Been busy doing all sorts of stuff hence lack of updated blogging. Like me the Kennel Club has been busy busy busy doing all sorts of stuff and guess what?  Some of it is really quite good. Well to be accurate the Kennel Club Charitable Trust has begun to do some good stuff (only taken them 23 years to get around to stuff of moderate substance as opposed to stuff of inconsequence.) but let me not be picky.

 

See from the accounts that in 2008 they awarded a total of £156,611 to scientific research. Which is not to be sniffed at. Is it? No let's not sniff afterall they were only holding in reserves a mere £2,609,804. So they very generously gave 6% of their total reserves to research into canine health issues. No we must not sniff because it really wasn't their fault that they lost £386,389 ( i.e. twice as much as they spent on research) on the investment of those reserves that year. Could have happened to anybody.

 

Now news in 2009 is better. According to the Trust's update WOOF!   In fact news in 2009 is staggeringly better because they say they awarded over £650,000 to scientific research.  All of which is greatly appreciated.

 

So what happened then between activity in 2008 and 2009? Did dog disease suddenly get a whole lot worse and warrant that additional expenditure? Did the penny finally drop with the trustees that it might be better for dogs if they spent more on research and kept less in reserve? Was it that HRH the Duchess of Cornwall now presides and bless her has better ideas than they have? Or could it be that on August 19th 2008 Pedigree Dogs Exposed  was broadcast. Now has had a worldwide audience of several millions.

It's amazing isn't it? what a little bit of effective scrutiny can achieve. Well done Jemima.

 

as it will be exactly three years since we first learnt about the litter of pups that included Ferdy. Awww!

 

By coincidence got an update from Blu's mom. And look at how that pup is turning out- an absolute stunner. Who needs inbred genes, and rosettes, and post graduate novice up your bum up your bum classes when wonderful crosses turn out like this?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blu is a GSP/Weim cross and I am just so in love with her. As would the Ferds be if they met up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As Alfie's very much one the dogs that Bateson is about he can grace this entry.

 

 

In the wake of the publication of Sir Professor Patrick Bateson’s report on dog breeding in the UK a number of trends seem to be merging.

 

Complete failure, though hardly surprising, of the show forums (our and champ) to engage in any debate about it let alone any meaningful debate.

 

Complete engagement by much of the media with a torrent of headlines explaining that his conclusions for dog breeding are pretty explosive.

 

Some disappointment that the Puppy Contract is not featured strongly and a fair bit of feeling that this is just the beginning of still a long journey.

 

For me there are more than several highlights. The first being that nowhere in the report, nowhere, does he give the Kennel Club unequivocal praise for anything they have done in their entire 137 year history. In fact in Chapter 7 he is scathing about their inertia and makes frequent reference to the fact that they could do more.

 

They could do more analysis of their own data.

Their Accredited Breeder Scheme currently cannot be trusted by the British puppy buying public and really needs reform.

They need to work much more collaboratively and of course he strongly suggests that they cannot be trusted to apply evidence based science to their breeding strategies because he has recommended that an independent Advisory body be set up to oversee that.

 

What an indictment of the Kennel Club. In covering puppy farming as well as dog breeding through the KC register he is making the point that what we have is a continuum of dog breeding here. At one end the awful phenomena of the ruthless exploitation of bitches in puppy farming, through to the type of breeder who breeds to get good show specimens. No-one, no matter what end of the continuum you are, get’s let off the hook.

 

Some notable quotes

 

“Nevertheless, current dog breeding practices do in many cases impose welfare cots on individual dogs from a variety of causes including the following: negligent or incompetent management with particular impact on breeding bitches but also failure to socialise puppies appropriately; use of closely related breeding pairs such that already high levels of inbreeding are worsened; use of breeding pairs carrying inherited disorders such that inherited disease is transmitted to offspring; artificial selection for extreme characteristics that are directly responsible for failure to meet one or more welfare criteria; and the sale of dogs that are unsuited to the conditions in which they will be kept by their owners.” P3

 

“When available, the buying public should be encouraged to purchase only from breeders participating in a robust and audited accreditation scheme”. Page 5. In other words they can't be directed to the current ABS because it is worth salt.

 

He is not very complimentary about the skills and knowledge of many breeders.

 

“”The great majority of breeders of pedigree dogs produce only one or even leass than one litter per year. Many of these people make considerable efforts to inform themselves about what is best for their breed but, as far as I can judge, many are dependent on inexpert and out of date advice”. Page 39.  Priceless.

 

On inbreeding he is unequivocal

 

“on balance therefore, and even setting aside the welfare issues arising from the inheritance of specific disorders, I conclude that the existence of highly inbred populations poses a welfare burden in and of itself.”  Wow.

 

He points out that examples of the successful elimination of inherited disorders are few – in fact he makes the point that the only one actually ever proffered as evidence is CLAD in Irish Setters.

 

In short after 137 years the KC could have done better than the elimination of just one inherited disorder, the improved management of a couple of others such as copper toxicosis in Bedlingtons, the creation of a mediocre accredited breeder scheme which in his opinion is still not yet fit for purpose and a whole raft of intelligent people pointing out the awful mess that they have gotten dogs into.  Remember as well that the KC paid this man to do this review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The look on the cross breed's face says "butter wouldn't melt". The tone of Professor Bateson's language says "there is nothing to threaten the KC here". But what is it they say about a whisper?

As I thought there is plenty of knicker twisting going on especially on the Our Dogs and Champ dogs forums. But my favourite summary of it can be found as usual down in a foxhole with terrierman.   Brilliant as ever.

Much like Christmas Eve there is great excitement tonight in many a household with the prospect tomorrow of Professor Bateson reporting on his inquiry into dog breeding.

Unlike Christmas Eve there is many a household where people (dog breeders in the main) will be getting quite fretful of that prosepct. Well.........

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As they used to say in Dad's Army "They don't like it up' em" those dog breeders no they don't. So many simply can't move on from Pedigree Dogs Exposed . But they are going to have to now. We've had the RSPCA report, the RVC report, the APGAW report and tomorrow we will have the Bateson report. How many reports does it need for them to accept that reform is well overdue and really really necessary?

TaaDaa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The pink collar is a clue. Blu's a girl. So beautiful. She is a cross between a GSP/Weimaraner. Ferdy would love to play with her. She will be included in our Dogs Like Ferdy page as I know that is a favourite amongst many a regular visitor here.  It being full of cross breeds and all. Blu's family are going to have lots of fun with her.

 

Plus look out for a new feature coming soon all about hybrid vigour.

How are you all doing in this? Seems to be great for the dogs - Ferdy is loving it. Of course he does have a nice range of coats to choose from - this his snug sporty number.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Furthermore this climate has revealed Ferdy's very strong SAR tendencies. He clearly would be very good at searching lost souls out from deep deep snow drifts. As long as they had even the merest morsel of fast food about their person - say a KFC coating crumb then he would be sure to dig you out no worries.

We've had a great time. Just wanted to share these fabulous portraits of both Ferdy and Alfie. They are by a very talented artist called  Ian Mason http://www.ianmasonportraits.com/index.html

They can only be described as stunning and we would like to thank him for creating such wonderful work.

 

 

Ferdy

 

 

 

Alfie

 

Before we go into the details of this matter let us remind ourselves again what this is all about.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are involved in all this because of dogs like sweet Olive above. That being said on to the matter at hand.

 

OFCOM ruled today with regard to PDE (landmark documentary at the heart of which was the plight of these poor purebred dogs).

 

The exhaustive findings are hilarious as they highlight to perfection the petty mindedness and sheer stupidity of the senior administration at the KC. I summarise as follows

 

The Kennel Club’s case

 

In summary, the Kennel Club complained that it was treated unfairly in the programme as broadcast in that:

 

a)    Mr Ronnie Irving (Chairman of the Kennel Club) had been asked by Ms Harrison in the programme if he would consider having a baby with his daughter. She then claimed that this was the “same issue” as inbreeding pedigree dogs. This was unfair because it inferred that because Mr Irving might have in- or line-bred pedigree dogs, he would approve of the same in humans.

 

       By way of background, the Kennel Club said that other animals such as horses, or mice bred for laboratory testing, were in- or line-bred.

 

 

Ofcom’s conclusions

The Committee found no unfairness to the Kennel Club in this respect.

 

The KC whinged....

 

b)    The Kennel Club did not give informed consent for its participation in the programme in that:

 

i)     The Kennel Club had agreed to take part in the programme, encouraged others amongst its members and registered breed clubs also to do so, and provided considerable information to the programme makers. This was on the basis that the programme would be a documentary on canine genetics, which would include some history of the Kennel Club and its plans to maintain and improve the health of pedigree dogs. The BBC, which had described the message of the programme to be “a hopeful one, showing how science and breeders can combine to preserve purebreds for the future”, was not straightforward, open and honest with the Kennel Club.

 

       By way of background, the Kennel Club said that if the BBC had been open and honest about its true intentions the Kennel Club would not have been so forthcoming with the information and interviews it gave and encouraged others to give. It would not have contributed to the programme, had it known of its negative message. The Kennel Club had been severely damaged as a result of its treatment in the programme. This was likely to impact extremely negatively on the good work that it did researching and providing solutions for health problems in pedigree dogs.

 

ii)     The message of the programme had changed at some point during production from a “hopeful one” to one which attacked the Kennel Club. It was unfair for the programme makers not to have told the Kennel Club of this shift, which would reasonably have affected the Kennel Club's consent to participate.

 

 

Ofcom’s conclusions

 

the Committee took the view that, although there was a significant change in the programme’s emphasis as the investigation progressed and although Mr Irving had expressed his hope that the programme would be balanced, there were a number of ways in which the Kennel Club was alerted to and/or informed of the changing focus of the programme.

 

In all these circumstances, the Committee found that the Kennel Club had given its informed consent for its participation in the programme. The Kennel Club could have withdrawn its consent as the programme developed but, instead, they continued to participate and its representatives continued to be happy to talk to the programme makers at length.

 

The Kennel club continued to moan......

 

c)    The Kennel Club had been deceived as to the intention of the programme makers and what the full purpose of the programme was to be. It was also deceived as to the relevance of its contributions to the programme.

 

       By way of background, the Kennel Club said that its dealings were neither illegal nor anti-social and that there could be no justification for the deception used on the Kennel Club.

 

Ofcom adjudicated thus........

 

 The Kennel Club could have walked away at any time but continued to participate in the programme. With the exception of the allegations referred to under the Committee’s decision at decision head e) (see i), ii), iii) and xv) below), these allegations were put to the Kennel Club and the Committee considered that the Kennel Club was not deceived about the programme and the fact that it would include some serious allegations about it.

Having found that the Kennel Club was not deceived, the Committee did not need to consider whether any deception was justified in the public interest.

 

The Kennel club wailed

 

d)    The programme was unfairly edited. The programme makers had told the Kennel Club that the programme would contain a fair and truthful representation of what they had said. However, the programme had not contained a fair representation of the Kennel Club's responses. Quotes from senior members of the Kennel Club were also taken out of context to make it appear as though the Kennel Club did not appreciate the health and welfare problems that were faced by pedigree dogs.

 

       By way of example, the Kennel Club said that its geneticist, Dr Jeff Sampson, was made to look flippant on a number of occasions in the programme in a deliberate attempt to discredit him. The programme makers used brief comments made by him, which were short summings up of longer and more complex threads of argument. Dr Sampson and the Kennel Club had been under the impression that much fuller coverage would be given to the positives, or he would not have made the short summary comments, which were then used out of context to discredit his views.

 

Ofcom concluded

 

When the Committee considered this head of complaint, it was mindful of the Kennel Club’s overall complaint in this regard: that the programme had not contained a fair representation of the Kennel Club’s responses and that quotes were taken out of context to make it appear as though the Kennel Club did not appreciate the health and welfare problems faced by pedigree dogs. The Committee considered that the Kennel Club had been afforded a fair opportunity to respond to a number of accusations against it (see head e) below for further detail and a non-exhaustive set of examples) and that the programme included examples of positive steps that the Kennel Club had taken to address various health issues, as detailed above.

 

Overall the Committee considered that, when looking at the programme as a whole, there was a considerable amount of coverage given to the Kennel Club’s position to demonstrate that they did appreciate the health and welfare problems faced by pedigree dogs. On balance, the Committee came to the view that the Kennel Club was not treated unfairly in this respect.

 

What is fair for OfPip to adjudicate on here is the sublime arrogance of the KC. These complaints were submitted on their behalf by some very very expensive lawyers – Schillings – and even the most junior paralegal could have told them that these complaints were totally spurious from the get go.

 

The Kennel Club spat the following dummies out...............

 

 

e)    The programme made several allegations of iniquity and wrongdoing, to which the Kennel Club was not given an appropriate and timely opportunity to respond. The Kennel Club and, by implication, those in charge of running it, were accused of:

 

(i)      having formed out of the Eugenics movement;

(ii)      sharing the same ideologies as Adolf Hitler;

(iii)     hiding a “dark and dirty secret”;

 

Ofcom concluded on points i to iii

 

In the Committee’s view, this part of the programme included a serious allegation about the Kennel Club to which it should have been offered an appropriate and timely opportunity to respond.

 

The Committee therefore found that the Kennel Club was treated unfairly in this respect.

Looking forward, I am to Ms Kisko (she whose husband is on the membership list of the BNP) to get her right to reply to that one.

 

(iv)    approving of the culling of healthy puppies which did not conform to the breed standard;

 

The Committee found no unfairness to the Kennel Club in this respect.

 

(v)     being responsible for the very high levels of disability, deformity and disease in pedigree dogs;

 

The Committee found no unfairness in this respect.

 

(vi)    being responsible for “the greatest animal welfare scandal of our time”;

 

The Committee found no unfairness in this respect.

 

(vii)    being responsible for pedigree dog owners spending £10 million a week in vets' fees;

 

The Committee found no unfairness to the Kennel Club in this respect.

 

(viii)   inbreeding;

 

The Committee found no unfairness in this respect.

 

(ix)    “breeding in deformities and disabilities”;

 

The Committee found no unfairness in this respect.

 

(x)     not taking health and welfare into consideration when judging dog shows;

 

The Committee found no unfairness in this respect.

 

(xi)    being responsible for the breeding of mutants;

 

The Committee found no unfairness in this respect.

 

(xii)    not considering health and welfare when registering new pedigree puppies;

 

The Committee found no unfairness in this respect.

 

(xiii)   not doing enough to combat the health and welfare problems of pedigree dogs;

 

The Committee found no unfairness in this respect.

 

(xiv)  accusing pet owners of overreacting about syringomyelia;

 

 The Committee found no unfairness in this respect.

 

 

 

 

 

Ofcom concluded on point xv

 

(xv)   covering up and brushing aside the operation on Danny the Peke, who won Crufts Best in Show in 2003.

 

The allegation was sufficiently serious to warrant obtaining a response but it was not put to the Kennel Club. The Kennel Club was not, therefore, given an appropriate and timely opportunity to respond to this allegation. This was unfair to the Kennel Club.

 

Please note here that Ofcom have only upheld the need for a right to reply. The KC is in no way vindicated on this matter.

      

 

The Kennel Club had responded in detail to each of these accusations, but its response was not fairly and accurately reflected in the programme. A disproportionately small amount of the hour-long programme concerned the Kennel Club's response to some of the accusations. Its quotes were taken out of context and deliberately made to look weak against some strong counter-statements. Its response to some of the allegations did not appear. In addition, Professor Michael Herrtage, a specialist in small animal medicine at the University of Cambridge and currently Vice-President of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, had been interviewed for over three hours by the programme-makers and was complimentary of the Kennel Club and the work it had been doing to improve the health of pedigree dogs. The programme had not included any footage of his interview.

 

On the above whinge Ofcom ruled

 

The Committee also considered the Kennel Club’s complaint under head e) that footage of Professor Herrtage’s interview was not included in the programme. The Committee considers that it is a matter for programme makers’ editorial discretion as to which potential contributors to use in a programme. It was not incumbent on the programme makers to include any of Professor Herrtage’s interview in the programme and it was not unfair to the Kennel Club that they did not do so.

 

The KC seems to think that this ruling was one that went their way.

 

http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/2836/23/244/3

 

Which leaves me speechless. What utter morons. Though I note they fail to mention the nazi slurr complaint being partially upheld. Doesn’t look like Caroline Kisko cares to make her right to reply on that one. I wonder why?

 

It has been quite a week in the world of pedigree dogs. There has been the recent publication of the APGAW report which concluded as did I more than a couple of years ago that there are serious health and welfare issues attached to pedigree dog breeding. Especially that linked to dog showing.

 

The APGAW report can be found here in full.

 

Then there was the strange situation regarding an Ofcom adjudication on more than a year’s investigation into Pedigree Dogs Exposed

 

This has come to nought and begs the question why did the Kennel Club feel it justified to squander tens of thousands of pounds on such a futile exercise and for once the dog show press is in agreement with me.

 

Then there was the extraordinary revelation that Caroline Kisko, who has got more than a little ruffled about the juxtaposition of pedigree dog breeding with the nazi agenda of creating an Aryan race, is married to a signed up member of the BNP. Hilarious. Followed by her interview on APGAW (are you keeping up so far?) where she felt that individuals like me should not have been given so much credence in that report as we know nothing. Ms Kisko states

 

“On the other side, you’ve got individuals – just individuals  - who don’t necessarily have any expertise at all putting their four penneth in and getting exactly the same profile within the report as the breed clubs who genuinely know what they are talking about.”

 

She goes on to conclude

 

“I think as far as we’re concerned we are very much waiting until the Bateson report comes out and that doesn’t appear until January.  In the meantime it gives us a little more opportunity to look into the APGAW report, but I still would temper that with the fact that there are an awful lot of individual views in there – cases of people where one bad experience does not make somebody an expert.”

 

Happy to go head to head Ms Kisko with any of your breeders especially those who breed German Wirehaired Pointers on a quiz on canine health and welfare. Very happy. I also for the record Ms Kisko know and understand more than you do on why the overuse of popular sires is so potentially deleterious to the health of breed populations. But then you see Ms Kisko whilst you have spent the last couple of years sharing niceties with extreme right wing politicians, and filibustering in the media and arranging receptions with the great and the good I have been boning up on genetics, attending health seminars and getting to know who is who in canine health and welfare.  But with all this it is so easy to forget what this is about. This is All ABOUT Olive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This little dog is suffering from a number of inherited and conformation linked health problems. Her owner cares greatly about this. So do I.

 

Caroline awaits for the Bateson review and so do I – my evidence submitted to that was even stronger than the submission to APGAW. I can’t wait. Let’s hope that poor Olive can wait and that she can wait for the reforms that hopefully all of this will secure. None of which would ever come about if Ms Kisko was left to her own devices.

 

Oh and PS Caroline – guess what? I am just loving putting in my four penneth. Just loving it.

http://www.apgaw.org/reports.asp

 

I feel totally vindicated today in taking on the pedigree health issues that I have taken on following on from Alfie's pretty miserable health record. I feel also that parliamentarians have listened to concerned pet owners, unlike the politically somewhat questionable, Kennel Club. The report certainly throws down the gauntlet for the KC and for breeders, accredited or not when it says

 

"Whilst recognising the work undertaken over the last year, we further believe that the KC should make the decision about whether registering dogs or dog health and welfare is their primary objective and focus their attentions more precisely on this when taking the issue forward."

 

So Irving, Kisko, Lambert et al which is it to be?

 

I am also very heartened that a direct quote from me in the report (para 2.2.6) is immediately followed by supporting evidence from the BVA no less. And I quote

 

"Many veterinary surgeons in companion animal practices state that it is part of a typical day as a veterinarian to see such dogs with these problems come in and out of the clinic for treatment. "The veterinary profession sees the impact of inbreeding and line breeding on a daily basis in veterinary practices across the UK" Indeed it has been suggested that the high frequency of genetic disease and the exaggerated features that are seen in purebred dogs have resulted in the desensitisation of society and veterinarians to the resultant issues" (para 2.2.7)

Well not in this house. Well done APGAW on a brilliant contribution to the debate.

Introducing Jager   taadaaa!

 

 

His mum says that he is the result of an accidental rendezvous between a Weimaraner and a German Shorthaired Pointer. Here at Ferdy HQ we most definitely approve of accidental rendezvous. Because it means that both parents had healthy appetites if you get my drift. No inbreeding depression there. They chose their partners as opposed to having one chosen for them by the current day equivalent of a Darwin's cousin. And there is a good chance that little cute as a leather button Jager here is the result of an act of canine passion unencumbered by human interference or the need for silk scarves.

 

Here's wishing him and his family a lovely time together like we are having with the Fiddler. And how clever of them to choose a sofa to match their dog!!!

Yesterday was the third anniversary of us saying farewell to Alfie. But for those of faith here he is probably running the beaches at rainbow bridge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I spent the day attending this seminar at Leeds University

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Presented by the Bearded Collie Club Northern Branch. At which I met the good dog people that exist. You know the ones - they want to develop a proper understanding of breeding issues and genetics in particular. They want to do all the tests and support the research. The ones that don't peddle rubbish about BARF diets and vaccination. The ones who truly get to the bottom of the problems. Sadly, and this is sad for Ferd too - Beardies are not the only breeds to suffer from autoimmune disease. Weimaraners and short haired pointers present. And of course we have mentioned here before the issue of myositis in viszlas. See http://vizslamyositis.blogspot.com/ for a reminder.

 

Thank the lord that the dogs themselves live in ignorant bliss of all the dreadful things that can befall them. Ferdy spent yesterday as usual - a couple of hours out hunting and playing and then this.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.......until of course they are hit by these conditions. Pictures of the dogs suffering from AI problems are heartbreaking. There can be pain and real distress involved.

He would like to remind everyone that strictly speaking this is his website - here he is having a bit of a sulk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shiny coat no? I can't in truth take any credit for that. Maybe its the occasional tin of pilchards he gets.

...isn't Bo a Ted Kennedy Dog?

 

This is he now shacked up with the Obama's. We LOVe Barack. He is the Mongrel of all mongrels. Just like Ferdy - a Mutt and proud.

 

To my US contacts I would like to extend my condolences on the loss of Ted Kennedy. An amazing family. An amazing catholic family. An amazing dog family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OK so not Ted. But a Kennedy enjoying his dog. God bless.

.......love the breeds that we love?

 

Last week I met a really wonderful person who helped out at West Yorkshire Dog Rescue and she had with her a frenchie. Now those who follow this blog will know that ever since watching with a relish Cesar Millan and his pack I have not only fallen in love with Daddy (who wouldn't?) I have also fallen in love with Sid.

 

But why ? Knowing what I know about their fertility issues, reproductive issues, breathing issues, skin issues and all round ISSUES why would I still hanker after one of them? Intelligent answers on a postcard please?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course the chances of me ever getting one remain remote. Answer me this Frenchie people - can they have sex unaided? Can they self whelp?

 

No! Then on your ruddy bike. Cute expression or no cute expression.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Graveley Dog Show

Brother's Diamond Dog Dickie Tummy First and BOB in Working dogs and First in Waggiest Tail. And this only his second show! Brilliant does that qualify him for Discount Furnishing Store Crufts? Handled well and top line stunning - needs to mature a little in rear but all said a promising youngster. Oh and what? No chalk!

 

 

 

 

 

 

What if Jemima Harrison had not felt there was a case to answer by the KC, what if the BBC had not commissioned Pedigree Dogs Exposed, what if at 9 o’clock that August evening they had broadcast yet again the Vicar of Dibley Christmas special?

 

There would be no Bateson review, no APGAW review, possibly not even the RSPCA report.

 

The BBC would still be peddling, albeit in defendable ignorance the lie that Crufts is the epitome of canine health and well being.

 

The majority of Cav breeders would still be wallowing in their denial that SM is a serious and disturbing condition, for which they are largely to blame.

 

The Rhodesian Ridgeback Club would still be calling for the routine culling of ridgeless puppies.

 

The GSD show fancy would be still blissfully forging ahead with the utterly deplorable and ridiculous notion that the back ends of the GSD show dog are fit for function. Oh and whilst on the subject of fit for function as flawed as that limp campaign is, without PDE that would be yet another well meaning but wholly un-implemented KC intention now consigned to the “good but never to be actioned” long list of old press releases.

 

If PDE had not been broadcast last August the serious, shocking and often nauseating canine welfare and health issues that are institutionally created by current pedigree dog breeding practices and the show fancy would remain challenged by few, and even those lone voices in the wilderness would have been marginalised by our friends in the KC as wacky, extreme, and uneducated. When now thanks to PDE we know the opposite is true.

 

If PDE had not been made and transmitted I would NOT know that

 

 

·         It is perfectly feasible to liberate the amazing Dalmatian from its current sentence of painful bladder stones – and only entrenched and archaic attitudes of stupid Dalmatian breeders are preventing this from happening.

 

·         Bulldog bitches are frequently roped up to a rape rack to enable some sort of mating to go ahead regardless of how the bitches themselves feel about the matter.

 

·         The KC have a history of publicly stating they will review breeds and amend practices but follow such claims up with zero action. Thanks to that footage from the 1980s.

 

Now admittedly the last three points there never even made it to the final cut of PDE. But they have featured strongly in the hours and hours of subsequent debate, the pages and pages of subsequent newspaper coverage and the mega and giga bytes of online argument that had followed in PDE’s wake.

 

Finally if PDE had not have been broadcast I would still believe that the views and the experiences of pet owners who are fed up to the back teeth of having to manage, control, live with and finally have their hearts broken by the sickness of their dogs, would count for nothing. Well now they count for so much.

 

With the landscape now irreversibly altered by, as so aptly termed by Patrick Burns the “game changing” PDE, pet owners at last have some chance of getting to the bottom of the truth about the health status of these dogs, and get a glimpse of understanding of the ethical issues called into play by the breeding of them.

 

It is not an end in itself but is for me the accelerator of the work and campaign started by those few lone voices, the Emmas, the Ryans, the Beverleys and the Patricks. It has enabled them to speak even louder and has given people like me permission to speak up and not be afraid to defend my position – which is now irrevocably against dog showing and line breeding.

 

In terms of dog welfare we have so moved on from thinking that the only dog worth having is one bred from show champions, that the only reliable custodian of dog matters is the KC, and the only goal worth harbouring is to own a purebred. Thanks to PDE and its subsequent impact we now know, with confidence that those are hollow dog ambitions. We now have the opportunity to establish once and for all what a dog is really for.

 

.....has been launched today. Created by the amazing Dr Clare Rusbridge.

http://www.veterinary-neurologist.co.uk/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sadly too late for Lord Alfred. But a great addition to online resources for those other owners who still battle with their pet's epilepsy.

Happy Birthday to the Ferds and all his litter sisters.

 

To celebrate we took Ferdy on his first hunt (see Ferdy's First page for more exciting details). This is in honour really of one the dog blogs that has achieved cult status - yes you all know who I mean - terrierman. See

http://terriermandotcom.blogspot.com/

but if strong opinions offend probably best not to. Well the Fiddler is sometimes a little jealous of Mountain and Pearl - terrierman's terriers because they live the huntin shootin fishin life and are oft seen with a wombat or somesuch between their teeth. Well Ferdy is not daunted - we took him hunting ourselves today for a birthday present. What a magnificent trophy!

 

 

 

 

So what is good enough for the wilds of Virginia is good enough for YO31 (City of York).

Had two updates this week from family and friends. One from Thomas in Holland.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He is now a Daddy. Many congratulations to him and his pups. And some news from Ferdy's sister Hilda.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She's been having a ball snow-wise. Oh and look at her beautiful face. Note to Ferdy. Where is all your wire dear boy? He is, in comparison, distinctly wireless. Shame.

 

 

 

 

Please let me introduce you to Mutley.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He is such a sweetheart don't you think? But is it me? or does he look like he could do with being placed in a really good home? My very good friend CP who currently takes care of him assures me that he HAS a very good home - but I would rather like to see more evidence of that. His colouring would match with Ferdy's quite nicely.

One of my bestist canine heroes is Shelley. Who knows only too well all about epilepsy as her gorgeous Olliebobs suffered. She set up Ollies Fund much mentioned here. Her wonderful Bracco, Jacob ran off after deer near Audley End in essex last week and we are all desperate for news of him.

We must pray hard for their safe reuniting. Please St Anthony. Please. And St Jacob for that maater.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.doglost.co.uk/Page.aspx?data=pzp8JrdCfxmOYLL7ThMH8cgDIBGNb_3527OBXgIvucPT1ZF5GXNTxJvszpZ4KNYlurx

of Wood Green. She contacted me in a bit of a state as in my last post I had not made it clear to which Sheila Atter I was referring. So just to clear it up she would like it known, that having watched PDE last summer, she is not now nor has ever been the Sheila Atter in pedigree dogs. Sheila Atter of Wood Green would never now have anything to do with pedigree dogs.

 

There Sheila of Wood Green I hope that clears things up.

Ferdy says sorry to you.

I've been away for a bit because there is just so much happening in the dog world. But I'll report on that soon. I want to introduce you to a new member of my extended family. One ziggy diggy Diamond of a dog.

 

 

 

He's attached to my neice The Rainbow - as you can see. He was of course taken on by my Bro against my best advice. Being a line bred show dog of the mini bull terrier variety. But they went ahead anyways. And personality wise he is adorable - like a little white pet piglet. Phenotypically-wise well he is of that mutantish shape we all know and love that is the Bull terrier. Genotypically-wise of course we are yet to find out. I wish them all the best.

 

The Rainbow neice told me a secret - she keeps kissing this ugly bugs dog in the hope that he will transform into a handsome pointer prince like this - a proper dog. Keep kissing Ames - you just never know.

 

After a lifetime of soaking up years of totally uncritical coverage of Crufts and loving every second of it - even Peter Purves, I first encountered a hint of something sinister as early in my own dog showing career as my first trip to ringcraft.

When you have never been to such a thing as a ringcraft lesson my advice is to expect the unexpected. I was not prepared for the snorting and heavy breathing for a start. No that wasn't the rather rotund Akita handler but two bulldogs. It was that encounter that immediately made the Emma Milne penny drop. She being one, if not the first, Vocal Vet who had warned me one morning on breakfast telly that these dogs had problems.

But it is only when you actually meet them that you can easily see what she means. They were hot, they were bothered and they were struggling to breathe. But that - I was told was just bulldogs.

I was not prepared for the sex lesson I got over the coffee break when a very nice lady who had the most wonderful Newfie (get the jargon) explained without so much as a blush, how she was going to take her soon to be mated. But her bitch was not that co-operative so the intended sire would have to be forced upon her. That too is commonplace. So is zapping bitches with fertility drugs, using "mating cradles" - go to Terrierman for more on that, holding bitches down, putting them routinely through ceasarian sections. And this is not just bulldogs - many breeds need this type of "assistance".

So what with the dubious sexual mores of breeders, the degree of inbreeding, the colossal amount of genetic faults and conditions, the shortening lifespans, the holding the terriers by tails, the eye tacking, the coat whitening, the crating, the travelling, the leaving for hours on end on cold wooden benches to say nothing of all the covering up of health issues (and yes I am talking about you Ms Costello)- what with all that three cheers to the BBC for suspending coverage of Crufts.

 

And before you all write in to tell me that there are many good breeders out there and you are one of them, and you do so much health testing, and you only take your dogs to shows if they actually enjoy it. Before you all write in to protest along those lines may I say this. Every single dog person I have met looks me straight in the eye and swears they always pick up their dogs poo. But how can they all be right when there is shit loads of shit out there on my road as we speak. Your words do not match your actions. The BBC has now recognised this and my guess is they will never broadcast Crufts again. RIP ringcraft and all who sail in her.

It seems that despite the credit crunch we were all determined to make this year's BBC Children in Need a huge success and even the Ferds got into the charitable spirit. Just look at how much he enjoyed wearing his ears and pudsey bandana.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think it almost looks like I have digitally put them on him - but no it is for real. I was going to donate a pound for every minute he kept them on - but that would have ended up being about 12pence.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey/fundraising/buystuff.shtml

 

Congratulations to all in the US on the milestone election of Barack Obama to the White House. But did you realise the stir you would be creating over this side of the Atlantic in your choice of President? You'll have got that Alison Smith's knickers in a right old twist what with the President Elect's promise to get his girls a puppy. Possibly one from a shelter. Possibly (turn away now Ms Smith) even a mixed breed. Even worse likely to be some sort of "Doodle". As initial presidential decisions go Mr President, Oprah had it right you are "brilliant".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course the White House has a long history of dog loving which is fascinating in itself. And of course Mr President you won't have too much trouble getting your doodle mix from a shelter because according to Ms Smith and her ilk rescues are always deluged by those designer mixes. Her paper ran a piece earlier in the year saying that the DogsTrust had been inundated by designer mixes through their rescue centres. I contacted the Dogs Trust press centre for the facts and in this year up to that date there had been THREE doodle mixes amongst the many other types of dog they take in.

 

I am just so excited for the Obama family and already totally adore Barack for describing himself as a "mutt". Yes sir you are my kind of guy alright. But a light will always burn in my heart for Bill.

Many is the day I wish I had been born into a different life. Yes one with "people that do" for you, one where you can't actually see the end of your garden, not because of all the over grown shrubs but because it actually extends to over the horizon, one where I could have immediately said "yes" to this.

 

 

He is a Great Dane/ German Shepherd cross and is in urgent need of a foster home for a few weeks. If you can help please contact info@blackretrieverx.co.uk

To drool over this gorgeous boy some more go to http://www.blackretrieverx.co.uk/Home.html

Wonder if I could swap Ferdy for him.........ONLY KIDDING FERDS

 

 

 

helps your canine health and welfare campaign on its way. Not often I blog twice in one day but breaking news, breaking news,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mars the owners of the brand Pedigree have pulled their sponsorship of Crufts. OMG. That in commercial terms is serious and an absolute disaster for any organisation to lose that level of funding. They make the point that they will continue to support the KC but only in endeavours that reflect the broader dog owning community. This is the equivalent of that sign flicked at me a few weeks ago outside the Yew Lodge Summit.

I really believe that the top team at the Kennel Club should resign. Under their stewardship their business and their brand may just have entered an unrecoverable position. It is total mismanagement. But it is great for dogs - and remember Ferdy's non PC KC ABC name........Aramaic Magnificent MARS. I am off to celebrate this development, no not gloat, I am not much of a gloater, and get several mars bars to enjoy straight from the fridge, sliced so that you can see each confectionery layer. MMMMMmmmmmm they have never tasted so good. Thank you Pedigree people. This is a very strong message to send out about the disproportionate influence the show world has enjoyed over planet dog.

 

Following the broadcast of the landmark documentary Pedigree Dogs Exposed to five million people here in the UK in August there has been an unprecedented flurry of activity from all sides. Congratulations Jemima Harrison by the way on the subsequent awards and recognition. More to come no doubt as the true impact of that film emerges. With that flurry comes a whole new language and you know I love new language even though no doubt my often misuse or poor spelling would get the Amises in a right old tiz. Here are some new terms to ponder.

 

"The Malvern Dog" - bred by a "beverley who must be avoided", made famous in the film, as he was passing on his genes to any generation that wanted them despite him being perhaps not the ideal sire - what with his MRI scan results and all.

"The Yew Lodge Summit"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Such an ideal location. Where Margaret Carter, despite an amazing track record in supporting the health of a breed was ousted for blowing the whistle. Never mind Margaret - you know what you should be thinking every time you apply lipstick? You can look yourself in the mirror and be proud.

There is also the "puppy farm diversion". Every time someone explains to hard core show types the issues in pedigree dogs they immediately flag up the awful predicament of puppy farm dogs and point saying "well those are worse". No they are not. Poor breeding is poor breeding whether it be by a show breeder or a puppy farmer. BOTH need to be tackled. There is no hierarchy in dog cruelty - it all needs to be eradicated.

But my favourite is the "PETA manoeuvre". Used by the very desperate. It is used to "dismiss" only the most articulate challengers of pedigree dog breeding, (largely because all other tactics to silence us have failed) it is used on those who are genuinely concerned about animal welfare. It is of course libellous because all the wonderful vocal people I have met whilst on this campaign for alerting the British public to the darker side of the show world, none have/are/were members of PETA. Please hard core show people get to know your welfare from your rightists. Lawd hope that dear writer Martin Amis does not choose today to land on by blog - he will be disappointed. Yeh right as if!

we said bye bye to Alfie. We gave him one very last hug. But now we can remember all the other wonderful hugs he gave us. Like this one

welcome to ferdyworld!

Where things like this are very very important.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also of great import to us in ferdyworld are attitudes; accepting that some people prefer a cross from a pure, challenging poor breeding practices such as the overuse of a popular sire, encouraging health testing, exposing breeder lies especially those that are told to cover up the breeding from unhealthy stock, persistent I should add.

Also of great import are our dog heros and heroines Harrison, Cuddy, Carter, Fowler, Milne and Evans. Well they do sound like a dodgy firm of solicitors when said like that - imagine being the telephonist there and having to sing out that greeting.

Also of great import is the active support of research such as that done by the Animal Health Trust, gawd blessem and please remember Ollie at www.aht.org.uk

we have press releases flying in from all quarters - we have responses flying back, forums that are over moderating so it throws all the threads out of wack - misunderstandings between friends - it is a veritable chaos. But amidst the chaos there is reason coming from K9 magazine

http://www.k9magazine.com/viewarticle.php?sid=105&aid=1238&vid=0&npage

 

oh and just for the record the KC came out today in support of our serene Margaret Carter - but critics question their motives on that one. And you have to admit why come out in her support after the deed was done. All is not right in the house of Denmark. What is the status of the banks there?

Dear Cavalier Club

I understand why you ousted Margaret Carter on a technicality. But it is to be regretted that you systematically failed to see the real morals and ethics at play here.

Rules of confidentiality are not there to protect the guilty, are not there to prolong poor unethical breeding practices, are not there to misguide the puppy buying public. Or at least they weren't there for all those reasons until now of course.

The Cavalier breed has a very pretty face. Your club membership has two faces.

 

The serene and gracious Margaret Carter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then there is this face. One of her critics.

That is not a nice way to treat one of Margaret's staunch supporters.

 

Of course it is easy for Margaret to be serene. She has God on her side.

is the 4th October.

Which makes it the Feast of St Frances of Assisi.

Which makes it World Animal Day. To read more about this and the UK's ambassador Ryan O'Meara go to

http://www.k9magazine.com/viewarticle.php?sid=105&aid=1238&vid=0&npage

Oh and also, and because of this it is highly unlikely we will get through the day without tears it should have been Alfie's 6th Birthday.

Go to www.ourdogalfie.com to read about our most wonderful bozo.

He took something of us when he went but he has left great memories and for that we thank him loads.

In loving memory of him @RB as they say and all those dogs lost to epilepsy.

We've moved. We've said goodbye to the rural idyll. And said hello to - wait for it Red Girls.....wait for it.......yes we've moved to a place with shops!

 

Ferdy is impressed - not alot. But as you see he can easily relax amongst the chaos of boxes, and pictures and stuff.

So you can all look forward to some city capers. A la Hamish in Hackney. Though granted where we are does not have the cache of east London. But we at least no longer have a 60 mile round trip to Tescos.

 

 

and how welcome is that I hear you say. Well it has been an interesting time here in dogworldUK what with "that BBC programme" and those "vocal vets" and those "questionable canine charities" pulling out of Crufts. So during these turbulent troubled times what has the Ferds actually been up to? Yes he what was referred to in "that BBC programme" as the "common mutt"!

 

Getting even more handsome by the day - as you can see.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and on the one day that could be construed as a summer enjoyed my makeshift sun shade.

Not in the least bit troubled by the "rocking" of the pedigree dog breeding system by those documentary makers. Then he wouldn't would he? Wallowing in his COI of zero and his mixed blood and genes. What a lucky fella.

Re my previous blog - there are Beverleys that should be avoided. Then there are other Beverleys that must be cherished. Beverley Cuddy is most defnitely in the latter group.

See this and sign it, if like me you are concerned about the health of our dogs

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/ReformtheKC/

What do you mean I promised to lay off the KC? This petition is not attacking them - no no - it is helping them. If we reach our target number of signatures it will enable the KC to keep the pressure on any of their more resistant Breed Clubs. <add smiley wink wink>

No you are alright. Your eyes are not deceiving you. I did actually blog applause for the KC. No I am not even being sarcastic. I have made a public vow not to be sarcastic about them but instead give them a chance to deliver on some of their recent promises as stated here in a press release.

ACTIONS WITHIN THE WORLD OF PEDIGREE DOGS

The Kennel Club will make full use of the measures it has within its remit and authority to ensure that all breed clubs and councils encourage their members to undertake health screening appropriate to each breed and that individual breeders reach the highest possible standards of husbandry and welfare. 

The Kennel Club Breed Health and Welfare Strategy Group (BHWSG) will continue to play a major role in this. It consists of a number of people as follows:

• Dr Ruth Barbour, BA., MB ChB, FRCGP (Chairman)
• Prof. Mike Herrtage, MA, BVSc, DVR, DVD, DSAM, DECVIM, DECVDI, MRCVS, Dean of Cambridge Veterinary School
• Prof. Sheila Crispin, MA,VetMB, BSc, PhD, DVA, DVOpthal, DipECVO, FRCVS, Past President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
• Frank Kane, Chairman Kennel Club Breed Standards Committee
• Meg Purnell-Carpenter, Vice-Chairman Kennel Club Breed Standards Committee
• Ronnie Irving, Kennel Club Chairman
• Caroline Kisko, BSc, Kennel Club Secretary

KC Health Department

• Dr Jeff Sampson, BSc DPhil, Genetics Advisor
• Bill Lambert, Health & Information Manager
• Diana Brooks-Ward, BSc, Health Co-ordinator

Those breed clubs and councils which have been consulting and making progress with the Kennel Club can expect to continue to do so – with renewed vigour and determination.

To read the whole piece click here http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/2033/23/244/3

In short my fellow campaigners they are hopefully going to take us from this

 

 

Beverley Costello, top left, who was filmed in Pedigree Dogs Exposed. Or perhaps that should be "was exposed in Pedigree dogs Exposed."

Show type GSD bottom left - simply shocking.

 

 

 

 

 

to perhaps this

http://www.italianspinone.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=8&Itemid=62

The spin people are providing us with a benchmark approach to health and the open and transparent reporting of these issues. So perhaps my blog entry should actually be called applause please for the good people in Spinones. Three cheers for them and people like Shelley who is tireless in her efforts to remember her Olliebobs.

 www.aht.org.uk

STREUTH what a time in the dog world NOT to be connected to the internet. A slightly more paranoid person than myself would be forgiven for feeling that Virgin Broadband was conspiring with the kennel club to keep me quiet and out of the fray. So there is a lot to catch up on.

Lets' start with grammar. What is the collective noun for a group of scholarly geneticists and veterinarians? A clog? as in clever? A stella - as in stars? or perhaps plain and simple a learned intelligent cohort? No. Apparently according to Ronnie Irving (the present Chair of the KC) it is bunch. A bunch of scientists. And he will not be told by them which dogs he will mate with which and if he wants to mate brother to mum by heck he will.

As far as I am concerned he can carry on mating which to what - I don't care. As long as I have the right to tell anyone who will listen - do not under any circumstances get a puppy with an inbreeding coefficient of more than 6%. Me - I want zero - yes I am very much in a zero tolerance mood. You may ask me why? All I will do is sign post you to the wonderful scientists such as Helmutth Wachtel, Jeffrey Bragg, John Armstrong and several others. They really are a nice bunch of guys.

Can't think why but the illustration below seems appropriate. It was perhaps those scenes in that canine masterpeice Pedigree Dogs Exposed (Passionate Productions 2008) that got me thinking of this picture......

is - it gets in the way of time that could be spent exploring the nether virtual world of other people's lives. Or in my case other people's dog's lives. Here is a selection of places where I spend a good portion of my working day.

http://uk.blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-WjFltNk8eqsFx8ManH08VlOQug--?cq=1&n=25480

that belongs to Buddy - a gorgeous white german shepherd - who sadly suffers from epilepsy but despite that he enjoys a great life with his family who have - it turns out - the most excellent taste in baby names.

Then there is

 

http://redgirls-in-scotland.blogspot.com/

this belongs to a couple of Vizslas who are very adept at blogging - they have an enviable turn of phrase and are very funny - especially on the subject of urban envy. Even the photos are funny...

 

and for those of us prone to bouts of urban envy here is the vizsla blog par excellence 

 http://hamish-in-hackney.blogspot.com/

This one is littered with pics of Hamish in the most glamorous of places - he gets to walk in St James' Park and meet royal ducks and things.

 

 

 

 

 

See what I mean. Ferdy is just off to the fort - for the ninth time this week.

 

Visiting all my blogspots usually takes me up past Ken Bruce and nearly into Steve Wright. It is such a great use of time.

I know that many better educated people frown deeply when presented with mottos or little sayings or cliches. Quite rightly. But I came across a blog this week about a woman who moved from London to Northumberland and didn't quite like what she found. Mud, loneliness, long distant supermarkets, the scarcity of essential resources such as fresh basil and LBDs. Of course for those of us with BIG DOGS its a fantastic place to live - wide empty beaches - save for the whingy bags who have moved "up north" from London - what do you mean I am one of them!

Anyway what I want to shout at this wife of the north is "when given a load of lemons..........

make margaritas". I know its a terrible little piece of hokum - but I like it and of course I love margaritas. So Judith O'Reilly - think on lass - and read this

http://littlecottonrabbits.typepad.co.uk/

Julie is someone who makes sublime margaritas. Her blog is a blog of nothing but sheer joy. She also makes these

 

DON'T ANY OF YOU DARE ADD YOUR NAMES TO HER WAITING LIST - not until I have managed to secure a bunny for myself. I'm warning you all it takes a loooong time.

Look who's here........

 

 

 .....only Ferdy's baby brother! He is just eight weeks old and his name is Louis. He has a wonderful white paw and Ferdy would just luuurve to take him out and show him stuff.

 

That makes it sound perhaps like he is "ours" - but no we were sent these great pics by his new family. We haven't yet ventured into the two-dog territory but you never know.

Lots of love to Louis and his family.

Whilst on my adventures of a virtual kind e.g. blogs and forums etc I have had many an exchange with people on a variety of dog subjects from dog Agility through to canine signs of the Zodiac and don't forget our wonderful entry for Q - qualzucht! The entry for E must certainly be ethics. Are there ethical considerations when getting a dog? Would some purchasing decisions be more ethical than others? We can agree I am sure that certain sources for getting puppies are most definitely more ethical than others - but which?

I ask this because obviously now with the Fiddler Ferdell being 17 months old we are thinking along the lines of a "brother" for him - but from whence should that brother be begat??

This gave me food for thought

http://www.k9magazine.com/viewarticle.php?sid=105&aid=1238&vid=0&npage=

As the article explains Staffordshire bull terriers are the most likely breed to end up in our big brand rescues. I call them big brands because there is sterling work being done by expansive hosts of other good breed people rescuing their favoured breeds be it Great Danes or Labradoodles in the smaller less publicised rescue operations. And this leads to a lack of variety in the big name rescues by and large.

The list of top breeds found in the big brand rescues shows that the growing trend in favour of F1 crosses has not yet resulted in a mass rehoming issue - though many believe that the Staffies are suffering because they are no longer the "breed" of fashion. This places, in my opinion a Staffie rescue at a fairly high spot in our "ethical" puppy/dog purchasing league table. What do you think?

 

My favourite rescue site is

http://www.dogsblog.com/category/staffordshire-bull-terrier/

 

And this fella is a typical wonderful example. But to be totally fair to the breed they deserve to be wanted for more than just ticking the ethical box.

I need to think about upping my Staffie skills and on that note high up on my "what I would do if I won the lottery list" - yes I know I have a lot of lists - is donate a quarter of a million pounds to the Cesar and Ilusion Milan foundation in return for a month's shadowing them in California - do you think they would go for that? Obviously this plan is contingent on winning the lotto and that in turn is contingent on luck - oh and the small matter of buying a ticket. But Cesar is the very epitome of "deed not breed" with his glorious Daddy.

Of course I could do some volunteering at a local dog rescue - and put my money where my large gob is.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club

I see you have got your priorities right as usual. A report is produced following a high level workshop - the House of Lords no less - in which we are informed that possibly between 30 - 70% of Cavs may suffer from the painful and debilitating disease, Syringomyelia. And your response? Is an open letter to CAWC expressing you appalledness at the report being leaked - what a whole 24 hours prior to the agreed release date.

Please see their web site

http://www.thecavalierclub.co.uk/

With such a nuanced understanding of what is important, as illustrated by said letter, no wonder so many of those poor pups are in the state they are.

Please get a grip of the important things in their short lives and address the bloody issue rather than the messengers. You are in grave danger of becoming a complete laughing stock.

Yours faithfully

A well meaning noseyparker (sorry folks for the bad language - actually wanted to say something altogether more serious)

I have been trying to train Ferdy to STOP on the command of !Haltz! - but from now on I am going to use Qualzucht! . There a several notions how this term translates, most of which are very emotive. I am just going to use qualzucht - like I use gestalt or zeitgeist. Though these are all german terms I don't feel you need to translate them,  they perform effectively just as they are. But I can easily explain qualzucht for you by using my lovely assistant Lucy.

Here is Lucy today

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is Lucy a few years back, well quite a few years back

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Qualzucht is the process through which Lucy here has been turned into Lucy above.

Qualzucht is being challenged in countries that have ratified the European Convention on Pet Animal Welfare because they are concerned that breeding practices have had a significant deleterious impact on some breeds of dogs. Sadly some dogs like Lucy of today struggle to breath, keep cool and even move ably because of qualzucht.

Do you feel that me supporting this legislation makes me a neo-animal rightist or just someone enthusiastic about animal welfare?

 

Tell you what - I don't care what it makes me - it is fundamentally wrong to subject an animal to a way of breeding that renders it physicaly and genetically challenged. Full stop. Oh well ok I hardly ever drop the terms gestalt or zeitgeist into my conversations but you get my drift.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't you just love the web? A week or so ago I was pondering how I got into dogs as I don't come from a "doggy" family and remembered getting my first dog book aged 7. I googled it. Up it came on amazon and here it is.....

 

Written way back in the seventies by Wendy  Boorer, who I believe is still active in dogs. Of course this book fails to extol the virtues of cross breeds and it gives scant attention to genetic disease in pedigrees but just look at which breeds are the first in her list of breeds

 

 

 

 

 

 yes, my god POINTERS. That is clearly when the seed was sown.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and here is my very first dog. Urgh - he's a bit scary like something from a Speilberg horror film where familiar things turn nasty on their unsuspecting owners. I called him Dax. He is from Hamleys in Regent Street circa 1966-67. Sadly not Steiff. But he now lives with my mum - what a great age for a Dachshund - and no back problems just some stuffing coming out of his head.

 

 

 

that Cesar Millan is great for dogs. I know some may find parts of his practice unpallatable but I am no longer one of them. We are now adopting the "no touch, no talk, no eye contact" with Ferdy and it is working very effectively. Of course there is still lots of affection and fun and games but only when we are calm submissive - sorry I mean only when he is calm submissive - we have to be calm assertive.

 

 This is Wilshire the firedog - who came under Cesar's spell and it was a great lesson. Now Wilshire has his own website

http://www.wilshirethefiredog.org/

He has been my favourite Cesar client so far. But come on good fire service people of Wilshire Boulevard I see from his web pages he is getting a little fat!

You may have guessed already but I am not the Kennel Club's biggest fan. However credit must be given when some credit is due. They have released this press statement today about skin tacking

http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/1763/pg_dtl_art_news/pg_hdr_art/pg_ftr_art

Yes a common practice is for some breeds to routinely get cosmetic surgery very shortly after birth or as their eyes go on to develop entropian. The cause of this is the very loose skin that some breeds such as Shar Peis are bred with. Basically they have a skin size about five times larger than their body size and some of them can't see through all those folds. At last the KC are tackling the tacking. I am pleased about that and maybe more pups will be bred that look like this little chap - he is a shar pei mix breed and looks as if he can see at least. Though his skin still looks  a little on the large size. Whatever next heh? The KC promoting the benefits of having a crossbreed???

 

As an independent, knows her own mind kind of woman, I'm pretty impervious to the power of media hype. Yes I surely know when I'm being spun alright and I consciously battle against being manipulated. I mean I was already buying free range long before HFW heated up his campaign, the Honda ads have absolutely nothing to do with why I have Honda, I researched and found that they had been found to be reliable. And the fact that I am now researching into Fawn French Bulldogs has absolutely nothing to do with the that regal one I mentioned on the Michael Owen documentary. Nor the fact that in the background of some shots on Cesar Millan's** show can be seen his very playful, very engaging Fawn Frenchie, Sid. And look whose been snapped lately showing her dog Diva...

 

 

 

That is Patty Hearst. They did rather well at Westminster. Frenchies are very expensive - three or four times more than many other pedigree dogs. I enquired recently to ask why this is so and was told that amongst other things they have very small litters, most have to be delivered through C-section, and wait for it.....they need two to three people to get a successful mating. Urgh! What do those two to three people have to do exactly? So presumably if a pack of Frenchies was left to get on, on their own devices they would quickly die out. What sanity is there in a breed strandard that results in dogs that cannot reproduce by themselves?

 

**My personal jury is still out on Cesar Millan - still feel uncomfortable about some of his techniques but have not as yet drawn any conclusions.

It wasn't until we got a dog, took great pleasure in choosing his name, and then started living with him that I realised you develop lots of nicknames for them too. I have to add - Ferdell - to my nickname mix for Ferdy. It is pronounced stressing the second syllable. Shock horror - poor Kingsley Amis will be turning in his grave**, yes I pronounce it americanised - as in Verdell - the absolutely adorable Griffon Bruxellois in one of my all time favourite films - As Good as it Gets.

   Of course becareful with the lovely little Griffons - I believe Syringomyelia is known in that breed - and they too can have the Chiari Malformation. Poor little things.

 

I'm pretty hot on my dogs in fiction - Hooch obviously a big favourite - also Dodie Smith's....no not 101 Dallies but her wonderful Bull Terrier, Heloise, in I Capture the Castle and of course Paul Auster's story of Mr Bones broke my dawg loving heart (Timbuktu).

 

**This is a reference to Kingsley Amis's The King's English which contrary to what all the evidence created through this blog suggests, I have actually read and adore - it is very very funny especially on pronounciation e.g. How americans might call Bertrand Russell. 

A big frustration in taking your dog's photo, even when they are as handsome as handsome is the dreaded "red eyes" it makes them all look like demon dogs.

Now of course you can get red eye correction. But look I've tried it and it still is a bit spooky....

......oh and that black splodge against the fantastic sunset we had recently is not a flying saucer - I just mouse clicked my red eye corrector in the wrong place.

Also need to apologise for my spelling on an earlier blog. So just in case you think our friends Ivar and Francesca went to Aude to rinse chateau neuf through their hair (coiff!!) I did of course mean QUAFF.

Oh I forgot to add a royal portrait to commemorate his highness's birthday

 

Today has been Ferdy's birthday and he has had greetings from the great and the good........look

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

even Prince Charles has got in on the act. Well ok I am exaggerating slightly. But yes this picture was taken by us with our camera. I am not a Royalist - we just happened to be walking through the village when he and the lovely Camilla were in town. We just happened to have our camera with us and well it only seemed polite to join the crowd. And well we would have looked out of place if we hadn't waved and cheered. Ok so perhaps the sprinting over to their helicopter to wave farewell was not really necessary to be hospitable but.........ok ok it was fun. They went into Maurice the butchers and got some Rothbury sausages. Which in fact is exactly what Ferdy will be having for his birthday tea - some right royal butchers sausages.

 

Friends will tell you that I have become interested in dog diseases since losing Alfie to epilepsy  in 2006. Acquaintances will say it is more of an obsession. Enemies might  say..... who cares what they say

Whatever I am, whether it be interested, obsessed or paranoid I know that too many dog diseases exist and not nearly enough is being done about them. Take myositis

here is a link to more information about it

http://www.vizslamyositis.blogspot.com/

It is hard to believe such a ghastly condition can affect such beautiful creatures. Some breed people will be doing a great deal to inform and invesitgate, others will not be that concerned and many will be trying to deny that the breed has such a problem. How can they be so unmoved? Just look at what that disease does to those poor things.

Please let's all own up to the fact that breeding pedigree dogs is risky, let's share information more openly so that the full risk can be assessed, let's take action by supporting the work of the Animal Health Trust  www.aht.org.uk to tackle these horrendous conditions...please.

When you don't blog for a while you can get quite guilty and then give up rather than just apologise for letting people down. And of course so many subjects have stacked up to blog about meantime I don't know where to start.

So I'm going to start with Kylie (pretty much a random choice)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here she is reunited with Olivier's Rhodesian Ridgeback Sheba. Kylie has written very movingly about how Sheba helped her in her recovery and says the dog has become a love of her life. Though not much of a celebrity watcher I am a sucker for any good dog story.

Tis great pity then that ridgeless ridgeback pups are not the love of their breeders' lives because they then may be saved from inexplicable and indefensible culling. Yes culling is inscribed in the breed club's "Code of Ethics" Some ethics those. I have written to Purina and Pedigree to ask them not to sponsor any events that include Rhodesian Ridgebacks because the practice is barbaric. I await their response and of course will share.....

Very talented friends of ours, Ivar and Francesca bombed off to live in France in the Autumn thus enabling them to no doubt eat lots of fruit des mer and coif plenty of Chateau Neuf du Pape. Very sensible. Yesterday they informed us that after their whirlwind romance of some 33 years they are getting married today. We are so thrilled.....

Introducing Albert

 

Albert belongs to friends who have just moved to Whitley Bay, well actually it is my ex-husband and his lovely partner Lesley. So he might say that "friends" is stretching it a bit but that is all in the past. Look at their lovely baby is so cute and of course being collie will undoubtedly be clever. We can't wait to meet him.

 

Ferdy's sister that is. Her family have sent me some pics of her and her "big sister" Amber. They look like they are very close. The colour combination is rather lovely - chocolate and amber. I have often wondered whether having two dogs would be twice as much fun or double trouble. May be they can let me know.

 

 

Ferdy will soon be 8 months old so we have begun to up the walks a little bit. That meant that today we took one of Alfie's favourite ones for the first time in well over a year and I knew it would take us past his last boot tree.

A long time ago in the woods Alfie found a very old steel toed hob nail boot and not only began to play with it he also would run and ram it into the backs of our legs. So I got it off him and hid it. I thought. A few days later he found it again and there was a repeat performance. So I knew I'd have to hide it better and wedged it up a tree. Of course next outing Alfie remembered the tree and went baying towards it. I gave in and took it down and let him play with the boot for a short while. Then, for safety's sake you understand hooked it up to yet another tree. And so this old boot managed to follow us round the woods for months, periodically being played with and then placed carefully back on a branch. Each and every time Alfie remembering (or scenting I suppose) exactly where we left it.

 

So as we ventured towards its last known whereabouts would, after all this time, the boot still be there? We are five days off the anniversary of having to say goodbye to Alf and I don't know whether it was to my relief or more heartbreak that I have to report that YES even after all these months of not being played with the boot remains exactly where we left it after the last time we walked there with Alf. I am not ashamed to say I cried.

Today I am just so excited because a lady called Monique from the Netherlands contacted me. She told me about her dog Thomas who incredibly is so like Ferdy yet is a Flat Coat Retriever/GSP cross. Monique has sent some pictures - isn't he gorgeous. I love the fact that in the background of his pics are fabulous european buildings like the Brandenburg Gate. Thomas gets to go to places like Paris for his holidays whereas Ferdy just gets Whitehaven.

The only downside to finding out about Thomas is that now the competition for Best of Breed has suddenly got a whole lot hotter - he too meets the standard perfectly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today would have been Alfie's 5th birthday. It is nearly a year since we had to let him go. We dug out some video footage of him and toasted his memory but it was shocking to see just how sick he looked now that we have a healthy dog to compare him to. But it reminded us of just what spirit he had with his helicopter tail. What a boy what a boy. Ferdy got lots of hugs today because you know what they say "If you can't be with the dog you love, love the dog you're with" and we do and we do.

When researching into the health of a pure breed of dog it is essential you remember that "all values are relative". I caught a large part of "A year in the life of Michael Owen" the other night which focused on his recovery (hard bloody graft) and his setting up of racing stables and stud (wow lucky him). Sat next to his lovely wife whilst being interviewed was an extremely regal looking French Bulldog. I had not realised Frenchies could be so handsome and always partial to a subject for googling (instead of working you understand) I googled them. This is taken from the breed club's website

"Frenchies have the potential to live about 13 - 14 years and are generally a healthy breed. However spinal abnormalities can be problematic and sometimes fatal. Elongated soft palate and narrow airways can cause breathing difficulties and occasional allergies and skins problems can occur. Ears and facial wrinkles are susceptible to dirt and dust and require regular cleaning along with the area under the tail. In their older years they can be susceptible to eye ulcers."

Funny that. Their definition of "generally healthy" is clearly not the same as mine.

A word of advice for Mr Owen - if you hold great store by the highest standards of animal welfare - which clearly you do - why let Dettori anywhere near your horses? In my opinion he lingers at the other end of the animal welfare continuum and when I am in the position of owning a string of thoroughbreds he will NEVER get a ride off me. JMHO.

First of all HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Ferdy and his sisters    seven months old today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have received, inadvertently on their part I am sure, the most fantastic 7month birthday present from the GWP club no less. They have updated their website www.gwpclub.co.uk and announced they are forming a health sub committee. This is great news and a positive step forward for the future of this most wonderful and comical breed of dog.

Wait till they hear some of my fundraising suggestions.......the best of which is to create little knitted GWP pups and sell them through paypal. Watch this space....

 

Small brag here. Thropton Village show was a major success for us. We won that all elusive RED rosette!. Ferdy got first place in the Cross breed puppy class. See his picture on the show page. What a  star!!

 

Yes I know there were no other entrants but go to many a snob breeder's website and see them brag about getting Best Puppy when there were no other entrants. This is common accepted practice I believe. Tee hee. What a joke. If it had been a champ show we would have qualified for Crufts!!

The most observant among you will have noticed that Ferdy's nicknames on the front page have changed. This is not because we are going in for a seasonal approach to the names we use for him. It is just that those given to him when I first created his website have not stuck. You cannot assign nicknames they must be earned or even deserved. So over the past few months he has acquired a whole new set. The whole point of nick names is that they almost choose themselves depending on behaviours, attitudes and events.

 

Ferdy is the fiddler but also the bubbacubs. Alex hates that one because it is way too Pasa Dena Dog Deli for him. But when I'm on the sofa with Ferds and he is nuzzling up to me he is my little bubbacubs - ooooh please pass the sick bucket.   But he is....he is so sweet.

Getting ready for another big show this weekend. Give Ferdy a good rub down to get his sleeky chocolate coat gleaming. Are we heading off to Darlington? No. That is a very very big show and I don't want to give Ferds a fright, and the judge is not partial to solid chocolate I hear... though the size of her backside makes you wonder. No for all those reasons we won't be going to Darlington. Well those and the small matter of there not being Wiremaraner classes!!!!

No we are hitting the heady heights of Thropton village show dog rally.

....as they say. When a dog is a dearly loved member of your family you make many choices because of the dog. The consequences of this can be mixed as our bank holiday weekend testifies to.

With our friend Lynne up from uber-trendy Notting Hill for a stay we wanted to impress her with a nice day out. Choices were Cragside (National Trust), Alnwick Garden (Duchy of MoneyGrabaland) or Belsay Hall (English Heritage). Lynne suggested that we let Ferdy make the decision which for him was pretty easy - Alnwick Garden - dogs not allowed anywhere, Cragside - dogs allowed in estate only not in the garden nor the house obviously - Belsay Hall -  Dogs WELCOME in any part of the 31 acre garden/estate. Good we will go there then.

We headed of for the expected old grand house experience - faded grandeur, dusty drapes, now never touched writing desks with dried up ink wells, all photography prohibited signs, you know the type of thing. But that is the last thing we got. Instead we were treated to a dog show of sorts made up of fantasy pearl/action man/baby doll creatures, a giant rocking horse, a peep show, a carpet of wedgwood china, the three tenors, an oak growing out of a bed and a silver dipped ballerina in a silver dipped tutu. It was the most brilliant exhibition I have ever seen in a country house. My favourite was the ambient noise symphony as you strolled around the chilling cellars. Compelling. So thanks Ferdy for a smart and wonderful decision. We wouldn't have chosen it if it were not for you.

The Monday was not so successful as we decided to take him off to the Glendale Show to enter him in the "Dog the judge would most like to take home with him class". I know it must be difficult to organise these types of events and most who do it are just volunteering so I don't want to moan and groan about it. Much. But........

I realise that the judging must seem fair and attentive so the 30 minutes it took to go through each of the first three classess is understandable. That took us to 2.30pm. I realise that you would not have anticipated so many entries and therefore so many wanting to watch ringside hence it was overcrowded and I am sure that no-one could have foreseen that by placing the ring next door to the Northumbrian Fire Service display event, we would all be subjected to the inhalation of massive amounts of toxic fumes as they ploughed their galant way through car fire role play after car fire role play all afternoon. And I know that the weather is beyond anyone's control except that as it was nearly dusk before we reached even Best In Show let alone classes 13 and 14, in which we were entered, someone might have realised that with encroaching darkness comes a chilly wind. So I am sorry that we did not linger longer than the three and half hours it took them to get just halfway down the list of classes. We nipped quickly to the nearest portaloo and then buggered off home. Feeling that not altogether our £16 entrance fee was well spent.

I know I know it is the taking part that counts.  The exhibition at Belsay is only on until September 30th. Do go if you can it is very political and very amusing. Mercifully Glendale Show is not for another twelve months.

Ferdy is six months old today. Happy birthday to him and all his sisters. Now his show campaign can begin in earnest. Are we polishing him up and scraping off the dried on liver cake from his ears once more for Scottish Kennel club this weekend? Well no because I feel he moves a little too close behind. Well that and the small matter of him not being 100% GWP nor 100% Weimaraner.

 

We'll be heading for the much more prestigious Glendale Show. Could be a long day however because the companion dog show begins at about twelve and the Mounted Fancy Dress isn't until half three. No I'm not entering us into the mounted fancy dress - the only way we could do that is if Ferdy gets a piggy back ride from me. No it is just that since moving up here from north London one of my most favourite finds has been the equine fancy dress contests. There is usally a little lad on a chestnut pony entered as Noddy and his pony is the car and there is always a little girl dressed as a princess ridng a plump grey with a barley twist cone of papier mache stuck to its forehead - as a unicorn I think. It is absolutely brilliant. Can't wait.

 

 

Yesterday was to be Ferdy's launch day on the show world. Were we heading for National Gundog at Malvern? No of course not him being two weeks off six months old. Oh that and the little matter of Weimaraner/GWP cross classes not existing at champ shows. No I brushed him, scraped the bits of dried liver cake mix from his ears (he had licked the bowl clean after I had put a batch in the oven), wiped his eyes and took him off, with a brand new collar to the Powburn show obviously. But it was cancelled due to foot and mouth. What a let down but wholly understandable. We just can't have that again. I am still going into some small rural businesses who are only now recovering fully from 2001. And if it is a leak from a government lab - well all hell will be let loose - I hope.

Well there's always Glanton next week if the ban on such shows has been lifted.

Googled e collars this morning and didn't need to do much more research than that to know that they are at best distasteful and at worst downright wicked. Poor Louie - he may look happy now but did his collar really have those metal terminals pressing on his neck? I am going to attempt to get Ferdy to the same standard of obedience but without any type of remote collar. There may be a great deal of remote hollering involved in my methods but that will just hurt my throat. NOT HIS.

 

 

We have at last today got the right cable (after several trips to the most unhelful Jessops - no wonder they are slowly going out of business) to link the movie camera to the pc. So hey we will be hitting You Tube over the weekend with some boring videos of Ferdy the Birdy dog. You know You Tube? - I have a new account there which doesn't shy away from telling me every time I log on that I have no subscribers and I have no friends - how the hell did they find that out??

 

I love You Tube - was put onto it by the Italian Spinone Forum. I love doing searches for pointer puppies or Drahthaar or whatever and trawling through the funny, moving (ha ha) and banal footage. The people that contribute to that have great senses of humour. My favourite film can be found by searching for Remote Collar Training.  A fabulous GSP doing fabulous heelwork based on ecollar training. Hope that isn't a cruel method. I'll have to do some research. Louie certainly looks happy enough. The Italian Spinone Forum is very freindly and very informative. For research into a piece I am doing on trying to make an informed choice of dog to get I have joined several and just like the breed clubs they are not all the same.

Sadly I still cannot drag myself to leave the epilepsy. addisons and megaesophagus ones and messages appear on those very day to make you weep. The saddest film though that I have seen recently is one featuring a vizsla with myositis. It is awful to see what that does to those beautiful beautiful dogs.

Of course I am yet to find a meaningful GWP forum and I note that the health issues section of the GWP club website remains firmly "Not active yet". Been like that since it was set up. Perhaps that's because there are no health issues in the breed. Yeah right - and over there look are the members of Our Dogs Forum sitting down to enjoy their copy of The Truth about Cats and Dogs by TV Vet Emma Milne!!!

 

Will post the link to Ferdy's film when I have mastered the movie maker thingy.

Took Ferdy up to Simonside woods this morning. anyone that knows it will tell you it is the most magical place and can be seen from as far away as Newcastle. We had a lovely pleasant walk with some whistle training thrown in. Didn't get wet either.

Oh would just like to say thanks to the people who presumably sometime over the weekend took the trouble to wrap up their child's dirty nappy so well and knot their dog poo bag so neatly. So thoughtful. Just a couple of questions though:-

Why didn't you take them home with you? Was it that in all the fuss of putting little Joshua or Nicole back in the people carrier you simply forgot them? Was it that you were yourselves in desparate need of a number two and had to rush home? Was it simply that you have a dislike of fellow forest users and wanted to let us know what you think of us? was it that you have absolutely no respect for the environment nor the workers at the Forestry Commision or National Park who will have to take them away for you?

 

Whatever the reason for leaving them could I politely request THAT YOU NEVER COME BACK TO SIMONSIDE. Thank you that would be most kind. I think people like you are like one of those several little white things you left soiled near the nappy.

We celebrated by having a day out. We went down to the Tyne and walked from Royal quays towards the Fish quay. Not quite because that would have been too far for Ferdy. Well that's my excuse. The walk takes you though Redburn dene which is spectacularly landscaped and passed the marina. But part of the quayside walk is totally ruined by other dog owners who refuse to P.U.P. Please can we all try and pick up the poo. The path was revolting in some sections. What is the problem? We won't have a problem soon if we don't do better - North tyneside will slap a dog control order on us and we won't have to pick any poop because we won't be able to go any where to let the dogs do it. Please Please P.U.P. It really is a cool thing to do.

 

The return walk meant of course we were heading back to the shops where we sat outside Costas for coffee and then took it in turns to go into the shops. Well Ferdy didn't obviously he stayed outside and had many admirers.

 

I have been having a bit giggle this afternoon about tail docking. The world of HPRs seems to be in a bit of a tiz. Some breeders who are docking advertise the pups as being suitable for pet or working homes - when I think strictly speaking they should only be intended for working ones. Then today I saw an advert for a litter that is not going to be docked as suitable for show/pet/ or WORKING. Because they have spoken to hunters in continental countries where a ban already exists and have been reassured that there is no real problem in using dogs with tails.

Well we could have told you all that before the banning hoohaa! Keep on wagging - they make you laugh these dog people.

...is in my opinion WALKING THE DOG.

If Ferdy's exhilerating,heart thumping incident ridden sojourn today is anything to go by. I'm pretty sure that if we could come up with some uber trendy dog walking gear (for both members of your team) then it would be sure to catch on.

Shortly after entering the woods on our clamber up to the carriageway we were both stunned into statuary by a brindle whippet careering towards us at really high speed followed by a red greyhound. They were heading with some purpose straight at us. Then I realised that they weren't canines at all - it was a baby and mother red deer. The fawn brushed right by us but Mum diverted down the bank. Ferdy and I were both spun round like proverbials. Then the baby realising mum had vanished, darted back towards us and this time sent Ferdy into a panic. His little body was rigid with that "should I chase - should I flee" dilemma. I started to call him and then used the whistle so he came back to me. And in a panicky clumsy fashion I managed to hold his collar - the baby then took off in the right direction towards mum. Ferdy and I were shaking with the excitement. But I ask you - I know we are not allowed to let our dogs to molest wildlife but give us a chance - it is really unfair when the wildlife ambushes you like that.

If there was such as thing as Deer Social Services I would have reported that Deer Mum straightaway for abuse - fancy leading the offspring towards people and dogs. Maybe there was an even bigger dog walking team further up towards the carriageway.

It did not stop there. Once we had calmed down with Ferdy back on the lead for a few minutes I ventured to let him off again. Literally seconds after that we were nearly ambushed again this time by RAF low flying aircraft - and I mean low they felt like they brushed the top of the trees - and the sound was eardrum shattering. Ferdy had once again that semi crouched/splayed legs stance that says "what the ******* is that?". I tried to use my very calm body language plus biscuit to reassure him without molly coddling as I know you are supposed to do. But I was really plased to put him back on the lead and exit the woods without any more trials. As we left we had to pass a man with a feisty Border Terrier - you know the growly sort - "He's not very keen on other dogs" says that man "put him on his bloody lead then" thought I which in fairness he did and so let us past without a to do. He walked on and a few minutes later I heard the Border growling and barking further up the path - no doubt "not getting on with yet another dog".

And remember Ferdy at five months is still only on "short" walks - lord help us as they get gradually longer - we will really have to put on our "intrepid" gear then. 

getting bigger all the time ey ey ime. Today he cocked his leg for the first time! It will be great when he starts to do this all of the time because he frequently squats and pees on one of his front paws currently. So with cocking we hope comes greater accuracy. I know I know with cocking comes other issues - but it is one day at a time with a 20 week old dog.

His new teeth are coming through too. So puppyhood is slipping away fast - giving way to wonderful adolescence no doubt. So blog entries may get a little more exciting.

 

We've worded and frequently sing the Ferdy jig and it goes something like this

Oh Ferdy McGerdy McGill Magogg Magoo

Why do you use the carpet to do your daily poo

when you could venture outside and do your business there

Oh Ferdy McGerdy McGill Magogg Magaire!!!  Oley

 

Well he likes it...................

 

you would have seen me today try to coax little Ferds out into the driving rain to do his business. Being a dog with his sleek shiney coat and being used to the indoors he was not too keen. So over my pyjamas I put on my waterproof, got the big golf umbrella and enticed him out with a large biscuit.

 

So there he was widdling etc happily away covered by the big umbrella so that no raindrops would fall on his lovely little bod. It was an image I am sure that conjured up the Raj. He is undoubtedly a little Lord Fauntleroy. I know I know it is not good to spoil them........

Gonna kick off a blog but as yet - Ferdy will be four months old tomorrow - not a lot to report. Lots of growing, lots of mouthing and lots of widdles.

Fortunately lots of laughs too, and lots of joy. Ferdy loves to eat empty snail shells, loves to play with HIS toys and my shoelaces. He has a very neat 'sit' and a good 'down' and comes to a whistle - any whistle - even ones on the TV - so we won't be walking him near train lines!!!!!