Comments on: Our Dogs Newspaper Responds to K9 Magazine

By: KAza

KAza — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 06:49:55 +0000

What an excellent reposte Ryan, what I would like for OUR DOGS to clarify is this:
On their own forum they have dog breeders and show judges who for the want of a better phrase are as ignorant as ignorance can be , they promote the breeding of unhealthy, untested bitches by breeders who have never researched this subject, as such the pups have suffered, to the point of death. They ridicule anyone with a valid scientific opinion which is in contrast to their own. They make it clear that unless you exhibit, you know nothing about dogs. IN fact the site team became embittered when an article appeared in a UK newspaper mentioning about how many show dogs live their lives and how many exhibitors were deluded. It was an all out war against common sense. The OUR DOGS forum would appear to be controlled by the very same breeders and exhibitors that the KC need to swiftly boot out.They live their daily lives in complete ignorance as to what is acceptable policy. The site team are seen continually to be emailing each other about its membership and will gossip amongst themseleves until those with a valid opinion are removed from the forum, its appalling, they fail to comprehend the simplest of postings and state categorically they know better than vets, professors, scientists and in fact everyone………
One member was often seen to be giving false information to the site team to have members removed, when she is questioned about how her own breeding is flawed she then contacts the breed clubs with yet more false information to ensure that some members are given short shrift.
If any forum is to have equity then the membership needs to be diverse enough to discuss ALL issues in the K9 world, yet OUR DOGS have continually failed in this area. Its a sicifantic forum .

By: Cynical

Cynical — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 06:41:36 +0000

The Kennel Club had the opportunity to ‘present’ themselves to the audience of Pedigree Dogs Exposed but sadly came across as arrogant establishment types who appeared to know better than anybody else and therefore would not listen.

Sadly they have since had time to sort themselves out but they are still adopting an arrogant image that does them no favours.

By claiming that they (the KC) do not need the BBC to film Crufts etc is one example of them living in cloud cuckoo land, the world knows the BBC and if not agreeing with it most still believe in it as a creditable organisation. Go on and use somebody else KC, but look at the problems you will face when you try to sell Crufts to the world.

By using a KC dog judge Mr Hogan to attack K9 Magazine and others, the KC has made another mistake. Our Dogs may be an old established newspaper that caters for the dog breeding and showing fraternity, but to the dog owner on the street it is elitist.

K9 magazine on the other hand is inclusive of all those interested in dogs, regardless of breed or the nationality of the dog owner insofar as the website allows input from across the world on an immediate basis, there is no waiting for a newspaper to be sent out.

Both the KC and Our Dogs have to excuse the pun, bitten off more than they can chew if they think that they can force K9 Magazine to simply roll over.

Rather than being a defender of pedigree dogs, it appears to me that Our Dogs is simply an apologist for the Kennel Club and the way it continues to operate contrary to the calls of diverse organisations and ordinary dog owners who are aksing for change to occur.

By: Ryan O'Meara

Ryan O'Meara — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 11:34:50 +0000

Really this particular article was never an attack on breeders. Bad breeders are going to be around for a long time. It was more a response to the claims made by Our Dogs that the RSPCA and Dogs Trust were not within their rights to withdraw from Crufts. What Our Dogs and others are going to have to accept is that there are many, many people (I am one of them) who simply do not feel anywhere near enough has been done or is being done to seperate the good breeders from the bad by the Kennel Club. On top of that, with some of the excuses that has been trotted out by Clarges St since Pedigree Dogs Exposed, it’s obvious that many have just decided enough is enough, they (the KC) are just not ‘getting it’. So they made their move and they were entitled to. It wasn’t an attack on breeders or tarring all with the same brush, it was a move to signify action. At some point the talking needs to stop and the action needs to start. Many people do not believe the action has been anywhere near enough to address the serious problems affecting dogs in the UK. We ARE behind other countries with our breeding practices and that is something that I, and I am sure you, would like to see fixed very, very quickly.

By: Penny

Penny — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 11:23:41 +0000

thanks Ryan – but you are in danger of tarring us all with the same brush – and leading people to believe that ‘breeder’ = exploitative. Sweeping geralisations do none of us any good, although I know that it is important to get points across strongly, but please make it is clear that you understand that most of us out there are trying to do a good job.

Please supoort us in that – and support the organisations, such as the KC, who will be, through their funding (through us!), research and regulatory role, be the mechanism that helps to ensure the long term future of our loved breeds.

Thanks

By: Ryan O'Meara

Ryan O'Meara — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 10:53:18 +0000

Penny,

I don’t disagree with what you say. But when you say:

– “Please don’t assume that because I show I just don’t care – it is because I care – because I love the breed I live that I want to spend most of my time working for the betterment of the breed.”

you must have missed the part in my article where I said@

“I would never attack the good people who enjoy dog shows.”

I am stuggling to understand what particular part of my message is being misread as an attack on dog shows.

I am attacking bad breeders, those who endorse bad breeders and breed standards that are not directly related to the improvement of dog health. That’s it!

By: Penny

Penny — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 10:43:33 +0000

It saddens me to see from what I have read here so far that anybody who agrees with you is right and the rest of us are wrong. I have pet dogs – they live in the house with me, they are my friends and companions. I show my dogs – and we have fun days together at the shows – we win some and lose some! But regardless I always take the best dog home.

We also do a bit of agility – fun stuff, not serious – but we try to do things that will add variety to life and give the dogs some fun. My dogs are happy, healthy and well adjusted – they enjoy life. They are well socialised and enjoy meeting up with other dogs in the park each day.

My dogs come from breeders – a dread word on this site – they came from breeders who care about the health and welfare of their dogs. and who do all they can to ensure that their puppies go to the right homes and have great lives.

To ensure the continuing good health of my breed, it is recommended that dogs should be hip checked to ensure no hip displasia is present. All ours have been hip scored. In addition, because we want to ensure that our breed stays healthy, we also have eyes and hearts checked.

In our own case, to add to the genetic diversity we have here, we have gone to the other side of the world – literally – to import a male to add to the different blood lines avalable in the UK (oh, and sleeps ont he bed too).

We do all this because we love our breed and care for our dogs. We are not unique – in all breeds the majority of breeders and owners will be doing as we are – looking to ensure the health of any puppies that are bred and making sure that future owners have happy, healthy puppies to take into their families and have many years of love and friendship with.

We welcome the Kennel Club’s continued efforts to ensure that all breeders reach the highest possible standards of care, welfare and long term health of all breeds.

Please don’t assume that because I show I just don’t care – it is because I care – because I love the breed I live that I want to spend most of my time working for the betterment of the breed.

We are all on the same side here – please don’t set up barriers that just set people against each other instead of concentrating on what we all want – healthy happy dogs – whether they be cross breeds, mongress or ‘pedigrees’.

Thank you.

By: Gnasher

Gnasher — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 00:09:55 +0000

Just who the heck or what the heck is Mr Vince Hogan on/think he is?

Mr Hogan is closely involved with the Kennel Club and his publication caters for breeders, so he will naturally attack those who dare to critise the order of things.

RSPCA don’t always get things right, but they have this time.