What are your thoughts on Crufts?

Indeed, on ANY animal showing?

Broadly speaking, I wouldn't want to take part in such shows even if I owned a perfect example of a pedigree. I guess I'm generally against selective breeding of domestic animals on the grounds that many of these breeds end up passing on genetic disorders or abnormalities of one kind or another. Often, I hear folk discussing which pedigree dog (or cat) to get, and those in the know saying, 'You want to avoid such-and-such a breed because they suffer with this or that defect', and so on. Which is not to say I judge (no pun intended) those who own pedigree animals, before anyone gets unduly defensive!

I'm of the opinion that allowing animals like dogs and cats to cross-breed strengthens the gene pool for such animals, making them more robust healthwise. Moggies seem to withstand a lot more and live longer in a lot of cases than their pedigree cousins, and I'll presume the same is true for dogs.

That's my take on this. Anyone care to share, and perhaps put me right if I've got this all wrong?

[la gran siete]

whatt do I think of it ? AAAAAAAAAARRGH! I hate it for all the reasons you gave [lus the fact that having a breed dogit panders to peoples vanity . There should only be one breed called - mongrel, period! Working dogs are a different matter though.

Originally Posted by la gran siete

whatt do I think of it ? AAAAAAAAAARRGH! I hate it for all the reasons you gave [lus the fact that having a breed dogit panders to peoples vanity . There should only be one breed called - mongrel, period! Working dogs are a different matter though.

LGS, sir, it seems we are of one mind. I hadn't considered the vanity thing ... though I'll wager you mean this purely in terms of those who show dogs (or cats), rather than those simply attracted to the characteristics of any given breed. And yes, working dogs are bred for often valuable purposes, so you have to weigh the consequences of selective breeding over the utilitarian benefits this brings.

[Pollywoggle]

I haven't had a dog for years and would like to get one. Trouble is which kind? Every breed seems to be full of defects these days and I guess breeding dogs to a certain written standard can't help. I guess you must be right, mongrel seems to be the only way to go.

[Garrett]

But if you have different breed you more or less know what you are buying, mongrels you don’t.
Though you was going to say how the hell can a judge say when all the best of breeds are in one arena they one is better than the rest, there has to be some bias there.

[Miyazaki]

Originally Posted by shadowritten

I guess I'm generally against selective breeding of domestic animals

Don't eat any more lamb, pork, beef or poultry then mate!

Originally Posted by Games Guru

Don't eat any more lamb, pork, beef or poultry then mate!

Haven't done since 2002, mate - I'm veggie! And besides, those are classified as livestock, and are therefore utilitarian animals rather than domestic ones.

[shodan]

Surely breeding to pedigree standards STRENGTHENS the gene pool for that breed? Cross breeding weakens it.

Shadow, you wrote "I'm of the opinion that allowing animals like dogs and cats to cross-breed strengthens the gene pool for such animals, making them more robust healthwise" I've never heard of a dog/cat cross breed!!! Is it a dat or a cog? Hee hee, I'm only joking with this bit mate!

[vizslaraner]

Personally, I loved it.

Agree on the mongrels being more resistant to problems, but saying that we have a std.Poodle, (he's a big un ) because of two reasons.
1 The wife wanted another big dog after both our GSD's passed away.
2 They don't shed hair everywhere- I am asthmatic as are both my grand-daughters and their mum. - so we still get pleasure from having a pet.
Yes he can outwalk all of us so the exercise helps.

[MartinImber]

Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring

Bring back Top Gear, Top of the Pops and Malcolm in the middle

[mcfarfs]

Originally Posted by MartinImber

Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring

Bring back Top Gear, Top of the Pops and Malcolm in the middle

E e e e e e eeeeeeeeeexactly!

[Garrett]

Originally Posted by MartinImber

Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring

Bring back Top Gear, Top of the Pops and Malcolm in the middle

Talk about intolerance, its only on a few nights a year, whinge about wall to wall soaps and reality programs.

[CooperUK]

Crufts = daft people making dogs look daft or do daft things.

IMHO

[mjn]

We have a predigree Bengal cat, and a Heinz 57 dosmetic cat. Both are very different, and we had reasons for choosing a Bengal. Gf wants to start taking him to shows :eek He already gets a bath every other week!