To breed or not to breed?

It's something I've heard a lot, especially recently. 'We should stop breeding pit bulls because there are too many of them!' Well, are they right or are they wrong?

Let's look at it from the anti-breeder's side. If we stop breeding dogs (and in most cases, spay and neuter them all), the shelters will be cleared and put out of business within 10 years. Alright, good job. But, now there's a demand for dogs and absolutely zero supply, thanks to the spaying/neutering of all the dogs. Now what? We start importing from foreign countries, which is well enough, but it's rather expensive just for a dog. Sure, we could restart breeding populations again, but won't that just start the cycle again?

From the breeder's point of view, to stop breeding altogether is a death sentence for all dogs everywhere. The simple fact of the matter is if you stop breeding, no more dogs. Spaying and neutering is fine, but why spay/neuter a dog who's got something worth passing on?

Where do I stand? I think that one or two litters a year is fine. Over 5 litters a year is just stupid. So there goes backyard breeders and puppy mills, which is just despicable. As for what dog should be breeding, they should serve a purpose. Breed herding dogs who can and excel in herding. Hunting types should have a high prey drive and be proven in the field. If your dog can't perform, or you're just too lazy to find out, then you have no business breeding it. With carefully regulated breeding, we can both empty out shelters and maintain the supply for the demand. It's simple math.