Interesting News Out Of Crufts

[mita]

I think the most important reaction is that of the UK general public and there's been little reaction at all from what I can see. The Guardian, for instance, didn't really care cos they were having too much of a good time ...

http://guardian.co.uk/ms/p/gnm/op/srDYGHNAYGIHe3RtcOrYA_w/view.m?id=15&gid=lifeandstyle/2012/mar/08/crufts-2012-day-one-live-blog&cat=lifeandstyle

Sheridan, I looked up the Guardian link, too, to see if it differed from the light & appreciative touch of the New York Times. And it didn't.

You're right, they were enjoying a premier dog show.

That Guardian blog is great reading about Crufts. I hope people noticed it has a reference to tibetan spaniel, P'zazz Russian Lullaby.

That's a relative to our (now desexed) pet, Annie, who came from Europe & was P'zazz Golden Annie in showing.

Same lovely looks, sweet cuddly temperament...& who also seems to like 'meditating'. The Guardian blog notes she was snoozing amidst all the business. Typical tibbie, from their 'buddhist monastery' development.

Edited March 10, 2012 by mita

[Sheridan]

Mita, I figured if anyone would be critical in the UK it would be The Guardian.

[mita]

Mita, I figured if anyone would be critical in the UK it would be The Guardian.

Couldn't agree with you more, Sheridan. If there's any issue in the UK, I go to The Guardian to check their coverage and comment.

(They're good for a sharp eye on Europe & international affairs as well.)

[Rebanne]

Video from Crufts about the vet checks:

This isn't the bulldog that was disqualified, is it?

the bitch in the clip was 6 years old so bred and born 3 years before PDE. So it would appear the breeders were/are looking into their own backyard.

[mita]

I also looked for any statement about process from the UK Kennel Club. And found these general comments by the Club's Secretary, Caroline Kisko, in The Huffington Post UK. Many people in this thread, including me, have said that it'll be the details that count.

But this is pretty fair as a broad view:

Crufts and the Facts about Dog Health Caroline Kisko O8/03/2012

Crufts has been running for over 120 years, spanning three centuries, it starts today at the NEC in Birmingham and has attracted wide spread attention.

Dog health has been at the forefront of the public's mind for several years now, but has been for even longer a focus at the Kennel Club, the organisers of Crufts. The Kennel Club is not afraid to address criticism of dog health, it has been working tirelessly with breeders and scientists to improve the health of all the UK's dogs and has invested over £3.8 million into researching canine health problems, who else can claim to have invested so much?

There is confusion amongst the public about the causes of health problems affecting dogs, and it is particularly worrying that people believe cross breeds are automatically more healthy than pedigree dogs. There is no factual evidence for this and it has fuelled the trade in unhealthy designer crossbreed dogs, bred by unscrupulous puppy farmers and others.

What many people do not realise is that cross breeds are susceptible to exactly the same health problems as pedigree dogs, but breeders of crossbreeds will often not health test, resulting in litters of potentially unhealthy crossbreed dogs.

The Kennel Club recently conducted research of over 1000 dog owners and found that pedigree dog owners took the most responsible steps when finding a puppy. This is because the knowledge about the importance of dog health is widespread in the pedigree world...

Huge strides have been made to improve dog health, particularly with the knowledge that has been gained in recent years thanks to the advancement of genetic science, but there is still more to do. We particularly need to address the issue of people breeding dogs for money at the expense of health and for looks, whether these be pedigree or crossbreeds.

The Kennel Club has conducted groundbreaking research with the Animal Health Trust to look at genetic diversity in different breeds....

Edited March 10, 2012 by mita

[Salukifan]

Edited.. there is mention of "breeding for looks". Missed it the first time.

Edited March 10, 2012 by Telida Whippets

[mita]

Nowhere in that KC puff piece Mita does it mention a word about health conditions arising from the conformation of dogs bred to an exaggerated breed standard.

THAT is what the KC is tackling head on at Crufts.

Nice to see the elephant in the room be recognised at last.

Yes, there are unhealthy crossbreds.

However I have yet to hear one described as a "walking congenital disaster area" by a vet as I heard done for a breed.

.....breeding at the expense of health and for looks.

[Salukifan]

Nowhere in that KC puff piece Mita does it mention a word about health conditions arising from the conformation of dogs bred to an exaggerated breed standard.

THAT is what the KC is tackling head on at Crufts.

Nice to see the elephant in the room be recognised at last.

Yes, there are unhealthy crossbreds.

However I have yet to hear one described as a "walking congenital disaster area" by a vet as I heard done for a breed.

.....breeding at the expense of health and for looks.

Yep... see my edit.

BTW, I'm not sitting here on the lofty perch of a breed fancier who's smug that THEIR breeds aren't under the microscope. There's a few breeding trends in Whippets that need to be kicked into touch ASAP IMO

Edited March 10, 2012 by Telida Whippets

[mita]

Nowhere in that KC puff piece Mita does it mention a word about health conditions arising from the conformation of dogs bred to an exaggerated breed standard.

THAT is what the KC is tackling head on at Crufts.

Nice to see the elephant in the room be recognised at last.

Yes, there are unhealthy crossbreds.

However I have yet to hear one described as a "walking congenital disaster area" by a vet as I heard done for a breed.

.....breeding at the expense of health and for looks.

Yep... see my edit.

BTW, I'm not sitting here on the lofty perch of a breed fancier who's smug that THEIR breeds aren't under the microscope. There's a few breeding trends in Whippets that need to be kicked into touch ASAP IMO

From the same comments by Caroline Kisko, Secretary UK Kennel Club Secretary on 08/03/2012

Work currently being undertaken involves idiopathic epilepsy in Border Collies and hereditary cataract and progressive retinal atrophy in many breeds, including Siberian Huskies, Miniature Schnauzers and Tibetan Spaniels.

Edited March 10, 2012 by mita

[Crisovar]

Video from Crufts about the vet checks:

This isn't the bulldog that was disqualified, is it?

the bitch in the clip was 6 years old so bred and born 3 years before PDE. So it would appear the breeders were/are looking into their own backyard.

Yes, and many always have been, but are overshadowed it seems by the glaringly bad ones that everyone is so quick to fall upon.

We are constantly told if you breed to the standard and for health and soundness and away from trends you will not win and that as a result no one is prepared to do it, well there are those that have always bucked the trends and have continued to produce quality sound animals. That Bulldog in the video has been very successful.

Once when large successful kennels of animals was not something to be ashamed of Breeders were prepared to take a harder line with their breeding stock, weeding out the unsound and the barren.

Now it appears a much softer approach is taken and some of the very sensible animal husbandry has been replaced. Pups that wouldn't have been hand raised to keep them alive, bitches that cannot whelp freely, animals that cannot breed naturally are now being assisted to conceive and to give birth. All this plus the acceptable number of animals a Breeder can keep and the now far reduced need for animals to be used for their original purpose, I believe has contributed to what we see happening now.

[Fanuilos]

An interesting read is Jemima Harrison's blog. If you just google her name you'll find it.

[Salukifan]

From the same comments by Caroline Kisko, Secretary UK Kennel Club Secretary on 08/03/2012

Work currently being undertaken involves idiopathic epilepsy in Border Collies and hereditary cataract and progressive retinal atrophy in many breeds, including Siberian Huskies, Miniature Schnauzers and Tibetan Spaniels.

;Lofty? Smug?

Did you read the next line?

There's a few breeding trends in Whippets that need to be kicked into touch ASAP IMO

I was talking about myself.

[Steve]

Do you mean when this was still a purebred forum, and there were numerous pure-bred-dog breeders to give an opinion? And, when you Steve, were in favour of purebred dogs, and not mongrels?

No one could be bothered any more. :laugh:

If the KC wants to slam a few nails in the coffin lid, it is not for me to naysay them. When the best of breed is a crock, it doesn't say much for the dogs that best of breed beat, does it? What a joke.

No I don't think so - I think its since it became a forum where open debate from anyone including breeders and dog owners is no longer tolerated unless it suits a few who bully and attack people personally to get them to shut up when they have an opposing opinion.

The person who was beaten up the most for daring to discuss what the rest of the world was thinking to the table for discussion is a purebred breeder.

Now it would appear that even if someone is a purebred breeder its still likely to get them a personal swipe or two about something which has nothing to do with the topic just because you can.

[mita]

From the same comments by Caroline Kisko, Secretary UK Kennel Club Secretary on 08/03/2012

Work currently being undertaken involves idiopathic epilepsy in Border Collies and hereditary cataract and progressive retinal atrophy in many breeds, including Siberian Huskies, Miniature Schnauzers and Tibetan Spaniels.

;Lofty? Smug?

Did you read the next line?

There's a few breeding trends in Whippets that need to be kicked into touch ASAP IMO

I was talking about myself.

Yes, the last line was clearly linked to you....'whippets' is even in your DOL name.

But there was first a breed fancier on a lofty perch & who's smug that their breeds aren't under the microscope....who is not you, as you pointed out. Some loftiness & smugness going around. :)

I've said as much as I can say on the thread's subject. Still the UK case hangs on actual details about the 2 dogs. I have no idea if they will be known.

Edited March 10, 2012 by mita

[Salukifan]

Yes, the last line was clearly linked to you....'whippets' is even in your DOL name.

But there was first a breed fancier on a lofty perch & who's smug that their breeds aren't under the microscope....who is not you, as you pointed out. Some loftiness & smugness going around. :)

Oh for pity's sake... I was saying what I WASN'T doing.

MY COMMENT WAS NOT DIRECTED AT YOU.

Is that clear enough???

[mita]

Yes, the last line was clearly linked to you....'whippets' is even in your DOL name.

But there was first a breed fancier on a lofty perch & who's smug that their breeds aren't under the microscope....who is not you, as you pointed out. Some loftiness & smugness going around. :)

Oh for pity's sake... I was saying what I WASN'T doing.

MY COMMENT WAS NOT DIRECTED AT YOU.

Is that clear enough???

I wouldn't mind if it did. So there's no need to injure your head. :)

[jr_inoz]

Is there a reason (apart from the giant workload).... why dogs competing at Crufts aren't vet checked first before they enter the ring? Surely it would make sense to have the dog DQed at the start. I would have thought, publicity wise, that this would have been better for the KC.

[Sheridan]

Yes, the last line was clearly linked to you....'whippets' is even in your DOL name.

But there was first a breed fancier on a lofty perch & who's smug that their breeds aren't under the microscope....who is not you, as you pointed out. Some loftiness & smugness going around. :)

Oh for pity's sake... I was saying what I WASN'T doing.

MY COMMENT WAS NOT DIRECTED AT YOU.

Is that clear enough???

You two are kind of arguing on the same side, you know.

[Salukifan]

Yes, the last line was clearly linked to you....'whippets' is even in your DOL name.

But there was first a breed fancier on a lofty perch & who's smug that their breeds aren't under the microscope....who is not you, as you pointed out. Some loftiness & smugness going around. :)

Oh for pity's sake... I was saying what I WASN'T doing.

MY COMMENT WAS NOT DIRECTED AT YOU.

Is that clear enough???

You two are kind of arguing on the same side, you know.

I'm doing my level best not to be arguing at all. ;)

[Jed]

Is there a reason (apart from the giant workload).... why dogs competing at Crufts aren't vet checked first before they enter the ring? Surely it would make sense to have the dog DQed at the start. I would have thought, publicity wise, that this would have been better for the KC.

That would seem more sensible. There was a time when all entries were vet checked before exhibition. I suppose 28,000 would be too many to realistically check. Maybe entries in the 15 breeds could have been checked?

And perhaps vet checking them after judging makes a greater statment about the KC's committment to health?