Pedigree Dogs Exposed

[wiggal]

Any one else watching this?

I have a pedigree dog and a mongrel, but even 5 minutes in and I'm in tears already!

Nothing necessarily about them being pedigree, just the clips they have shown of some of the dogs.

:-(

[momac]

I will never watch Crufts dod show again,after watching last night's programme, it's all about money and as usual the poor little dumb animals are the victims, I'm disgusted.

[momac]

I will never watch Crufts d ogshow again,after watching last night's programme, it's all about money and as usual the poor little dumb animals are the victims, I'm disgusted.

[teajunky]

I have a Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy (6 months) and we bought him thinking that pedigree dogs are the best dogs to buy. The programme made me think about this belief...

I wouldn't change him for the world though!

http://i36.tinypic.com/287hmia.jpg

[jules77]

ok momac, we get your point!!

Crufts is not just all about a 'few breeds' that were featured last night, and this is exactly the opinions that the programme producers wanted from the programme.

I agree Crufts is very commercialised, and I for one wish it was like any other dog show in that respect, but many people have become soooo blinkered.

[momac]

I will never watch Crufts dog show again,it's all about money, and as usual it's the poor dumb animals who are the victims,I am disgusted.

[momac]

I will never watch Crufts dog show again,it's all about money, and as usual the victims are the poor dumb animals, I am disgusted.

[momac]

Sorry about repeats, still got my L plates on.

[kita1]

Just looked at ads. on epupz for Cavaliers.

Kennel Club registered pups are around 375 pounds.

NON Kennel Club registered are 525-550 pounds.!!!

[Snappy]

I was inscensed by the programme, could it have been anymore biased and one sided?! Totally agree about mark evans, the RSPCA think nothing of taking a dog off someone in the street because it looks a 'pit bull type' only to kill it a few months later, thats solely about looks!

Why didn't they balance it by showing the breeders who are trying to make things better? And lo and behold who else was involved in the programme, beverly cuddy and emma milne, hardly two impartial people, they both have a huge vendetta against pedigree dogs. GRRR!!

[Rosetta]

Snappy, should the programme have challenged Emma Milne and Beverly Cuddy. What was it they said that was untruthfull?.

[Snappy]

Well my main gripe with bev was the fact she didn't even mention she was going to be on there during a discussion about the programme. I asked her once when she was on her last crufts/pedigree dogs rant, why she was so against ped dogs yet her magazine openly advertised ridiculous crossbreed puppies for sale which didnt have the relevant checks done. They soon got rid of the xbreed section, and brought out the little black book and the furry godmother website, which is all very good stuff. BUT why couldn't she have mentioned that on the show? Mentioned the breeders on the FG site that do the health checks and are breeding healthy dogs?

Emma milne, well she may be a vet but that doesn't mean she knows anything more about dogs in general than anyone else. I resent the fact she was consulted on the show given the way she sensationalized her article on greyhounds, she was obviously not impartial just like the whole show wasn't impartial.

Thousands of people who don't know any better will believe all the bad things in that programme, but alas these are the same people who make comments such as 'we had no idea about syringomyelia' before buying a cav or the lady with the pug who said 'We had no idea Pugs could have such bad health problems'

As long as joe public continue their selfish ways ('i want a dog so i'll go out and get whichever one looks cutest') there'll be dishonest people waiting cash in. While the good breeders get shafted and left with all the stress and worry of what will happen to their beloved breeds!!!!!!

[Rosetta]

I totally accept that there are loads of good responsible breeders that end up getting tarred with the same brush, but I dont think its fair to place allthe blame with the purchaser either. (as i said earlier in the thread we ALL need to do something about it) However, no purchaser knowingly buys a duff pup, cause if nothing else they get landed with the subsequent vets bill.
Equally I decry fashion in dogs. eg these "handbag dogs "are absurd and horrible. But, there is dual responsibility here ------ without a demand there would be no handbag

[Rosetta]

Sorry, submitted before by mistake.
----dogs, without supply the interest would be unmet. Surely this is the role of the Kennel Club, to set standards.
Some Organisation has to step back and say what is right and wrong, and again surely the responsible good breededs will benefit because their actions will be both endorsed and upheld, in turn surly they would not have to carry the can for those breeders who do not give a sh!t for their dogs,either now or in the future.

[blackcat77]

I've just watched the programme on Iplayer and thought that it was very biased - I totally agree that the Kennel Club should look at their Breed Standards very carefully and it was very sad to watch the boxer and the King Charles Spaniels and I thought that the woman who won the KCS best in show was totally immoral and unethical, but please don't tar all dog breeders with the same brush! There are many out there who care immensely about their dogs and are trying to improve the breed where they can, not breed detrimentally to the future dogs' health. Also regarding Crufts I agree that they really only focus on the showing but it would be nice to remember that there are other classes going on for obedience, agility, flyball etc with perfectly normal dogs who may happen to be pedigree too!
Could anyone explain to me why a Rhodesian Ridgeback's ridge is in any way connected to Spina Bifida? Surely it is only a matter of how the coat lies?

[Rosetta]

wiggal, I am sorry if you think I have over dominated this thread. Tell me to get lost if you want, or if I am talking total tosh.
On the other hand, it would be nice to know my posting are not unrepresentative

[lankeela]

blackcat - the ridge on a ridgeback is not just the way the coat lies, and hair actually grows inwards, and in cases of Dermoid Sinus (which is similar to spina bifida in humans)
it is a congenital condition that they are born with, found on the midline of the neck, back, and tail along the spinal column. The hairs grow inwards and form tubes which can fill with debris and pus that cannot escape naturally as they would in outward growing tubes. An abscess can form and resultant swelling can rupture the skin, which is not only painful but can be life threatening. Although it can be operated on, it can be difficult to locate and remove, and sometimes they cannot be found and it is kinder to put the puppies to sleep. Sometimes the Dermoid Sinus can grow round the spinal cord, and cause much pain and distress to the animal.

[lankeela]

This probably explains it better than I did.

http://www.rhodesianridgebackhealth.org/resour ces/dermoidsinus.html#DermoidSummary

[blackcat77]

Thanks lankeela, that is very interesting. A friend of mine has a Rhodesian Ridgeback who is around 16 months old now and I have just looked up her breeder and it says on the website that her dogs are thoroughly checked for DS so I'm very relieved!