an honest question..

[Corinna]

I think twisterdog got the answer the closest to answer your question.

[Twisterdog]

Originally posted by Aspen and Misty
It's the same with rabbit breeds though. Take Julian and Jaxom - Julian, A Holland Lop, chunckier, longer coat, down ears
Jaxom, A Mini Rex, Short Coat, Skinner, Up ears

Tottally diffret personliter -
Julian, Kind, Gentle, patient, lazy
Jaxom, Active and stuborn

Although they both weight 5 pounds, you can get bunnys who weigh 2 pound or one who weigh 25 pounds. There are alot more diffrences, I'm just not going to list them all.

Ashley

Yes, Ashley, to a rabbit fancier those differences are readily apparent and important.

However, cali's question was, why is the general public less concerned/aware about animals other than dogs, when it comes to breeds and breeding. And to the general public a rabbit is a rabbit is a rabbit. You may have a lop or a rex or a dutch rabbit sitting on your lap, and the person who walks by is going to think, "Oh, look! A bunny!" Period.

Whereas, the person who walks by is definately going to notice whether you have a chihuahua peeking out of your handbag, or a Saint Bernard sitting beside you. I wasn't saying there aren't important differences in breeds of rabbits, cats, ferrets, etc. ... I'm just saying that the vast majority of people don't know it.

[Karen]

The breed differences are more exaggerated in dogs than any other common pet species. Yes, there are 2-pound rabbits, and 20-pound rabbits, but there are no 180+pound rabbits. The same goes for cats, gerbils, hamsters - there aren't any 100-pound pet cats around, or guinea pigs the size of a beagle, never mind a GSD!

Everybody knows that there are ponies and horses, but most are confounded when they meet a miniature horse, or simply view them as an oddity. I can think of no other species of pet that has the range of difference in size, weight, height, coat and temperament as dogs do.

[Ally Cat's Mommy]

Originally posted by Karen

I can think of no other species of pet that has the range of difference in size, weight, height, coat and temperament as dogs do.

I WAS going to jump in here with pics of different breeds from the Cat Of The Year Show in South Africa, but if we are limiting our discussion to the GENERAL PUBLIC I would have to agree with Karen that dogs, at first glance, do have more ditinguishing characteristics than other domestic animals.

I think one cause for concern which I have seen repeatedly on the "Cat Side" is when a potential cat owner askes "what breed should I get" but they have NO intention of showing the cat, and haven't even researched different breeds. Usually they are advised to get a shelter / rescue cat and this save an animal from being PTS.