[Editor’s note: The piece below was written by Stephanie
Abraham, the AKC Gazette Boxer breed
columnist, for the July AKC Gazette. This breed column, “A
Snapshot in Time,” was selected for republication in the next edition of the
print and online AKC Breeder quarterly newsletter by the
editor of the Gazette.]
We live in an age
of statistics in the dog world as well as the world at large. From crowd sizes
at political rallies and sporting events to numbers of champions sired by a
particular stud dog to size of entries under a particular judge—we can and do
make judgments based on numbers.
However, it doesn’t hurt
to point out now and again how these numbers may be skewed in a particular
direction or altered over the decades based on new technologies or even changes
in our national economy.
Back in the day,
when bitches had to be shipped by air and there was no AI breeding, stud dog
statistics reflected those times. In the 1970s, for example, shipping was
the norm. I spent many an hour waiting or filling out written forms (no
computers) at the cargo area at the airport. While Bang Away did sire 88
champions in the 1950s, the number of bitches sent to him was legion, and
he remains #1 in AKC Boxer champions sired today. This is a
tremendous achievement, because of the sheer difficulty of physically getting
the bitches to him, and the fact that he was only available during his actual
lifetime—which in his case was relatively short--just under 8 years (Jan. 1949
- Feb. 1957). We can all argue with the benefit of hindsight about
the good and bad contributions he may have made as our first real example of
the ‘popular sire syndrome” in the breed, but the fact remains that his
influence was indisputable.
Today, freezing
semen is commonplace. Dogs can and do sire offspring decades after their
demise. We can ship chilled semen literally around the world using
sophisticated extenders. So while production records may be eclipsed due to
technology, we must remember that not all animals are being counted on equal
playing fields. We reap the rewards today of advances in veterinary science and
research, treating conditions that might have rendered animals barren not so
many years ago. Times have certainly changed. The dog that sired 20 champions
in 1960 might sire 40 or more today.
The advent of DNA
analysis has made a dramatic difference in the dog world. Now we can test for
health conditions, use more than one sire in a litter, and track generations to
be sure of accurate records. Making breeding choices based on DNA analysis has
arguably changed the entire world of purebred dog breeding.
Likewise, dog show
numbers and judging opportunities have increased exponentially over the years.
Hardly a weekend goes by without shows being available at increasingly closer
distances. At the same time, entry fees have increased and travel is also more
expensive. We constantly hear "too many shows, not enough good
judges." While it is not in the scope of this column to argue that theory,
it is clear that entry numbers have decreased and requirements for Majors in
many breeds, and certainly Boxers, have decreased. In my Zone 1, Major
requirements in 2018 have slipped to 9 and 14. I remember when Majors were 24 and
27, with far fewer opportunities to find them. Boxers were almost at the top of
the list of all breeds when it came to Majors. How times have changed--and not
just for Boxers but for many other breeds whose registrations have decreased
even tho their popularity ranking has stayed relatively constant. Boxers have
been in the Top 10 by popularity for a number of years lately. They were #3
during the Bang Away era.
So--- we need to be
aware of all that has gone before us that has altered the way we look at our
beloved breed. Numbers are just that--merely numbers that reflect on a
particular point in history. One stud dog or brood bitch record is not
"better" than another; it just reflects a snapshot in Time.
Stephanie Abraham
