For those that missed it, it certainly won’t be the last they hear of it. Last night’s BBC documentary about the Kennel Club and the health of pedigree dogs has kicked off a real debate in the UK.
The BBC Documentary: Pedigree Dogs Exposed
The documentary was the result of two year’s investigation by the BBC and talked about how the ‘ideal breed standards’ documented by the Kennel Club, and the competitive nature of breeders who compete in dog shows, such as Crufts, run by the Kennel Club, have resulted in in-bred, unhealthy pedigree dogs.
The BBC stated that the Kennel Club has, whether knowingly or not, encouraged a certain culture of ‘in-breeding’ by specifying physical attributes within its ‘ideal’ breed standards. These state what is supposedly good in a breed. In some breeds, they are not too bad, but one example from the documentary last night was highlighted, which showed how these specifications can ultimately result in poor health.
Many people are familiar with a pug. A trait considered desirable in a showdog pug is the tail, which should, according to the Kennel Club, curl over its back. If it curls into a double curl, then that is even better. As shown in the BBC, competitive breeders have inbred dogs to make this more pronounced. With an x-ray, the documentary showed that pugs with a good curl on the tail also have a curved spine, causing health issues. [read more]
