Pedigree dogs exposed

[Nicky Vangalis]

Please remain decent and respectful of others views. Just wonder what all of you think of pedigree dogs exposed on bbc4 this evening 

[Ossian]

whar did you watch? It was pretty balanced so what sickened you?

I wish people would make a reasoned comment rather than emotive words! makes me think you didnt watch

[Ann Millington]

I watched the programme and thought that too much of the original programme was rehashed - we'd gone through the suffering Cavalier last time and I guess no one will ever forget it... and all that chasing after people with a cameraman and a microphone, plus the nasty RSPCA chap and the vet - who added nothing to this programme but reminded us of their vitriol.

However, the programme was not all bad, there were some good points although they could have been a little more generous to the action that has been already taken in proportion to the bad things still lingering.

I thought Bruce Cattanach's bit about the Boxers was particularly interesting, because it really highlighted the problems that inbreeding brings - we all know the pride of some owners to have a famous champion in their pedigrees, several times is good, but on both sides of the pedigree - magic!!!

It cheered me up because I have been 'banging on' about this for yonks - a little TV expoure backs me up.

I hope the message goes home that it is high time the, "We've bred beautiful dogs for hundreds of years and no one can tell us to change." attitude, was confined to the dustbin. And this links to the other discussion we have had recently - however willing the breed club is to effect change, the old (and not so old) diehards wield their influence far and wide and that is the battlegound.

Yes, those were our IRWS seen twice!  Those shots were taken at Manchester Championship Show 2008 when Jemima interviewed me and several exhibitors at the ringside.  The dog on the bench is Pauline Ryan's Berryessa Royal Affinity - there was no bad or sensational stuff to say about IRWS and the exhibitors knew what our health status was and were enthusiastic about the breed club.... so our piece was left out of course.  It was nice to see the pics this time.

[eva ciechonska]

I agree but I thought the programme, though slightly better balanced than the first one still went over the same old ground with the same breeds as before.  Again, there was no worthwhile mention of the work of the AHT and all the DNA testing of inherited problems that is being carried out in many breeds.  I thought the RSPCA representative was unnecessarily vitriolic, particularly when the RSPCA still inspects and approves puppy farms which the Councils then licence.  However when you see the inherent health problems in other breeds it does certainly pull you up short! 

It is a shame that Fiona the LUA Dalmatian has met with such opposition especially as the actual outcross occured in the 70s.  She looked pretty much like a Dalmation to me and having the LUA gene can only be a positive move so why the opposition.  The KC have registered Fiona but I understand they have refused export pedigrees for her offspring.  Just to pick up on this with a question Pat Aldridge posted on the KC Backs Outcrossing for English and IRWS where she asked whether the KC would issue export pedigrees for outcross dogs.....well they haven't for Fiona's 14th generation puppies so how will that work indeed.

[Lesley Gilks]

To see that Cavalier in agony, a young Boxer dying of kidney failure and a pug having to go through major surgery just to breath is all I need to understand the need for diversification in the gene pool, so why can't the breeders who say they love their dogs.  It's just plain common sense.   

[Martin Rowles]

I agree with all you have said Eva.  I was extremely upset after that programme ( but I am a bit of a softy when it comes to poorly animals lol :) ) .  I was amazed by that Dally seems like someone had the right idea i just hope she can continue with her efforts as I have friends with show Dallys and the horror stories about the uric acid thing are horrible.

Mel, I am fairly sure that people were not aware that they were being filmed for this programme as the IRWS's on the show are known to me and the owners have never said anything.  As for the rest I can't say.

[Ossian]

Martin I had you for someone who knew their way around the media. The programme used lots of BBC archiving which is in the public domain as it has been broadcastr with permissions so it can be used in other Beeb programmes without further consultation.

[Margaret Sierakowski]

Jemima had some footage of IRWS at Crufts  (2007? or 2008?) which was taken for the first PDE programme, and owners knew she was filming, and some of them spoke to her, quite willingly,  but it wasnt  used for that film in the end. In fact she had about 100 hours of film , but only 1 % of it was actually used in Pedigree Dogs Exposed. I'm not sure who the dogs were, but I can ask her when it was filmed, if you want. She came to the IRWS benches at Crufts last year too, although not filming, and does take a  friendly interest in the breed, so please dont misinterpret the brief appearance of IRWS in the new film as implying anything negative .

[danielle rowles]

Lol Ossian, what made you think that :)

[Ossian]

Given that it was a Beeb production they will have adhered to the law

Comment on the programme dont make snide rematrks

[Torie Lancaster]

Ossian....it seems to me that it's only you who is making snide remarks on this discussion!

[Ossian]

sorry - I had been reading something else before I responded to Sara

[Ann Millington]

Regarding Fiona the Dalmatian - because the LUA crossing done in the USA caused so much of a furore there, the progeny were not accepted by the AKC until recentl and the generations counted from that time. Fiona was brought into this country for breeding and her litter is considered the third (F3) generation. Fiona and her puppies are KC registered - able to take part in KC events (shows etc) and even exported but cannot be given a regular export pedigree until the fourth generation.  Therefore other KC will not register them, but of course their puppies can. The fourth generation can be registered normally.  It was not thought that exporting was the aim and 9 LUA puppies would do much good for UK Dalmatians.  Fiona has gone back to the USA now.

Opposition to LUA Dalmatian does not come from the KC, but other Dalmatian owners.