fjm

Largely in response to the huge public outcry that followed the broadcasting of Pedigree Dogs Exposed three years ago, the UK Kennel Club has, amongst other measures, instituted veterinary checks for dogs in the 15 "High Profile" awarded Best of Breed before they go forward to the Group awards. These are the breeds that have shown the greatest degree of health issues due to breeding for extreme conformation. The checks were scheduled to start at Crufts this year - and everyone was rather expecting this to be a non-story, with dogs passed automatically. But so far three Breed winners have failed the tests - the Bulldog, Pekingese and Clumber Spaniel. It looks as if one vet at least has the courage to take on the Breed clubs! These are not dogs new to showing - at this level they usually already have multiple show wins and championships. Nor are they the most extreme examples of their breeds - judges have already been briefed on the revised conformation standards, which move away from extreme characteristics. If the pressure is maintained, it is going to force major changes in how dogs are bred for the conformation ring, in the UK at least.

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To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden,
where doing nothing was not boring- it was peace.

~ Milan Kundera

sweet viola

I know I am new to this, but that sounds fantastic to me! Healthy consistent dogs should be the goal, at least imo.

Keithsomething

Why do people see this as a good thing...do you honestly think that something like this will fix problems?

It won't, all they have done is taken 3 breeds and removed their chance to be represented in the group ring...its a farce to make people stop saying they aren't doing enough about health.

Stricter rules governing breeding would resolve health issues,
vet checking ALL of the class not just the BOB would discourage unhealthy dogs from being shown,

both just as difficult to implement as this whole scam yet with much better results...

WELLLLL thank gosh I live in the states and our Breed Clubs have more control over what happens at shows than what happens in the UK!

Will people like it as much when its their breeds that are chosen to be ostracized?

(now THIS is something that has been caused by PDE, and Jemima should be happy...or she should health test her flat coated retriever like the KC says all flat coated retriever owners have to do...and hers is 10yrs old and has yet to have those tests done ;D)

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sweet viola

ok, so this might be inflammatory so I sincerely apologize if this is a hot button topic...

What do you think about allowing plastic surgery on conformation show dogs with over exaggerated features that cause medical problems. Like Pekinese that need nasal surgery due to the exaggeration of its nose placement?

Since this is breeding stock, it seems like the dogs should be able to be bred and produce puppies that don't need medical treatment?

Keithsomething

I don't think thats infalmmatory (asking questions never is!)

I agree with you, unhealthy dogs shouldn't be bred...but I don't think just ONE dog should be vetted and the others ignored...why not vet them all?

This is IMO a halfassed way of controlling breeders...when breeders should be governed by their breed clubs and themselves (and only punished through the KC)

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Sapphire-Light

Sadly :( looks like not all AKC breed clubs control breeders, look at the mess at westmister that a breeder won BOB wit a rough collie that is the son of a double merle who is blind AND deaf Westminster Rewards Cruelty

sweet viola

@keithsomething: I am sorry-I probably should have explained better that I wasn't asking that question to justify the OP, but just b/c that is a burning question I have about show dogs in general after seeing one of those "expose" type shows on dogs that have had corrective surgery, but are still able to be shown as ideal and become champions AFTER the surgery.

Yeah, it seems to me that if the AKC wanted to, they could require testing and disqualify from the RING any dogs that don't meet those standards, before it becomes as extreme as the OP case.

but again, I completely understand that there are many nuances of which I am uneducated about.

fjm

I absolutely agree that more needs to be done, Keith, and I would prefer to see all dogs vet checked before they are allowed to compete. The UK Kennel Club has something of a reputation for giving way to Breed Clubs/preferring to work by persuasion (depending on your point of view). This is at least a small signal of change, and I am prepared to C&T it, and hope it is maintained.

Meanwhile the campaign to stop the KC registering puppy mill litters continues!

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To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden,
where doing nothing was not boring- it was peace.

~ Milan Kundera

ArreauStandardPoodle

I and a few of my breeder friends think it is about time!!!!!!!!!!! Too bad it took a documentary for the KC to see the light, but this is a step in the right direction! I hope they start doing this with every breed where we see significant change in structure and maybe breeders with begin to get the message. Stop messing with things for the sake of what we perceive to be beauty. When we takes things to where an entire breed of dogs cannot be bred naturally or whelp without a C-section, things have gone way too far!

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Keithsomething

I want to correct everyone, you're all giving credit to PDE...that rubbish had NOTHING to do with the changes the KC is implementing. You're giving credit to a woman who deserves NONE...that silly little woman jumped on a bandwagon halfway through the station and made a crappy documentary (full of lies and innuendo that the gullible public took as the golden truth!).

The KC has had the Breeder Scheme idea mulling around since 2000...PDE came out in 2008 (I think >.>)..so no it didn't make that happen
IF it has caused anything its this stupid idea that ONE dog can be vetted by ONE vet and that removes the chance of ANY breed representative in the ring

(OH and for those of you who say that ALL bulldogs are sickly...watch this video ;D)

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