Animal racism
As most who know me know, one of the traits that define me is the fact that when I throw myself into something, I really throw myself into something. In other words, when I get interested in something, it becomes my new obsession. But that's not really what this post is about; this is just background.

Anyway, I was watching a dog competition on Animal Planet (there was nothing else on) and that got me thinking back to when I was a kid who wanted a dog (yes, there are a lot of kids like me). My dad is really the only one in the family who has had experience with taking care of dogs. He happens to like pugs and has explicitly stated wanting one for the longest time. My sister is deathly adverse/terrified of almost all animals. The only dog she'd ever let live with her is a beagle. So what's a family to do? Why, get a puggle (pug/beagle mix), of course!

DISCLAIMER: no, we're not getting a dog. I'm going to be in Davis in a few months and all the other members of my family have jobs. We don't have time for a pet.

The thing is, mixed breeds like the puggle are immensely panned by dog breeders; one went out of her way to make the statement, "If you like pugs, get a pug. If you like beagles, get a beagle." That has to be one of the most stupid things I have ever heard. If you like both pugs and beagles, get one of each then? I'm sorry, but whatever problems you have with mixed breeds, it's gotta be less than the problems a family like mine would have with 2 demanding pets. After reading more and more, it all sounded like some kind of racism, keeping blood pure in some kind of pharaoh lineage. Sure, breeders make sure that potential problems are weeded out. Lest we forget that some purebreeds have problems all their own. The bulldog must deliver pups through cesarian because of the large head size and the doberman is infamous for its myriad of heart problems. Really, what I want to know is this: what exactly is a purebreed? As everyone should know, all domestic dogs are descended from the same species so in a sense, we don't have separate breeds but a vast continuum. Even if there were some breed that we can say is unique unto itself, it's still descended from the same species, the same species as all other breeds.

I think the bottom line is this: who the hell cares whether a dog is one breed or another or is a mixed breed? As long as a dog is of sound health, temperament, and looks nice, I'm happy. Who cares about calling it a purebreed or a mixed breed, this breed or that breed? It's a dog. Period.