There are 209 breeds currently recognised by our Kennel Club in the UK. Most of these dogs are healthy even though they bear little resemblance to wolves (Apart from a handful of wolfy breeds of course). Lets not generalise and say that pedigree dogs are unhealthy. Good breeders are working hard to eliminate genetic conditions. People always say 'it's the breeders' but they're putting all breeders into one category. It's the old school 'there's nothing wrong with my dogs' and back yard breeders refusing to health check and breeding unsound dogs that's the main problem. My new dog is a rare breed. All show and breeding dogs (of this breed) in this country (and probably others) are health checked hip scored and eye tested and only the dogs with the good results are bred from. Unfortunately you don't have that control in numerically larger breeds. I grew up with lovely mongrel, and she died aged nine from cancer. It's no guarantee.

i was very proud of my dogs at crufts to me it is just another show but bigger they both got 2nd and have already qualfied for 2010 but they are my pets first we also do agility, flyball,and obed.has well as showing.