Fanciers and preservation.

My tendency to cause controversy wherever I tread in online dog spaces often leads to interesting results. 

For example: I was told very recently that purebred pug breeders are preservationists, in a discussion regarding outcrossing and non-standard dogs. 

To that I say, and pardon my French here, bollocks. 

To preserve something, you must first understand what it is you're actually trying to conserve. Museums do not hire painters to restore artwork who have no knowledge of the techniques and paints that were used during that period. Nor do they employ curators who mistake Monet for Davinci. 

Can your average fancier tell you about the Lo-sze of ancient China? The Happa dog? What about Moss, Click and Lamb? Do any of these important facets of the pug dog's history receive a single mention in the ring? 

The answer to that question alone should tell you all you need to know. Despite branding themselves as guardians of ancient tradition, once you peel back the veneer of noble words the reality becomes startlingly apparent.

The pug dog clubs have no intention of pursuing true preservation. 

To put this into perspective for you all: the PDCA describes the pug as an "ancient breed" of dog. Perhaps if anyone in their ranks bothered to do more than a precursory glance at Wikipedia (which, may I note, has come leaps and bounds after a string of recent edits- but I digress) they would realise the pug is a distinct entity from the actual ancient oriental toy dogs. The AKC makes a similar blunder. 

At best, any knowledge these breeders do possess comes from skimming one or two articles. This is fine if you're simply someone who admires the breed and wants to know a little bit more- not if you're claiming to be experts in the subject. As much as I may disparage the Pekingese people, at least they know what they're taking about. 

There are only two things that matter to the PDCA and it's members: winning ribbons and pumping out puppies.