An understatement of epic proportions.  Looking at the results of a recent presidential elections in a certain country I think they need one to breed themselves never mind dogs.

Yes absolutely, there certainly are a large proportion of lunatics breeding dogs, sadly especially pedigree showing dogs. I've read some truly outstanding tripe from them.  Creationist breeders, I mean how can you breed dogs if you don't even understand or "believe" evolution, genetics. Pedigree dog breeds fell from the sky, immaculate conception.......honestly! Then you get the eugenicist who see purity ubber alles at the expense of almost every pedigree dog. Their understanding of genetics is horrifying to say the least. They believe outcrossing to another breed produces a chimera. Generally it's these misguided that have caused the most havoc. 

Yes definitely education is absolutely key. Even a basic understanding. A simple agricultural diploma would make buying a dog so much less traumatic for your average owner, knowing the breeder knows what they're doing. As it stands it's the pet owner that needs a PHD just to find a healthy dog! More than 90% of dog owners are pet dog owners, and quite frankly deserving of healthy dogs, doesn't matter what breed. Previously working breeds like the Doberman or show bred mutts. Why should there be all this heartache and disappointment and cost involved with sickly diseased inbred, line bred dogs hoisted on the innocent pet owner. Even worse dogs deemed "pet quality" by show breeders are the rejects of the already extremely suspect.

On the bright side I think due to some high profile issues in dog breeding brought to the attention of the public in the mass media, awareness is slowly becoming such that pet owners are beginning to know the problems, at least accept them better than most breeders can, certainly most show breeders who have their heads very firmly in the sand. As with many things it's a "consumer" led attack on these breeding practises and breeders. And quite rightly so. Certainly many many breeds, the majority found in the show ring are not out of the woods and issues like celebrity endorsement of particularly problematic dog breeds is a very real difficulty for some breeds, almost insurmountable problem for some.

Some countries are definitely doing something about the problem in a real and meaningful way, even where appropriate calling in the law to change highly ingrained, retrograde, destructive practises in some instances. I don't have a problem with that, when dogs get the vote then they can decide for themselves but meantime breeders should be if needed dragged kicking and screaming by the law into the 21st Century.