Ruff trade: a crisis for Crufts

A very long piece in the English Independent today on how Pedigree Dogs Exposed has had an impact on the breeding and show world, and the crisis in the clubs and with Crufts (the BBC yesterday said it would drop Crufts coverage for next year as well).

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/pets/features/ruff-trade-a-crisis-for-crufts-1631230.html

Ruff trade: A crisis for Crufts

Crufts returns next week – but there will be no TV coverage, no big-money sponsorship, and no support from the RSPCA. After six months of scandal that has left pedigree breeds branded genetic freaks, John Walsh asks if we can save our love affair with man's best friend

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It was a long and well padded article,it took a bit of effort to extract the main points from the piece.
That poor Neapolitan mastiff looks like it's melting,if it were human it would have all the best reconstructive surgery experts collaborating across the world on a Discovery channel documentary on how to reconstruct it's poor face.
As for cavaliers we all know the score there,no external modification to the breed standard will help MVD or SM.In the interim all that can be done is to scan and support research and stop breeding from dogs of unknown status for SM.
The Kennel Club chairman needs to figure out what role science plays in dog breeding.On PDE I believe he dismissed a CAWC report as it didn't have enough "science" and later he declared that he wouldn't be told what to do by a bunch of "scientists".(slightly paraphrasing here).
There's been a huge change in veterinary diagnostics and medical technology over the last 20 years.Embracing new technology can only enhance the skills of dog breeders,especially if it's available and affordable.I worked in a veterinary diagnostic lab twenty years ago.Mri scanning was a new technology in human medicine back then and it's amazing to see how quickly medical advances can benefit small animal practice.
Ok, I've waffled on almost as much as the author in the Independent.I'll go away now.
Sins

ahhhhhhhhhh poor them, someone ought to tell them that its no where near as ruff as what these dogs have to go through, not to mention the owners and the price we have to pay as a result and i just mean money. Any dog that meets the crufts standards and is suffering as such the kennel club should pay the vets bills. Has anyone tried to take them to court and claim compensation.

Its all about what People Think they know

You know I draw some funny conclusions here in the US. We want the best, but keep people in charge who know nothing about what they do.

Barack Obama could be a great president, yet he doesn't talk with economists about how to fix the economy.

The KC does't know how genetics really work because the person in charge of of Genetics is nothing but a concerned breeder, not a qualified genetic expert.

Sadly this is the way the world works and those who don't deserve to suffer do.

This isn't meant to be political, just drawing a ironic conclusion from the apparent facts I've read.

PS read the comments, that is where the real discussion is at.

kmatt said:

You know I draw some funny conclusions here in the US. We want the best, but keep people in charge who know nothing about what they do.

Barack Obama could be a great president, yet he doesn't talk with economists about how to fix the economy.

The KC does't know how genetics really work because the person in charge of of Genetics is nothing but a concerned breeder, not a qualified genetic expert.

Sadly this is the way the world works and those who don't deserve to suffer do.

This isn't meant to be political, just drawing a ironic conclusion from the apparent facts I've read.

PS read the comments, that is where the real discussion is at.

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as a fellow American, I find that to be a fitting and interesting analogy. Seems Obama should hire a team of economists (I am in two econ courses this semester in school (micro and macro), and I see more and more how complex economics is...and how differently issues are viewed among economists) and perhaps the Kennel Club should sponsor some serious genetic research, some of which it seems is already being undertaken, and then take action based on the results of comprehensive studies. In the meantime, breeders are left to do the best they can with what is known and the tests available(the ones who are motivated by love of the breed versus dollars).

brotymo said:

as a fellow American, I find that to be a fitting and interesting analogy. Seems Obama should hire a team of economists (I am in two econ courses this semester in school (micro and macro), and I see more and more how complex economics is...and how differently issues are viewed among economists) and perhaps the Kennel Club should sponsor some serious genetic research, some of which it seems is already being undertaken, and then take action based on the results of comprehensive studies. In the meantime, breeders are left to do the best they can with what is known and the tests available(the ones who are motivated by love of the breed versus dollars).

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I know, is it really that hard to think... Hey I've got a problem, I've got a brain tumor and need to have it removed why don't we go down to the K clinic and have them remove it...No person, no matter how much they are struggling would ever do that. They would go to the best of the best. So why isn't the KC going to the top Animal Genetics Expert and saying, how much of this is correct? Okay its correct? Okay so what do we need to do to fix it both in the short and long term.

I just think it's crazy that they're so concerned with how they're going to judge dogs based on different standards and new rules - where again the focus is on how the dog looks. Instead of rewarding breeders for creating extra skin folds, smaller heads, and more pushed in faces, how about rewarding them for what they do to prolong the health and happiness of the breed? Take the focus off appearance and the fear that breeds will be unrecognizable in the future (as if they're recognizable now) - make the "standard" a happy and healthy animal - one that shines from the inside. Can you imagine if we did this to our human children? (I don't care that she can't talk or walk, is in pain all day, has heart failure, and likely won't live past the age of 5 - have you seen how beautiful my daughter is? She's so much cuter than yours.) Ugh. Sorry for the rant - this just makes me angry....

There will be a lot of filmed coverage of Crufts online, focusing on events in the Arena - details on the KC website. Even some obedience will be available on iPod (which needs a subscription) - obedience people always moan about lack of coverage. I gather the filming is being done by the BBC! Who presumably prefer double standards to paying a fortune to break their contract with the KC. The information about filming has been on the KC website for several days, so the Independent haven't done their homework. And there seems to be quite a lot of sponsorship coming in as well - smaller amounts from a number of different sources, rather than one major sponsor. Oliver, Aled and I are doing Discover Dogs Friday and Saturday afternoons.

Kate