Are you a fan of Pekes?


When Claire Balding flagged up they'd be talking about health problems on the Crufts programme on More4 last night I sat up and took notice, but five minutes later it was all over - that's if you could even hear what they were saying over the background noise. (Surely More4 could have stretched to walls on their studio?)
To illustrate how masterful the KC is being, we were shown footage of this year's Best of Breed German Shepherd moving across the ring as if this was greatest abomination to be seen at Crufts. Had the KC vet stepped in and sent the dog from the ring? No. But oddly the KC did think trial by TV was fair even though no German Shepherd representative was given a right to reply.
Have any GSDs died from having a banana back?
I don't think so.
It's true they do seem to have developed a very strange go-faster back end action that is quite unlike any other breed of dog and certainly isn't to everyone's taste, but it's not like the dogs are screaming in pain or dropping dead if the temperature goes up 0.5 of a degree.
But maybe we were going to be shown other exaggerated dogs and what the Kc was doing to sort them out.
No.
Just the GSD.
No Bulldog, no Peke, no Pug, none of the usual suspects in fact.
But all these breeds have had the threat of their prizes being taken away if they don't sort themselves out?
No.
Isn't it simply the case that it is so much easier for the KC to look like it is doing something by making an example of the GSD people? A proud and organised group, who have been the most proactive on health testing among any dogs owners for decades - even if they do seem to have developed a blind spot of late for what back legs are meant to look like. At least their dogs still have a nose and can give birth.
Where was the footage of the poor old Pekes sitting on ice, captured above by a pet owner at the show yesterday.
To me, this is the much more unacceptable face of dog show exaggeration - where was the Crufts vet sending these poor dogs home?
Why don't the KC take the CCs off this breed until they can survive without refrigeration and external ventilation? It's a breed where radical life-saving surgery is often needed due to the exaggerations caused by the show ring's demands.
It's illogical for the KC to think the highest priority is to tackle a breed with an exaggeration that only seems to hurt our eyes. Only this week in Dog World two top judges still thought a Peke the nearest to perfection out of all dogs in history. A dog that famously often needs a soft palette resection to function at all.
I would prefer the Shepherds to be less exaggerated, don't get me wrong. But the KC has had it in for the GSD people for years as they have been pushing the KC hard to make health testing mandatory.
Because the KC is under pressure they're hounding the GSD people rather than tackling the worst offenders who may have more friends in high places - thus making them slightly harder to cast out into the cold. It's doggie breedism!
I believe the GSD is seen as disposable by the KC, they'd love this group of people to clear off and break away and be all gobby and hurt. Because then it will prove them right - that they can't do anything too quickly as they need to keep the breeders with them.
Long over time for them to stop spinning and just get on with it. Unless more breeds are going to be shown hooked up to life support systems....
I'm looking forward to the day that the only thing on ice at Crufts is the Champagne.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I agree to an extent, but I think you're being very generous to the GSD.

A noble group proactive in health? Then why is the GSD the unhealthiest of all breeds, with anal furunculosis, eyes, hips, CDRM, OCD, epilepsy, autoimmune problems, pancreatic insufficiency, haemaphilia and endless more?

The KC shouldn't bully the GSD and ignore all the other breeds that are suffering, I agree. THe GSD is a scapegoat in this, but it has become a poor excuse for a dog now, after beign wrecked by decades of poor breeding. The KC hasn't done that, the breeders have. The clubs and judges are complicit in this.
Anonymous said…
actually I think that Beverley is spot on, the KC do see the GSD people ass disposable and would be quite happy to see them walk away. There are breeds in a FAR worse state than the GSD but the KC continually picks on and makes an example of the GSD. It may help to remember that it was the GSD League that introduced the hip scoring scheme and the GSD folk who introduced the haemophilia testing scheme, doesn't sound like a breed that doesnt care about health and welfare. Until such time as the KC get the house in order and will only accept puppy registrations from parents with the appropriate health screening then we will not see a big change in the health and welfare of pedigree dogs.
As an aside, I thought the GSD featured looked a healthy athletic type, whether you like the look of this type of GSD or not you must remember that he has had all the necessary health screening, has working qualifications and is breed surveyed. It could be that many of the BOBs may not have any health screening and until the KC get their house in order this is going to be an ongoing problem.
Julie said…
I do have my doubts as to whether the KC really have changed!
I do believe its true they are 'using' the GSD people to make themselves look good.

I have really tried to convince myself that they have changed for the better but....
I cant help (due to their actions) but to still say that it is ALL just a huge PR 'thing'!!

For instance, I visited the KC health stand at Cruft yesterday specifically to shake Diana Brooks-Ward's hand to thank her for her efforts in helping me to get my NUA Dalmatians
registered & recognising the HUGE health benefits they can bring to my breed & was looking forward to doing this face to face, I walked directly up to her took her hand to shake & introduced myself ...hello Diana, I am Julie Evans NUA Dalmatians! the response was.... as she pulled her hand from mine..Yes, turned away from me as I stood there waiting to continue with my gratitude she TOTALLY & PURPOSELY blanked me
turned & started to talk to someone else. I remained stood there thinking she would quickly get back to me but soon realised I was being ignored! So I left.
I had been in contact with this woman for over a year! It proved to me that There really is NO feeling in these faceless people!

Julie Evans
Tyrodal Dalmatians
concerned dog lover said…
I think there are lots of breeds that need attention - not just the GSD. The fact that Caroline Kisko said the "punishment" would be to take away their CCs just made me laugh. I was also very disturbed by the fact that Caroline Kisko advised all puppy buyers to only buy from a KC accredited breeder. I've been campaigning for health tests to be introduced into my breed for ABs for a year and a half!! In January they introduced "recommendations" that hips, elbows and eyes should be tested prior to breeding. These are not compulsory and at the present time there are ABs in my breed who are breeding without eye testing and even using dogs with hereditary cataracts. We have one AB who is using a stud dog whose sister whelped puppies with UAP (elbow displasia) without having him elbow tested. Worse: we have one breeder who has had 3 litters in the space of 8 months without elbow scoring. One bitch is either one of the puppies that had UAP but is definitely a sibling! She has been allowed to breed without having the bitch elbow tested. Who lifted the endorsement on the pedigree? An accredited breeder and officer of the breed club. I'm further disgusted with the judging at Crufts. The dog who won RBB today was bred by a puppy farmer, to a mother with no health tests and a father with hereditary cataracts. He is 17 months old and has already been used at stud - the first time without the results of health tests. The owner is the person who bred from the bitch with UAP and she has employed a top handler (who won group 1 Utility yesterday!) to show the dog. Prior to this woman handling the dog he had done nothing in the show ring. The handler is a KC member, backed by the KC in training show dogs; is a top handler who's face is well known and hence she wins with this dog. The KC have been informed about this dog's background but have done nothing. They are currently investigating his breeder. This is our second year at Crufts and we certainly don't want a puppy farmer's breeding to be promoted as it is being promoted. If this continues our wonderful breed will be a shadow of its former self in 10 years time. I've warned them but nobody wants to listen. It's heartbreaking and I fear I will have to leave my breed in the hands of these people who will do anything to win a rosette!!!
Anonymous said…
Maybe someone should ask the kennel club if they register puppies from none hip and elbow scored parents.
Answer = yes
Are they bothered if u test for haemaphilia
Answer= No
Do they ask for any health test to be done. NO NO NO.
As for accredited breeders there are some so called accredited breeders that do no health checks on their breeding stock and the kc are pointing puppy buyers in their direction.(disgusting)
If the kc want the over grown corgi type of Alsation as their breed standard so be it. But the true G.S.D is the one which has the breed standard of its home land (Germany). There should be a public appology to the bob winner for the slander unleashed on her dog. The kc have behaved disgracefully.
Anonymous said…
You are speaking sense Beverley!! The GSD do have health issued but the majority of GOOD breeders are carrying out tests prior to breeding. The KC do not like the fact that the GSD fraternity are trying to get health checks compulsory for the parents of KC reg puppies. The KC is punishing the GSD fraternity due to outside attraction, not health issues!! Otherwise they would have taken away CCs for many other breeds, such as CKCS with syringomyelia, bulldogs who are unable to give birth naturally, etc etc.

Beverly, I might even forgive you for employing one J Harrison and start buying your magazine again!! Lol
Shirley said…
Thank you so much for showing some balance in this discussion.

The GSD fraternity certainly is being singled out and victimised by the KC. Why?

Because we will not be quiet about mandatory health testing and they stand to lose money if they stop all of the back street breeders and puppy farms who know little or nothing about this noble breed but see the money that can be made if you don't fork out for all of the health tests and pay for top stud dogs and rear your pups lavishly so that they have the best start....

This is not about unsoundness but is about the KC believing that they can bully and blackmail us into submission - WRONG!

Also, for information the Crufts BOB has recently returned from Germany having acheived the top level Schutzhund qualification (obedience, agility, tracking and protection all tested) he passed his AD endurance test (20km bike ride and follow up willing ness to work test) and has a breed survey class one - which means that he not only has health tests which meet specified criteria but he has also been examined in detail by a top breed specialist.
Anonymous said…
give the kc your money don't answer back and you a good breeder ask for more sir and get stamped on or chucked out of crufts if you are 70+ the kc are running about like they own the show world well they don't not for gsd's or any breed time everyone stood up to them the old boys club was going along quite nicely until pedigree dogs exposed when they were caught on the hop and then took all the breed councils suggestions for the last ten years and tried to pass them off as there own SAME ON YOU ALL AT THE KC YOU BUNCH OF MONEY GRABBING NO CARE LOT ALL YOU ARE NOW DOING IS DAMAGE LIMBATION
Anonymous said…
Im not a breeder but a genuine dog lover. We keep staffs. WE have two. But I love GSDs. A google search for "working GSDs" gives a whole different type and lineage of dogs compared to show dogs. What a calamity!!!
20 years ago its was GSDs that were dangerous dogs. Today its staffs.
We went to a staffy show in merseyside about 5-6 months ago and I was horrified to see them. They are so small and more bully type. (Our boy is quite leggy and not so butch! And I wouldnt have a staff any other way.) The female staffs at the show were worse. They were butch, but SMALLER than the males. The judge said he looks for a good mix of "terrier and bull"...thw worst load of bull Ive heard in ages.
The KC says staffs should "be game for anything"...these show staffs are going to have breathing and birthing problems soon like bulldogs.
My boy is stimulated everyday with a long walk and lot of play. HE loves to fetch and pulls like a bull...Can anyone suggest to me how I can set up a line of "working staffs..". I hope to be a responsible breeder but at the same time, I dont want to add to the problem of sooooooo many abandoned staffs. Soon they will also be labelled dangerous. How can I prevent this. I love staffs and i think they should be built a lot different from what Ive seen in the show ring. For me a working staff's body should be able to endure agility AND weight pulling! These show dogs dont look like they can do agility; they are so broad. And for temperament. The dogs we went to see in the show were all in little crates and were barking and gnarling as we were walking by. Or they were covered in with a towel or some such. Staffs should be welcoming with people. I did not see that at all....


I read online (not the most reliable, but still..) that the height for staffs has been reduced over the years to AVOID them being labelled dangerous. But now they are not at all proportional....

What can I do to help. How can I become a resposibe breeder ifthats what I must do... Any suggestions from experienced people to email below please.
(jayendra.shankar@gmail.com)
Anonymous said…
Just when was the picture in this taken? as I did notthink the benches at Crufts this year were with Green Panels...................if it is who took it? if not why use it?
alfmcmalf said…
Note for Julie Evans

Many congratulations by the way on what you are doing and have already done for the wonderful Dalmatian.

Your experience of Diana Brooks Ward is similar to mine. Last year at Crufts I spoke to Jeff Sampson at length and he suggested I contact her via email on a couple of matters subsequent to Crufts. Never got a reply or an acknowledgement of any email I sent to her. She typifies in my opinion the arrogance of the KC. What doeas she actually do? What has she actually achieved?

Philippa
bet hargreaves said…
Let us Dog Lovers never forget ,if it had not been for Jemima Harrison and the PDE TV Program ,would the Kennel Club have taken any notice of us.

I don't think so!!

Bet Hargreaves

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