Potentially Explosive BBC Doc on Purebreds Set to Air Stateside

This program was shown in the UK in 2008; it was made by an independent group of sensationalistic program makers, whose professionalism and ethics left a lot to be desired. One-sided ˜reportingâ was the main feature of the program. So-called ˜expertsâ underlined the lack of ethics and professionalism that should have guided the reporters to the making of an educational valuable and helpful program. Instead, this program divided the dog world in the UK into two groups: breeders and pet owners. One of these experts has since been completely shunned in the dog world in the UK, funding withdrawn from this expert’s research projects and previous research has been questioned.
Quality breeders only breed fully health tested dogs and those folks that you see on TV love their dogs as much as you adn devote their lives to them ..... Better to understand that this kind of sensationalism, based on bad science is - in the end - intended to apeal to your emotions - when science and logic says that their randomly and accidently bred brethern also had puppies with deformities and problems - but did not surrvive.

The biggest long tem threat to pet ownership in the US is in reality the inability of folks to find companions who fit their needs ( such as alergies) or lifestlye . this show 's only intent is to further the agenda of those who dvocate the elimination of pet ownership.



What better way to pit breeders of pedigree dogs in the US against prospective pet buyers and/or already owners of pedigree dogs!

My experience is the direct opposite.

I have owned many dogs over the years, starting with dogs that belonged to my family when I was a small child. Every purebred dog that I purchased from responsible breeders has been a healthy, trainable, long-lived companion. I did careful research, selected a knowledgeable breeder, and paid for the type of dog that best fit my lifestyle. I do pet therapy, hiking, and many other activities with my beloved purebred dogs.

The mixed breed dogs that I owned were equally beloved, but plagued with health problems. Allergies, luxated patellas, crippling arthritis at young ages -- they cost me far more in vet bills than their small adoption fees. So now I donate to my local shelter (NOT to PETA or the money-grubbing, misnamed Humane Society of the United States), but I choose to own purebred dogs.

I am very concerned about the anti-breeder propaganda in this piece. I choose to go to responsible breeders because I want to know what I'm getting. I have to wonder if my unhealthy mixed breed dogs were the product of brother-sister matings, or if their sires and dams both suffered from hip dysplasia and other problems. Nobody knows the answer.

I am also concerned that the anti-breeder proponents want to dictate the health care that I give my dogs. There is no way I will spay or neuter a baby puppy. Granted, there are some potential health benefits, but I'm reading more and more studies about the NEGATIVE health effects of early spay/neuter. Yet none of this is mentioned in any press that I've seen.

I don't accept the idea that all mutts are better or healthier than all purebreds, or that "breeder" is a bad word.

Buying a mixed breed from a shelter is a wonderful choice. But so is buying a purebred dog from a responsible breeder. The two are not mutually exclusive.

I have been both a owner, and a dog breeder. I know that many of the so called pure breed dogs, are what is refered to as in-line breeding, Not a choice I have ever made when breeding. The breeders that practice this form of breeding will tell you that it's fine and will not hurt the blood line, but this is a prime example why the practice should not be allowed. I quite breeding not due to dogs, but to the owners.I would not sell any animal without a two year contract that allows me to visit and check on the pet, if not being correctly treated, I return the purchase price, and take back the pet. I found only honest, caring pet owners would not care, and sign the contract. I did take one back and found a better home for it. after ten years. I felt that breeding in most cases was out of controle.
This just proves greed, not caring for the life of the pets drives many breeders.

It's not the fact that they are purebred that causes the health issues, it's the fact that they are poorly bred purebreds (from puppy mills and backyard breeders). Every breed has a standard and when a breeder tries to breed to that standard generally you don't have a lot of health issues. But when a person is just in it for the money that where problems arise. The other issue is that mixed breeds can have just as many health issues as purebreds can, but there is no breed club or Kennel club to track the issues and make people aware of them like there is with purebreds.

This program made me sick. I think it focuses on the wow factor and generalizes to the point of being completely one sided and unfair. There are a lot of good breeders out there breeding good healthy dogs. Sadly a lot of what is happining to all breeds is ignorant customers asking for something that is not the norm. Extremely tiny dogs, dogs of certain colors, shapes or sizes when they are not supposed to be all/any those things. The boom of tiny, teacups, toy, mini, pocket size has brought out a lot of bad breeders who breed to supply the demand of the ignorant consumer. I am sure that with the changes in likes and dislike breeders do breed for different thing and looks and sometimes that backfires. Although this was directed specifially to attack top breeders, they forgot to mention a lot of the sick dogs here in the USA come from mass producers, puppymills, back yard breeders and of course the "good" breeders as well.

I think this show would cause a lot ot outrage and will cause the good, caring breeder who focus on healthy, good quality dogs to be extinct and that would be sad because then were would people go for a good dog?

I personally have owned only pure bred dogs through out the years and haven't had any problems with any of them

We just had to put down our purebread Jack Russell because he starte getting severely aggressive. He wasn't even 2 and he was hurting people pretty badly. The vet said he had a brain misfiring issue. We found out later that he had been in bred.

Now that's a real clanger: "real dogs don't need breeders to make healthy pups."

So please explain which dogs don't need breeders to make healthy pups? Feral dogs? Stuffed dogs?

Extinct dogs?

Thank God for the exposure of this type of information to the general public. Pro-active change focused on the benefit of each breed is the only way we can honor these amazing animals. The question is can we as human beings squelch our propensity for greed and personal gain and put the breed and the animals first?
I pray that those who have actively taken up the cause be strong and persevere in the name of those animals they love that continue suffer because of inbreeding carelessness.

I'm ever so sad that we do this to your dogs, I agree R Morgan. We originally bought dogs in as a companion, who helped us and stayed just to get a tummy rub and a share of their work. But now we mutate them so horribly, I am so happy this documentory was aired. People think I'm nasty when I say 'I don't like pure-bred dogs that much, it's not their personalities, but I don't want to support the trade of milling and killing right now.'
It's the only good thing AOL has ever put on the internet. Thankyou, AOL, you must be reading our complaints! :P

Most pound puppies end up quite healthy, if you disregard anything unfortunate that may have happened in an abusive home or while on the street. These muts get dominant genes so unless your mixed breed dog happens to be of 2 or more breeds with the same recessive gene, you're looking at a healthy, long life. I did end up with the latter, a Westie/lhasa mix, but once I fixed his hubcap, he's been nothing but healthy, sweet and loving.
I think pound puppies know how lucky they are and are eager to make a place in your heart. Not every dog is for every person though. Some behavioral issues are too much for some people, don't beat yourself up over it, just help find the pup a new home and be honest about their issues. THAT GOES FOR YOU TOO HUMANE SOCIETY!

In all the time I've been using AOL, I have NEVER seen a more biased, incorrect sensationalistic piece of trash. I own four Cavaliers and know from email lists THOUSANDS of others. None of my dogs have syringomyelia and almost all of the other dogs I know of do not either. Yes, it can be found in the breed just like it can be found in any other type of dog out there INCLUDING mutts. It is also found in humans. It, however, most certainly is not found in thirty percent of the breed. Perhaps Ms. Harrison can get a new job inventing other transgressions Tiger Woods could get involved with.....selling drugs, murder, rape....it seems she's pretty good at reporting fictitious lies....

I can figure out how to post comment sorry morgan, this is not directed at you.
Why don't someone find out what is causing this to happen to the breed-- the show is pointed towards I hope finding out what is wrong with a breed specific issue.
Other than that people are over here thinking that all kinds of breeds are being put to sleep over health issues, true to some point.
When looking for breeders make sure they can show you authentic health certificates, hips, elbows, health, eyes ect.. Don't settle for someone's word. And no one should breed dogs unless they know what they are doing that includes feeding healthy foods.
Dogfood companies use the 4 d's and using chemicals like Ethoxyquin , among many other chemicals which are toxic. Then these dogfoods are fed to adults and the puppies. How do we know that the dogs aired on this show didn't eat food with Ethoxyquin? or perhaps another chemical at toxic levels? Would these chemicals show up in an autopsy? probably not if specific tests were not utilized

I, also have a purebreed bassette hound, he has glacoma as well, but i donot wish to have his eyes cut out as vet suggested, he my life im sad to see him suffer i will never purchase purebreed agaain kaye

You said backyard breeder, but that's not what this film is about. It's the breeders of 'excellence,' the ones we are told we can trust who are doing this to dogs in the name of breed quality. The backyard breeder may be stupid and greedy but what excuse do these people have when they kill healthy animals in favor of genetically damaged ones, when they exaggerate a beautiful dogs features in the pursuit of a show ring cup. These are people who have completely lost their perspective AND, as evidenced by the woman with the winning CKC, stupid and greedy.

Wow Beverly that's really depressing. Im so happy for you now and especially for him because his owners didn't put him down just because he would be blind. I know people that have done that and it really annoys me. I'm so glad he's happy.

I'm getting tired of hearing about "responsible and knowledgable" breeders making this crap OK. REAL dogs don't NEED "breeders" to make healthy pups. AKC breeds require experts because they're plagued with hip dysplacia(?), skulls that are too small, allergies that can kill them, digestive nightmares and I can go on and on. If it takes a master to get healthy puppies then there's your conviction right there.

Now that's a real clanger: "real dogs don't need breeders to make healthy pups."

So please explain which dogs don't need breeders to make healthy pups? Feral dogs? Stuffed dogs?

Extinct dogs?