Pedigree dogs -anyone else feel sick ?

[tengreenbottles]

Cannot believe that anyone would buy a pedigree dog after watching this programme, felt physically sick when the rhodesian rhidgeback breeder complained that a 'young' vet wouldnt put sown a peferectly healthy puppy because it didnt have a ridge of hair growing the wrong way up its back . or am i a big wuss ?

[claricebeansmum]

DH and I were appalled.

I could not believe the degree of eugenics within the dog breeding circles. The German Shepherds could hardly stand up, the pugs bear no resemblance to their forefathers - all completely shocking.

The breeders came out so shockingly - and the head of Kennel Club was so arrogant and chinless.

When we get a dog it'll be a heinz 57 - hopefully with a bit of lab!

[MamaMaiasaura]

hadnt seen programme but reading the op am shocked. Bloody awful

[Bowddee]

Those breeders came across as really thick. I was shouting at the TV.

[LuckySalem]

I had no idea how bad some breeds were the GSD was shocking compared to how it used to look.

As for the boxer with the seizures I'm afraid I would have had him put down as he's obviously in pain.

The breeder and the KC have alot to answer for.

[WorzselMummage]

Those poor GSDs could hardly walk and the sight of that Spaniel in so much pain with its head reduced me to tears

I spent the enire program thinking 'fucking morons'

I dont think i'll watch Crufts next year.

[tengreenbottles]

I have to say that my parents bought pedigree labs ,but they were from gamekeepers and so were bred for health and temprament as opposed to good looks and so lived very long healthy lives.
I have a pedigree rescue dog ,another gun dog breed , but if we ever get another dog then it would have to be a cross or mutt . I used to think that all these new crossbreeds were silly but if it helps dilute the gene pool a bit then perhaps its not such a bad thing .

[newpup]

Horrible wasn't it. We have just bought a lab puppy but it is from a working line so bred for health and fitness not looks. I still feel horrible though, those poor spaniels.

I had no idea about any of this 'theory' behind pedigrees. That awful rhodesian Ridgeback breeder should be shot!!

Cruel, cruel, cruel !

[sammysam]

I was in tears and felt sick. Growing up as a family we have always had kennel club registered dogs, dp and i were considering getting our first family pedegree dog and were looking at breeds-as the programme ended i was left thinking how could i ever have a dog-surely even cross breads will have problems?

I can't believe those people can be that cruel and stupid. I'm boycotting crufts etc from now on that is for sure

[lilymolly]

Gosh I did not watch this (good thing as I would have been upset by the sounds of things)

I breed KC Reg Labradors
we had a litter of 11 puppies last year and they are all still wonderfully healthy and happy and will continue to do so.

Was it really that bad?

I pride myself on being a responsable breeder and would be to think that we are all tarred with the same brush

[WorzselMummage]

There are some good breeders, i think sadly there are more bad ones.

[bethoo]

who woudl have thought that the ridges on rohodesians were actually a mild form pf spina bifida? i would get a ridgless one in that case!
as a boxer owner i was in tears watching that poor boxer having that fit and would have to say the suffering would make me put it down if he was mine!
cant believe the nerve ofsome of these breeders! even that guy who bred basset hounds sayign the original one on the picture was not normal!
surely the original looks were the origianl breed!
was going to get a KC spaniel as had one as a child but after watching that i dotn think so!

[SqueakyPop]

I didn't see the programme, but did listen to the phone-in afterwards on Radio 5. By all accounts, except the producer's, it was a tad sensationalist.

[bethoo]

maybe but you could not fake the pain the dogs were in!

[Romy7]

agree with lilymolly

don't forget this was a programme designed for a particular purpose, and did not represent both sides.

i have two pedigree labs lol. so shoot me.

one is 'show standard' ie short and fat stocky, and the other is 'working standard', ie ie tall and skinny. we don't show them, they are family pets, and enjoy each others, and our, company. i needed a reasonable guarantee of temperament (i have a disabled child and two other boisterous ones), and i went to reliable breeders where i had the best chance of getting puppies that would fit in with our family. they are both healthy bouncy dogs. i have no doubt that there are issues with breeding, but really, try to put it into context.

[bethoo]

they did say that working stock were better quality as they are bred for function and not looks which is what the show ring is all about. if you buy from breeders who breed for show then you will have dogs with defects.
even though i bought my boxers from a pet only breeder, one died at 7.5 years of a sudden onset of heart disease and the other has benign tumours in hos mouth as well as heart disease.
our KC spaniel died of heart and lung disease at 10.

[SqueakyPop]

The vast, vast majority of dogs are bred as pets, and are not discarded if they do not meet breed standards.

[bethoo]

sadly some are. i know of breeders who still put down white boxers even though the original boxer was white.
and als obecause some breeders only breed pets they are just breeding family pets and may not be aware of any existing medical conditions.
i could go out tomorrow buy two pedigree dogds, breed them, sell the pups with no idea what problems they may be carrying. also alot of breeders are aware but brush the problem under the table.
sadly many (not all!!!) of breeders are in it for the money adn not the health of the animals.

[LuckySalem]

There is no reason to say you can't have a pedigree dog. There are some very good breeders out there. My Taid being one of them - he used to breed long haired retrievers for the gun families in his area.

The ones who didn't make it as gundogs became pets and they all lived to a grand age. One of the breeding bitches is now living out her life in his house in a lap of luxury and she's 15.

The programme was one-sided but i'm afraid I agree with it as obviously its a side that needed to be shown.

[Romy7]

'you will have dogs with defects'

may, surely?

[LuckySalem]

All dogs may get ill but if your gonna breed the illness into them that sorry but your just stupid!

[Romy7]

i was only asking for a rational discussion - apologies if that's not possible

[lilymolly]

Romy7 you make a valid point regarding pedigree dogs and their temprement.

Both the bitch and sire of the lab puppies we bred where working stock but most importantly for us was that they had both been reared with children both older kids and babies and could be trusted with children.

Most of our puppies went as pets even though they would make excellent gun dogs and most of the familys had children.

We where able to say and demonstrate to potential buyers how well the dogs got on with children and this was hugely important.

I have owners of the puppys telling me how much joy and laughter these dogs have brought into their familys and that makes us very proud.

I never did it for the money btw, it was the hardest 8 weeks of our lifes.
Labour was very emotional and complicated, raising 10 pups was NOT cheap by the time you wormed, vacc, registered etc.

I am sure some people do it for the money but they can be seen a mile off.

My boss bought a lab pup last year and was actually bragging about how their was every possible colour and sex of lab to choose from it was so obv a puppy farm but the daft twit still payed £600 for a puppy which 1 year later he cant control

Now that is irresponsable breeding if you ask me.

[bethoo]

isnt that what the programme was about? breeding sick animals? inbreeding so much that genetic mutations were occuring?
liek the prog said there are certain breeds that are more prone to illnesses.

[LittleB]

I don't think we can lay all the blame on the breeders either. Purchasers of puppies should go out of their way to research a breed, find out about any genetic problems which that breed might carry and only buy from breeders who have had their breeding dogs screened for conditions. I did alot of research before I brought my pedigree dog, who comes from a gundog line bred for pets/showing and working, luckily from a breed with very few diseases but still screened for the ones which exist. I have had cross breeds before and will again - but wanted a pedigree this time due to family circumstances. I do think the KC should take a very good look at its breed standards though, and should make screening for some diseases compulsary before pups can be KC registered, that might help. But there are good breeders out there. The GSD's made me very sad though, they looked awful. Incidentally my MIL had a pretty healthy Cav who lived until 14, and a colie cross spaniel that suffered from epilepsy, so there are exceptions, as there will always be with anything.

[Romy7]

reputable breeders will always do checks though and select dog accordingly - i would like to see a more balanced programme offering good breeders the opportunity to explain how they minimise the risks, and screen etc. not sure how much of this was covered, as i didn't see the programme.

littleb, you are obviously more tactful than i, 'exceptions' is what i meant when i queried the 'will/may' line...