Crufts coverage, why so patronising?

[Laptoplapdoglaptray]

Don’t get me wrong, as a huge dog lover, I’m very grateful that I can watch coverage of Crufts on terrestrial tv! I’ve really enjoyed the showing rounds and observing the huge variety of breeds in one place.

And I understand the technical challenges of covering such a vast noisy event as this featuring live animals.

However, why does Channel 4 insist on speaking down to viewers as if we are all idiots? Honestly it’s like watching children’s tv but worse! It totally ruins the programme and makes it so tiresome.

Clare Balding is as professional as ever but Claudia Winkleman, who I like in other things, is playing the role of “ignorant bystander” and honestly it’s painful. I thought she was going to kneel before a male judge at one point she was being so falsely ingratiating!

The veterinary sections, most of the interviews with owners, the links with the former Blue Peter presenter, are so cringingly patronising, it’s embarrassing.

I get it Channel 4, you want to get away from tweedy traditional country folk wearing loden green and emphasise that dog ownership can be all things for all people, and that’s all good, but please don’t throw the baby out with the bath water in the process! You do have quite a knowledgeable audience watching too!

Claud is very versatile though, Traitors Claud is superb and nothing like we saw at Crufts. She was also superb on Strictly in excitable mode because she was with the dancers when they left the stage all emotional and high on adrenaline. And she's been good in the past on Sewing Bee. Whereas Tess is really only known for Strictly where she is a bit stiff but she needs to be to keep the judges in line and because she is holding the whole thing together. But I don't think she's got the same "engagement with the public through the camera" skills compared to Claud.

As for Clare, yes, she is a consummate professional but she is on so much I get a bit tired of her and I sometimes wish she'd let a bit more personality show. I do think it's good that it was an all female presenting team though and that this is gradually happening more.

Totally agree. There are obviously good breeders out there who do care for their dogs, but honestly, I wonder what kind of lives some of these dogs have beyond the show ring. It's all about prestige for the owner. I doubt many dogs really enjoy it, they are trained to do it. I'm not including agility, obviously.

How does that make a difference?

This story has now been picked up by the Times. He still runs thr same kennels where he breeds 10 different types of dog. His partner breeds pedigree cats. Nice little money spinner. The KC says it was an 'isolated incident' but it doesn't seem that way from the facts. Upsetting, but then so is much of the pedigree dog industry.

To be fair, Claudia has been phenomenally successful on her own merit. That said, she was totally the wrong fit for Crufts and I doubt she'll be back. She probably felt it herself that she had nothing of value or note to contribute.

I saw somewhere the other day that Tracey-Anne Oberman is Clauds cousin apparently.

Can’t stand her “look at me I’m so kooky” persona when in reality she’s a very shrewd businesswoman.

Oh this is really disappointing to read.

I can’t say I took to the winning owner when I saw him interviewed.

Well I think it gives you a head start and connections at the beginning, and to be sure, some equally talented people never get a break, but to be fair to CW, she has worked in tv for over thirty years now, and I don’t think you get far in such a cut throat industry if you are not actually good at the job.

As another poster said, I think this particular gig was a poor fit for her and probably just a filler job between Strictly and her new talk show.

I was under the impression that things were going in the right direction, with more show dogs living normal lives in family homes outside of the show ring, where they are allowed to go for long muddy walks and exhibit natural behaviours. So it’s really upsetting to learn that Crufts may not be as exacting about welfare standards as I had hoped.

I’ve often thought that the show itself is a very stressful environment for any animal with the volume of noise and the spotlights
and I know my dogs are getting tired by 5.30 pm so I wish they would keep the judging to more dog friendly hours.

I thought things had improved re dog welfare too, cracking down on puppy farms etc, but I’m not a dog owner so I only know what I hear on the news. It has occurred to me that Crufts must be pretty overwhelming for the dogs too though.