whatever thats just rude! most of use arent breeders, so whats the harm in owning any non standard chi or ANY color?!


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## littleone (Apr 22, 2006)

If someone asked me to sign a petition NOT to let merles be included in the breed standard i would jump at the chance! Now that has nothing to do with how I think they look, the can be very cute!

But I dont want them to be allowed to be judged in the ring and breed from!


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## usmcjess (May 3, 2005)

I think its stupid for them to do.


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