Rat problem

[bokbokbok]

Anyone watching this? I am shocked about the Ridgies - I didn't know about THEIR health problems - knew about most of the others.

 

The footage of the spaniels was particularly upsetting.

[chelsea]

yes im watching, the poor boxer upset me.

 

as an owner of a German Shepherd am also shocked by the state of the poor dogs at the show their hind legs were awful.

Edited August 19, 2008 by Guest

[dogs and chickens]

I watched a little about the spaniels but found it so upsetting I had to turn over

[bokbokbok]

Burrrrp

Edited August 19, 2008 by Guest

[bokbokbok]

I found the OLD photos / illustrations versus the NEW shapes fascinating (not in a good way).

 

I saw a GSD in our development yesterday which had the back legs like the ones highlighted and it just didn't look steady.

 

(Don't want to upset any dog breeders in here though!)

 

I used to show Samoyeds and my claim to fame was that one year I was one point away from going to Crufts! When we bred one of the "Ooops, word censored!"es up we went to a different country to get a stud and made sure he hadn't serviced any "Ooops, word censored!" in our area (not that puppies can't travel of course. . . )

 

The Chairman's point about him knowing every dog in his lineage and therefore he knows when to in-breed doesn't counter the people who are breeding dogs in the back kitchen and have brother and sister or mother and son and just because it isn't banned means they CAN and DO.

 

Oh - it would seem I have a few opinions on the genetics of it all!

[spratly0]

I watched and found it very upsetting. I love dogs but find this kind of breeding abhorrent.

 

I don't want to upset breeders but it seems those shown on the programme had no real care for a healthy animal but just what it looked like so that it could win a show and sell more puppies on the back of that win. To put a healthy animal to sleep because it doesn't look right makes me so

 

I have always had doubts about breeders, my dad 'saved' a german shepherd pup that could not be sold as a KC registered dog because he had a bent ear, his ear did straighten after about a year and he was a beautiful softy but alas had to be put to sleep at the age of 8 because he lost the use of his back legs and bowel control.

 

It was for this reason that when my children wanted a dog that we got a cross breed who has turned out to be an utter delight. He has a wonderful temperament, has never been ill and is still a spritely 10 years old

[Sunshine]

I only saw the bit about the pugs and it amazed me to see the picture of what they used to look like and then a pug as you think of them now.

[spratly0]

I watched and found it very upsetting. I love dogs but find this kind of breeding abhorrent.

 

I don't want to upset breeders but it seems those shown on the programme had no real care for a healthy animal but just what it looked like so that it could win a show and sell more puppies on the back of that win. To put a healthy animal to sleep because it doesn't look right makes me so

 

I have always had doubts about breeders, my dad 'saved' a german shepherd pup that could not be sold as a KC registered dog because he had a bent ear, his ear did straighten after about a year and he was a beautiful softy but alas had to be put to sleep at the age of 8 because he lost the use of his back legs and bowel control.

 

It was for this reason that when my children wanted a dog that we got a cross breed who has turned out to be an utter delight. He has a wonderful temperament, has never been ill and is still a sprightly 10 years old

[spratly0]

I watched and found it very upsetting. I love dogs but find this kind of breeding abhorrent.

 

I don't want to upset breeders but it seems those shown on the programme had no real care for a healthy animal but just what it looked like so that it could win a show and sell more puppies on the back of that win. To put a healthy animal to sleep because it doesn't look right makes me so

 

I have always had doubts about breeders, my dad 'saved' a german shepherd pup that could not be sold as a KC registered dog because he had a bent ear, his ear did straighten after about a year and he was a beautiful softy but alas had to be put to sleep at the age of 8 because he lost the use of his back legs and bowel control.

 

It was for this reason that when my children wanted a dog that we got a cross breed who has turned out to be an utter delight. He has a wonderful temperament, has never been ill and is still a sprightly 10 years old

[spratly0]

so folks had terrible trouble connecting didn't realise posted so many times!

[alexgirl73]

I was utterly disgusted and completely heartbroken when that poor boxer was screaming during an epileptic fit

 

And these people are supposed to be dog LOVERS

[Seagazer]

I watched this programme last night and was really upset - my two boys watched it with me and we all thought the 'original' looking dogs looked better.

 

I cannot believe that these breeders think that it is okay to carry on breeding from dogs that have so many problems. The spaniels screaming with pain in its head was heartbreaking.

 

We got a kitten once because she was supposed to be long haired and the breeder was going to drown her, mum and dad found out about it and asked to have her. She was a lovely cat who lived with us for 16 happy years.

 

The neurologist on the programme was the one that diagnosed my old dog Sally with a degenerative neuro muscular disease. She was so caring and lovely even though Sal was a 12 year old mongrel.

[bronze]

I didn't watch but I've made it clear before on here I detest crufts

[Stevie]

I watched it.

 

Seeing how breeders are changing German Shepherds to have a spine shaped like a bannana was nothing less than animal abuse.Fitting Boxers,Cavaliers with such tiny skulls their brain cannot pulse,Rhodesian Ridgebacks destroyed because they're born with no ridge-just a small selection of terrible things the programme highlighted.

 

The KC have a lot to anwser to because no matter how they try to wriggle out of this controversy-it is they who set the various breed standards.

[xChicken04x]

It was awful wasn't it? It made me feel sick watching the King Charles screeching in pain and the boxers fitting. Seeing the German Shepherd's in the show ring was horrible, our GSD pup has a slightly arched back, but no were near as bad as those ones. Her dad is 'show quality' but he didn't have legs like that and he was gorgeous. I just wanted to give our pup a huge hug at the end of the program, she is so lucky she was bred into a decent family that wanted to find genuine homes for the pups. There is absolutely no need for them to be like that.

And what about that Pekingese? The poor Love, sitting on an ice pack as it over heated just walking across the arena. I don't even know what to say about that.

 

I was quite looking forward to Crufts this year, but now I know what has been going on, I won't be watching.

[Shirl]

The one that got me was the spaniel breeder who had knowingly bred her champion dog to produce about 26 litters after she knew he had been diagnosed with the brain/skull disorder.

 

As a former breeder of pedigree dogs I know that not all breeders are like this but most of those at the top of the game are. It is the kennel club and the judges that are to blame. But then the jdges are the breeders

[Egluntyne]

I watched this last night having Sky+'d it.

 

How can we call ourselves a nation of dog lovers when spaniels with syringomyelia, in as poor a state as the one at the start of the programme, are kept alive to satisfy the neediness of their owners, with no real thought about the cruelty of it all.

 

Also the epileptic boxer. Poor creature. In my book both those owners were guilty of cruelty.

 

And to deliberately breed a spinal defect into the Rhodesian Ridgebacks and cull the healthy pups. Mindless.

 

Hideous double standards.

 

The breeders interviewed all seemed away with the fairies too.

 

All down to money. The Kennel Club has a lot to answer for.

[Cooks]

I didn't watch it as I knew I would just end up in tears.. again. I have read about exactly what it contained though, and from what I read it wasn't good.

 

I have been to crufts once, and that was one time too many really, but the children wanted to go to see the breed stands, where you can see near enough every breed I think, and the stall/shop areas are good.

 

We have never returned though.

[Looney]

I saw half of this programme and was astounded at the attitude of a couple of the breeders.

 

I'm sure the programme creators picked the most extreme opinions to be aired - as they always do - but I found it incredible that some people really believed that non so-called perfect dogs should be put down as a matter of course. And breeding close relatives was absolutely fine too I'm sure they should look at history and certain lines of upper class families to see why that is such a bad idea!

 

I have watched Crufts in the past and it has never crossed my mind that such things go on. I'm not a dog owner and have never owned one so have never thought too deeply about it. Certainly opened my eyes a bit

[Rhapsody]

I've always steered clear of the pedigree dog scene for all the reasons shown on this programme. I think the KC are an appauling organisation. Recently at the vets I saw one of their leaflet which I read out of idle curiosity about choosing a puppy. It actually said that rescue dogs would probably have behaviour issues

Our latest rescue dog is an American Bulldog, our only pedigree- he has terrible itchy skin and allergy problems, and has to wear a Buster collar every night to stop him ripping himself to pieces. Vet says its genetic, he was bought by his first owner off the internet so his parents weren't checked out and are probably still pupping dogs with this condition as we speak. He also has the Giant Breed problems with knees and hips and cost us 4-figures at the orthopedic vet in the spring so he can run like a normal dog. It just isnt fair to breed a dog so fragile.

While we're talking about Crufts, why oh why are tail docked-dogs still being shown?

[Cooks]

While we're talking about Crufts, why oh why are tail docked-dogs still being shown?

 

I dont know the tails look lovely wagging as they should be IMO

[Gamebird]

While we're talking about Crufts, why oh why are tail docked-dogs still being shown?

Tail docking was banned from 1st July 2007 (but not in Southern Ireland) and any dogs born after that date will not be allowed to be shown with a docked tail. However, dogs born before that date will still be allowed.

 

It's really good to see undocked dogs and for them to be able to send out the correct body signals to other dogs, i.e. waggy tail means I'm friendly. Dogs with docked tails are often misunderstood by other dogs because of the inability to show a wagging tail.

 

I haven't watched this programme yet (taped it will watch tonight) but I have a feeling I'm not going to like it.

 

I blame the judges at shows who place dogs with unhealthy attributes, i.e. overweight short legged Labradors, German Shepherds with sloping backs, dog that can hardly breath etc. It seems that everything has to be taken to extreme.

 

Very often the dogs are not taken into consideration but are there just to satisfy the ego of certain obsessed, tunnel-visioned, arrogant breeders.

 

So sorry if I have offended anybody.

[Puglet]

I'm sorry but I have to add my tupence worth here. I watched the programme and I, as others were horrified at some of the things I saw and can not excuse them. However, the programme only showed the worst it could find as I know that most breeders wouldn't dream of thinking or acting like some on there.

 

I know many other people were interviewed and had showed the leaps and bounds that are being made to try and erradicate any health problems but these interviews didn't seem to make it to the final cut, I wonder why.

 

I would also like to make it clear that not all pugs have breathing problems, in fact very few do. If you saw my pugs chasing down my cocker across my paddock for hours and hardly breaking into a pant you would agree. Also when it comes to breeding, myself and most people that I know breed for health and temprament first and foremost. There is nothing better than watching a good dog move with grace and drive and knowing that it is built well.

 

Again I'm not saying that there aren't problems in dog breeds, as there are in horses, cats and many other animals, but this programme had one aim only, and that was to try and destroy the good reputation of many caring breeders that have worked long and hard to produce fit and healthy dogs. They did this by finding the few bad breeders and tarring us all with the same brush.

 

Unfortunately most of the general public haven't noticed that this programme was completely unbalanced. It makes me wonder just how true and unbiased programmes like horizon and panorama are also now. There's so much more I could say on this but I will leave it now. I just hope people can look at the programme in an objective way.

[theherd123]

I have recorded this programme on V+ so will watch it tonight as im very interested in this field. Back in the day my little bear Teddy did some stud work and i would never allow him to breed with another dog who hadnt passed specific health tests relating to the breed.

[Rhapsody]

While we're talking about Crufts, why oh why are tail docked-dogs still being shown?

Tail docking was banned from 1st July 2007 (but not in Southern Ireland) and any dogs born after that date will not be allowed to be shown with a docked tail. However, dogs born before that date will still be allowed.

 

Well I did wonder- thanks for that info Gamebird!