.com Forum · Alpha Dog Forum

Hi people

I'm involved in a number of breeds in need, as well as a couple that are more popular.

Do we need to close some breeds? As the only breeder in 1 breed, and 1 of the few breeders in another couple of breeds, and knowing how much hard work goes into being the only/1 of few breeders ...

In other games they sometimes collapse areas that are under-subscribed and move those players to another area.

I don't want to lose the gains I have made ... but ....

Comments please? I am happy to be shot down in flames if that's the general consensus.

There are a lot of breeds that have very little activity. I don't think that we will see any breeds discontinued but we are unlikely to see any new ones added for the foreseeable future.

I don't see any reason to force anyone to leave a breed if they are content to work solo and keep it going. Some folks make a project, of sorts, 'rescuing' these breeds from extinction. As things stand, breeds on SD will never go truely extinct - they can always be brought back through starters.

I can see some merit to closing some breeds that have few supporters if it was guaranteed that these folks would move to a different breed but there is a risk that they might leave altogether (they may have spent some time working on that breed) and a subscription is lost. That will impact the SD bottom line - not good for any of us. There are lots of breeds that have a fair bit of activity if one is looking for that but I don't think it is fair or desirable to try to force people to change breeds.

In real life, it seems rather sad, perhaps even tragic when a breed that has hundreds of years of history becomes extinct. I personally think so especially when you look and see this person crossing breeds and trying to 'create' a new breed and someone else crossing different breeds to create another 'new breed'. We need new breeds like a hole in the head when we have an overflow of animals with rescue groups and historical breeds facing extinction. There are no 'starters' in real life to bring these breeds back.

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Last edited by gaylanstudio on 5/3/2016 10:26:34 AM

A big NO, people will pick breeds based on what they like. If say for example vallhunds were stopped because there are onky a few of us I wouldn't just say oh well I'll play a breed I have no intrest in instead, I'd leave the game. Why force people to swap breeds if they don't want to.

It's not causing the game any problems having unpopular breeds and it does also have an upside, those breeds with one to two breeders and breeds that end up with no one can then be restarted by New players looking for a fresh challenge. There is alot of pride in having a line that you started from crappy starters and bred them into something great. in a breed with no top quality competition in the shows those breeders can show and finish dogs.

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Last edited by PPvallhunds on 5/3/2016 2:25:15 PM

I definitely agree that we shouldn't 'cull' the less popular breeds.

It's not fair on those players who are in those breeds to be asked to just give up and move to another breed.

Like the others have said - these people have often spent months or even years building these breeds up from the lowest of lows SOP-wise.

I also do not want to add any new breeds either.

Ideally it would be nice to have something (I don't know what though!) that encourages more people to play in the quieter breeds.

One of the biggest issues I have come across is that some people have been in their breeds as the sole breeder for such a long time that they have now become 'closed kennels' and do not wish to share their studs or broods or pups with anyone - which puts a massive roadblock on that breed for anyone who actually does want to join and help out.

I think as we see the more popular breeds reach 10.0 in ever trait the breeders will migrate to lower SOP breeds to bring them up. I recently left Great Danes because I am not able to keep up with them and they are so close to perfect, I have a few low sop breeds I'm trying out (since I have a hard time having a single breed in a kennel!).

I do see your point, Pointy but I think that would cause Jeff to lose players.

Way to bring up ideas to help keep the game going, though!

Worth a thought.

As the only player in Silkies I see what PH is saying.

However - I'm getting somewhere in Silkies so I don't want to leave.

I don't think we should get rid of less active breeds. I prefer to be in quieter breeds...I've tried a few really popular ones and I'm not competitive enough so I felt like I was getting eaten alive. Afghans are about as high up on the list that I will go.

I'm in two breeds near the bottom of the list (Lhasa Apso in this kennel and PBGV in .Alexandrite.) I wouldn't quit if either was removed only because as long as I have my Doxie and Affies I'm perfectly happy. I know there are people who are just in a low ranking breed and they're having fun just as I love my two favorite hounds and enjoy breeding them.

I'm also against adding more breeds. There's more than enough to choose from...I feel that Jeff made good selections on the breed list.

Last note. Most people on SD love showing. I personally don't. Yeah I finish a dog now and then but I'm one of those color breeding nerds. I used to have Dachshund color genetics down to a science. To each his own.

Alexandria

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Last edited by Lace Dreams on 5/6/2016 9:34:08 AM

I don't believe it is a good idea. I deliberately chose breeds with the lowest numbers with pics when I joined and would quit if forced to switch to a more popular breed

I'm in Samoyeds which isn't a popular breed. Last time I checked they are ranked #157. Usually I'm the only one in the show ring. There are only a couple of breeders. But if Samoyeds were taken out of the game I would leave as they are the only breed I really want to play with. I also have them in real life.

WishMaker