Should there be two breed standards (working/show)...?

...simply so that one doesn't suffer at the expense of the other?

For those who say there shouldn't be, what about the breeds whose working ability has been sacrificed?

Absolutely not, a dog should be able, physically and mentally to do the job it was bred for, whatever the job was and even if that is no longer possible. Functioning animals should be bred for.

I agree there should only be one breed standard. If the dog is not fit to do the job it was first intended then it is the breeders who should be working to rectify this.

I do see though that certain breeds differ enormously in type, when you look at working and show lines.

NO!

what would be the point of changing breed standards?

1..it would make pedigrees look a joke

2..health issues would be worse.

3..BYB's and Puppy Farms would increase tenfold.

a pedigree should be bred for the purpose for which it was intended, and to be healthy and have a good temperment.
this would be compromised if the breed standards were split.

One standard, please! My beautiful Border Collies have all been from "working stock" and (IMO) have been tougher than their kennel-bred counterparts - which can make quite a difference in a climate such as that of Orkney!

Snorri

Definately not...

Although saying that.>I have seen many malamutes in the ring that couldn't pull a sled for 5 minutes never mind 5 miles!

know exactly what you are saying but NO
the idea of the breed standard was (i believe) ment to preserve the dogs, the fact that some show breeds look so far removed from their working counterparts says there has been something wrong either with the standard or the interpritation of it
breeding should be for working ability, health, and temprament,imo looks should be pretty far down on the list if there at all

Not sure I agree with all of that. I think you'll find that many working breeds have changed and been altered for the wrong reasons. Many working Springers have crippled deformed front legs, like queen Anne legs, they are also manic and hyper, they were never bred like that its ONLY the working fraternity that have done it.

fair nuff, as i said should be bred for working ability and health
i only really know some working labs and collies so cant comment on all working dogs

No, we should be striving to breed dogs for what they were orignally bred for, but without breeding something that looks nothing like the original breed. Not difficult if you have the breeds best interests at heart!

I'm personally very disappointed that the KC didn't incorporate something about working ability in the ESS breed standard when they updated a few lately. I have a fab pic in an old dog book of an ESS and it looks exactly how it shoud - a dog bred to go for hours out in the field.