Pedigree dog documentary

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hollykb

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I'm sure most of you saw this documentary last summer on the BBC. A friend of mine sent me some links with some info from one year on. Thought I'd post them in case anyone here is interested. They're quite lengthy but worth a read if you have time.
The Kennel Club one year on, what has been done?
http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=2667
RSPCA independent report
http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RSPCA/RSPCARedirect&pg=pedigreedogs
Parliamentary Animal Welfare Group report
http://www.apgaw.org/userimages/A%20Healthier%20Future%20for%20Pedigree%20Dogs%20report.pdf
 
At risk of repeating myself, the GSD fraternity have been going to the KC to demand changes for years - ie only top honours for dogs with working qualifications, not registering puppies from un-hipscored parents or parents with crap scores, the KC was against bloody off-lead gaiting at the British Sieger event (they didn't want it - the only true way to see if a Shepherd is moving correctly and a testament to good training) and then BANG one programme making the KC look bad and they say 'we're going to take away your CCs'.

Keep them, we can now get get proper qualifications recognised by the SV in Germany which recognise the WHOLE dog, not just whether it looks pretty in the showring.
 
I hope some of you find this interesting!
From David Payne's website, I hope he doesn't mind me reproducing it here.

1) BVA/KC Hip Dysplasia Scheme was introduced by the GSD Breed.

2) The Haemophilia testing scheme for 'Males' was introduced by the GSD Breed.

3) The Elbow Dysplasia Scheme was introduced by the GSD Breed.

4) The Breed Survey Scheme, which included all the above, was introduced by the GSD Breed.

5) The GSD Breed has on many occasions requested the Kennel Club to introduce Rules & Regulations to specifically improve the Health and Welfare of GSD. In particular the following:
a) Only to Register Litters from Hip Scored Parents. The German SV has done this.
b) Only to Register Litters from Parents with a low hip score. The German SV has done this.
c) Only Register Litters from a sire that is Haemophilia Tested Clear.
d) Include ALL Health Screening Test details of the Parents, on KC Registrations. The German SV has done this.
e) Establish a foolproof "IDENTIFICATION" Scheme for ALL Pedigree Dogs, to ensure ALL Health Screening Tests are done on the named Dog, and NOT a substitute. Also to ensure the Pedigrees of ALL PEDIGREE DOGS are ACCURATE. The German SV has done this.

f) Introduce a compulsory DNA Parentage Test for ALL Pedigree Dogs. The USA has done this. The SV have done this in Germany for GSD.

g) A Tattoo and/or Microchip Scheme for ALL Pedigree Dogs. The German SV has done this.

6) The GSD Breed introduced a Comprehensive Judges Training Scheme some 20+ years ago, by the GSD League. The German SV has done this.

7) The GSD Breed Council now runs the GSD Breed Judges Training Scheme.

8) The GSD Breed Council introduced GSD Breed Surveys and GSD Breed Surveyors. The German SV has done this.

9) The GSD Breed introduced the FIRST Breed Show within Great Britain which actually includes Health Screening Test information and criteria in order to qualify to ENTER. "The British Sieger Event" which is run under the Breed Club Rules & Regulations of GERMANY. This is a kennel Club ‘unlicensed GSD Event, and the KC are threatening to withdraw their ‘recognition’ of this GSD Event.

10)The Kennel Club have NEVER included the Hip Score Results of Pedigree Dogs as criteria for entering Kennel Club Shows. Worse still, they have NEVER shown any intention of doing so. The German SV does so.

11)The Kennel Club will register litters from parents which are NOT hip scored. The German SV will NOT.

12)The Kennel Club allows pedigree dogs which are NOT hip scored to enter their shows and achieve the "HIGHEST ACCOLADES" up to and including "BEST IN SHOW AT CRUFTS". The German SV will not allow this for any GSD over 2 years of age, or who has failed to achieve an ‘a’ stamp for hips.

13)The Kennel Club clearly have "DOUBLE STANDARDS" - their policies are inconsistent and unfair to the pedigree puppy buying public. They need to listen to the GSD Breed "MUCH MORE" and then they will make real progress with the Health and Welfare of Pedigree Dogs. They CAN take lessons from the German SV, obviously.

14)They should cease listening to "sensationalist video directors" and their "personal drivers" and the KC influential "minority Alsatianists"
 
You beat me to it CC ! I actually hope that the GSD folk do decide to got it alone away from the KC, might see a great improvement I suspect. At Crufts earlier this year I asked why they couldn't impose a maximum hip score for dogs owned by "Accredited Breeders". I got fobbed off with the excuse that if they did that they might lose some breeders - well yes, but only the bad ones.
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The Kennel Club One Year On.... what has been done? Absolutely bugger all of any substance or any use to decent breeders within some of the breeds most under fire in that sensationalist load of crap some people dare to call a documentary
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Sorry hollykb not aimed directly at you, I made my views clear at the time the "documentary" was shown, and I have seen nothing which changes those views at all
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[ QUOTE ]
You beat me to it CC ! I actually hope that the GSD folk do decide to got it alone away from the KC, might see a great improvement I suspect. At Crufts earlier this year I asked why they couldn't impose a maximum hip score for dogs owned by "Accredited Breeders". I got fobbed off with the excuse that if they did that they might lose some breeders - well yes, but only the bad ones.
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[/ QUOTE ]

Let's hope so, watch this space MM! Lose some breeders? I think they are worried about losing something else...

For anyone who thinks I am being evangelical - the idea is not to go into conflict with the KC, but to offer something more to breeders and puppy buyers than they are already getting - more assurances on health and soundness and more promotion of the correct type of dual purpose animal - which is what the GSD is and should be.
 
The Kennel Club bit and the report seem to be full of recommendations and plans, they actually seem to have done very little. Lots of talk and bits of paper and not alot of action from what I can see. They have developed some new genetic test kits which in theory are a good idea but unless made compulsory then surely are pretty useless! As with all the hip scoring, no use unless there are regulations with it. I think they need to educate the buyers more too. For example, I know that hip scoring exists, but I don't know how it works and I don't know what a good or bad score is, so it doesn't help me if I'm buyig a puppy. They seem to have identified the problems but dragging their feet about taking any action. Too costly I expect.
 
Holly, hope this helps. Mother dearest was one of the first kennels in NI to sign up to the scheme.

Hip dysplasia is basically where the ball joint of the hip does not fit into the socket properly.
Scores are taken from an x-ray of the hip.

"Hip scoring of GSDs started in 1978, and scores range from 0-106. The lower the number the better the hips are said to be, so a score of 0-0 is thought to be the very best.
The breed average for the combined score of both hips is around 18-20. This could be a score of 10-10 (giving a total score of 20) for example, or equally it could be a score of 8-12 (again giving a total score of 20, but indicating that one hip is slightly better than the other).
"However, it is no good to simply focus on having a dog with good hips if they are unsuitable in type or character. It is also thought that environmental factors, such as diet, over exercise or high speed growth could have a significant effect on hips.
In Great Britain, dogs are able to have an x-ray to have their hips screened from the age of 12 months upwards. Puppies cannot have their hips screened under the BVA (British Veterinary Association) screening programme. The x-rays should be taken by a registered vet, who will then send these to go before a board of experts. A hip score of between 0 and 106 will then be given, with 0 being the very best."

While the breed average is 18-20, personally I wouldn't breed from parents with a total score higher than about ten (for each parent)

Our club submits x-rays to Germany, which has a different system, bloody expensive though
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My dogs (they have German 'pink paper' pedigrees) and many like them here in Ireland had DNA-tested parents, are tatooed and microchipped and all this info is on the pedigree. This is to ensure that my dog is who his pedigree says he is, and so are his parents. In Germany and in competitions run under German regulations, there are barriers for dogs without these.
In years past it was too easy to say 'this is an amazing German import with clear hips, no health problems, working qualifications and has won stacks of prizes, give us loads of money to use him at stud' when in reality, he was nothing of the sort and passed on all sorts of problems. I assume this is going on in other breeds which is why these things are needed so badly.
 
At the end of the day the Kennel Club care about the money not the dogs welfare.

I have gsd's from a highly respected Uk breeder Ardenburg prefix and comparing there dogs to some of the rubbish I see in my local park is amazing, especially considering i suspect that we all paid around the same price for the dogs.

That program was just a witchhunt which did not help the pedigree dog breeder, but I suspect it was done that way to boost rating as they thought Joe Public would not understand the real issues.
 
You are so right Jane. You are also right about Ardenburg being a highly respected prefix, and we definitely need to see pics of your dogs.
On a sad note did you know Graham S had very recently passed away.
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Yes, I had a email from Wendy last week it was all very sad, I last saw her just after Graham was diagnosed in March. The gsd world lost a fine mentor and friend in Graham.

I never met him but the dogs are a credit to him and Wendy.

I have Ardenburg Redd who is by Ardenburg Putz s sister and Zasko vom lurchenwald who is 6 1/2 and I have a 13 month old by there new dog in germany Ferdinand Feetback.

If you could tell me how I will post pics I have lots.

Jane
 
Yes, very sad
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Glad to see another shep fan on here, again, welcome to the mad house.

You will need a Photobucket account (there is a guide in the Picture Gallery section) or if you have a Facebook album, link it here and change the 'who can see this' setting to 'Everyone'.
 
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