I would find this more useful if you spelled out a bit more about your scoring method. You say:
They must be loyal, intelligent, and hardworking, they must have a sense of dignity, they must like humans, and above all they must be healthy.
Which of these do you think are the most important? Why do these traits matter? (for example, hardworking dogs are not really necessary in the modern world)
And why these traits and not others? (for example: size, cleanliness, appearance, getting along with other animals)
a dog which is as close to being a wolf as one can get without sacrificing any of those essential characteristics which define a dog as such
Why do you think a dog that is close to a wolf is objectively better than dogs which are further away?
Health is most important characteristic of all, because I care about whether it is good to be that dog.
Next is intelligence, mostly because I’m an ape who got where I am because my ancestors were clever enough to figure out nifty things like “fire-starting” and “germ theory.” This probably biases me a little, but I still can’t help but feel that a dog that is dumber than a wolf has lost something.
Loyalty and affection (or at least tolerance) for humans are important because dogs are wolves, but they’re domesticated wolves, and if a breed is mean and vicious and unfriendly then it’s failing super hard at “being domesticated.”
To be hardworking and to have dignity are mostly aesthetic concerns for me. To the extent that the former matters at all, it’s because I associate work ethic with purposiveness, and aimless breeds whose only task is to provide companionship have a tendency toward neuroticism and especially separation anxiety, in my experience.
Just as I’m judging dogs as domesticated wolves, I’m also judging them as domesticated wolves.
That said, don’t take any of this too seriously. It’d be good to keep the health stuff in mind before getting a dog, but my personal favs are greyhounds and I don’t think they’re going to get three stars, let alone the #1 Top Dog ribbon.
The real objective rating, of course, is “the best dog is whichever breed best suits your personal circumstances, and also isn’t an inbred freak like a pug.”
I would find this more useful if you spelled out a bit more about your scoring method. You say:
Which of these do you think are the most important? Why do these traits matter? (for example, hardworking dogs are not really necessary in the modern world)
And why these traits and not others? (for example: size, cleanliness, appearance, getting along with other animals)
Why do you think a dog that is close to a wolf is objectively better than dogs which are further away?
Health is most important characteristic of all, because I care about whether it is good to be that dog.
Next is intelligence, mostly because I’m an ape who got where I am because my ancestors were clever enough to figure out nifty things like “fire-starting” and “germ theory.” This probably biases me a little, but I still can’t help but feel that a dog that is dumber than a wolf has lost something.
Loyalty and affection (or at least tolerance) for humans are important because dogs are wolves, but they’re domesticated wolves, and if a breed is mean and vicious and unfriendly then it’s failing super hard at “being domesticated.”
To be hardworking and to have dignity are mostly aesthetic concerns for me. To the extent that the former matters at all, it’s because I associate work ethic with purposiveness, and aimless breeds whose only task is to provide companionship have a tendency toward neuroticism and especially separation anxiety, in my experience.
Just as I’m judging dogs as domesticated wolves, I’m also judging them as domesticated wolves.
That said, don’t take any of this too seriously. It’d be good to keep the health stuff in mind before getting a dog, but my personal favs are greyhounds and I don’t think they’re going to get three stars, let alone the #1 Top Dog ribbon.
The real objective rating, of course, is “the best dog is whichever breed best suits your personal circumstances, and also isn’t an inbred freak like a pug.”