....Yet there's a case right now with a well known champion where judges seem complicit in giving a championship, as the dog scratches and bunny hops in the ring on the lead and can hardly be touched so they are all very careful not to make him scream while up on the table.
.....
Another well known dog with SM has been shipped off to the US where he is currently being used at stud even though he appears in the immediate pedigrees of dogs known to have symptomatic SM and has symptoms himself. But the person who moved him on obviously figures lots of US breeders won't know about this problem. Some US breeders won't know, and sadly probably some won't care -- the concern will be 'let's get those old line UK champion dogs into our line' and who cares about the risk of SM....
...
But there are plenty of breeders who have always bred with health foremost, some of whom have accepted their dogs may therefore not be what judges have been looking for -- and they can now come to the fore...
Hello,
if I read all this I'm just sad and angry at the same time.
Sad about the affected dog, who by the stress at the exhibition probably has to endure more pain.
Sad about the puppies that are born, perhaps in order to endure the same pain their father has to. Also sad about the puppy buyer like you or me, as we get sick with the pain we see our dogs are suffering from.
Angry about all those who join, watching and don't say anything.
I'm not interested in exhibitions and Champion titles, so I can not say anything about exhibitions.
I was terribly excited when in one of "our" cavalier-forums I've read that a breeder told on the ring he is no longer notice the evaluation of the dogs listed, but what dog is scratching.
Later if this sentence is cited, will always said that was nonsense.
I wonder with what kind of dogs we want to live? Of course, the appearance has a role, but what means beautiful appearance to dogs and their people when the health or behavior do not fit?
Surely I'm naive and blue-eyed and talking the World "rosarot", but I can not really say what motivates people to deal with dogs in such a way.
Financially beneficial, the desire for the "great names" ... all this can not justify even one suffering dog!
I hope all turns around in the right direction... for the good breeders and our beloved cavaliers!