Crufts breed winners disqualified

[gareth_r]

The breed-winning Mastiff, Neopolitan Mastiff, Bulldog, Pekingese, Clumber Spaniel, and Basset Hound were disqualified on health grounds.

A good start or too little too late?

If anybody is interested, my opinion is that many (most?) breeds have been completely distorted by breeding to Kennel Club standards.

Working Basset Hound




Show Basset Hound




I feel comment is superfluous.

[UnderTheRadar]

A few years ago we went to Crufts to get an idea of what dog would be happiest with us. We were astonished; we expected to be amongst dog-lovers who would enthuse about their breed and love them. Instead we found ourselves in amongst "showbiz mums", people trying to be someone by proxy as they couldn't themselves. Most didn't appear to be dog-lovers and few were willing to talk about their dogs and often were quite surly. The whole Kennel Club and docking debacle which dragged on for ages says a lot.

[Liszt]

Isn't this why it is no longer shown on telly?

[tobster]

Was on More 4 yesterday. I know the beeb dropped it after the whole investigation into the kennel club !

[Who me ?]

Good, especially for some breeds. I remember a piece on a vet program (Zoo vet at large ) ,where a certain breed had to have a ceaserian , because of breeding problems the pups heads were too large for the bh to have them naturally. ( Bex will probably confirm it was something like a Spaniel breed) .
Meanwhile I remember our old mongrel Collie giving birth to five pups ,with no problems (except she'd picked my wife's favourite jacket to pull up on the chair, as a blanket .
GS get rear hip problems . Watch the Australian vet series- one wrinkled pooch ,over bred to the point where he was in danger of going blind due to folds of skin.Dogs are supposed to be man best friend. I'm beginning to wonder if breeders are dogs worst enemy . ( Rant over , bit I'm passionate about animals, especially dogs. Infected by dad ,who was a postman ,possible the last person to be seen as a friend to dogs)

[Robatr0n]

UnderTheRadar said:

A few years ago we went to Crufts to get an idea of what dog would be happiest with us. We were astonished; we expected to be amongst dog-lovers who would enthuse about their breed and love them. Instead we found ourselves in amongst "showbiz mums", people trying to be someone by proxy as they couldn't themselves. Most didn't appear to be dog-lovers and few were willing to talk about their dogs and often were quite surly. The whole Kennel Club and docking debacle which dragged on for ages says a lot.

I went to Crufts on Saturday and found some people exactly how you described. Showbiz Mum's sums it up perfectly!

But it is worth noting that many of the Working / Pastoral dogs seemed to be owned by genuine dog lovers who were happy to talk 'pooch' with anyone.

[Who me ?]

Dog owners have changed a bit over the years. I remember years ago when we had a "Heinz 57" as a pet. Lovely dog, but the Poodle owners didn't think so . He always got the "foot treatment". Years later , we took on our sister in laws Poodle. No problem from Poodle owners, but as he'd been "out and about " for a couple of years, similar sized dogs that started to get funny,soon backed off. I developed a touch of respect for this one .Years later in the park with my now pooch, we meet a good few Westie owners, and we're now seeing a lot more Cairns. Few seem to know the history of the breeds, but occasionally we met one or two that have researched the breed. Most say they're mischievous or naughty ,till I explain that they're a highly intelligent dog that need stimulation. They can also be very protective . I wonder just how many of the show folks have researched the breed.Or are they just in it for Kudos and money

[R300will]

[quote=Who me ?]Good, especially for some breeds. I remember a piece on a vet program (Zoo vet at large ) ,where a certain breed had to have a ceaserian , because of breeding problems the pups heads were too large for the bh to have them naturally. ( Bex will probably confirm it was something like a Spaniel breed) .
Meanwhile I remember our old mongrel Collie giving birth to five pups ,with no problems (except she'd picked my wife's favourite jacket to pull up on the chair, as a blanket .
GS get rear hip problems . Watch the Australian vet series- one wrinkled pooch ,over bred to the point where he was in danger of going blind due to folds of skin.Dogs are supposed to be man best friend. I'm beginning to wonder if breeders are dogs worst enemy . ( Rant over , bit I'm passionate about animals, especially dogs. Infected by dad ,who was a postman ,possible the last person to be seen as a friend to dogs)
[/quote]

Bulldog's can get this problem. Some breeds of spaniels are prone to neurological problems due to their head shape, Cavaliers i think. The wrinkled one was a Shar Pei i bet, they often have eye problems. Basically every dog that isn't a heinz variety has some problems thanks to its breeding and at Crufts this seems to get turned up to 11.

[gareth_r]

R300will said:

...GS get rear hip problems...

GSD - another breed that dog shows have improved so much that the KC dogs would have no hope of doing the job for which they were created.

GSD 1920-ish




GSD Crufts 2012

[bexVN]

The only spaniel that I can think of that would need elective caesarean routinely is the Clumber Spaniel. These are a rare breed (only met one) cavaliers occ need caesareans but I wouldn't say it's the norm.

[Karyn]

These photos makes me so sad.


The poor dogs!


Stupid humans trying to better nature. Doesn't work.

[Zaxxon]

I think the German Shephard looks stunning.

[gareth_r]

Zaxxon said:

I think the German Shepherd looks stunning.

What, the 2012 version? (Apologies if that's not what you meant.)

Let's put it in car terms

1920 GSD (form following function)




2012 GSD (looks vaguely similar, but incapable of doing the same job)

Edited by gareth_r on Monday 12th March 19:31

[Zaxxon]

gareth_r said:

hat, the 2012 version?

Let's put it in car terms

1920 GSD




2012 GSD

Not really, your analogy would mean that you had taken a poodle and dressed it up in an Alsatian wig.
The three GSD's that we have had have looked more like the 2012 version and have all been happy, intelligent and wonderfull dogs. These dogs were not stunted by their breeding unlike some other breeds, their hips were spot on, their breathing was perfectly ok and they suffered no physical issues, although our last one died of cancer but I doubt that was due to breeding.

The 1920 version looks like a starved bush mongrel.

[eskidavies]

nice to see the staffy not being bad mouthed ,really liked this video showing what lovely dogs they are,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XD8_VVEqF8k

[Who me ?]

eskidavies said:

nice to see the staffy not being bad mouthed ,really liked this video showing what lovely dogs they are,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XD8_VVEqF8k

Staffs are lovely dogs, in spite of what my Cairn would say . my son has a large one, and my dog has a fear ot them ( from being attacked by ones from bad owners) . Once they've been together for a while the Staff is trying to persuade my lad that he's his best mate . The Staff keeps his cool in spite of being subjected to a full blown Cairn attack threat. They did have a set too dome months ago ,and the Staff discovered that a 11kg Cairn in attack mode is not something to mess with( I pulled mine off to prevent serious damage). But mine is on a nervous fear attack, which makes these dogs more dangerous than otherwise. As said, after a while ,mine learns that he's in no danger ,and stops his aggression ,but is still on defence mode . Strange thing is that he's got a set of "PALS" in the park-three very large GS ,one white, one rusty,and one normal GS colouring. And one GS/Staffie cross .They all go off to find a P contest area. Rather nice to see a mixed pack of dogs seek to sort out differences on a tree , than shedding blood. Perhaps something we humans might learn .

[RB Will]

When the best in breed winners were DQ how come the 2nd place dog does not get bumped up to be able to enter the group rounds?

[AdiT]

A bit more info here...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/pets/9138390/Cru...

[gareth_r]

Zaxxon said:

...The three GSD's that we have had have looked more like the 2012 version and have all been happy, intelligent and wonderful dogs. These dogs were not stunted by their breeding unlike some other breeds, their hips were spot on, their breathing was perfectly ok and they suffered no physical issues, although our last one died of cancer but I doubt that was due to breeding.
The 1920 version looks like a starved bush mongrel.

I'm sure they were great dogs, but they could have been great dogs that still had the physical characteristics of their working ancestors.

Please don't think I have it in for GSDs, I can think of a dozen breeds that have been changed so much by KC Standards and the whims of show judges that they could not physically perform the tasks for which they were created.

[UnderTheRadar]

It's not as emotive as dogs, but the poultry showing world is quite open about inbreeding and breeding a father with daughter to enhance a desirable show characteristic is acceptable.