Isn't that a bit like saying circus animals, puppies in pet shops, battery hens etc know no better so their lives are different, not bad?

I agree and to be fair I haven't said otherwise.

I would say so and if you read the rest of the mail article there are 20 other dogs getting exactly the same treatment

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz1pNXZ5kaL

I am not defending it ..just because she is a show person, I am saying the fact a dog does not get dirty or run through brambles is not the worse thing that goes on in canine welfare



my mother does not walk her dog , has not done for years, the dog is happy in her life ! She does not like going out, so in your eyes she ( my mum) is to be condemned.

Dont judge others by your own standards. You don't know if Elizabeth or my mums dog is mistreated or as happy as larry, I can tell you my mums is , she a well adjusted dog and is much loved.

It isn't a dog---it is a doll.

Gross and inexcusable IMO. At junior camp we once had a top show breeder who had written a piece on ethics. Her poms were kept crated in cat baskets and allowed into a playpen outside for an hour or so. This was someone supposed to be teaching juniors how to behave with their dogs!

It stinks.

rune

You could say the same about any domesticated animal, if you asked, you might be surprised at the answer you get.

I know someone who keeps her boxers the same way, I disagree,and in this case think its cruel.

But if the report on Elizabeth is to be believed. She has outside free exercise and lives in the home, as a pet, pampered granted, but far from cruelty

She is pampered, but and this is a genuine question, because i can sort of see the no walking bit, Fudge is only walked a couple of times of week otherwise he's crippled, how the hell do you give sufficient time and attention to 20 dogs, its hard enough with 5, i just can't imagine it with 20

It is perfectly understandable if a dog is never walked because of a genuine reason. I have one dog who doesn`t go out because he is too afraid to.
But it is sad that these dogs aren`t allowed all the pleasures of a full doggy life - charging through muddy puddles, sniffing after rabbits etc.
Many children these days are also insulated from `dirt`. When teaching art I have a real problem with youngsters who won`t use charcoal or pastels because it `gets their hands dirty`.
It seems like such a missed opportunity. What`s better than watching your dog explore the Great Outdoors?
I know many show people take pride in the fact that their dogs lead normal lives. I did notice this owners` obsessive combing of the dog in the ring so I suspect the life led by the dogs to be more about `not getting dirty` than about welfare.

There are always exceptions, but the vast majority of healthy dogs need and desire regular exercise. I don't know the circumstances behind why your mum's dog isn't walked but it isn't for the same reasons as Elizabeth, is it?