Omg i could of cried at the dog program on bbc, did it upset you??

Question

My partner who is a dog lover had to walk out whilst it was on. i thought it was utter disgusting that these certain breeders (and i'm not saying all breeders as most of them are good) but did you notice how stuck up and snotty they were and how they would put a healthy dog down just because it wouldnt meet the kennel dogs guidelines. it makes me sick, i have 2 dogs myself and i wouldnt think ant less of them purely for 'cosmetic' reasons.

the kennel club also saying about cavalier breeders are told about the screening process so basically they have done there job but don't you agree that they should make it say in guidelines that the dogs have to be screened to enter so that the health of the dog can come first.

these dogs are being treated like toys and it makes me sick they are to be loved and cared for not treated like ******* toys

x*x

Answer 1

yes, i agree, the shows should be based on health aswel.

it made me cry. i cant explain my anger in words. i was just so f**kin p*ssed about what some people did & their values. what kind of world are we living in where people kill healthy dogs just cus they wont win shows.

its sick, horrible & cruel

Answer 2

That's now how it actually works. They found a few extreme examples and ran with them.

Guess what? My dog is from a "show breeder". She doesn't fit the standard. You know what 99.99% of breeders do in that case? They sell the dog as a 'pet' and require it to be spayed/neutered. They don't kill it just because it's not within the standard.

A reputable breeder breeds for not only physical appearance, but also for temperament, health, and working ability (where applicable).

I suggest you research how reputable breeders do things, not how this show falsely portrayed it.

ADD:

Chalice, I don't know what breeders you know, but the breeders I know treat their dogs better than most people treat their children. And many breeders are also involved in rescue. And they do care about the animals' welfare very much. Anybody striving for superb purebred dogs isn't going "all on experience", they keep researching; learning is a lifelong process.

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Answer 3

It's been going on for years darling. I have been against breeders, (whether pedigree, or backstreet) for as long as I can remember, and was so thrilled the B.B.C. has, at last hi-lighted this filthy trade in pedigree puppies, all for a bit of paper, and a silly "beauty pageant" (a.k.a Crufts) and of course, the main ingredient, MONEY!!!!  We all scorn Human interbreeding, so why should it be allowed in dogs? and ANYONE who breeds pedigree puppies is exploiting inerbreeding, as most pedigree dogs have an element of inbreeding.

A dog is a dog, and a bit of paper isn't going to change that.There are millions of unloved, inwanted dogs crying out for homes, we don't need fancy breeds with bit's of paper, and genetic problems. Fact!!!  

Answer 4

I was shivering all throughout watching this program. Like you know when you listen to a depressing song and you shiver quickly, I was doing that for the WHOLE program.

I am glad that on my pom's KC reg thing it says only 1.2% inbred, because I believe that must have been years and years ago done, but when he gets older, I am definitely heading down to the vets to see if he has any inherited diseases.

And also, I now think all the dogs I get after my pom will be mutts from a rescue centre :)

Because I never am going to show my dog, he would hate it, and he apparently doesn't look "perfect", but he is to me :)

Answer 5

Yes indeed it made me crazy. I have to say it made me hate breeders even MORE (I'm sorry to say I don't agree that most breeders are OK - not 90% of the ones I've ever met) - I really want to kill most of them now.

But of course it's The Kennel Club who really deserve to go down, and Crufts. I must say this isn't an issue I've given great depth of thought to before, although I've certainly recognised that some breeds really should never have been created - i.e. pekes, bulldogs. Didn't know about Ridgebacks actually - I thought the ridge was just fur, didn't realise it was an actual spinal thing! Shocking.

I hope many, many people saw this programme - good on the BBC for making it, I'm really impressed they chose to bring this issue to the public's awareness. Hopefully it will sow a few seeds of good and maybe even save a few breeds like the lovely cavvie before it's too late

And hopefully Crufts/Kennel Club will either change it's ways big time (unlikely) or become extinct - along with all the toffee-nosed, plum faced a**hole breeders who think it's OK to kill a dog just because it's born not conforming to breed standards.

I have more to say but those are my initial thoughts.

Chalice

EDIT: Doesn't matter anwen. Yes I'm sure BBC WERE rubbing their hands with glee at the viewing figures - but there were facts in this programme that must not be ignored. Of course it was subjective, it's a TV show, but if you're clever you can weed out the actual facts - and syringomyelia is a fact, and they weren't exaggerating it, I can vouch for that. If that was the only truth in this programme it would be bad enough, but it wasn't.

EDIT 2: And to abbyful - I know quite a lot of breeders and most are perfectly decent, pleasant people - but their attitudes towards animals are shocking!! My least favourite thing about them is how they base ALL their knowledge on experience. They think just because they've been doing something for years, it must be right. One of the breeder's in the programme summed up everything I hate about them with this sentence "I'm not having a bunch of scientists say they know more about a breed I've known for 40 years". Well, there you go; no regard whatsoever for actually education and true knowledge, just turning a blind eye to whatever they don't like or understand.

Anyway,it's the Kennel Club and humans as a whole who are really to blame.

EDIT 3: OK initial thoughts starting to cohese now - I'm thinking it's the Kennel Club's dodgy standards and the way they've been warped by dodgy people that have resulted in a dodgy, if not horrendous, situation for a lot of breeds - including cavvies. I know there are PLENTY of people who wouldn't hesitate to breed from inappropriate specimens - and that's just the people who breed on purpose!!

Answer 6

I watched part of it, until I saw how it was a typically BBC one sided shock show.  I have bred shelties for almost 30 years now, and know that the BBC would never have picked me for this show.   I have been looking back over my records.  I have encouraged people who bought puppies from me to keep in touch.  Because I wanted to know how all my babies were doing.  Many have come back to me for their next sheltie, and some of their now grown kids, have also bought pups from me. And I have also introduced one or two to showing. The average age of death in my line seems to be around 14 years of age.  Some even making 17 years.  Three did die before they were 2 year old, all because they were hit by cars. The owners were all devastated and blamed themselves for being careless.  One broke his neck because he jumped over a low wall that had 20 ft drop on the other side.  but with excellent veterinarian attention recovered and lived until he was 11 years old, when he started having fits.  

OK I have never been one to breed for the sake of breeding, never having more than one or two litters a year at the most.  So when a litter was planned It was very carefully thought out.  It has to be as shelties usually do not have more that 4 or 5 puppies.   I have at times used outcrossing, line breeding, and inbreeding.   But equal research was done in every instance.  More so with an outcross.

I tell you the above not to blow my own trumpet, but because most breeders I know are much the same.  And like me despise people who are in the game to stroke their own egos at the expense of whichever breed they choose.

I have never put a mismarked puppy down, they make perfectly healthy happy pets. Never in fact had to put any pup down because of genetic faults.  I have been very fortunate with advice I have received when I first started from long standing members of the breed fancy.   And have never had the heartache of suddenly been given the devastating news that my line is carrying some genetic problem.   But I do know some who have, and have respected their strength in starting over again.  And also admire these honest breeders, who admit to problems, and who sink their own time and money into researching genetic and DNA testing because of their love of their chosen breed.  (not just talking shelties here)

But of course the BBC would never make a program out of that kind of  breeder.   They are only interested in stories that discredit and can be sensationalized.  So they choose the breeders they highlight carefully.

Answer 7

im really upset by it, i have two cavalier king carles spaniels and it made me feel so sad.

i completely agree with everything you have said, it should definatly be a MUST to get them screened.

I cant believe that stupid woman whos cavalier was chosen as a winner at a dog show when he has Syringomyelia, AND SHE HAS CARRIED ON BREEDING FROM HIM......makes me sick

Answer 8

Well, I could have cried. Had this been aired a year or so ago, I could've used this information in my Global Citizenship Maturity Test journal as part of my research. I feel a bit strongly about this issue.

Answer 9

i quite agree with what you say.  these dogs are not loved pets to these people, they are commodities  which are used to make money.

Answer 10

sweetie not all breeders are that heartless, i have just retired my last dog to the couch, the main reason is we were conned by a stud dog owner who we have know for years, i get all my dogs health screened as i don't want to breed if the dog can pass things on, but even though we saw the papers stating the dog had been heart tested he does carry a genetic heart problem, the result of this cover up was we had a litter of 9 puppies they started dying and the vet said they must have caught a virus that was attacking the heart, for six weeks we watched and fought for our litter but only ended up with 2 dogs it was then we made the decision to not breed anymore as i bred for the love of my dogs not to watch them die, we only found out when a friend got a puppy from the stud owner who had the same dad as ours and at six months started showing the same signs as our litter she was told it was a hereditary condition, her 6 month old puppy won't live passed a year, so it is out there and some breeders think of the money before the health of their dogs, my dog is getting neutered in two weeks i can't trust people who i have known for years so i won't trust people i don't know for me i will go to a rescue centre and give a home to a dog who needs it, the program just highlighted what can go on in the world of breeding may be now the kennel club will take action to stop all this bad breeding, but encourage those out there who do think of their dogs health first and maybe it will improve

Answer 11

Pureheaven - this one-sided programme was made with the intention to shock and no intention to produce a balanced view it was made with viewing figures in mind - why do you think it was publicised so much beforehand?

http://www.doggenetichealth.org/

Answer 12

I found it disgusting espescially that cavalier breeder whose dog was diagnosed with a disorder yet she still let him father a further 24 litters! Stupid..plain stupid!

Answer 13

oh my god i did cry!!!i have 2 ridgebacks i love,hate to see harm come to animals.

Answer 14

I have just seen the program and its no big surprise people are killing there dogs with love, real shame. I hope the kennel club pick up on this, Sad.  

Answer 15

i thought that the images were horrible....but then that is exactly the side of things that the makers of the show wanted us to see and react to.  for all the use of the word 'inbreeding' there was never any evidence shown that connected the afflicted dogs featured to 'inbreeding.'    

the man i bought my cavalier puppy from spends lots of time and money on his dogs, having them tested for eye problems, heart trouble, and sm....why wasn't he featured??  there are so many wonderful, dedicated people out there who cherish their animals and strive to bring happy healthy dogs into the world......where were they???

i personally know a woman with a top-winning Cavalier who is also screened and passed clear of the big 3 problems....she asked to be included on the program but was told no!

and finally....the anti-purebred rspca vet is reportedly the owner of a Golden Ret. and a Labrador!!

It made great sensationalist television....but at the end of the day it was left wing radicalism aimed at stripping away the rights of those of us who love and own purebred dogs.