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by Mark3 on 23 January 2010 - 19:01
There is no real meaty evidence on the face of it, to publicly show that the breed has been campaigning for health improvements for a number of years now to demonstrate and evident commitment.
As Dingodog rightly says, the official representation of the GSD breed in the UK, namely the BC, League and BAGSD websites do not provide evidence of a drive forward to promote health and education on all health issues in the dog.
I understand that elbows is now mandatory on breed surveys for any dog born after 1 January 2010. However, there are individuals in the breed that have been screening elbows for many, many years now, so why has it taken so long to make it compulsory on breed surveys?
In the current climate in the pedigree dog world, it is beholden on breeds to demonstrate that they are proactively monitoring and pushing forward moves to improve health and welfare. The KC is not going to do it for us.
No one is going to be able to help anyone if they do not help themselves.
As Dingodog rightly says, the official representation of the GSD breed in the UK, namely the BC, League and BAGSD websites do not provide evidence of a drive forward to promote health and education on all health issues in the dog.
I understand that elbows is now mandatory on breed surveys for any dog born after 1 January 2010. However, there are individuals in the breed that have been screening elbows for many, many years now, so why has it taken so long to make it compulsory on breed surveys?
In the current climate in the pedigree dog world, it is beholden on breeds to demonstrate that they are proactively monitoring and pushing forward moves to improve health and welfare. The KC is not going to do it for us.
No one is going to be able to help anyone if they do not help themselves.
by missbeeb on 23 January 2010 - 21:01
For once, just for once.... could we leave the past in the past and move forward? We ALL know of someone or some kennel (maybe many of them) that hasn't done this or that despite preaching to the contrary; it's pointless and unhelpful to be hung up on this. Citing this or that person or Club and their shortcomings (real or preceived) only serves to divide, when what we need is unity for our future. Picking holes, is an easy and overstaffed position.
I agree that breeders should be testing regardless of requirements and many of them do... but they are a "drop in the ocean"... that's WHY health testing should be mandatory. Given that the KC is our governing body (at the moment) and the prices they charge, I really don't think that it's too much to expect them to take an active role in promoting good health.
WHY aren't we all asking, what can I / we do for our breed, now and in the future? The way ahead imo, does not lie with our KC; we want to move on, they don't.
I'm done with this thread, I intend to remain positive.
by Mark3 on 23 January 2010 - 22:01
Incidentally, I don’t know the exact figure, but I believe over 800 dogs have been breed surveyed under the UK system.
So, is there anyone who can tell me, how many were Class 1, how many were Class 2 and how many failures were there out of the total dogs surveyed to date???
So, is there anyone who can tell me, how many were Class 1, how many were Class 2 and how many failures were there out of the total dogs surveyed to date???
by myfanwy on 24 January 2010 - 09:01
Hi Mark3
Breed survey results are available with full reports in the GSD breed council year book
see breed council web site.
Breed survey results are available with full reports in the GSD breed council year book
see breed council web site.
by Jeevs on 24 January 2010 - 13:01
Rather than blame either the KC or individual breeders for not health testing, why not put a proposal up at your club's AGM to bring in a rule that ALL members have to do the health tests (eyes, hips, elbows, haemophilia) before breeding? You might lose a few members, but then you could promote the 'healthy' dogs bred by your club members. Or would this mean you end up with hardly any members at all? If all clubs did this it might encourage more people to do the testing.
by Mark3 on 24 January 2010 - 23:01
Hi Myfanwy, thank you for that. I’m aware of the reports in the Breed Council year books, I just don’t have all of them. Surely someone must have collated all the figures to date???
Having just had a quick look through the 2007 year book as an example, I was surprised that out of roughly 64 dogs surveyed, 60 were Class 1, 4 were Class 2 with 0 failures.
We must have a lot of good dogs in this country with statistics like this!!!!! Do we really need a breed survey????…lol
Having just had a quick look through the 2007 year book as an example, I was surprised that out of roughly 64 dogs surveyed, 60 were Class 1, 4 were Class 2 with 0 failures.
We must have a lot of good dogs in this country with statistics like this!!!!! Do we really need a breed survey????…lol
by Jonah1 on 25 January 2010 - 18:01
HOLY SMOKE MARK3. Ya havin a joke --- right ?. I sure hope ya are !.
by Dingodog on 25 January 2010 - 22:01
Missbeeb - I can suggest something positive - that the BC, League and BAGSD websites actually address health problems and dedicate some space to actually promoting health - without reservation - and thus lead the way, as they should be doing in any case....... Also this is not a 'past' issue, this is a 'now' issue in terms of the dearth of useful information about health on the websites, despite the many references to how the BC have been at the forefront of developing health tests.
The link to the Australian Shepherd site shows REAL dedication to the breed and it's health problems. Thanks for that link, that should be held up as an example for the BC/GSD League to follow.
I would be interested if anyone can give me an idea why health is given such a low profile on the sites. Why is it left to private websites like Jacquenetta to publish elbow scores, and Videx for some very informative health articles?
If one were a cynic ...............
Jeevs - great idea. and a positive one - any takers ?
The link to the Australian Shepherd site shows REAL dedication to the breed and it's health problems. Thanks for that link, that should be held up as an example for the BC/GSD League to follow.
I would be interested if anyone can give me an idea why health is given such a low profile on the sites. Why is it left to private websites like Jacquenetta to publish elbow scores, and Videx for some very informative health articles?
If one were a cynic ...............
Jeevs - great idea. and a positive one - any takers ?
by petowner on 26 January 2010 - 01:01
Dingodog. I think you are not up to speed . Correct me if I'm wrong , I am under the impression that the GSD Partnership is a combination of the BC, League, BAGSD together in a joint venture and already have such a website in the making. ????.
by Sue B on 26 January 2010 - 14:01
Hi Mo
If I were you I would be MORE WORRIED IF BAGDS DID CONSULT THEIR MEMBERS!!! Remember I was Gen Sec of BAGDS for as long as I could stand it (least said on here the better).
HOWEVER, thats not why I came to post, what I really came on here to say is that BAGSD have MORE MEMBERS who are owners of Border Collies, Mongrels etc than they have of GSD Owners, so think about it, DO YOU REALLY WANT THESE TYPE OF OWNERS (of other breeds) DECIDING HOW SHEPHERDS SHOULD BE EXHIBITED????? Just a thought that perhaps you should bare in mind.
Actually what you really DO NEED TO CONSIDER is HOW THE EXEC COMMITTEE WORD THEIR LETTER TO MEMBERS (thats if there is going to be one) because HOW THEY WORD IT (For example note how magnificantly the League letter was worded ) will very much EFFECT THE REPLIES THEY GET.
For example, IF THE EXEC COMMITTEE WANT TO SIGN, then they can word the letter to members in such a way that could frighten them into signing or at least be advising them to sign. If they DONT WANT TO SIGN IT, then they could find a way of wording it which would explain to ALL THE NONE GSD OWNERS THAT this will have ABSOLUTELY NO EFFECT to them whatsoever and SO ADVISE THEM TO IGNORE.
With this in mind, now stand back and OBSERVE the OUTCOME, IT WILL BE A VERY INTERESTING if not (to say the least) ENLIGHTENING !!!
All the best
Sue
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