THE GROWING PROBLEM OF THE PRIVATE REGISTRY

This particular piece relates to my other article ‘Levelling the playing field’ which was published in my Dog World column ‘Crossing the headlines’

A number of us have recently become increasingly worried about the number of private registries mushrooming up that claim to cater for both pedigree and crossbreed.

In America a number of these entities have had relationships with the ‘puppy mill’ industry and it seems a similar thing could be quietly happening here.

LEVELLING THE PLAYING FIELD

We’re on the move once more! Up to our necks in plastic packing boxes and bubblewrap and the inevitable cull of items begins yet again; ‘do we really need that slow cooker/Qualcast push along mower/Jane Fonda ‘Trim, Tone and Flex DVD!’

And in between runs to the dump and attending car boot sales (a particularly soul-destroying experience) we have been making regular trips to our intended new home in sunny South Devon and it was on one of those trips that something very strange happened…a bizarre coincidence that gave me a lot to mull over.

We’d parked up in the multi-storey in Torquay and as we emerged from the gloom of the carpark I spotted a dog being walked by a couple and I couldn’t quite believe my eyes.

FRANK DISCUSSION NEEDED

Little Ella McKevitt was innocently playing in her aunt’s garden with her friends. One can easily imagine the scene; it’s one that plays out up and down the country, the two year old happily running around and the ensuing sounds of childish laughter and excited squeals of delight.

And then four dogs from a neighbouring property suddenly come crashing through a hole in the fence…

Little Ella was only saved from death by the heroic actions of her aunt but not before she was severely bitten on the face, neck and body. The terror and agonising pain that little girl must have felt simply doesn’t bear thinking about.

THE RISE OF SLACTIVISM

Phew! Well, last month’s article (and Dog World Blog post) certainly provoked a reaction from both sides of the brachycephalic debate. Obviously a very vociferous element of the veterinary profession didn’t react too well to the criticism aimed at them which was understandable and expected however what wasn’t expected was the level to which some of that reaction (from such esteemed professionals) stooped.

One vet, Dr Judy Puddifoot (what a charming surname, almost Beatrix Potteresque) in reference to my article put this up on Facebook on 17^th March.

‘We all took an oath to protect animal welfare. People yelled, ‘why aren’t vets speaking up for the brachycephalics?’ And yet when we do we get lambasted for it by unqualified lay people who think they know better! #DogWorldD*ckhead’

THE KC GROWS SOME KAHUNES

Something that has got a lot of you talking (if my inbox is anything to go by) was Jemima Harrison’s recent threat to sabotage Crufts in all manner of inventive ways, from people dressed as French Bulldogs handing out leaflets, a projection of 40ft French Bulldog nostrils onto the NEC and even a plane flying over the building trailing her CRUFFA (Campaign for the Responsible Use of Flat Faced Animals) message.

Many were quite understandably worried about these shenanigans (especially the threat to disrupt the BIS with “an extra special surprise”) but worry not as Ms Harrison recently announced on her Facebook group that these announcements (in the manner of the infamous Bobby Ewin shower scene which was meant to delete a whole previous series from everyone’s mind) were…well, not quite a dream exactly…but simply all an elaborate “late night joke”.

FESTIVE VIEWING PROVIDES FOOD FOR THOUGHT

What did you think about the offerings on TV this Christmas? I think it was quite possibly one of the worst festive television I’ve ever seen. What would we have done without Morecambe and Wise, Only Fools and Horses and other seventies and eighties Christmas specials being broadcast? I suppose an added bonus of watching these re-runs from Christmases past was not having to endure seeing or hearing David Walliams, Miranda Hart or James ‘on everything’ Corden – a silver lining to every cloud.

THE REAL REASON PEOPLE ARE QUITTING

Published in my Dog World column ‘Crossing the headlines’ (19th October 2016), my article sparked a large debate – with hundreds of share and online comments – among exhibitors in response to my observations and suggestions regarding dog shows, breed standards, judging and exhibitor dissatisfaction.

One subject that has certainly got a lot of you talking on social media is the announcement of an idea that a reduction in the number of breed clubs through amalgamation could lead to higher show entries. I can see where those who support such a move are coming from but, like a lot of you, I think they are missing the point.

Show entries are falling for a whole host of complex reasons, reasons that have been fully discussed in this paper by various commentators for many, many years and frustratingly so many of the useful ideas put forward by people who really know what they are talking about have been dismissed or completely ignored.

THE BULLDOG WALKING MATCH

From my Dog World blog on 11 August 2016.

In my monthly column Crossing the Headlines (17 August 2016) I wrote about Gavin Robertson’s marathon charity fundraiser, Pedigree Paws United – a series of sponsored walks totalling 160 miles and featuring every recognised breed of dog in the UK.

Each dog will be walking a minimum of five miles.

 

‘King Orry, owned by Mr G R Murrell. Born January 25, 1889, by Pagan ex Koorie. Breeder J Tasker.’

 

The announcement put me in mind of another famous walking match, which took place in London, featuring the Bulldog. The full story is recounted in the marvellous The Bulldog – A Monograph by Edgar Farman.

A JAPANESE CHIN MYSTERY

From my Dog World Blog on 27 May 2016

I love a good mystery. And the world of pedigree dogs certainly has several head scratching ones worthy of an investigation by Miss Marple! Most of them revolve around the dubious ‘heritage’ of certain key dogs usually at a particular breed’s inception.

Many of you will be aware, for example, of the controversy created by the Mastiff, ‘Ch Crown Prince.’ If we put aside the mystifying facts of how a dog with a Dudley mask, brown nose, light eyes and straight hindquarters actually went on to become a champion, there were also the many murmurings and questions over this dog’s parentage. The criticisms were obviously taken seriously enough by the Old English Mastiff Club to initiate an enquiry, which subsequently found nothing to prove that Crown Prince’s pedigree was incorrect.

INTERNET POST GETS A HAMMERING

Dog lovers were outraged to see a Facebook post by Alan Tobin, an Irish politician, about his delight that breed specific legislation had been brought in, affecting owners in his constituency. This was in Dog World on 25 May 2016.

As many of you who read this column regularly know, I’m not the biggest fan of the internet age and social media. Obviously it has brought us huge benefits, not least being able to track down the girl that played Nancy in your junior school production of Oliver.

But along with these dubious benefits of ‘connectivity’ comes some serious negatives. There’s the time many of us waste maintaining the numerous casual relationships fostered on social media sometimes at the neglect of our most important and meaningful relationships here in the ‘real’ world. And, of course, we have the growing incidences of cyberbullying, witch-hunts and the wildfire-like spread of malicious gossip that we all too commonly see in various forums. All very nasty and something I’ve actively tried to avoid.