More viewing for PDE fans...

If you can't get enough of Pedigree Dogs Exposed here's a link to some extended interviews with the show's creator Jemima Harrison and the chair of the KC Dogs Trust review Professor Bateson.

Pedigree Dogs Exposed was recently shown in Australia to a massive audience and a huge and positive response from dog lovers. ABC produced these extended interviews so people could find out even more about the show and its effect in England and as such it is fascinating for us to view as few of us have yet heard Professor Bateson speak. The on line forum was open for an hour after the show was aired broke all records and was largely very positive. You can click a link to see the discussion on the same web link given below.

I have to agree with professor Bateson's view that PDE has done so much good for dogs, whatever your perspective.

Here's the link:

http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/extras/extra_videos/pedigreedogs/default.htm


Get a cup of tea, take the phone off the hook and put your feet up - almost 30 mins in total of fascinating viewing.

Comments

Anonymous said…
arrison CONCEDES responsible breeders ''WERE in a way PENALISED by this film, but I hope they will see that this is their great opportunity to effect the changes they have been trying to effect for a long time''.

Anticipating fallout from the program's local broadcast, the Australian National Kennel Council recently enlisted prominent vet Dr Peter Higgins to handle public relations. Dr Higgins is disappointed with the program. He says issues with registered breeders are minor compared to problems with backyard breeders, puppy farmers, dog hoarders and people who are cruel to dogs.

He says hereditary disease is a fact of life for dogs as much as it is for humans and his organisation funds research into inherited disease problems. ''It's how you manage it, that's the issue,'' he says. ''In labradors, hip dysplasia was a problem 15 years ago; now, it's almost not around because the labrador breeding society worked with university researchers to get around it.

''For me, the conclusion of the show is that anyone who has anything to do with dog breeding doesn't care about the dog, the outcomes, who they're selling the dog to, it's all just a beauty contest and THAT's NOT the case.''
Anonymous said…
Harrison CONCEDES responsible breeders ''WERE in a way PENALISED by this film, but I hope they will see that this is their great opportunity to effect the changes they have been trying to effect for a long time''.

Anticipating fallout from the program's local broadcast, the Australian National Kennel Council recently enlisted prominent vet Dr Peter Higgins to handle public relations. Dr Higgins is disappointed with the program. He says issues with registered breeders are minor compared to problems with backyard breeders, puppy farmers, dog hoarders and people who are cruel to dogs.

He says hereditary disease is a fact of life for dogs as much as it is for humans and his organisation funds research into inherited disease problems. ''It's how you manage it, that's the issue,'' he says. ''In labradors, hip dysplasia was a problem 15 years ago; now, it's almost not around because the labrador breeding society worked with university researchers to get around it.

''For me, the conclusion of the show is that anyone who has anything to do with dog breeding doesn't care about the dog, the outcomes, who they're selling the dog to, it's all just a beauty contest and THATS'S NOT the case.
Beverley Cuddy said…
Sirius, I fear you are repeating yourself!

Dr Higgins would seen to not know his OCD from his elbow. If HD has been banished from all Australian Labs then let him show the proof!

"Hereditary disease a fact of life for pedigree dogs." Now there is a very sad thing to accept.

How could you watch that 30 minutes of invigorating and thought-provoking footage and come up with such tripe?
Anonymous said…
Sirius....Beverly....just kiss eachother already and end this sexual-tension!

On a serious (not sirius) note...

This Higgins bloke didn't say that HD has been banished from Australian Labs, read his comment again....

And he does not say that genetic disease is a fact of life for the pedigree dog, that is your spin on things Beverly.

Disease, genetic and otherwise, is a fact of life for all living things. If anyone out there thinks that they can breed genrations animals free of all genetically-based disease then please lead the way. I don't think that its possible, whether we are talking dogs, cows or budgerigars. If you think that is a sad state of things, so be it, but I think thats life.

Perhaps it would be an interesting challenge for the magazine: An on-going, hands-on practical study of breeding dogs (say bearded collies?) using the principles that Beverly is endorsing (low COI, all relevant testing) Readers could follow the progress of selecting stud dog, mating, whelping, raising, right through adulthood and successive generations...

I think that you would have great results, as do many breeders of many breeds here in the UK who already practise those methods....and it would make really interesting reading.

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