BBC Dropping Crufts?; tv documentary tonight - Page 11

He was 66inches at the shoulder and weighed in at over 50kg as a 1 year old.

Lol beepy i would have like to have seen that 5ft 6inch shepherd in the show ring.........

If I remember rightly he's been on TV since the early 90's.  He did that "a car is born" thingy plus many other non animal things.

You forgot "A choper is born", "A Plane is born", "A 4x4 is born" and the other vehicle restoration programmes he is on, it's a wonder he has time to do any vetrinarian work at all.

He is simply a "sensationalist" TV personality

Watcher - well spotted - that will teach me to try and think about switching to inches and not do it.  I have amended the post - having double checked the figure with the vet friend!  - I was having a blonde moment and I'm sticking to it!

I dont think you can label him as a sensationalist TV personality.  He has just make money having hobbies - there are many out there who would love to do the same.

He did train as a vet and work as one before having fun.  He did do some good animal programmes and I can remember him getting at people who allowed their animals to eat junk and become obese - something that is all too common these days.  Im not defending him, just feel the above comment from Videx is inappropriate. 

Statement about the forthcoming BBC programme ‘Pedigree Dogs Exposed’ – BBC1, Tuesday 19th August, 9pm

For more than two years now the Kennel Club and others have been co-operating with a TV production company called Passionate Productions who have been making a film on the subject of canine health. We agreed to take part entirely on the basis of that company’s written assurance that the programme’s ultimate message was “intended to be a hopeful one, showing how science and breeders can combine to preserve our purebreds for the future.”  That message fits precisely with the view of the Kennel Club, and so we set about giving information and interviews to the production company, and encouraging others to do so as well.

Sadly we soon discovered that the members of the production company seemed to have pre-conceived and extremely biased views on the subject.  Alarm bells rang when we found out the biased nature of many of the questions being posed both to ourselves and to others. The vast majority covered negative issues – few if any were about the positive aspects of purebred dogs.

We now know that the BBC, which has bought the programme, will show it on BBC1 at 9pm on Tuesday 19th August.  From the beginning the Kennel Club has worked consistently to explain our point of view on canine health both to the production company and latterly to the BBC, describing the vast amount of time, effort and money the majority of breeders put into breeding healthy dogs. We have also ensured that other interested parties have made the same point to the BBC. In so doing we have of course acknowledged that there are problems in some breeds, many of which originally stem back to the Victorian era, but we have stressed that we are today in the forefront of using science to address these issues.

We have also explained the work done to eliminate from breed standards any exaggerations which might cause problems. We have described the work going on to ensure that show judges pay particular attention to issues which could be detrimental to the health or welfare of dogs. We have outlined the many DNA and other health screening programmes which exist, and have given details of the Accredited Breeders Scheme and our latest “Fit for function: fit for life” campaign.

CONTINUED

Finally, we have been at pains to remind the BBC of the requirements in its Charter to be rigorously impartial and balanced in its reporting.

Despite all of this we still fear that, when broadcast, this programme may omit much of the positive information supplied, with the result that it will be damaging to the reputation of pedigree dogs, dog breeders and the Kennel Club. We hope that, in the process, it will not end up damaging the very dogs which, throughout, the programme makers have claimed they are so anxious to help.

This is of course looking at the worst case outcome.  It may be that our efforts have been understood and borne in mind as the programme has been put together and that we have done enough to balance the content and tone.   Whatever the eventual result you can be assured that the Kennel Club will go on working for the benefit of pedigree dogs and that we will continue to communicate the many positive messages which are there to be told.

Ronnie Irving
Chairman
August 8, 2008.

Kennel Club hits back at BBC Dog Documentary

The Kennel Club feels that the programme, Pedigree Dogs Exposed (BBC1 19 August) missed a real opportunity to progress the cause of dog health. It appeared to have a very specific agenda repeating prejudices, providing no context for the debate, and failing to put forward any constructive proposals. It left viewers with the mistaken impression that all pedigree dogs are riddled with a wide range of health problems and that the dog community is doing little or nothing to improve the situation. This is patently not true.

The Kennel Club was shocked and saddened by the dramatic imagery used in the programme, and accepts some of the important issues raised. What it does not accept is that these problems apply widely across the 200 plus breeds in the UK. Pedigree Dogs Exposed also failed to show the real progress being made by both the Kennel Club and responsible breeders in improving dog health or to recognise that 90 percent of pedigree dogs will not suffer from health problems that have a detrimental impact on the quality of life.

More than that, the programme drew upon a new study on dog genetics by Imperial College to underline its criticisms of dog breeding, without acknowledging the fact this study was entirely enabled by the Kennel Club as part of its commitment to health research. This research will now provide the Kennel Club with a valuable scientific platform to enlist the support of breeders in tackling key health problems where they occur. CONTINUED

Read FULL text here: http://www.doggenetichealth.org/response.php

 I would just like to state that my dog is more of an american showline dog and he moves and stacks great his hind legs dont woble or look weak in the rear like those dogs. I was at a show a couple months ago and none of the shepherds there moved like any of those dogs. I think they should of shown footage maybe of other shows to show that some breedeers are doing the right thing. I definately thin crufts has  a few problems.

Temperament & Hereditary Defects Of The Belgian Malinois

Temperament of the Belgian Malinois

The malinois was and is still breed mostly for it's working ability. Because most breeders want dogs that have high drives means their are some temperament issues to go over. In no case should a malinois be aggressive or shy. This is not proper for a malinois and any malinois showing these temperament problems should be removed from the gene pool. Some of the temperament problems that face the malinois are: aggression, fear-biting, skittishness, and sound sensitivity. It is imperative that all malinois are thoroughly socialized from puppy hood on into adulthood.

Hereditary Defects of the Belgian Malinois

Generally the malinois is a very healthy breed. As with every other breed there are problems that arise. Some of these include: Hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy, and epilepsy. As with other breeds hip dysplasia seems to be the most prominent of all the ailments. Elbow dysplasia is also on the rise, now that more breeders are doing more health checks they are finding more problems. Although a majority of breeders do not check elbows, a growing number of breeders do. Progressive retinal atrophy is a a growing concern, because it is undetectable or misinterpreted when a dog is younger, more dogs are bred and puppies are born that are going to be either, clear, carriers, or affected. Epilepsy is a growing concern as well, although it affects the long haired varieties more, than malinois is still at risk. For this reason it is often better to wait to breed your dog until they are 3-5 years old, although even then epilepsy can occur later than that.