That was the whole point of interviewing him as it had been mentioned previously and the vet was in on the segment.

The 'improved' bulldog was indeed an improvement but how sad that such a thing as having 'open nostrils' is considered a big deal. Surely that's a basic bloody requirement for any dog. You know, so they can breathe.

Hear hear!

I was very pleased to hear the KC representative say that the object of "pulling" the dogs with exaggerated points such as skin folds etc., was to make it clear to the judges that this was not acceptable, and that he was not having a go at breeders. However, if breeders realise that judges can no longer place these poor dogs, they will surely have to backtrack and at long last we will end up with dogs that are not grotesque parodies of once glorious breeds.

Denise Lees (owner of the bulldog) has stated on her FB page: "she has passed the buba health check back in December she failed today on a eye injury that the vet found when shining a torch in her eye.

It was on the Crufts FB forum also.

Just one little thing has occured to me

Not dissing this change - I think it is a good step forwards

BUT, there people that were winning before with their extream dogs - of course they are going to want to remain competative
How exactly are they suddenly going to produce less extream examples if their lines they have been breeding and fixing these looks???
Is there not now an even greater risk of the popular sire effect as everyone races to use a less extream dog?

Its a start but why only 15 breeds to get the health check? I think they should ALL be checked before getting into best in group etc.....

But I dont agree with judging a dog on looks anyway, who cares if a dog has the correct number of wrinkles or is exactly the right height down to the last cm....... Thats nothing if they are a gross inbred or ill. Puh.

I only saw that interview, not the whole program. So if that dog wasnt the dog who failed the vet check and she was so good maybe she should've gone through.

Great that the KC are acting on better breeding. However, I feel it is unforgivable that the bulldog and the peke even got to Crufts in the first place - there is something very wrong with the judging if these dogs problems were not picked up a lot earlier!! (obviously the eye injury is a different matter) but conformation rules are rules surely?

I have just posted this on another site.... it sums up exactly what I feel.

As much as I agree with the KC's initiative, I think this has been a publicity stunt at the expense of the exhibitors who have worked to qualify for Crufts.

While I understand the KC is under pressure to be seen to be doing something, it would have been far more preferable to have put this vet checking into place at champ shows before qualification, instead of kneeing exhibitors in the groin once they get there.

I am all for changes, but not at the expense of exhibitors who have put their trust in other judges that led them to Crufts and found this thrust upon them at the very highest and most public level. If changes are to occur then it needs to be from the bottom up - and that means Open shows as well as Champ, because dogs can qualify for Crufts at Open level as well.

I don't know what the answer is - I don't show dogs, but have shown other animals over 30 years - and I can see where fairness lies.

Totaly agree!! How many times have these dogs been before a judge before they get to crufts?