Hi Steve,

To answer the questions you pose above in your post:

With respect to the breeds of dog you mention

Staffordshire bull terrier - fighting dog

Bulldog - no better example of what I quoted exists, i. e. "paraded round a ring at Crufts interbred to the point where only their appearance counts and they no longer retain any of qualities that actually marked them as a breed apart." The Bulldog as pure bred today could no more manage a Bull that fly in the air. Note the Staffordshire and the Bulldog were working dogs - they were used to assist the herdsman in handling or managing bulls.

Corgi - As far as I know they are still used as working dogs.

You ask - "...what human skills are involved uniquely in fox-hunting?"

The ability to select, pair, train and master a pack of hounds to achieve a specific task. To do this effectively the hunter has to develope his/her skill of horsemanship to follow where the quarry leads.

You further ask:

"..at what point does an issue become less urgent to the point where it is insignificant?"

My answer to that is when the basis of the "issue" is subjective opinion. Under those terms what is an "issue" for one person may well be totally insignificant to another - everybody is entitled to their own opinion.