The ridgeback thing got me too, how come the healthier dogs are the ones who are put to sleep!!!! its madness!!! how humans go against natural selection and breed disease ridden dogs gets me

I think it was 34 from the one that had won the club show BIS?

Another thing that sickened me was that poor GSD with the wonky back legs being given a rosette .. the poor thing could hardly walk! I cried my eyes out.

These dogs are TOPIARY to the KC, these breeders and judges!

I thought the programme was excellent. I found it quite telling that the CKCS breeders were given a chance to make a statement after the meeting but walked away. Hopefully this programme will make nore people aware of the implications of breeding to extremes.
I thought the KC people were right in saying they could not force breeders to test or change. They can`t. They are (as are the RSPCA) a self-elected quango, not accountable to anyone outside their own organisation. However, they certainly could make a start by changing breed standards to stress `fitness for purpose` and take some of the emphasis on looks away. The trouble is, their officers are elected each year by the very breeders who would resist such a move.
In the end, it will be money that talks. If more people spending a lot of money on a pedigree pup insist on Health being their major concern, then breeders will have to adapt.

Wow that made very interesting viewing, i too prefer the look of the "original" dogs and i was very suprised at the breeds they focused on, gobsmacked the pei wasnt featured, as they seem to be much hated by vets in particular and excluded from so many insurance companies, yet the focus was on the cavalier, i had no idea of what some of these breeds suffer and was also gobsmacked at some of the breeders attitudes.

Why would you do that to an animal, how is that improving the breed? and how can they justify their love of a breed that they are clearly destroying? To have dogs with inherited diseases winning Crufts and having so many litters, i think is appalling, i am no expert by any means but surely the health and quality of life SHOULD be a major factor when breeding.

The scenes with the boxer i found very upsetting and the whole thing has opened my eyes to breeding practices and as for the ridgeback breeders, they left me speechless!!!

I dont show and i dont breed but i am so bloody annoyed, i need a stiff drink!!!

Did you hear that boxer scream? that was so awful, Crying my eyes out

My uncle breeds Staffordshire bull terriers and he has all his dog health checked inc. DNA check and never breeds from any dog that has any problems and doesn't breed from any dogs that are related, if he can do it why doesn't every other breeder? surely all these test do is help the breed?

oh yeah! thats was horrible, i thought the working ones looked much better and healthier...i can't imagine the show strain being able to chase a burgler :s

Current discussion continues on BBC radio 5 lives....prog producer, KC and Richard Bacon.....

Well is not the word, I'm left speechless! That program was just so sad. And as for the Kennel Club and the breeders shown, well all I can say is I have little faith in either! It seemed to me that the kennel Clubs job is just there to keep the breeders happy at all costs!

I'm Gobsmacked!