Margaret C
Well-known member
Well I suppose it depends on where you are standing. I just get the impression that there is a certain amount of animosity between some people on this site and CC,.
There is a lot of animosity.
The most vocal breeders on CC are those that, before the showing of PDE, were continuing to breed with cavaliers they knew were producing puppies with SM, while denying that there was any such problem or that they had it in their lines.
They were adamant that no way would they MRI their breeding stock, and when the film revealed the true situation they reacted in a very vindictive manner.
They now say that they are MRIing and give the impression they are breeding to the protocols, but as was done with the MVD protocol they are again being less than honest.
When a moderator on CC, a breed club committee member and health representative, will mate an underage bitch to an unscanned dog, and then go and represent members at health liaison meetings, then perhaps a little intolerance is natural from those that have known these people for a long time.
The protocol re not using a dog or bitch until 2.5 may or may not be adhered to in some cases, but I have been getting the breed supplements recently, and though as Margaret has pointed out in her post above, some people are ignoring it, there are others that are beginning to follow it, so why keep beating them up?.
It is not those that follow the protocols that are protesting, they know they are doing the right thing. Why would they think the remarks are meant for them?
but if there is movement in the right direction, then others will follow. I just don't like the big stick approach.
The MVD protocol is proof that waiting for people to follow does not work; the trouble is we waited 18 years and would be waiting still if the film had not been made.
My six years trying to raise awareness of SM showed me that waiting for breeders to do anything that stopped them from doing what they want, when they want, was futile.
Hard headed commercial considerations is what will keep cavaliers safe. That is why some of the bigger commercial show breeders are scanning. They need to sell their puppies.
Puppy owners asking for certificates and knowing enough to not be fooled by talk of 'all my dogs are tested' is what will give cavaliers a better future.
If that is the big stick approach, then in my experience, that is the only approach that works with those that are unable to put the welfare of their own dogs and the future of this lovely breed before their own desire to breed winning dogs.