Bbc 1

[Seraphina]

The above link does not seem to work , another try;

BBC

you may have paste it into your browser;

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_quer...arch_type=&aq=f

 

[Eceni]

I am very much against inbreeding, but that alone does not cause the exaggerations causing these problems.  They are caused by selective breeding for the exaggerations.  Breeders of the round headed breeds select pups with the most pushed in faces to go on with and so gradually the breed changes.  And many breeds have changed amazingly.
This is a photo of a dachshund taken in 1959.  The dog was a show winner, but working dog owned by a game keeper.  He had legs, his body was significantly shorter than what you see in the ring now, that is only 50 years.

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Indeed - there are two problems of breeding and one of education. What would be good, would be to both reduce the tendency to breed towards extremes of deformity while at the same time, embracing the concept that, to survive, all breeds, regardless of their current structure, need to reduce their average CoI to survive. Both of these are, as the Buddhists say, not so much about winning an argument, as changing the atmosphere - it needs to be done in cooperation with existing breeders.

Finally, we need to educate the general public - owning a dog is a privilege with associated responsibilities, which start with knowing the criteria for picking a sound puppy. Currently, people think that a 'pedigree' is a guarantor of soundness. It would be good to go back to that being the case.

MS

 

[BeeJay]

It would be impossible to dna test every single KC registered dog, there are too many and the cost would be astronomical.

The KC currently encourages people do this voluntarily for a fee of £15 when they register their ownership of a new pup, and many people have already taken up the offer. From a breeder's viewpoint, it is the only way to safeguard yourself against potential disputes in the future; as a buyer, it guarantees that you have exactly the breeding that you have paid good money for.

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It depends on how the test is carried out. If a breeders word re parentage isn't good enough then the breeder doing the tests isn't going to be good enough either. The tests will have to be carried out by a 'trusted' 3rd party. Also the pup will have to be identifiable in some way to it's test. ie it'll have to be microchipped or tattooed. This will add up to more than the KC's £15 fee.

 

[Seraphina]

  Currently, people think that a 'pedigree' is a guarantor of soundness.  It would be good to go back to that being the case.

MS

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I think that was the most shocking thing about this program was showing the incredible ignorance of some of the people, the GSD judge saying those dogs were sound, woman claiming that lack of ridge is a genetic deformity and cavalier breeder allowing her dog siring litters after diagnoses of Syringomyelia.

It is up to the judges to understand the term SOUND and start refusing challenges to dogs that quite obviously are not sound. The KCs have to think of a way to limit dogs diagnosed with an inherited disease being used in breeding programs. I am not saying removing them totally, as that may just decimate breed to the point that there is not enough for the breed to remain viable. But I do not think that dog diagnosed with Syringomyelia should be allowed to be shown and be offered at stud.

 

[BeeJay]

Another viewpoint on the effects of a closed studbook. By Christine Keith

 

[BeeJay]

Oh and there's a very sensible opinion on the BBC program.

I meant to add this to my post but was too late.

 

[Zephyr]

Indeed - there are two problems of breeding and one of education.  What would be good, would be to both reduce the tendency to breed towards extremes of deformity while at the same time, embracing the concept that, to survive, all breeds, regardless of their current structure, need to reduce their average CoI to survive.  Both of these are, as the Buddhists say, not so much about winning an argument, as changing the atmosphere - it needs to be done in cooperation with existing breeders. Finally, we need to educate the general public - owning a dog is a privilege with associated responsibilities, which start with knowing the criteria for picking a sound puppy.  Currently, people think that a 'pedigree' is a guarantor of soundness.  It would be good to go back to that being the case.

MS

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Excellent post. :thumbsup:

 

[Eceni]

For those who are interested in the details of this debate, this is a video from the BVA Congress where the issues were clearly being debated ahead of this program:

Welfare video

Manda Scott