Kennel Club To Clamp Down On Breeders

[quintessence]

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I have just received this link. Please read

http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/2089/23/5/3

 

[~JO~]

I have just received this link.  Please readhttp://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/2089/23/5/3

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Thanks Jenny

 

[fourpaws]

I have just received this link. Please read

So if all breeders have to be on the Accredited Breeders List, does this mean that the Kennel Club will carry out proper checks on those on the list?? As they do not have a clue about people on the list now and for sure some of them are not squeaky clean.

 

[~JO~]

I have just received this link. Please read

So if all breeders have to be on the Accredited Breeders List, does this mean that the Kennel Club will carry out proper checks on those on the list?? As they do not have a clue about people on the list now and for sure some of them are not squeaky clean.

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Yes I am wondering whether they will issue a 'revised' ABS, but as they hope it will be statutory I wonder how 'tight' it'll be

 

[BeeJay]

>In order to ensure that the plans are effective and reach all dogs, the Kennel Club has called on the government to give it statutory powers to make its established Accredited Breeder Scheme compulsory throughout the country. If successful, this would mean that all breeders who are not part of the scheme and who have not officially confirmed their willingness to follow the health standards set by the Kennel Club would be unable to produce or sell puppies within the law.

So what about the breeders of non peddie racing whippets, lurchers and other cross breeds?

 

[whippetmad]

Will it encourage more people to breed un-registered litters,so that they don't have to worry about belonging to the scheme,i,m talking about the people who don't show etc.

 

[liza]

i joinned the accredited breeder scheme i was told their will be regular visits that was 2 years ago i still havent had a visit from the kennel club i rung them a couple of months ago and said i havent had a visit i was told they will only do a visit if they have a complaint they also said you carnt have back to back litters from a bitch i know of someone who is a c b they had a back to back litter from two of their lhasa bitches and the were registered with no questions from the ACB

if this is to work the kennel club must stick by the rules

 

[Joanna]

I actually think the most radical change is the alteration to breed standards. After watching the shocking images of German Shepherds who are crippled, bassets who can hardly walk due to excess "furniture" and poor pugs who can hardly breath, this has got to be a breat of fresh air. I am wondering what peek breeders are doing right now........It turns every-thing on it's head, but WILL the judges be able to change their views in line with a new standard? That is going to take some doing I think! :- "

 

[~JO~]

I actually think the most radical change is the alteration to breed standards. After watching the shocking images of German Shepherds who are crippled, bassets who can hardly walk due to excess "furniture" and poor pugs who can hardly breath, this has got to be a breat of fresh air. I am wondering what peek breeders are doing right now........It turns every-thing on it's head, but WILL the judges be able to change their views in line with a new standard? That is going to take some doing I think! :- "

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I know that it appears it is, but if you read some of the breed standards there is not a HUGE amount that needs tightening up - the problem is more the way the breed standards are interpreted. Hopefully this 'shake up' will ensure more healthy, 'fit for function' exhibits will be put in shows to start off with. Here is the GSD standard..

General Appearance

Slightly long in comparison to height; of powerful, well muscled build with weather-resistant coat. Relation between height, length, position and structure of fore and hindquarters (angulation) producing far-reaching, enduring gait. Clear definition of masculinity and femininity essential, and working ability never sacrificed for mere beauty.

 

Characteristics

Versatile working dog, balanced and free from exaggeration. Attentive, alert, resilient and tireless with keen scenting ability.

 

Temperament

Steady of nerve, loyal, self-assured, courageous and tractable. Never nervous, over-aggressive or shy.

 

Head and Skull

Proportionate in size to body, never coarse, too fine or long. Clean cut; fairly broad between ears. Forehead slightly domed; little or no trace of central furrow. Cheeks forming softly rounded curve, never protruding. Skull from ears to bridge of nose tapering gradually and evenly, blending without too pronounced stop into wedge-shaped powerful muzzle. Skull approximately 50 per cent of overall length of head. Width of skull corresponding approximately to length, in males slightly greater, in females slightly less. Muzzle strong, lips firm, clean and closing tightly. Top of muzzle straight, almost parallel to forehead. Short, blunt, weak, pointed, overlong muzzle undesirable.

 

Eyes

Medium-sized, almond-shaped, never protruding. Dark brown preferred, lighter shade permissible, provided expression good and general harmony of head not destroyed. Expression lively, intelligent and self-assured.

 

Ears

Medium-sized, firm in texture, broad at base, set high, carried erect, almost parallel, never pulled inwards or tipped, tapering to a point, open at front. Never hanging. Folding back during movement permissible.

 

Mouth

Jaws strongly developed. With a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Teeth healthy and strong. Full dentition desirable.

 

Neck

Fairly long, strong, with well developed muscles, free from throatiness. Carried at 45 degrees angle to horizontal, raised when excited, lowered at fast trot.

 

Forequarters

Shoulder blades long, set obliquely (45 degrees) laid flat to body. Upper arm strong, well muscled, joining shoulder blade at approximately 90 degrees. Forelegs straight from pasterns to elbows viewed from any angle, bone oval rather than round. Pasterns firm, supple and slightly angulated. Elbows neither tucked in nor turned out. Length of foreleg exceeding depth of chest.

 

Body

Length measured from point of breast bone to rear edge of pelvis, exceeding height at withers. Correct ratio 10 to 9 or 8 and a half. Undersized dogs, stunted growth, high-legged dogs, those too heavy or too light in build, over-loaded fronts, too short overall appearance, any feature detracting from reach or endurance of gait, undesirable. Chest deep (45-48 per cent) of height at shoulder, not too broad, brisket long, well developed. Ribs well formed and long; neither barrel-shaped nor too flat; allowing free movement of elbows when gaiting. Relatively short loin. Belly firm, only slightly drawn up. Back between withers and croup, straight, strongly developed, not too long. Overall length achieved by correct angle of well laid shoulders, correct length of croup and hindquarters. Withers long, of good height and well defined, joining back in a smooth line without disrupting flowing topline, slightly sloping from front to back. Weak, soft and roach backs undesirable and should be rejected. Loin broad, strong, well muscled. Croup long, gently curving downwards to tail without disrupting flowing topline. Short, steep or flat croups undesirable.

 

Hindquarters

Overall strong, broad and well muscled, enabling effortless forward propulsion of whole body. Upper thighbone, viewed from side, sloping to slightly longer lower thighbone. Hind angulation sufficient if imaginary line dropped from point of buttocks cuts through lower thigh just in front of hock, continuing down slightly in front of hindfeet. Angulations corresponding approximately with front angulation, without over-angulation, hock strong. Any tendency towards over-angulation of hindquarters reduces firmness and endurance.

 

Feet

Rounded toes well closed and arched. Pads well cushioned and durable. Nails short, strong and dark in colour. Dewclaws removed from hindlegs.

 

Tail

Bushy-haired, reaches at least to hock – ideal length reaching to middle of metatarsus. At rest tail hangs in slight sabre-like curve; when moving raised and curve increased, ideally never above level of back. Short, rolled, curled, generally carried badly or stumpy from birth, undesirable.

 

Gait/Movement

Sequence of step follows diagonal pattern, moving foreleg and opposite hindleg forward simultaneously; hindfoot thrust forward to midpoint of body and having equally long reach with forefeet without any noticeable change in backline.

 

Coat

Outer coat consisting of straight, hard, close-lying hair as dense as possible; thick undercoat. Hair on head, ears, front of legs, paws and toes short; on back, longer and thicker; in some males forming slight ruff. Hair longer on back of legs as far down as pasterns and stifles and forming fairly thick trousers on hindquarters. No hard and fast rule for length of hair; mole-type coats undesirable.

 

Colour

Black or black saddle with tan, or gold to light grey markings. All black, all grey, with lighter or brown markings referred to as Sables. Nose black. Light markings on chest or very pale colour on inside of legs permissible but undesirable, as are whitish nails, red-tipped tails or wishy-washy faded colours defined as lacking in pigmentation. Blues, livers, albinos, whites (i.e. almost pure white dogs with black noses) and near whites highly undesirable. Undercoat, except in all black dogs, usually grey or fawn. Colour in itself is of secondary importance having no effect on character or fitness for work. Final colour of a young dog only ascertained when outer coat has developed.

 

Size

Ideal height (from withers and just touching elbows): dogs: 63 cms (25 ins); bitches: 58 cms (23 ins). 2.5 cms (1 in) either above or below ideal permissible.

 

Faults

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

 

Note

Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

 

[quintessence]

I have never been The Kennel Club's greatest fan, as their letters department will testify, but I'm quietly pleased with what I read in their statement today. I just might have to write them a letter and tell them.

Jenny

 

[dragonfly]

I have never been The Kennel Club's greatest fan, as their letters department will testify, but I'm quietly pleased  with what I read in their statement today.  I just might have to write them a letter and tell them.
Jenny

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[SIZE=14pt]I'm not their biggest fan either but this is a step in the right direction. At last they are going to consider genetic diversity and the size of the gene pool. There are plenty of us who feel that is many years overdue and they have only been dragged from the dark ages by the adverse press which they deserved. [/SIZE]

 

I don't see that they are entitled to a monopoly controlling all dog breeding for the whole of the UK until they have proved they can get their systems right. The ABS is feeble and we don't have action yet, merely words. Their statement reveals more than a whiff of a desire for self preservation in the request for government legislation to safeguard their revenues.

 

They do not deserve such protection until they have proved their worth as a safe pair of hands for the future of pedigree dogs. Are they going to expel individuals who knowingly mate unhealthy stock, and why haven't they been doing that for years in any case! .......oh yes, they didn't need to bother until the BBC made a programme which threatened their very being. How shameful that it wasn't done years before for the good of the dogs.

 

While I welcome this statement, it is dissapointing that it is a result of outside pressure rather than that of a truly caring and progressive governing body.

 

They still have a way to go to earn my respect.

 

Cathie

 

[Happy Humber]

I wonder if the Peke clubs will break away and set up their own shows etc.

It will be interesting watch this space,

 

[Happy Humber]

What about the people who only breed racing whippets will it mean they have to become accredited breeders to register pups even with no interest in the show ring?

Also those who only work whippets will they bother to join or set up there own data base for pedigrees?

Who will pay for it?

 

[~JO~]

What about the people who only breed racing whippets will it mean they have to become accredited breeders to register pups even with no interest in the show ring? Also those who only work whippets will they bother to join  or set up there own data base for pedigrees?

Who will pay for it?

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If they want KC registered pups yes I suppose they will.

The breed standard for whippets are not just for 'show' whippets but for ALL whippets

 

[Happy Humber]

Yes the breed standard is for all whippets but the kennel Club runs showing and tends to forget people do other things with their dogs as well.

 

[~JO~]

Yes the breed standard is for all whippets but the kennel Club runs showing and tends to forget people do other things with their dogs as well.

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I don't agree entrirely - the working trials, obedience and agility sectors are very well represented in the KC

 

[seaspot_run]

Very interesting. I see that under the ABS requirements for health testing, the Whippet is not even listed.

 

[anniewhippet]

I have a question.....................due to the now much discussed programme the KC has issued various statements etc for the future.

Cathie you have rightly stated that this programme has triggered this action but you also say that it is many years overdue.

But during my years in the breed and an on/off breed club committee member can I ask why these issues i.e genetic diversity, health problems etc. were not a major point on the relevant agendas and then taken forward to the KC? And reported on by the Breed Council to the various clubs & their membership.

I can remember the 'odd' question arising but there never appeared to be any wide sweeping major concerns for the health of the whippet coming back from that.

I am not totally defending the KC in this but surely without concrete evidence put before them they cannot act on an all breed front?

 

[Seraphina]

But during my years in the breed and an on/off breed club committee member can I ask why these issues i.e genetic diversity, health problems etc. were not a major point on the relevant agendas and then taken forward to the KC? And reported on by the Breed Council to the various clubs & their membership.

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Because most people over in UK, just as here in OZ, do not consider these points a problem. Even after reading the transcript of Natalia's excellent lecture there are many people who do not believe that inbreeding is a problem. If people would voluntarily start to reduce their dogs' CoI it would not be necessary to introduce legislation.

Majority of members of the UK cavalier club seem to believe that allowing dog diagnosed with syringamyelia to sire large number of litter is fine.

GSD breeders seem to think that dogs who are so overangulated they can hardly stand, actually do comply with the standard that says;

Hindquarters

Overall strong, broad and well muscled, enabling effortless forward propulsion of whole body. Upper thighbone, viewed from side, sloping to slightly longer lower thighbone. Hind angulation sufficient if imaginary line dropped from point of buttocks cuts through lower thigh just in front of hock, continuing down slightly in front of hindfeet. Angulations corresponding approximately with front angulation, without over-angulation, hock strong. Any tendency towards over-angulation of hindquarters reduces firmness and endurance.

I could go on and on.................................

If breeders cannot see the damage they are doing, somebody has to step in.

 

[seaspot_run]

My feeling is that if you want to avoid harmful extremes of structure in the breeds that have a working purpose, you need a minimal test of functionality.

As for breeds like the Peke, well..that's a bit trickier as those breeds were basically developed to be bizarre in conformation and unable to run away from their owners very fast. IOW, if you make them athletes, they aren't what they are supposed to be. The Pekingese is supposed to be a muff-shaped dog.