“An Englishwoman who does not own a dog is a novelty, and usually she owns a kennel of dogs.”

So started the article, “Famous Englishwomen and Their Dogs” written by “A Woman of the Nobility” for Era Magazine, an Illustrated Monthly Volume XV.

The piece was written for the June – July 1905 edition, some one hundred and eleven years ago. There are gems, albeit dated ones,  to be found in it.  A few of our favorites:

• “Each Spring the Ladies’ Kennel Association gives a bench show, which is one of the fashionable events of the season.”
• “Some of the most beautiful dogs in the world are displayed, for in no country in the world has dog breeding been brought to the point of perfection that is has in England” (Ed Note: When was the last time anyone bragged about the state of its dog breeding?)
• “These dogs have the most amusing names [dogs belonging to the Princess Beatrice], one of them having been named by the Queen President Faure, because there was a fancied resemblance to the late President of France.”

It’s been our observation that reaction to an extreme point of view is an equally extreme point of view. Neither is healthy. The times in which this article was when purebred dog ownership was the purview of the rich and titled only. How would any of us who love our purebred dogs feel about this?

The exact opposite of limited purebred dog ownership might be where we are now, which is to vilify purebred dog ownership as elitism, or worse, viewing heritage breeding as canine eugenics.

Serious dog people value balance in their dogs, and balance is an attribute we value as well. Wouldn’t a balanced view of dog ownership in 2016 be that responsible dog owners get to choose the best fit of dog for themselves whether it’s a mutt, rescue, or purebred dog acquired from a heritage breeder?  We think it’s more important that prospective dog owners do their homework before bringing home any dog, whatever that dog is. We respect the choices of people to make informed decisions for themselves.

Image of Lady Maude Alexandra Victoria Duff, child of Princess Louise, Duchess of Fife, Grandchild of King Edward. From the article: She is the only royal child who keeps a kennel and supplies all her royal cousins with prized dogs