Kanine Kapers Dog Blog

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Update on Previous blog – Kennel Club v BBC

The Kennel Club have responded to the BBC TV programme and its implied accusation of complacency in the face of genetic faults causing health problems in some pedigree dogs.

The Kennel Club has agreed that more needs to be done and have been taking action.

Looking through the statement on their website Link they appear to be taking the problem seriously but still seem to underestimate number of dogs affected by genetic health problems.

“Thankfully, few of us, or of the general pet owning public, will have seen any of the problems which were portrayed as commonplace on the TV programme. Neither the 160,000 visitors to Crufts this year, nor the many millions of other dog loving viewers who watch it on television, will have recognised the description “disabled mutants in a freakish, garish beauty pageant” from what they saw – which was beautiful, healthy animals interacting with proud and loving owners! This is the reality, and while it is of course legitimate to investigate dog health, we do not feel that it is legitimate to portray the findings of those investigations in such a one-sided way which completely ignores the efforts of all those most closely involved with dog health.”

Last week The Kennel Club announced a new breed standard for the Pekingese they are moving away from the flat face profile. This was a cause of the breeds’ respiratory problems. They have also announced…

“A breed health plan will be coordinated for each of the UK’s 209 pedigree breeds and will benefit from the extensive research that has been funded by the Kennel Club in conjunction with renowned veterinary research centres over the past 40 years. This will include updated breed standards to ensure that no dog is bred for features that might prevent it from seeing, walking and breathing freely.”

On the 10th of October together with Dogs Trust they called for the government to support a review onto dog breeding in the UK. They have called on the Government to give the Kennel Club statutory powers to make its Accredited Breeder Scheme compulsory throughout the country – a system that would make it illegal for non-members to produce or sell puppies.

Hopefully good news for the future of pedigree dog breeding / showing in the UK

15th January 2009 Update check  link to Telegraph

 Harry is 1 year old today and marked the occasion by finally lifting his leg to pee!  Ok, that might sound like an odd thing to get excited about but I thought it would never happen, I kept checking that he had the necessary equipment.  He’s finally a big boy now.  Harry has had a good day I think, we took him for a long walk, followed by a birthday bath (he needed it, stinky boy), a nice long nap, a toy and mince for his tea.  Now though, he’s lying upside down, snoring and dribbling on the carpet, that walk must have caught up with him.

The organisers of Crufts Dog Show The Kennel Club have lodged a complaint with Ofcom over the BBC programme “Pedigree Dogs Exposed”. and are looking into the contract with the BBC for Crufts TV coverage.

If you missed this programme click through this link to BBC News
or check out youtube.

With the Dogs Trust and RSPCA withdrawing from stands at Discover Dogs in November and at Crufts next March. Mark Evans RSPCA chief veterinary adviser added

“Dog shows using current breed standards as the main judging criteria actively encourage both the intentional breeding of deformed and disabled dogs and the inbreeding of closely related animals. There is compelling scientific evidence that the health and welfare of hundreds of thousands of pedigree dogs is seriously compromised as a result.”

 From personal experience, on this subject I can’t remain impartial and see this issue from both sides, but I’ve yet to find someone who can.   We’ve had dogs through the classes who have been affected by breeding for certain characteristics and its heartbreaking to see the owners deal with something they have no control over.

Much closer to home , my parents have had a lot of heartache over the years with their present dog. KK is the second dog that they had got from the same breeder but from a totally different line ( a very top winning kennel, I might add) because the original line that our first dog was from was now extinct.  To date, KK has been treated for retained testicle,  hip dysplasia, food intolerances, bumble bee allergy, periodontal disease, various operations to laser his eyes to reduce ulceration, saliva gland re-routed to his eyes to do the job of his now dyfunct tear gland and to top it all off now, he has a large nasal tumour that will ultimately take his life.  My dad spends his days catering to KK’s every whim and it worries me sick how he will be when KK’s gone. I know how wrapped up he is in the dog that I fear my dad will disappear too when he no longer has KK by his side.

This is an issue that will be emotionally argued on all sides but I have to say a big thank you to the BBC for making it more of a publically known issue rather than a privately fought one.