Purebred
Purebreds are established by breeding individuals of unmixed lineage over many generations. When the lineage of a purebred is recorded, that animal is said to be pedigreed.
For some, the very idea of 'breed purity' often strikes an unpleasant chord with modern animal fanciers because it is reminiscent of nineteenth-century eugenics notions of the "superior strain" which were supposedly exemplified by human aristocracies and thoroughbred horses.
In general, there are two types of purebred: those 'recognized' by a
kennel club
and those of independent breed clubs.
Kennel clubs usually have strict sets of criteria for the recognition of a new
or existing dog breed, normally with some period of developmental or provisional
status. It cannot be assumed that the date of recognition of a breed indicates
how long the breed has existed as a pure breed.
