General Chat

I thought the bulldog ...when it was used for the purpose it was bred for was a very handsome looking dog. Can't say as they're particularly handsome now as they do look deformed.

The skeleton example of the changes over the years to the size of it's nose was shocking.....I REALLY can't see a need for that at all...especially considering that they'd be unlikely to be working these days...so the need for the wrinkles to make the blood flow down is really quite unnecessary...yet it's more pronounced now than ever it was !!!

x

I wonder if Merlin meant 'inter-breeding' rather than ' cross breeding'?

I think we're all agreed that pedigree or mongrel there is no excuse for breeding that allows or encourages health defects just to get 'a look' or a size that is 'convenient and cute' whether it's for money or vanity.

Wrt crossbreeds...my dog is a crossbreed, or mongrel if you prefer :-) She has lurcher, doberman and jack russell in her. It was totally unintentional as the dogs simply did what dogs do, rather than being bred.

With her and even some cross breeds such as the example of the dalmation in the programme I have no problem with. I'm not particularly against eg labradoodles so long as there are no health implications. I do have a problem with breeders who breed the "teacup dogs" which are too small and therefore have health problems. I feel the same about breeders who breed pure breds to a certain specification even if it results in health problems for the dogs.

I've just watched it and I feel physically sick at what those poor dogs are going through.

While watching the section on Cavaliers I could hear the tv in the back room playing "I want to know what love is..." and all I could think was that those breeders cannot love their dogs if they're continuing to breed in a way that they know causes health problems for the dog. The boxers had me in tears too.

I found the pictures of the dogs as they used to look compared with today interesting. Am I the only one who thinks that the dogs look better in their "original form" than they do when adhering to the current breed standard?

Why do you think cross breeding is wrong Merlin? x

I had a friend who tried to breed things out of British Bull Dogs, informed the KC. they booted him out because of it. I think Cross breeding is wrong and the Judges at these shows should say so and not just accept that these dogs are being cruelly treated just to satisfy some ones preferences.**M**.

It was the boxer that got to me the most.

That poor poor dog....... and such an agonising death....and hundreds more from that one sire likely to die in the same way. :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-(

". I salute the breeders who are AT LAST speaking out about the defects in their breeds...." I couldn't agree more Muffy,

I googled the lady who had the dalmation from the US which was healthy genetically, oddly enough she lives very near where I used to in Wales.

I can't get that poor little pug out of my mind though or the KC spaniels at the start :-(

Another thought I had in between the gasps and tears as I watched it.

I know some are against the culture of a lot of dogs being crossed with poodles and becoming *......doodles* or *.....poos* but really..when you see this...isn't it a good thing in a way that the gene pool is expanding and there's less chance of these defects occuring in a straight cross?

When we were looking for a new pup I'd have quite happily gone with a schnoodle had there been any available. I love both breeds so it would've worked for me !! x

I watched it whilst I was baking and have been in floods of tears.

I am VERY aware of what inter breeding mother/son etc does to a dog as I had a black Cocker Spaniel with rage syndrome brought about by this.

I had no idea at the time what it was all about and learnt the hard way to check and double check the dogs lineage for any signs of inter breeding.

I tried to complain to the Kennel club at the time and stop it from happening again but they weren't interested...this was over 20 yrs ago and I see nothing has changed.

Broke my bl**dy heart it did...I lost her age 4.

Harps and Scarlett are not show quality...they would fail dismally at Crufts ..or even a local dog show based on their adherrance to show standard..but that's not why I got them...I got them to love for life..for their personalities and temperament..all my dogs are amazing and I'm so so lucky. ...sorry....that prog has made me a bit emotional I'll stop going on about them now lol

. I salute the breeders who are AT LAST speaking out about the defects in their breeds....and I hope to goodness that the Kennel Club pull their fingers out...and that some of the bad breeders show some humanity and repair the damage caused before it's too late x

ChAoTic
YES they do some dog breeding have become very exsteem
but its not just dogs the GCCF (cats)have the same problems

why cant they leave things alone
so many dogs with short breathing tubes squat faces over sized heads
all encourage breathing problems at birth

the kennel club have sometimes alot to answer for to

I saw it Joy and I agreed with you, I was just too tired to post anything that made sense last night lol.

Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't the KC the ones who set the breed standard? If so then they are as responsible as any breeder for problems faced by these dogs, imo.

I didn't see the programme last night but may watch it a bit later. From something I vaguely remember reading years ago there are a lot of breeds that no longer look like their ancestors. This in itself doesn't particularly concern me. What does concern me is if it leads to health problems within the breed. That is unacceptable and shouldn't be allowed.

anno how very dare i lol

to stand up for the poor doggies

how dare you care about the wefare of a dogs lol, :-S

it was about dogs having legs to walk with

So annoying Joy.

...now i can't help wondering what it was you said lol x

i see itchie fingers been busy :-P

I didn't watch it...but I will watch it on iplayer.at some point today.

Despite having two pedigree dogs myself I remain highly sceptical about the Kennel club ...it doesn't play any role in animal welfare whatsoever...you try and contact them to inform them that a dog has genetic defects and ask that they inform the breeder and put a halt on registering any further puppies from that dam and sire....you get a bit fat NOTHING.

Personally the KC registration with my two meant nothing to me. They were both home bred..not commercially bred...and I'd investigated thoroughly both the breed and the breeders involved.

Poodles are prone to eye problems so I made sure Scarlett was screened.

Harper was also eye checked...though I don't think the prob is AS bad with Miniature Schnauzers.

Tbh..if I'd had my way I'd have bypassed the Kennel club completely and gone without the papers...

I honestly believe the KC can and should do far more to remedy the breed standards...and connected issues

and this before I've even watched it lol...maybe I'll change my mind later x

its not just dogs.....it happening in all breeds of animals to bring about a styled breed that has the result of malformd genes and all manner of making to a short unhealthy life.


I took ownership of a yorkie,KC pedigree of 5 generations of top parentage..the owner died,,,,,,,she was prime beauty for breeding at 18 months old,,,,,,,,,,I could no more put her though mating I'd rather stick pins in me eyes...

I watched it and the Kennel Club standards have a lot to answer for. I would guess the breed standards were written by breeders of 'modified' dogs, bloody idiots!

Although I love some pedigree dogs (but wont have any more dogs as I can't care for them properly) it's a disgusting way to treat 'dumb' animals and by that I mean the people who BUY these puppies.