Crufts- a step in the right direction for health?

K

Kaylum

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 May 2010
Messages
5,484
Visit site
I am afraid I was disappointed with the coverage. Fine to highlight breeding issues etc. but we wanted to see the dogs not Claire rambling on about her dog (her hair needs something doing with it). There is so much to see there that the coverage was very badily edited.
 
RutlandH2O

RutlandH2O

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 January 2009
Messages
1,213
Visit site
Kaylum said:
I am afraid I was disappointed with the coverage. Fine to highlight breeding issues etc. but we wanted to see the dogs not Claire rambling on about her dog (her hair needs something doing with it). There is so much to see there that the coverage was very badily edited.
Click to expand...

I'm glad you said it first. I've been very disappointed, as well. Some of the camera work was dreadful. During BIS, the camera would focus on each dog for a second or two and then, as each dog gaited, the camera switched to the people in the stands. In the run-up to the Friends for Life award, it wasn't necessary to recap the video of each deserving pair, again. There were just too many time-fillers, when that time could have been better devoted to the dogs.

Having said that, it certainly was a relief not having the goofy Scottish chap this year. And it was refreshing not being subjected to the typical coochy cooing the networks have displayed whenever dogs or cats are concerned.

I don't know why the Mastiff was eliminated, but I was just putting some books away and found a stunning head study of a Mastiff from 1901. The breed really hasn't changed very much, and the heaviness of the skin and ears had the effect of pulling down the lower eyelid ever so slightly (think Clumber, Newfie).

As the title of this thread asks: I'm not so sure. Eliminating a lame, breathless, aggressive dog should occur during the breed judging. But how does any of this improve the bigger picture? Breeders producing generations of dogs affected with Epilepsy, HD, SAS, Elbow Dysplasia, eye anomalies (shall I go on?) won't be touched before the group. And, I'm not talking about the 15 at risk breeds. As far as I'm concerned, the dogs eliminated at Crufts 2012 were scapegoats in a PR stunt to garner public support for the Kennel Club. It's so sad and scandalous that members of that public will be the ones to pick up the pieces when the dogs they've purchased, in good faith from those breeders, require X-rays, surgery, lifetime medications, reduced lifespan, or even destruction.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top