RodRussell
Well-known member
The Advisory Council on the Welfare Issues of Dog Breeding, headed by Dr. Sheila Crispin, reportedly will be studying three main issues regarding pedigreed dogs: puppy farms, genetic abnormalities, and dangerous dogs. According to The Independent on its website -- http://tinyurl.com/23syb25 -- the genetic abnormalities issue is stated thusly:
"Genetic abnormalities: Around 20 pedigree breeds suffer serious health problems as a result of decades of breeding designed to meet Kennel Club standards – essential for winning rosettes at shows such as Crufts. After the BBC's hard-hitting show Pedigree Dogs Exposed in August 2008, the Kennel Club, having initially been defensive, announced an overhaul of its breed standards. The need for an end to genetic abnormalities such as under-sized brains was underlined by two reports on dog breeding last year, by the RSPCA and the Associate Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare."
Now, I don't know who wrote that quoted statement, whether it was Dr. Crispin or the author of the web article (Martin Hickman?) or Prof. Bateson or whoever. Clearly, "under-sized brains" is not a CKCS problem, and I've never really ever heard of any breed suffering from it, except possibly the air-head breeds (none of which will I identify here).
My question to you all is this:
Do we have any scientific evidence that Cavaliers suffer from CM or SM or MVD "as a result of decades of breeding designed to meet Kennel Club standards"?
"Genetic abnormalities: Around 20 pedigree breeds suffer serious health problems as a result of decades of breeding designed to meet Kennel Club standards – essential for winning rosettes at shows such as Crufts. After the BBC's hard-hitting show Pedigree Dogs Exposed in August 2008, the Kennel Club, having initially been defensive, announced an overhaul of its breed standards. The need for an end to genetic abnormalities such as under-sized brains was underlined by two reports on dog breeding last year, by the RSPCA and the Associate Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare."
Now, I don't know who wrote that quoted statement, whether it was Dr. Crispin or the author of the web article (Martin Hickman?) or Prof. Bateson or whoever. Clearly, "under-sized brains" is not a CKCS problem, and I've never really ever heard of any breed suffering from it, except possibly the air-head breeds (none of which will I identify here).
My question to you all is this:
Do we have any scientific evidence that Cavaliers suffer from CM or SM or MVD "as a result of decades of breeding designed to meet Kennel Club standards"?