G'day Dog Lovers,
As I'm sure a lot of you already know, the Pedigree Dogs Exposed documentary that caused such an uproar in the UK last year finally screened in Australia on the ABC last week.
The BBC doco shows footage of Boxers having epileptic fits and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels writhing in pain from syringomyelia - a condition where the dog's brain is too big for its skull.
The cause, it argues, is the United Kingdom breed standards - rules dictating how a particular breed should look.
The documentary has led to some big changes in Britain and has already caused quite a stir over here. It will be very interesting to see what effect it has in Australia.
Did you watch the program? What did you think? Are breed standards causing us to breed dogs with genetic health defects?
Sep 15, 2009
Pedigree Dogs Exposed
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7 comments:
this was painful to watch! changes need to be made...think about a breed like the Bulldog and all the problems they have with breathing and overheating. And don't they only have these problems because they're bred to look how the breed standard says they should look?
that's what I think anyway...action needs to be taken so our best friends don't have to go through the sort of pain that the dogs shown in the program do.
I first noticed this breeding behaviour in Ireland and Britain in the late 1980's. One could see the prevelance of breeding close or inside blood line breeding to acheive the "perfect" form at the cost of the dogs health. As a consequence I withdrew from kennel club type institutions and the rare bit of breeding I now do ensures that health, stature,tempremant and breed traits are what I go for. Not a judges model of what looks pretty in a show ring. I breed boxers (un-papered) that have had zero health or genetic problems, look handsome and healthy and make great companions. I beleive that waht the kennal clubs need is an enforceable charter for their members that prohibits close bloodline breeding, prohibits breeding with dogs identified with the bad genes and moves the breeds back to their origonal designs. That is based around function rather than form. I knwo that has worked for me and I would support coming back on board with the registered breeders if they wouldbe compelled to breed responsibly. A ribbon on a mantle will never replace a healthy and happy companion.
Tony, Sydney
This documentry is imprinted into my memory, I was horrified that people would continue to breed dogs that suffered such health issues. I just didnt understand how they would think that a dog with knock knees, or stomach dragging along the ground would be classed as a well breed dog.
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