Sunday 13 March 2016

REVEALED: the Crufts GSD footage they didn't want you to see


This is the footage of the German Shepherd that was edited out of last night's  TV broadcast on Channel 4.

As I reported in this post last night, GSD Cruaghaire Catoria was the only dog in the Pastoral Group that wasn't seen moving  - with the reasons why perhaps being obvious.

Of course a dog this stressed is not going to show at their best, but "Tori", as she is known, is just dreadful and it is so sad to see her - especially given some small improvements seen in the UK show-ring in the past few years. (Top winning Elmo von Hühnegrab, while not to my taste, was a small step in the right direction in terms of structure/stability compared to the dogs we filmed in 2007/8 for Pedigree Dogs Exposed.)

As I mentioned last night, the  KC's Facebook page has been inundated with posts/comments from people expressing their dismay that such a dog could have won Best of Breed.

The footage above is clipped from the Day 3 Live Stream that the KC uploaded on to their dedicated Crufts YouTube channel - so it is available online, albeit buried in a very long video.

But, at the time of writing, the KC has not made available its extended video of the Pastoral Group judging which is likely to contain even more damning footage of the dog - despite the judging of all the other Groups being available.

Or rather the KC did make the video available. But it has now hidden it.



If you click on the link, here's what you get. 



Probably not the best PR move. 

You can let the Kennel Club know what you think about the BOB GSD by leaving a comment on the Crufts Facebook page - here.

Every voice counts.

See also: 





166 comments:

  1. Everything about this dog makes me cringe. What a charade and a travesty.

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    1. I agree that almost made me cry what a sad example of the breed. A total disgrace to the breeder and as for the commentator saying "ah that's better!" I just have to wonder about the judges after all they pick their top dog then breeders aim for that ideal so something needs to be done to check the expertise of so called judges.

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    2. What are you doing to our breed? You are breeding crippled animals to die young. Have YOU every tried moving on your knees...same thing! Shame on you!!!

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    3. Feel so mad that people are breading these obvious faults into what is otherwise a beautiful breed, the judge should be ashamed

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    4. Shame on you Crufts, you've just put yourself back 10 years. I had a beautiful German Shepherd for 13 years and she was the most adorable dog, I couldn't watch all of the video as it was just too upsetting. The Kennel club and Crufts have completely misled the public by apparently changing the outdated misconceptions of the breed standard when clearly you've done nothing.

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    5. The GSD had a "roached back", was not bathed or groomed properly and the handler did a terrible job. The temperament seemed fine, however the dog appeared to be lacking some training.

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  2. Actually worse than I thought. She is virtually dragging those legs in a scurry, what the hell is that? I know she isn't behaving well on the lead (waiting for that to come out as an excuse for why she looks that way...), but christ, I have a dobermann who is ultra excitable on lead too, and he never, ever looks like that no matter how much of a prat he's being! If he did, I'd think he'd damaged his spine and rush him to the vet.

    I keep rats, and in older individuals you get something called HLD (hind leg degeneration, cause still unknown) and before their legs 'go' completely, you get a period of them dragging/wobbling/ them and not being able to clear the ground when they pick up a hind foot. This is what this dog reminds me of on the move.
    And thats tragic.

    Is it me, or do her hind feet seem to almost 'knuckle over' as they scrape the ground when she is moving? Like a dog with some kind of neurological issue, certainly something I'd be worrying about if my dog did it. Even when she is standing still, her hind end is wobbling around like its about to collapse and needs propping up.

    Just......the audacity for them to put this dog through, knowing the controversy that surrounds this breed, and knowing how many people would be specifically keeping an eye on this dog in the coverage, and then to cut that footage out like no-one would notice?

    How stupid do they think the public are? Im actually almost insulted by that.

    Fortunately, even non doggy people seem to be appalled by this bitch, and complaints are already being made. Perhaps that might be the only positive that comes from this poor dog's exploitation; how much longer can they ignore the public when the voice keeps growing, and even non dog people who wouldn't normally think twice about these issues are noticing something wrong.
    Something has gotta give............other than that poor creatures legs, of course.

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    1. Yes, I watched it over and over & in slomo; she was dragging her toes. Usually that's the first symptom that tips off the possibility of DM. And she acted like she was nervous as hell & would rather have been anywhere but there in that ring. Just totally stressed out; not a single moment showing the kind of stability you want to see in a dog that is supposed to be capable of performing practically any task that dogs can be asked to do.

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    2. I had a bitch move like that once.. An APBT bitch that fence jumped and got hit by a car.. she had some spinal swelling, fortunately nothing was broken, but for a week, she couldn't walk on her back end.
      When the swelling went down and she started to be able to stand and walk again, that was how she moved for about two or three weeks. She had the same wobbly movement in the back end, the same weak hocks, even the same way of not being able to lift and her foot completely when reaching with the back end, so the tops of her feet skimmed the ground
      She never recovered 100%, from that point on when she ran she threw her tail in a circle for balance and she always scraped the top of the nails on her right hind.
      But then my bitch was hit by a car... She had a great excuse for how she moved.. This one was bred to look like that, and it's a shame.

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  3. That is just painful to watch. I could excuse the temperment, that sort of daylong showing is hard on dogs, but the structure, stance and movement is just horrifying. She doesn't even look comfortable standing, never mind moving.

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  4. Yet there where far few people complaining about the pekingese that won there group. Surely that is in as bad as condition as the gsd. I mean just because ones cute and fluffy, the others so called a working breed surely people should have just as many concerns over the pekigense. On top of a whole host of other brachycephalic breeds but i guess there all cute like that but put it on a shepherd there's up roar.

    Not that i think the gsd should look like that its just a funny thing how people find it ok for one breed of dog too look abnormal yet complain when a working breed does.

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    1. Neither is "OK". Each grossly abnormal albeit in different ways,

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    2. In case you missed it, Jemima DID address the abysmal Peke: http://pedigreedogsexposed.blogspot.com/2016/03/crufts-2016-watery-eyed-exercise.html

      But I do agree with you that people who specialize in one "abnormal" breed (e.g. French bulldog) often get in an uproar over another "abnormal" breed (e.g. showline GSDs). Pot calling the kettle black.

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    3. I have yet to see a show Peke I like. But since this post was specific to the GSD I figured I'd try to stay on topic....

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    4. A healthy dog being bred with a flat face & an unhealthy line being bred with degenerative/neurological issues is NOT THE SAME THING! Plz quit insulting other dog/breed lovers simply because they dont prefer the same breed as you! PugMom

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    5. I agree. In all the hoo-hah over the shepherd, which is fully justified, the fact that the peke won the toy group seems to have been far less spoken about.
      But that dog was just as messed up as the shepherd, but in a different way; it could barely get around the ring either. I'd say both the shepherd and the peke are equally revolting and wrong, and both should cause outcry.

      But Im just happy at least one of them has opened people's eyes to the problems with dog showing, but yeah, I wish people would realise that peke was as much of a train wreck :(

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    6. Most probably because we know that pugs, bulldogs, pekinese and other flat-faced deformed breeds are already beyond help. Ruined by the gross standards set by the KC and Crufts. Like most fashion accessories these tortured dogs won't last long but their manufacturers will make a lot of dirty money.

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  5. I disagree...after years of photographing in the GSD ring I did not find Elmo much better in his movement. He had a first class handler and does have a steadier temperament. This bitch is appalling!

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  6. Clare Balding has just interviewed Caroline Kisko about this. It was the usual we will work with the breed clubs crap but interestingly the KCs latest tame Vet, Nick Blaney said they had worked with judges for 5 years to improve the GSD and they (the KC) have largely been ignored. A very interesting but unsurprising confession.

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    1. Its a bit like their KC response to working with all the show world about microchipping.! That was crap too!

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    2. Whilst unable to defend the indefensible when apportioning blame the one question not asked or answered by the KC is "How did she get into the main arena in the first place?" Or putting it another way "How did she get passed the KC Vet Check?"

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  7. That poor dog is a train wreck.

    She clearly wants to be ANYWHERE but where she is and that movement looks like a medical condition for which she should be seeing a specialist, not winning ribbons.

    That poor beast. Shame on the judges.

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  8. That dog won best of breed??? Whaaa ... ?

    But, hang on a minute .. apart from the horrible, cringe-making conformation and pace, I thought one requirement from show dogs, if they wanted to get to the top, was to NOT resist handling by the judges? What happened to that? For once, I'm actually shocked.

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  9. https://video-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hvideo-xaf1/v/t42.1790-2/12859418_119916875069290_1130956229_n.mp4?efg=eyJybHIiOjc1NywicmxhIjoxNDk0LCJ2ZW5jb2RlX3RhZyI6InYzXzQyNl9jcmZfMjNfbWFpbl8zLjBfc2QifQ%3D%3D&rl=757&vabr=421&oh=db4a5a738e8039dbd69aeabbc7e81ad2&oe=56E5F8A7 They're now back-pedalling and blaming the judge and the handler/breeder

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    1. So obvious but not even mentioned while on display, no concern from the commentator at the time. So only when complaints roll in will they say they will do something.

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    2. But that is where the blame should be shouldered. The judges for awarding a bitch that is built like that and blaming the breeder for producing a bitch like that and putting it in the ring.

      The breed isn't going to get better unless judges start non awarding dogs/bitches that look/act like that and therefore extreme types will be shunned.

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    3. Absolutely disgraceful on the judges part poor example of this breed should of been asked to leave the ring yuk whole movement wrong structure of dog wrong not an example of the breed at all. this judge needs to redo his breed standard again..

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  10. Disgraceful yet Crufts are meant to promote health and wellbeing in dogs why is the BBC supporting Crufts����

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    1. They're not. This is on channel 4. BBC dropped crufts after Pedigree Dogs Exposed came out

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    2. The BBC were forced to outsource 25% of their programming which meant other broadcasters got to show BBC programmes first and had nothing to do with this blog here.It's all part of the dismantling and eventual privatisation of the criminal agency known as the BBC.

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    3. The BBC dropped Crufts because of Pedigree Dogs Exposed - the documentary.

      http://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/dec/12/bbc-suspends-crufts-coverage

      Not sure what you mean by outsourcing in this context. It has nothing to do with Crufts.

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  11. Why wasn't this picked up by the vet checks or are they themselves so neutered now due to restrictions placed on them by the breed clubs they are meaningless.

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  12. Another example of vile greedy self centered appalling beings that call themselves humans. Why does it matter what a dog looks like why best of this best of that makes me so sad and angry. I know let's have best of twats and award the breeders. Cunts the lot of you.

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  13. Another example of vile greedy self centered appalling beings that call themselves humans. Why does it matter what a dog looks like why best of this best of that makes me so sad and angry. I know let's have best of twats and award the breeders. Cunts the lot of you.

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    1. Swearing just makes you seem stupid and ignorant. Anyone can read this whatever age. Unless you are able to make a constructive comment please stop.

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  14. Speechless! Poor baby :(

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  15. The pace at the front end is complete different to the pace at the rear end due to spine and hip issues reducing length of stride and drive at the back. It is simply appalling to see in any dog, let alone a GSD which is known to have hip issues. Straight back must be the adopted breed standard.

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    1. This bitch does not have hip issues, it is more likely to be loose hocks which don't cause any pain.

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    2. I am not a breeder but have had many GSD's over the years. I speak from the admirer of the breed point of view. I am not an expert or a vet. I and many other GSD lovers look for the old fashioned "table top" or straight backed Shepherd. I totally agree with Hugo. The Crufts BOB is so sad to see. I am at a loss to understand how this poor dog ever received any recognition as a breed standard.

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  16. I worry that now this GSD has won B.O.B they will breed more unhealthy dogs from it .

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    1. Just because it has won does not = breeding and money. ANYONE can breed from any dog, just look at the ads out there. Do we know how these dogs match up to a standard if they have not been judged by others with good knowledge? Stop blaming all show people. There are a lot of us out there trying to improve our breeds & produce as good and healthy examples as possible.

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    2. Anonymous 13 March 2016 at 21:07, they have already bred from her.

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  17. Horrifying. What on earth are we doing to this lovely breed - it's deplorable!

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    1. This has been going on for a very long time. Each time I see the magnificent GSD I get disgusted. Why breeders started this I will never know.....and refuse to understand.

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  18. Utter dismay at the BOB GSD the poor dog is dragging it's back paws how is this good! !!!!!!

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  19. Breed modifying results in this sort of thing with the GSD why can't the breeders stop mucking about with their gene pools?

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  20. Breed modifying results in this sort of thing with the GSD why can't the breeders stop mucking about with their gene pools?

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  21. Breed modifying results in this sort of thing with the GSD why can't the breeders stop mucking about with their gene pools?

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  22. Perhaps Noel Fitzpatrick should pipe up? He could make a hero of himself by calling it a day for this kind of genetic modification .... big ask perhaps?

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    1. It would be interesting to hear his thoughts!!

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    2. I think his motto is "you breed 'em, I'll fix 'em"

      He never mentions unethical breeding or poor husbandry in his shows.

      The Celebrity Virus is one that once infected, the person can never shake it off. It's about money, nowt else :(

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    3. I don't think it's about money for Noel. I am sure his heart is in the right place. But I do think it's about reputation. He is extremely averse to getting involved in the purebred dog controversy. A shame given that his voice would be a powerful one.

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  23. Don't blame Crufts or Ch4 or the KC for that matter - blame the breeders for perpetuating a type of construction which is now exaggerated beyond belief despite being classed as a fault in the standard. GSDs have been judged on side gait alone for years - their movement coming and going is dire. From what I've heard back from people around the breed ring there were some super sound dogs thrown out. Judges and breeders alone are responsible for producing and putting up dogs which most of us consider unsound and not fit for purpose.

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    1. Crufts, the KC and Ch4 are the ones who have supported and continue to support this. This makes them responsible.

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    2. Your disgusting don't blame C4 or kc or the judge for the judge to put that poor dog through he should be ashamed we don't want judges like him just another kc cover up

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    3. Very poor judging. As long as judges reward this standard some breeders will continue to produce dogs like this one. If judges stop accepting unhealthy dogs like this one eventually most breeders will stop breeding to this standard. Unfortunayely there are some breeders who prioritise their success in the ring before the dogs well being and will continue to do so as long as judges reward their standard.

      (GSD owner)

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  24. if this gsd is supposed to be a best of breed why is its back so arched and hind legs so bad, i cant understand it, my sister has gsds and they to me are how gsd should be strong back legs straight back and healthy

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  25. This footage was broadcast on bbc1 this evening, so not buried at all. The BBC expressed serious concern for the dog, as did The Kennel Club and an inquiry is ongoing. So PETA, GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT, numpties.

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    1. The BBC has not broadcast Crufts since 2008. The coverage was on Channel 4 - and the only reason the item made the programme was because of the outpouring of dismay by the general public (and indeed by many breeders/owners of other purebred dogs who were as horrified as anyone).

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    2. I'm glad to hear this, great news! Lets hope it snowballs to include the suffocating little pugs and French bulldogs etc.

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  26. This is unbelievable! Why wasn't a vet brought straight on and the dog carried of? And how on earth can this poor dog win best of breed? It was cruel to exhibit this poor dog!

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  27. This is bad enough.....but when you see her and the male Shepherd compete for Best of Breed the state this poir bitch was in was nothing short of disgraceful..She looks to be in pain.I an not an expert in German Shepherds,nor do I claim to be....but this was shocking...No wonder dog shows get a bad press.

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  28. my god !!!!!!!!! everyone here complaining about the dog not being a good specimen .. all i see is a very scared and stressed animal ... where is you compassion you lot .. sick the way humans push animals to do things they clearly are not happy to do .... so bloody cruel crufts should be shut down ...

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    1. As we all know there are good and bad people all over in everything we all do. It is sad that the breed judge chose to put this dog above other (I understand to be)sound examples. The KC will be investigating & NOT just because of the outcry from the media. Please do not blame the thousands of show people who try to do the correct things for this bad example. Breed standards promote a healthy construction in most cases and where there are issues the KC are working hard to change attitudes by education. You cannot change a breed overnight without causing bigger problems in health. This is a gradual process.
      Most dog show owners love their dogs first & would never see them in pain.

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    2. awful that people put their dogs through that stress. It's only for human satistfaction. No thoughts for the dogs at all. People speak of them as if they are speaking of an innate object.
      Painful to watch and painful to see some of these unfeeling comments.

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  29. That dog looks like its trying to paddle water when it was walking.

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  30. This poor girl needs to see a VET pdq, also needs something done as to not be bred from and if the KC had any b**** then she would have been pulled out, as the other should have been too, most animals have to pass a vet check at that level and so should have failed, lets not even go there with the temperament....

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  31. The KC should remember that they appointed the judge.

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    1. But the judge is a convenient scapegoat to hide the fact that the core culture is wrong and the KC have no real power to push change without alienating their revenue stream.

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  32. Such a shame.
    In my day We used to call the condition a Roached Back.
    The dog should not have been pushed around like it was.

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  33. Lost my rescue Shep to CDRM in Jan. This poor girl looks like she has the symptoms and is totally stressed out to boot. Crufts/ KC? Both equally ghastly!

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  34. I don't get the logic. Isn't KC and all the show world supposed to think that the purebred show dogs are the best, healthiest dogs? Why do they hide video? The dog won at Crufts, shouldn't they be happy and proud the show the noble animal?

    And if even the show world thinks there is something wrong with this dog, why don't they do something about it? How about get a different type of judge next time? If these people are so obsessed about the fame and glory in the ring, probably they will change their way of breeding too...
    -Tiia

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  35. The footage in question was shown in full and discussed on tonight's Crufts show so the slightly sensational allegation of concealment doesn't really stand up, does it?

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    1. Why when the post was way before the attempt at damage control from the KC?

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    2. Precisely. And the KC has still not made the Pastoral Group Judging available online.

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    3. I mentioned earlier that it would be good to see what Noel Fitpatrick had to say about this bitch. However, if you look at the footage we do have, watch her from the rear and you will see that her left hind toes in particular, drag the floor before restoring her foot to the correct position. This is a reflex action that your vet will notice straight away, or rather a poor refelx action, which suggests the signals coming from the brain down the rest of the CNS aren't getting to the feet. The judge wouldn't noticce this, because as I said earlier, they are not professionally qualified. They are only qualified to KC examinations which are about as good as a chocolate tea pot.

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  36. The KC Standard could not be more clear on the ideal temperament for this breed:

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

    That's the entirety of the "temperament" section of the standard to which this dog was judged. "Never" means "never". I suppose judges could argue fine points of interpretation on structure, but it's quite clear that this particular dog fails the most basic test.

    Of course she deserves to have a loving home. But she should have been excused from the ring - and she most definitely should not have been held up as being worthy of representing the breed in the Group.

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  37. This is the judges previous BOB. Did the KC not research their choice? http://www.veneze.com/immy.htm

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  38. The main problem is overangulation, the rear legs are way too long and the body has to compensate to move those legs beneath the dog as they should be. I am sickened that despite so many assurances by GSD show people that they have been working to 'improve' the faulty conformation, here we are 8 years after the PDE original footage seeing exactly the same (if not worse) conformation than ever. The KC made some feeble stand with GSD breeders at that time, and some clubs walked off and did their own thing. The KC withheld some CCs as I remember, but within such a short space of time they were again turning a blind eye to the complete lack of progress in meeting the standard. GSD show breeders/exhibitors are among the most blind, ignorant and belligerent beings on the planet...and rude with it. They don't call their own little group the 'Rude Group' for nothing. They will never listen, and never change. Bar them from KC shows altogether, because you can bet your life that breeding plans are already underway for these Crufts champions.

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  39. the seccond video is removed from youtube. :-(

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  40. She is dragging her rear feet. I am glad my boy has a straight back! I do not support the breeders who are breeding the "fast back dogs"!

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  41. Patricia Harbinson13 March 2016 at 23:27

    I find it absolutely disgusting that this poor German Shepherd was paraded around a show ring in this state. Crufts and the kennel club bear the responsibility for allowing so called judges under their control to let this dog through in the first place. If TV hadn't been there it would have been buried and may still be. So much for that lot always going on about animal welfare.

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  42. As a qualified vet nurse I can tell you a gsh is not supposed to luck like that. Dragging feet is not normal I hate crufts and breeders for all the painful and stupid things they breed into dogs. E.g more wrinkles squashed faces. The amount of reconstruction surgery we have to do to improve the animals quality of life because breeders have made them this way.Crufts should be stopped, its disgusting and supports this

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    1. Let's face it, about bloody time the whole Kennel Club and Crufts were reported and brought to book by the RSPCA and courts! They and their measures of 'excellence' amount to nothing more than bad and dangerous breeding...dogs that can't walk, dogs that can't see, dogs that cant''breathe...sick to death of the lot of these frankenstein creeps! Bit of inbreeding in humans with this bunch methinks!

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  43. Awful to see. They are not dog lovers.

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  44. This is a travesty. When I was showing my GSD back in the 80s, you would never see a dog like this. A dog like this would never even get near a show ring. This dog, like so many other GSDs these days is deformed and handicapped. She was dragging her back feet along the floor. Pray tell me, how a dog like this could do the job she was originally bred to do? That is to trot around the perimeter of a field all day to keep the sheep from straying (there were no fences). How could a deformed and handicapped dog like this perform that task? How could ANY JUDGE place that dog in a show ring? The fault for all this lays squarely with the Kennel Club AND the show Judges. If the show judges didn't place dogs like this, breeders wouldn't breed dogs with these terrible handicaps. If the Kennel Club didn't allow this to be a breed standard, the show judges wouldn't place the dogs. It is utterly APPALLING to see a breed that I loved reduced to this. No wonder I no longer have GSDs but another breed. SHAME ON YOU KENNEL CLUB.

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  45. In German Shepherds a lot of double handling goes on where someone runs outside the ring and attracts the dogs attention to make it look alert, that bitch is obviously looking for the other person but they can do it at Crufts. Watch it again and see her looking for the other person outside the ring. The Kennel Club is doing a lot of work to promote the health in dogs so it is not fair to say they are doing nothing. I dislike the spine on that German Shepherd and the KC are working with the club's but the breeders won't change overnight unfortunately.

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  46. This page is disgusting and all you people saying the dog did a poor job are retarded like to the point where you should have to have assistance pulling up your pants in the morning. If a dog has a disease and it effects how they walk retire it from these shows! Show the dog love and compassion, Don't bitch about the animal being useless because in all honesty your the useless one in the situation. If you can't be as good a friend to the dog as it is to you after all the years of service it gave you then you never should of had one, and I honestly hope you get hit by a bus and die a slow painful death completely alone on the side of a highway, with vultures too come take what is left of you, you sick fucking kennel club bastards, all of you!

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    1. You seem to be directing your splenetic display to the wrong people. Perhaps you should go to the Crufts site instead, or the breeder of the animal in question. The majority of the comments here are expressing concern for the dog's welfare and dismay at how the breed has been modified and manipulated beyond good reason. Please read properly before you attack as you could end up looking foolish.

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    2. "Please read properly before you attack as you could end up looking foolish."

      Too late for them I think.

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  47. Its a well known "secret" in the dog world, no matter what county you are from, that certain judges receive "monetary rewards" for putting up a particular dog. Not saying that is what happened here but its a possibility. The sense of pride that used to exist in showing dogs of quality, no matter what the breed, has long gone. I can't imagine how proud the owners or kennel were from this freaked out GSD putting in an appearance like this. It is truly sad that showing has sunk to this level.

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  48. WOW, We raised GSD back in the early 80's and were good working stock with good rear ends that could go all day. This is a sad excuse for the breed & should have been disqualified. Whoever "trained" & Bred this poor dog did a shit job.

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  49. Much as it pains me to say it, this year the jagoffs at Westminster selected a much less viscerally appalling GSD than did the poseurs at Crufts.

    This is not, however, where we should be setting the bar.

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  50. Terrible condition . Very sad they call this a GS . I own GS all my life and bon look so terrible like this one . I hope the judges will start look at the papers how a GS should look like . Poor dog

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  51. They can go on like this.. and the best dog breed in the world will disappear cause they destroyed it... it's so so sad to see this.
    Ofc in all breeds that's goes the wrong way. Why on earth do they want to make such pain in those wonderful and wise dogs :'(

    Kc should be preaching for the best health, best temper not this, it isn't nice to watch even.. don't they get that?!

    Seems that we need more glasses in the world.

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  52. Personally all your comments disgust me."such bad form" , "such a bad example" " everything about this dog makes me kringe" It's an animal. A dog! Not a freaking show piece. No dog should be bread to be on show, paraded at the end of a taught lead. You all have no shame.let the animal live for crying out loud. We don't parade our disabled and deformed humans around do we!?

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    1. I think that is what most people are annoyed about is that the poor dog should never have been bred like this but as it has it should never have been shown, let alone win. Poor girl should be neutered and allowed to live in a home where she is loved for what she is but not allowed to breed.

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    2. I assure you everyone in here knows it's an animal. And that's why we care - not because we don't like the look of the dog (I used to find pugs adorable when I was a kid) - but because they don't deserve to be trapped in such deformed bodies!

      Leave it to the breeders and judges to consider the dog a "work of art", like a piece of clay to be molded in whatever way they please.

      Delete
  53. I could not watch it all, the dog was clearly stressed but those dragging feet, I would suggest is more to do with a hip problem than that of a very scared dog misbehaving.

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  54. Thank you for the work your doing exposing and highlighting the major issues in our Pedigree dogs. Think if everyone took a leaf from your book Crufts and the Kennel Club would have no where to hide and would have to implement immediate changes. What I have seen of crufts has shocked and disappointed me. Not just the GSD but the winner of the toy group the Pekingese looked like it had a hard time breathing and the movement wasn't really functional as a normal dog imo. Couldn't take it hill walking anyway.

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  55. This dog is as much the best of its breed as Donald Trump is the best republican candidate in the presidential campaign.

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  56. Poor thing. commercially exploited by owner and judges who care nothing for dogs!

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  57. "Commercially exploited by the owner"? Do you know the owner, do you know anything about her?

    I do. I know her very well and I am fortunate to have one of Tori's pups. She is a gorgeous family pet and has a "straight" back. We had no intention of breeding with her and have had her spayed.

    When we saw Tori in her home environment, she also walked with her back straight. I have no idea why Tori was like that in the ring, but she was a completely different dog when we saw her in her home.

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  58. "Commercially exploited by the owner"? Do you know the owner, do you know anything about her?

    I do. I know her very well and I am fortunate to have one of Tori's pups. She is a gorgeous family pet and has a "straight" back. We had no intention of breeding with her and have had her spayed.

    When we saw Tori in her home environment, she also walked with her back straight. I have no idea why Tori was like that in the ring, but she was a completely different dog when we saw her in her home.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Unfortunately whatever is happening to her appears to be progressive then, if it's gotten so much worse since you got your pup. :-( The dragging of the hind toes is really concerning, that's typically a type of degeneration of the nerves. Poor girl.

      Delete
  59. What is going on with that poor dogs back!!!??? That is not normal bloody showing people of deforming the dogs!! Should be stopped!! SO CROSS and SAD For that POOR DOG!

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  60. It's all over the media now:
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3491160/Crufts-cruelty-row-breaks-German-Shepherd-sloped-wins-best-breed.html

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/12193472/Crufts-plunged-into-cruelty-row-over-deformed-German-Shepherd.html

    The public are disgusted.

    Explaining the editing (video) decision, the Kennel Club said: "In light of the concern over the particular dog we made the decision not to further highlight the unsound movement of the dog whilst we discuss ways forward to improve the health of the breed."

    Utter bull.

    These people also have the backbones of that GSD. Deformed, weak and dysfunctional.I want to DO something about this but feel utterly impotent.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There is also the small point that the KC should not have an editorial control over Channel 4's coverage!

      Delete
    2. https://www.ourdogs.co.uk/News/2010/Mar2010/News260310/gsd.htm

      Good old Our Dogs! Trust them to take it as a personal vendetta against GSDs!
      https://www.ourdogs.co.uk/News/2010/Mar2010/News260310/gsd.htm

      Quote from above:
      'The Kennel Club would not and could not interfere with More4 reporting on these issues in the way that it sees fit.'

      WTF!?

      Read this and you will want to poke forks into your eyeballs.

      'Another GSD exhibitor and judge told OUR DOGS:

      Why is it that people from other breeds feel they have a right to comment on our breed the GSD, when they have no understanding or feel for it whatsoever? How lucky the GSD breeders are with the SV controlling their affairs, that is why there is such great progress made in that country.

      We are sick of people passing comments. If we all went about commenting on other breeds and their make up, e.g. flat faced breeds, breeds that used to be docked, structure of heads, why breeds move the way they do, or why they breath the way they do, why breeds are trimmed and sculptured etc., etc., we would be told by the custodians of those breeds in no uncertain terms to keep our noses out and mind our own businesses! Well to those that do not understand our GSD breed, keep your noses out of our affairs. We do not need the comments and remarks.'

      They are mentally ill.
      Munchausens. By Proxy.

      Delete
    3. Actually, you can see what the KC are up against here. That response in Our Dogs from the GSD breed club is from a person who is clearly not very intelligent when it comes to discussing these issues and can not see the welfare issues related directly to the animals. To them its a personal attack to their egos and their practice. 'How dare anyone criticise them from outside the breed', as if they own the breed standard and the resulting practices!
      The fact that they are bunch of thickos who wouldn't understand the biology and population genetics, even if it was directly downloaded to their brain stems, is not even the most repugnant fact. It's the fact that they think they own the ethics and moral framework for anything to do with this breed and that anyone outside of their 'group; is an imposter, despite evidence to the contrary that he dogs are clearly disabled and suffering. Cognitive dissonance or Group thinking?

      http://www.mybrain.co.uk/public/extra_article_27.php
      'Using an fMRI scan, he could see what was happening inside the brain. He found that, during the moment of decision, his subjects' brains lit up, not in the area where thinking takes place, but in the back of the brain where vision is interpreted. In short, those peoples' brains were placing greater emphasis on what they were being told by other people than on what they were seeing with their own eyes.

      For those people who went against the group there was another intriguing result - their brains lit up in the amygdala area, which Berns calls 'the fear centre of the brain'. He interpreted this as a fear of standing alone.

      The research demonstrates that humans are pack animals, predisposed to thinking and acting collectively.

      We are up against something that is human nature. We need some strong people to stand up against what is happening in the GSD group and come forward. However, they need to know they will be supported. A bit like what happened with the CKCS after PDE. The KC need to create the environment for the changes they want to see. That's IF they actually mean what they say....

      Delete
    4. Quote;

      "'Another GSD exhibitor and judge told OUR DOGS:

      Why is it that people from other breeds feel they have a right to comment on our breed the GSD, when they have no understanding or feel for it whatsoever? How lucky the GSD breeders are with the SV controlling their affairs, that is why there is such great progress made in that country.

      We are sick of people passing comments. If we all went about commenting on other breeds and their make up, e.g. flat faced breeds, breeds that used to be docked, structure of heads, why breeds move the way they do, or why they breath the way they do, why breeds are trimmed and sculptured etc., etc., we would be told by the custodians of those breeds in no uncertain terms to keep our noses out and mind our own businesses! Well to those that do not understand our GSD breed, keep your noses out of our affairs. We do not need the comments and remarks.'"

      Right then, everyone should just watch the internationally televised event and say absolutely nothing.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous 16:10

      Nail on the head.
      I have been trying to get people to understand the K.Cs have ruled themselves to be "owners" of OUR breeds, with an environment distinct from the rest of the species and its supporters.
      They will never have an environment for the type of change needed as long as current rules stand.

      Forbidding its members to breed outside of pedigree protocols ( to breed any dog ineligible for a pedigree) is a rule that demands members take nothing from, nor give anything to, the environment out side of their own distinctly divided environment.
      Its a rule that divides the species into 2 separate environments and declaration the 'other' half has nothing of value to contribute to the species. Nor do their breeders or supporters.

      Its programed the K.C culture to reject the environment that supports and gave rise to species.
      Humans ARE pack animals predisposed to thinking and acting collectively- But the K.C collective definitvely excludes any other environment but its own. Its collective can not , by definition, include non K.C representation.

      Delete
  61. The Telegraph has contacted the breeder of Cruaghaire Catoria, Susan Cuthbert.

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  62. Have you seen the video with Claire Balding, the KC Secretary ? and vet on Channel 4 about this dog. They agreed the dog was concerning and talked about what action they were taking to stop such selective breeding. However, until more robust and compulsory action from groups like the KC is taken I can't see much changing.

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  63. Well not much searching to be done on the dreadful Crufts fiasco this year. I just looked up the judge and their kennel name. Did another couple of searches and there is the answer. The judge bred the great great grandmother of the best of breed! Vested interest no doubt!

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  64. German Shepherd14 March 2016 at 14:38

    It is quite easy to tell Channel 4 what you think. It will only take a few moments, and if enough people do it, they may listen. Personally, I expressed how sad I was that Channel 4 - the paralympics broadcaster - should be associated with practices that cause real animal welfare concerns to the general public. I applauded the fact that they did address it somewhat on the final show, and implored them to make it clear to Crufts etc how much the general public is concerned.
    https://www.channel4.com/4viewers/contact-us

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have been writing to them every year about Crufts since 2010 and get the same old story....good angle on the paralympics though. It's also dissonant to commission something like 'Dogs their secret lives' and 'Crufts'. One is about science and welfare ofcmpanion dogs in the 21st century, the other is a Victorian antique and belongs firmly in the past. That is, unless the KC gets its' act together and employs some educated, innovative and progressive people on board to finally deliver their oft repeated mandate on dogs! Until then, they are an organisation that promotes animal cruelty.

      Delete
  65. GSD is supposed to be a strong athletic dog - used for police work and so on. How can anybody in their right mind think it is even appropriate to show such a dog, let alone for it to win 'best in breed'.

    I don't watch Crufts on TV as it is nothing more than a freak show and supporting it in any way at all is disgusting. Channel 4 ought to take this crap off the air.

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  66. Crufts is a farce.
    GSD's should not be shown indoors or under all breed judges.
    GSD's should have gunshots as a courage test in the show ring.
    GSD's should have a working qualification before they can be shown in an open class.
    GSD's should have a working qualifaction before they can be bred from.
    Otherwise the breeders who put the breed first will be compromised.
    A GSD judge does not need to touch the dog except to check teeth and testicles. At Crufts this dogs teeth were not checked,only the bite. Terrible judging.

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  67. So heartbreaking! What is going to happen to this poor girl?

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  68. Dog breeders and show judges have always followed trends that have damaged the health and good looks of breeds that have no need of modification of their standards, whether it be pugs, peeks and bulldogs that have difficulty breathing or German Shepherds that can hardly walk - someone (this is you, the officials of the Kennel Club) need to get a grip and govern the dog world in the interest of the animals and avoid being led by the nose by self interested breeders and show judges that share the same cruel attitudes.

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  69. Well said Anonymous 11.01. I love Crufts and see lots of good work being done to improve animal welfare, not quickly enough and obviously confounded by the minority with some still stuck in the dark ages. But if you want to be outraged then get outraged by the thousands of cruelty cases each year, by dog fighting and dog theft. The Kennel Club and the much criticised RSPCA can't do it overnight or without public support.

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  70. So sad, this dog is neither happy or healthy and she should be neutered and in a loving pet home for what I guarantee will be a rather short life. Obvious to me has CDRM.
    I used to feel I wanted to support th KC from within to help with breed improvements but this has mad a complete and utter joke of the KC, it's shows, standards and judges. What a shame it is that the public STILL believe a KC reg pup is a mark of quality.

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  71. Absolutely disgusting practises by all concerned. The breeders, judges, Crufts organisers and Kennel Club should be ashamed. This is NOT what a German Shepherd should look, behave or move like. There are better examples in every local park!

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  72. I had a beautiful Straight back GSD ( which is how, from what i have read on their history, they started out )he NEVER had any problems until he started to slowly suffer from posterior paralysis at the age of 10. I lost him 16 days before his 12th birthday. I have never been a fan of the sloping that has been bred into this wonderful breed and i am DISGUSTED that a Judge has deemed that poor dog to be a best of breed. The poor thing clearly had problems, and to me ( i don't claim to be an expert )should not even be in the ring, BAD GREEDY BREEDERS !!

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  73. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4B7GJvvEbc
    See this. The working german shepard and the show german shepard. Who is the best mover?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not the best movement in either but the show line looks more 'flashy' in the side gait. Shouldn't movement in a dog be more than a side gait? Another vid on working line movement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=836hPNotcrA There are good and bad in both types.

      Delete
  74. I have had German Shepherd for most of my life and to see that poor trying to walk broke my heart let alone it winning the best of breed.
    Was the handler that much of a prat to know that that dog was not well or did the handler just not care
    As for the judges well need we say more!
    Not all breeders are uncaring but too many allow family interbreeding of their dogs hence the bad hip score. It is just about the money with the pups and the bitches are always pregnant.
    Helping out with a local charity called ARAS who take in abandoned,abused etc dogs that is heart breaking enough, without having to see these judges and handlers doing this

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  75. Come on Crufts this dog is not fit to be shown to the high standards Crufts is about. Now she is a Champion i expect she will produce pups but is this really the breeding material of the GSD these days. I Believed Crufts was improving with regard to the health of certain breeds. This is zero by way of improvement. I read the standards of the GSD on your page but clearly the Judge hadn't read this as this dog does not fit those specified standards to win.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Poor thing will collapse if a male climbs on to her.

      Delete
  76. Well you know what to do stop trying to breed pedigree dogs and breed for ability, structure

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  77. A total disgrace. If the judge awarded her 'best of breed' then what the heck did the other GSD's look like?
    'Fit for function?' my arse!! If fashion becomes above 'SOUNDNESS' in a 'working breed' This poor human creation couldn't stand up to a days work. Truly shocking.

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  78. I am sorry but crufts is a very stuck up and snobbery seems to prevail enjoyed scruffs alot more how dogs should be

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  79. How about an "heirloom breeds" breed association for the breeders out there who are deliberateley not breeding to show standards? There are a few pottering around the edges of their breeds .... get together perhaps?

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  80. My mum has a GSD with hip dysplasia and he walks like any normal dog, I feel so sorry for that poor dog ��

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  81. It seems that any fool can be a judge. Where do I apply?

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  82. WHAT the hell were those breeders thinking, putting a dog like that on show in this dreadful condition??? No vets examination needed to see the poor beast wasn't right! But yet the Crufts vets PASSED it fit???
    You don't need to be an expert breeder or vet to know the poor dog is just wrong. Sort this system out. Now!!

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  83. Its comical reading comments from other breeders criticizing the breeder of this particular dog. Its not just this one, its ALL of you. You're ALL a disgrace with your breeding, meddling in genetics you know nothing about and creating side-show circus freaks. When you look in the mirror keep that in mind, you're all terrible people. Exploiting animals to boost your own status is disgusting.

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  84. Sean O'Malley Crufts you should be ashamed to put on a show like what we have just seen.You have brought shame on the good dog breaders And your contry.

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  85. Sad to see that even after the furore the PDE programme caused, nothing has changed.

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  86. This is a conformation issue, not a hip or CDRM issue. Germanic show breeders are striving for this conformation, blindly following Germany which is the biggest market place for making money out of GSDs. Why do they think it is right or attractive....search me. Will you change their mindset....absolutely not. The only way forward I can see is to ban them from the show world. The KC set rules and standards under their breedwatch scheme and this dog broke every single one of them. Unless a judge can interpret the breed standard correctly, it will not change. Judges should be scrapped and start again with independent judges, trained in conformation, with no affiliations/breeding interests.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's not the German Breeders that are at fault it is the British kennel club for only allowing certain aspects of the breed but not others.
      If you look at the German system dogs have to qualify to be shown and bred from. Unless their hips comply they will not be able to produce registered puppies, likewise they have to have a working qualification (schutzhund or IPO are the norm but the bh is minimum) they have to do a 20km run and be fit enough to do heelwork afterwards. All this weeds out the traits which are not wanted. They also have the breed wardens who will help with advice which dogs to put together. All of this is compulsory and is where the KC is letting GSD's down. It has nothing to do with sloping backs or hip dysplasia, giant breeds all have the HD problem as do heavy dogs like Rottweilers.

      Delete
    2. Err....so what about the loose ligaments, over-angulated, curved spine, specimens, bred in Germany? Are you aware of the significant increase in skeletal problems in the breed in Europe? Overlong and under-used tails is the another observation that's coming to the fore. Tell me what part the British KC played in that?

      Delete
    3. a good idea no germanic judges all rounders will do a better job the 65 the 69 and the 71 best in show dogs will always be rememberd

      Delete
    4. 15:30

      "giant breeds all have the HD problem'??
      Maybe, but not all giant DOGS have H.D problems.

      As for breed wardens, isn't that just another way to take away any form of natural selection and replace it with the priorities a single person brings to the table?

      ENVIRONMENTAL SELECTION is what is missing. Humanity as a collective is the environment that guides the species evolutionary direction.

      The K.Cs have replaced that. Instead of calling for more strict controls in showing and judges education etc, maybe just replace judges completely with crowd judging, AFTER a veterinary has given the animal a comprehensive certificate of soundness to participate at all.

      OR, Dammit, force removal of the rule that gives ownership of OUR breeds to the K.Cs and declares they are the only legitimate environment for any values promoted.

      Such a rule should be illegal in any breed registry, and likely in any other organization as well.

      Delete
  87. Are these dogs bred to look like hyenas?

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    Replies
    1. I couldn't agree more. The problem are the people and it's the international issue. I study animal husbandry in Poland and just yesterday two members of the Polish Kennel Club visited us on our cynology lecture. They showed us a documentary "Dogs - A Healthy Future", apparently as an answer to "Pedigree Dogs Exposed". We were asking tough questions about those banana German Shepherds and Rhodesians with health issues connected to their ridge and what we heard was avoiding the answer, waffling or answering irreverently. How to speak with such people? How to discuss when instead of your question you hear about nutrition?

      Animal breeding has to be reformed from A to Z. It's unthinkable that idiots without knowledge about genetics, anatomy and zoology makes cripples out of dogs and cats without personal consequences - for now the animals suffer the consequences of someone else's stupidity. No matter if a dog is intended to work, to show or to lie on a couch with its family, this should be a healthy dog! And all I see now is breeding and rewarding the ilness.

      Delete
  88. Awful, heartless, handler included! this dog should never have been allowed to enter the arena! It was so stressed, agitated and obviously in pain - dragging its leg and toes like that! This needs to be sorted out quickly for the welfare of all the participating breeds. Upto then, I watched CRUFTS!

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  89. i have been around this breed for the last 50 years, and always have straight back GSD. The KC allowed breeders to do this and should now enforce a change back to how the breed should be.
    Thet allowed the same to happen to many breeds.
    I have put a formal complaint to the RSPCA, but as its the KC, and a KC Breeder i doubt anything will be done. I have seen better dogs in rescue than some of the show dogs in crufts. And if the breeders think its ok then sad on them.
    Ray

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  90. Shame on her handler, and shame on her owner. She is terrified and the handler should have excused himself and the dog, and made the reasons known to the owner. No ribbon is worth the confusion and fear on that dogs face.

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  91. This poor dog looked so stressed and obviously had not been taught proper ring craft. Apart from the fact that it looked totally deformed and in pain it should never have been in the show ring in the first place. Talk about a poor example of the breed. I have two GSDs who would have performed better than that poor creature. This example is why I do not show my dogs !!!

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  92. absolutly digraceful, a total cripple

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  93. This just points up the cruelty of pedigree breeding and dog shows, dogs so overbred that they can't walk. It is sickening that this is entertainment to some.

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  94. Turned telly over to watch crufts, saw the GSD, poor dog. Turned the telly off. My parents bred GSDs in early 1970s and I had two lovely straight backed ones in the 80s. None of them moved like that ever, even when they were old. Shame on the KC.

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  95. What a HORRIBLE example of what is supposedly a German Shepherd!!! Max von Stephanitz is probably spinning in his grave over what people have done to his beloved breed!!! At least the German Shepherd shown at Westminster this year was a much better representation of the breed than the GARBAGE seen in past years!!!

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  96. I hate the way the commentators (Peter Purvis & Claire Balding) imply that the problem with the poor dog's movement is in some way the dog's fault. There was a lot of this I noted during Crufts this year. Despite some really nasty handling techniques from the handlers, it was the poor dog who is blamed every time. Is there no one who is brave enough whilst commenting, to fight the cause for these wretchedly bred dogs? Or is it that the commentators like their fee from good old Aunty Beeb too much? I suspect the latter.

    It's time to again tell the truth about the appalling state of pedigree animal breeding in the UK (we also have idiots breeding Munchkin cats here, not to mention the terrible plight of Persian cats) There are so many breeders producing deformed animals who cannot enjoy a good quality of life due to the deliberately induced deformities.

    I would like to see "The Supervet" take a stand in this issue. He's shown, week after week, surgically repairing the results of seriously poor husbandry and operating on docked non working dogs who have obviously been imported as very young pups from Ireland. He never says a word against the unethical breeding of these poor animals. When he appeared on Crufts, interviewed by Claire Balding after the outrage about the poor GSD, all Noel Fitzpatrick could do was talk over Claire and say how great everything was. He didn't speak out for the very animals who have made him very well off and given him a celebrity vet's career.

    We really need someone to tell it straight.

    If the dogs you breed have defects in their internal organs, have trouble breathing, gait abnormalities, consistent temperament issues or can't fit their own tongue in their mouths, then, you need to get out of breeding.

    I don't care about the difference between the German standards for GSDs and the English ones, this poor dog is a cripple, will be in significant discomfort (if not pain) and won't, despite the fluffy coat and the butt hurt protestations from the owner, have any decent quality of life.

    The Kennel Club is going backwards again.

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    Replies
    1. I too watched the GSD winner at Crufts with tears and anger.

      Then I read Dogs Today magazine where the truth at last came out. Another black mark against the KC, who should have investigated, instead of just looking at what we all saw. They could have avoided all the above anger and the threats to and distress of the owner.

      I also had been flabergasted that the judge could pass the apparently sloping back; and the KCC take no immediate action. Their judge: of course they have authority. But they always claim they lack authority, nothing new there.

      Stressed and so unsettled as to barely be able to walk etc raise questions as to whether a dog ought to continue or be pulled out of the show (not an easy thing to do at such a championship stage.) If the owner and handler both felt the short time of distress would not impact on her longterm, that is their decision.

      HOWEVER, with respect to the main theme of concern we all felt: the reality is that that GSD does meet the standard and her back is not the horrid sloped back so fashionable in the past!?!

      I know it looked like it. I too thought it and the KC folk clearly didn't bother investigating as they were not interviewed until the following night yet seemingly also horrified. So the anger escalated instead of the truth being heard. To the great distress of the owner.

      Looking at the footage on your website, I see a clue: her back is arched.

      It is now known that her handler struggled with her in that ring, where she suddenly took fright and what looked like the slanting back fault was in fact posture. Classic signalling.

      Whilst sorry for the poor dog (as were her owner and the handler), I for one was greatly relieved that she was (is) after all a sound example!

      For the fuller detailed explanation, which will answer all the questions I'm sure readers will now feel like raising, read Dogs Today magazine. They really have gone in to it very thoroughly.

      p.s. whilst not against pedigrees when bred responsibly (and I mean responsibly: properly inspected and strict adherence to health and temperament traits, the whole purpose surely of carefully breeding!) However, I do agree appreciate the efforts on this website to raise awareness of the need to get rid of the irresponsible breeding that occurs, not only on puppy farms and others in it solely for financial gain, horrendous as they are; but the supposedly responsible pedigree breeders who place more emphasis on perceived show preferences than health etc. The KC should not approve breeders that are not fully inspected (examples of excellent practice do exist in e.g. Germany where the clubs carry out regular inspections, training of breeding, careful selection for mating, limits to number of litters etc); nor those who defy the BVA guidance, including of course hip criteria.

      Delete
  97. 2017 Westminster best in show, "Rumour Has It" is not much better either!!! Just sitting on the winners table you can see her hocks are pressed together and her feet splayed, knees out. Moving is the same horrible sad mess we have become used to from the breed. Another champion cripple, held up as the best in show! No wonder people are seeing this as normal.

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  98. A disgrace to the GSD Breed and to the Judge.

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