[Dog breeding in the Netherlands (author's transl)].

The present report is a review of the history of dog breeding and of the current status of breeding dogs in the Netherlands. Breeds of dogs were previously subjected to methods of breeding in which survival and reproduction of the animals depended on the usefulness of dogs for various duties. Today, animals of these breeds are mainly kept as pets. Although serious breeders try hard to preserve the original characteristics of the animals, the breeds are nowadays subjected to strong forces of fashion and the pressure of public opinion. A marked increase in interest in special breeds is resulting in a reduction of the pressure of selection and thus in a wide variety of undesirable traits. In the opinion of the present author improvement of knowledge and in the understanding of dogs provides the best weapon to combat these unwanted effects.