It's called Obsessive Grooming Disorder.
Apparently these are dogs.
I spent some time ringside at the Pekes and saw fewer gasping guppies this year than in the past. Compared to the likes of Danny, who won Crufts in 2003 despite waddling into the ring clearly fighting for oxygen (and this despite surgery to address his brachycephalic airway syndrome), this is an improvement. The continued highlighting of breathing problems in brachycephalic breeds by me, the vets and others has undoubtedly made dogs that are struggling to breathe much less acceptable to everyone. We have better-informed judges, breeders and public and I honestly believe that dogs like Danny could not win today.
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| Danny the Peke - Crufts Best in Show 2003. |
And the Best of Breed dog, while not showing any signs of respiratory distress, still had very narrow nares and the slightly-squiff eyes commonly seen in flat-faced breeds with shallow eye sockets.
If you have ever toyed with the idea of getting a Peke, please buy a Tibetan Spaniel instead. Enjoyed seeing these at Cruft's this year. What a Peke should be.
Indeed, pretty much what a Peke used to be.
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| 1910 Peke - Ch Broadoak Beetle - sourced from Pietoro's Dog Breeds Historical Pictures |
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| Above and below: Tibetan Spaniels @ Crufts 2013 |
I have a Tibbie, one a bit oversized for standard. He is one of my pack which includes four small/medium spaniel mixes and as well a Cavalier Spaniel.
ReplyDeleteThe Tibbie (an ex kennel dog rehomed to us) is now five and is all we could desire in a dog. Just wonderful.
Are you...sure they're dogs? Not tribbles?
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry for these poor beasts. It's just so darn sad.
I do hope that they're at least shaved down in the off season to relieve them of all that nonsense they're forced to carry through the ring.
As far as I know, that coat takes years to grow out, so no, they hardly get any "off time" from that heavy coat. As with all long-coated show dogs. :(
DeleteHello Jemima,
ReplyDeleteI was looking around facebook and came across this fan page called "All About Pekingese's". Well I have to say the breeder is a vet and has a good detailed website about her Pekes. She breeds Pekes and Japanese Chins. I believe she is also planning to do crossing with Pekes and Japanese Chins. Her Pekes remind me of the Peke in the photo. Hope this is useful for your blogging.
Here is a link to her website
http://www.allaboutpekingeses.com/
and her facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4288671222725.2143291.1464799344&type=3#!/pages/All-About-Pekingeses/319014901479274
She isn't a DVM, she's a vet tech(not dissing vet techs, just trying to be clear), and something about that site skeeved me out. It may have just been that she used the word wholesale, and that her puppies are priced according to size, color and coat type. Her dogs do look like they have more muzzle than most pekes, though.
Delete
DeleteI will admit, her website is outdated (and has unusual decor), which can use improvement to be less uncomfortable and awkward. However, unlike most breeders (that breed Pekes) she does offer decent information on the health and maintenance of the breed on the website. And she has Pekes that do look better than the ones in the show ring.
Oh, came back again. These pekes photos are interesting. (from 1905)
Deletehttp://smg.photobucket.com/user/Pietoro/media/Dog%20Breed%20Historical%20Pictures/Pekingese/1905Pekingese.jpg.html#/user/Pietoro/media/Dog%20Breed%20Historical%20Pictures/Pekingese/1910Peke.jpg.html?&_suid=136487481802604366220221063491
The Peke in the middle,its eyes looked like they were either giving the whale eye or that its eyes were bulging out of his head. Maybe it's cause it was looking sideways, I don't really know it's just my observation.
ReplyDeleteWhale eye showed here for any of you that are unfamiliar with the term http://paws4udogs.wordpress.com/2013/02/04/canine-body-language-whale-eyes/
Good observation. The very real problem for this dog and other similar brachycephalic breeds is that they have lost the ability to signal and communicate body language effectively due to the physical traits that they have been selected for. They MUST have a difficult time when meeting strange dogs surely? Who can tell if he is giving whale eye? His eyes may well just bulge like that normally? And it is a clear warning signal communicated by dogs when they are feeling unsure or afraid that you would want to be able to read, either dog to dog or dog to human. The Pugs with the curled tails and flat faces equally have lot their ability to communicate effectively. My dog (mixed collie/terrier) tells me so much with her ears and tail. I really like that I can understand her body language and socially it seems so important.
DeleteSuch a shame.
Just a shame tibbys suffer from a high percentage of patella luxations.
ReplyDeleteStrange how the handlers keep brushing their little dolls, even when the judge examens the dog. I would tell the handler to step back and give me some room to do my job if I was the judge. It looks rediculous.
ReplyDeleteCrikey. Weird behaviour exhibited by the humans. Constantly fluffing that mound of hair....just get a doll FFS! Poor creatures. They exist to satisfy the vanity of their owners it would appear.
ReplyDeleteYou can't see the form of the dog due to the amount of hair it has to carry about. Jeez, it must be hot for them under all that. And having that flat face ensures that breathing and cooling down is really difficult of course... Dog showing is a strange world indeed...
The owners are the freaks, and the poor dogs are forced to endure ill health because of them. Does this sort of carry-on happen in dog shows in other countries? I want to cry watching this.
ReplyDeletePerhaps banning brushes, combs or any grooming implements should be considered. Their conformation is far too exaggerated, seeing the tibspan is how I remember them when I was a child. It really is unkind to breed this type of dog and expect it to have a normal dog life, running off the lead, burrowing into tree roots, mousing, swimming and just generally being a dog.
ReplyDeleteyou know this is one thing I can agree with.. no brushes or combs allowed in the ring.. and if you do that should you outlaw bait as well..balls, squeaky toys, liver, chicken, cheese..handlers? LOL
DeletePerhaps if the dog show was like a cat show? Dogs in crates without handlers, assistant gets dog out and moves it for the judge? (Of course show cats don't have to move, just be poked and prodded). It may reduce the handler bias which is said to be rife?
DeleteBTW did these dogs ever move, I got bored after 2 minutes! very odd behaviour from the handlers!
VP
what i don't get is how they manage when dogs go out in park or to play around do they carry hair brush all the time.how they wee and poo doesn't the coat get dirty.or these dogs have bath 3 or 4 times a day.
ReplyDeletei know talking about bulldogs is not in this article but even knowing full well about poor health of a dog they are selling for such a high price on the other hand healthy dog old English bulldog is only £400.so basically more puppy carry disease more price will be higher.
http://www.pets4homes.co.uk/search/?type_id=3&breed_id=126&advert_type=1&minprice=50&results=30&sort=datenew
i hope this help with your search.
The dogs don't go outside unless it's on an astroturf showring. Most of them are very sedentary and don't like to move around much or play. They lose interest in life - groomers report that when retired show dogs with tripping-hazard coats are put into pet clips in which they can freely move, they turn into happy zestful puppies again.
DeleteAnd how is that massive coat useful for the dog?
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't. The "funny" thing is, the Pekingese standard specifically sais the coat must NEVER obscure the outline of the dog.
DeleteIt also sais the muzzle "may be relatively short".
And the Pekingese judges and breeders somehow interpret this as "ball of fur with a nose that grows inwards".
Sigh...
Have to agree; Tibetan Spaniesl amke a far superior pet for the majority of owners who like Pekes. Perhapos that is why Peke's have driopped in popularity so dramatically over the years.
ReplyDeleteWe've lost sight of the dogs for the dog show. How silly, how ridiculous and terribly sad.
ReplyDeleteAnn Cardon
They sort of remind me of the long haired guinea pigs.. And they are strange looking creatures too! Its a shame what Pekes have become; at least the Tibetan Spaniel hasn't had the same fate as them though!
ReplyDeleteI never realized there were classes for Cousin It at Crufts. Thank you so much for the info!!!
ReplyDeleteOr Tribbles. :)
DeleteI saw today a peke that rather looked like Ch Broadoak Beetle.
ReplyDeleteIt had a longer muzzle then any show pekenese,but still shorter then the Tibetan Spanial,and had its hair was cut.
It kinda looked like a cross between a Pekenese and a Tibetan spanial.
Of course that was just someones pet,but I guess some better Pekenese still exists. They seem to be a kind of pet I don't to see around,and I can see why. It's much easier to get a mutt or a lower maintenance and more healthy small dog instead.
-Rachel
I can't believe these people can't see how stupid they look. No amount of brushing can change the dogs anatomy. Since this is the case it should make them no more likely to win than a dog with short managed hair.
ReplyDeleteThese people don't seem to realise that, never mind that the dogs have become ugly and mutated.
If I were a judge confronted with that, I would tell them all to leave. "Your dogs are clearly not groomed yet, and are therefor not ready to be exhibited. Please come back when you are ready for judging."
ReplyDeleteYou can still get a nice pet bred peke that isn't a hairy, snorting mess.
ReplyDeleteCan you show us a picture of one please? I don't believe you!
DeleteOf course you can , mine have done flyball ,all of those qualified for Crufts as well , young one doing Bronze now and a demo dog at a training club.One of the ladies in the video bred his father .
DeleteAs you may find it hard to believe but most pekes are actually healthy.I recently lost a champion peke at 16 yrs old.my pekes are my pets and show dogs.they behave like any other dog.they can chase a football round the park for two hours.they get dirty.usually just the underneath which is simply washed and not 5 tines a day.the owners at crufts or any other show brush there dogs in the ring usually through nerves and they want there dog to look nice like any other dog owner.to ban people using a brush in the ring is ludicrous.as you probably haven't shown any dog then you don't know how nerve wracking it can be.you'd be surprised that most of dogs at crufts are actually allowed to behave like any other dog.can communicate like any other dog.why dint u have a go at the numerous other long coated breeds like the afghan.the bouvier.the Lhasa.the stzu etc they too live like normal dogs!!
ReplyDelete@ Peke Lover
DeleteLudicrous indeed. But not that you won't be able to take your brushes into the ring with you (heaven forbid), but that you refer to people as 'having a go' when they express perfectly reasonable concerns about the quality of life and welfare of this little dog.
'So what is actually 'nerve wracking'? That you won't win a prize?? Or that you're concerned about the dog's overheating under that disproportionate coat. Of course, it's the former.....
Ludicrous indeed.
I really would like to see your Peke chase a football around a park for two hours. Because I have a collie/terrier mix who is as fit as a lop and I am sure she would find that tough going.
OCD! I've shown my dog and never felt that amount of nerves. Perhaps they'd be better off with a short coated breed if showing Pekes makes them that neurotic. These poor dogs look like the woolly hand muff I had as a child in the winter. Poor dogs and certainly not like the Pekes I remember. The Tibetan Spaniel is so much more practical...lovely little dogs. A lady in the village has 3 and they're delightful. I'm sure the Peke is a delightful little dog too but far too much coat for it to be an easily maintained pet.
ReplyDeleteThere no harder to maintain than any other breedand just like your own hair you brush it regular. It takes minutes to brush through.
ReplyDeleteI seriously doubt that........... I own a GSP who doesnt need any grooming, and a cocker spaniel who requires clipping and regular grooming I know which one is easier, some one described pekes earlier like cousin IT, that describes it perfectly in my view,
DeleteYes but most dogs do not enjoy the continual grooming process. Read Alexander Horowitz theory on this in her book, 'Inside of a Dog'. Show reeders horribly anthropomorphise dogs with their constant grooming, insisting that the dogs absolutely love all the pampering etc. Having a flat coated mutt means a bath every three months, once a week brush through and loads of time out for walks and playing ball. Happy days.
DeleteBut each to their own eh? If only Pekes could talk because even the most fluent of us in canine body language would have a tough time reading them.
Only on here can you be ridiculed for brushing your dog.if we didn't then we would still be ridiculed!!
ReplyDeleteReally? No harder to maintain than any other breed, huh? I had a basset hound and two German Shepherds growing up, and now I have a sheltie/border collie mix, so I've dealt with a range of coat types and lengths. My current dog needs a good brushing every other day to keep him looking good and tangle-free, the shepherds needed a ton of brushing every day during shedding season, and if I didn't brush my basset for a week it wasn't a big deal due to his short coat. There is most certainly a marked difference in maintenance! I can't imagine trying to take a full-coated peke out for potty breaks in the rain and then having to deal with that mess. I guess if you want to walk your dog on well-maintained grass and pavement only, it might be ok.
DeleteJust cut it off! Problem solved. Happier dog. Screw the silly breed standard.
DeleteTo those have not owned or experience with the breed, I think it's too silly of you to vilify a breed you do not really know. I think it is tragic and put the entire breed in a bad light for a few individuals. ALL breeds have less good editions of the breed. If you Jemima Harrison will give us a Tibetan spaniel instead you should really start to look at the breed in detail. I also looked at the TS at crufts and witnessed dogs with bad backs and PL that was put in place inside the ring. Not to attack another breed, but to get out there that no breeds have just perfect individuals. A Pekingese can run, walk, play as all the other breeds. we have just a little more grooming as for ex. Maltese, Shitzu, Afgan, Poodle, Bichon Havanese / Frieze after a walk in the woods!
ReplyDeleteAs none of you have pekes then actually you don't know what there like to live with.you don't know how easy it is to brush them.you dont know what exercise there capable of .you don't know.you dont know.I do know as I have pekes.no.e of musics have breathing problems.none of mine are disabled like gsds are.none of mine have hip dysplasia.none of mind have riridiculous excess skin and long ears like a bassett....by the way Danny is still alive and kicking in full coat
ReplyDeleteHmmmm there is a very good reason why I don't have or never will have pekes and you only have to look at it for the reason!!!
DeleteThere is no mess when pekes are having wee breaks.what do you think they do! I don't know what you thunk a per looks like under the coat but they must be alien like if you think they get in a mess.in no more of a mess than any other coated breed.there coats are harsh so can easily be brushed every other day.you really have no idea...as a dog groomer I am well aware of the mess gsds get in.can barely stand for too long due to their hips and the temperaments on them is horrendous.I see bassetts come in.so fat.they stink.there ears are touched from one week to the next.there skin is poor.red raw from the excess skin.I would have a good hard look at your own breeds before you have a go at pekes
ReplyDeleteOh grow up! For goodness sake stop inferring people are 'attacking' and 'having a go' at YOUR breed. This particular blog post is actually about the Peke breed to discuss why there are welfare and breeding concerns about this particular type of dog. Therefore, anyone who has an opinion different to your own on this type of dog is wrong are they just because they are sensible enough not to own one? I am sure that GSD have been discussed on this blog and will be continue to discussed in the future as there are valid anatomical problems related to poor breeding in the show lines. The world doesn't revolve around you and the Pekes!
DeleteHave you ever read any scientific books on canine welfare and behaviour? Do you actually understand what a dog feels, thinks and how they sense the world.? Do you understand what drives them, how they learn, how they communicate etc.? Because if you did, I think you may just have an inkling of where our valid concerns are grounded.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/pets/9934977/Scientists-prove-you-really-can-tell-what-your-dog-is-feeling-by-looking-at-its-face.html
ReplyDeleteInteresting research. Particularly given that the research dog used, GSD, probably has the one of the most 'wolf like' appearances in the domestic dog today. Therefore, his canine signalling and communication throug body language is proballone of the eaist o decipher. However, I imagine that if they were using a brachycephalic dog, this would have been a bit tricky?!
if thats all you can find fault is the fact that they brush there dogs in the ring,then seriously luv,you really need to get out more.the dogs from years past didnt look like tibbies,they didnt have a muzzle.small nostrils dont cause bas.pekes can display how they feel etc just like any other dog,i would know,of course,cos i have them!,you all like to jump on a bandwagon about stuff you know nothing about.just cos jemima says there are health concerns,doesnt suddently mean there are.wander what she'll find next year,shes got a whole year to make something up!
ReplyDeleteJust because you own Pekes doesn't mean you understand the behaviour and emotional life of the dog. You still haven't clarified that you have any scientific and applied practical understanding of a dog's needs and it's emotuonal life. And believe me, it isn't about brushing it's coat.
DeleteUnfortunately, your posts only continue to add fuel to the fire. That there are plenty of show dog owners who have these dogs for one reason. That they think that they look good! Mention anything scientific and the defensiveness accelarates to the point of desperation. This really isn't about the brushing of this little dog's coat is it?? But then again, looking at your posts you really have lost the plot haven't you?
Science isn't about 'making stuff up', it's about setting out to test theories and coming up with evidence to support your findings. And then, a good scientist will want other people to challenge their own findings too. This is called progress 'luv'. It's how we continue to learn, improve and develop. Animal welfare has this at it's heart. Make no mistake, welfare is the point of the blog post. Read that sentence again. Welfare - is - the - point - of - the - blog - post.
It isn't a good idea to think you know something about a dog simply because you own it or have done for a long time. Some of the worst dog breeders and dog trainers fall into that camp. They lack the ability to question themselves and their current practices as our knowledge increases.This has disasterous consequences for the dog. Hence, some dogs moulded into flat faced little muffs.
It can refelct the very worst in human beings - an obsession with their egos.
And with that, I'm off for a coffee. Have a great day.
what was that word someone used.."prat" yes I think that fits.. you can add sanctimonious, rude and and bigoted as well.. hope your coffee is as bitter and cold as you are
DeleteJust because you have pekes doesn't mean you know that they can display their emotions effectively to other dogs, esp. dogs of other breeds that have a more natural morphology that are accustomed to more pronounced signalling. I would imagine that the only way to know for sure and look at things from a scientific perspective, would be some sort of brain scanning technique done while dogs are interacting with one another, and the interpretation of how the different regions of the brain are being utilized and what that infers.
ReplyDeleteNice post Merrie - I think that you may have a PhD idea there!
Deletehttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0376635713000326
If you look at the abstract from the research paper (link above) there are a lot more photos. Some fantastic opportunities here for people learning a lot more about how their dog's communicate emotions. After all, we do have a tendency to anthropomorphise and incorrectly infer a lot of secondary emotions on our dogs which cognitively, they're unable to feel or express (guilt, shame etc.).
Getting back to Pekes and the flatter faced dogs, I am sure using this research model would be very difficult?
I know my own dogs simple...I await the next band wagon you can jump on...meanwhile I have better things to do
ReplyDeleteI find your use of the term bandwagon a bit ironic here, since the sport of purebred dogs and the culture that surrounds it is so pervasive and socially accepted. Meanwhile, a few concerned folks going against the grain and questioning the whole thing are the ones you think are just blindly jumping on a bandwagon?
DeleteIts the same in my Breed people just will not accept their precious Breeds have any faults at all.
DeleteSorry but ALL breeds have faults. I love my own breed more than anything but I am not going to lie, It is unfair on the dogs to do so.
Sometime genetic faults or mutations can give rise to selective advantages in nature, for example, blue eyes in human beings have a universally attractive appeal, consequently increasing your chances of reproductive success. There are fewer people in nature who have blue eyes – possibly why we find it so attractive? A similar thing has happened with dogs. It’s why we have and continue to breed the Golden Retriever – we humans have a predilection for blonde as opposed to black hair, therefore, we chose to breed the dog based on this aesthetic that some people at the time found very appealing. We are not selecting for health and vigour by choosing blonde hair over black, particularly given that the golden retrievers can all trace their ancestry back to one dog in Victorian England.
DeleteIt is interesting that we call it a Retriever too when there is no one gene that enables a dog to retrieve and we don’t judge the dog on its retrieving capabilities when it gets paraded around the ring. What some of the poorly educated breeders and owners of dogs who choose to show these fail to appreciate is that people who are educated in this regard and choose to look to science to give them answers can see exactly what is going on. These people are basking in the reflected glory of their dog’s warped aesthetic appeal and use them as cash cows. All the while, their lack of moral fibre, education and knowledge in genetics and welfare is all too evident in their defensive and emotionally based reactions to valid welfare concerns expressed on this blog. It would be darkly comic if it wasn’t so pathetic and extremely sad for the future welfare of the dog. Saying you love your dog and that there is nothing wrong with it in the light of conflicting empirical evidence means you are failing your dog and contributing to the problem. There are no excuses for producing dogs with genetic mutations that directly contribute to disease and premature death and passing it off as a trait to be selected for, simply because there is a ’ breed standard’. A flat face is caused by a result of genetic mutations. A ridge on the spine is the same thing. These physical features are known to cause suffering and pain. Yet, they are considered acceptable ‘traits’ to select for. By all means selectively breed – but for the right reasons i.e. health and temperament. Not some warped idea of beauty.
What I fail to understand is if pedigree dog breeders are accredited by the KC, where is the evidence of their education in genetics, welfare and continuing professional development? How can an organisation that accredits people do so and not ensure that they provide evidence that the welfare of the dogs is the number one priority? Why is outcrossing akin to heresy when it gives a better chance of health and success in nature? Are a lot of people breeding and showing perhaps afraid? Do they fear for their dogs, their wallets, their ‘prestige’ in the show ring and that they don’t really understand the consequences of their actions? I also think that perhaps, they don’t really understand the hard science associated with genetics and if the KC has devolved this educational requirement to breeders then that isn’t going to work. The KC should take the lead in education surely? Reform begins and ends with education.
Sorry – this is an essay but I worry about the future welfare of dogs as I love the animal. They have such enormous potential to succeed alongside us – therapy dogs, guide dogs, working in the field, loving pets etc. We owe it to them to ensure they have every success for a future free of pain and suffering.
What an excellent post :)
DeleteI agree with all your points. And the outcrossing thing in particular. Just look at how people in the purebred world react to "designer dogs." Now I know there are myriad concerns in that arena, including folks that just want to make a quick buck and are also uneducated when it comes to genetics. But in principle, cross-breeding shouldn't be shunned simply because the dogs are not "purebred." After all, each one of our beloved breeds came about this way.
DeleteKC refer to the mixed or cross breed dog show as Scruffts! Now that irritates me because the derivative of that name from Scruffy refers to their obsession with looks again. They are simply dog's! Why bring looks into it?
Basically the only breeds that don't have problems are dogs like Carolina Dogs http://www.rarebreed.com/breeds/carolina/carolina_ukc_std.html
DeleteThey is said to be a "striking resemblance between these dogs and the Dingo, half a world apart, is likely due to the way in which both animals have filled a free-living, or as it is known-pariah, niche on the fringe of human civilization and culture." they ahven't been bred by humans except in the more recently captive breed ones and as this site says http://www.carolinadogs.com/faq.html#defects
Do Carolina Dogs suffer from any inherited defects or diseases?
"Thus far in our captive breeding program, we have not encountered any inherited defects in our dogs. We now have 5th and 6th generation captive-bred pups that are strong, healthy, and of perfect temperament. We hope to incorporate breeding programs that will ensure genetic variability within a small population of dogs and produce the best dogs available.
These dogs are naturally healthy. Hip dysplasia, eye, ear and skin problems prevalent in many other breeds are thankfully lacking in our breed at this point in time." Humans haven't breed them long enough to screw them up.
What? Brushing your dog?
ReplyDeletePekes are not the only breed with a rolling gait it has nothing to do with them moving slowly.they run around the park like other breeds.I know some that do agility..Newfoundlands have a rolling gait.pugs have a roll in there rear movement plus others
ReplyDeleteDash it all Jemima how I wish you had sat at the Borzoi ring........no where have I found such decent coverage of a class! Completely unfair.
ReplyDeleteThey look like cute muppets these Pekes though not for me they would become entangled in a shrub and oh when it rains.......this is a very high maintenance dog in this form. Here in Hong Kong we have much better ones sold in pet shops, products of puppy mills mostly. They can at least breath and play and the hair is coarser and less profuse.
I had two Sealyhams when I lived in Brussels they were brills even though one was psychotic but OMG brushing was a nightmare it took hours days weeks and years off my life.