SHAK HQ Gets Tia's Approval.....

So it looks as if SHAK HQ has Tia's approval!

Actually today was a huge test for her as I decide to give her a little run into Alnwick to see how she coped with busyness, people, traffic and other dogs!

I have to say she was absolutely faultless, and even had a quick visit to the Castle!

An amazing little dog that just shows what can be achieved when she is fully stimulated. So proud to be with her when she made this huge step.

Another Who Is On The Up.....

Another Lurcher girl whose life has began to to take an upturn is the little one that arrived at the weekend with this horrific leg break. She faced either having her leg amputated or even worse destroyed, as she had no one to pay her medical bill..... 

Moorview Vets instantly backed me and with the support of the Animal Welfare Team of Northumberland County Council we were able to save her leg and her life.....

During surgery......

Her bone has been pinned back together.....

And is held by a metal plate.....

So instead of what could of been a devastating outcome for such a young dog, she is staying with me and my family till Thursday before moving onto a temporary foster home to allow her to recover. She is so full of fun, keeping her rested is definitely going to be the hardest part!

She comes with her homework after seeing a physio yesterday, and we will plan to start Hydrotherapy in about 4 weeks.....

Waiting for her tea at my house tonight.....

She is such a gorgeous girl, we would of done anything to save her, but that does come at a cost, and her surgery and treatment so far has already topped the �1,500 mark. This is where we really need your help. You can donate towards her bill by paypal (shak@shak.org.uk) or by sending a cheque made payable to SHAK and sent to: SHAK. Greenwell Road, Alnwick NE66 1HB or if you prefer you can call Moorview Vets direct on 0191 2566990 and make a donation from the SHAK account.

Thank you in advance for your support.

On her way from the vets.....

Looking better.....

Sandy Becomes Inka And Finds A New Home.....

You'll remember little Sandy when she arrived.....

Well after a temporary stay at a Foster Home, I'm delighted to update her story with her latest photographs..... in her Forever Foster home with her new brothers and sisters!

Our very own Fletch, Blade and the wonderful Cassie have been brilliant in giving Inka (yes, new start-new name) a chance to settle, and its great to see her settled and at home.

Thank you to Lucie and Frank for all you did for her when she needed it the most, and thank you to Sarah, Jenna and Lewis for carrying that on.

More Exciting News..... The Introduction Of SHAK HQ.....

There are some really exciting things going on behind the scenes right now,  such as the launch of SHAK Club that already has nigh on 200 members, the wonderful partnership we have now have in place with Gallery 45 in Felton..... 

But today I'm delighted to announce a MASSIVE development in the progression of the charity with

the launch of SHAK HQ. 

Based in the middle of the town centre in Alnwick, on Greenwell Road, SHAK HQ gives us an incredible opportunity to reconnect with the community as well as taking SHAK to the next level and beyond. 

Consisting of office space,  the first ever SHAK actual retail outlet and most excitingly a venue for talks, demonstrations and seminars,  HQ will not only give us a base  to develop but also an opportunity for our supporters to get involved and help us move forward.

There will be educational sessions,  specialist courses, evenings with special guests and other fundraising activities.  In fact I'm delighted to announce that we have already secured a link with Essentials for Equilibrium and will be offering a wide range of courses and demonstrations on the extensive alternative therapies they practice. 

HQ will also provide us with a new drop off point for your donations as well as providing a place to offer one on one consultations. The possibilities are endless.....

So exciting times indeed. Please keep an on the website and future SHAK Club mail outs for further details of events, or if you'd be interested in holding an event there please get in touch via shakclub@shak.org.uk 

And remember, every penny raised at SHAK HQ goes back in the pot to help us give our dogs the best of life that we can. Thank you again for you support.

Stephen Wylie. 

Founder of SHAK

Another In A Desperate State.....

It has been like a whirlwind here of late as dogs have arrived, gone home or moved to other rescues on almost a daily basis it seems. However, the plight of the very latest addition really is a shocker.....

Found as a stray this young female Lurcher obviously had something seriously wrong with her back leg.  So wrong that an original vet assessment was that there was a good chance it was so badly broken that amputation may of been the only option.....

The xray below shows just how bad the break was, and our worst fears seemed to of be realised.  Step forward though the amazing team at Moorview Vets who put aside the fact the dog was a stray and had no owner to settle the bill, and offered to fix her..... 

I think it also a good time to say how supportive and understanding the team at Northumberland County Council Animal Welfare have been. Without their kindness and support she would of been looking at being destroyed due to no owner. They deserve a huge amount of credit for saving her life.

This afternoon she has had surgery and her leg has been plated back together. Excuse my lack of medical knowledge,  but my understanding after talking to the vet was that as the end of the bone had passed each other her muscles have began contracting, that made the operation more difficult but also leads to a huge complication..... it is CRITICAL now that she begins to use the leg as quickly as normal to loosen te muscles,  she will start physiotherapy asap and we will also arrange hydrotherapy. If the muscles don't relax she is in serious danger of losing the leg after all. Nobody wants that.....

So please pray for her tonight,  and if anybody would like to help towards the cost of her operation please PayPal shak@shak.org.uk.

We have saved her, Moorview Vets have hopefully saved her leg. Her life starts today from a really low point.

A Long Time Ago In A Galaxy Far Far Away.....

We had help from the dark side of the force today at Alnwick market.....

Western Range Operations Get Labor Department Approval to Continue to Import Foreign Temporary (H-2A) Workers Skilled in Managing Herding and Guarding Dogs

Employment issues arise occasionally among those who train and use dogs for professional purposes.  The most common example in my experience concerns the pay of law enforcement personnel who care for dogs trained in narcotics and explosives detection.  Compensation issues particularly arise when the dogs live with the officers as members of their families. Some departments regard providing compensation for such activities as prohibitively expensive, or at least a factor to consider in deciding whether to implement or discontinue a detection dog program.

One work environment where the use of trained dogs is not going to decline because of compensation levels for their handlers concerns temporary foreign non-immigrant (H-2A) workers who are brought into the U.S. to work as shepherds.  These workers, who are found on large ranching operations primarily in the western United States, will continue to be brought into the country, primarily from Peru, because of efforts made by segments of the livestock industry to assure that the Department of Labor recognizes that cutting off the importation of shepherds as temporary employees could end large-scale sheep and wool production in much of the country. 

Temporary Employment for Non-Immigrants in Herding Occupations

On October 16, the Department of Labor issued final regulations regarding the temporary or seasonal employment of agricultural workers under the H-2A program (Temporary Agricultural Employment of H-2A Foreign Workers in the Herding and Production of Livestock on the Range in the United States, RIN 1205-AB70, 80 Fed. Reg. 62958, October 16, 2015). The regulations establish standards and procedures for employers to hire foreign temporary agricultural workers for jobs in herding and production of livestock on the range.  �Range� is specifically defined:

The range is any area located away from the ranch headquarters used by the employer. The following factors are indicative of the range: it involves land that is uncultivated; it involves wide expanses of land, such as thousands of acres; it is located in a remote, isolated area; and typically range housing is required so that the herder can be in constant attendance to the herd. No one factor is controlling and the totality of the circumstances is considered in determining what should be considered range. The range does not include feedlots, corrals, or any area where the stock involved would be near ranch headquarters. 20 CFR 655.201

One example of ranch work �closely and directly related� to agricultural production involves �feeding and caring for the dogs that the workers use on the range to assist with herding or guarding the flock.�  20 CFR 655.201.  The regulations only mention dogs in one other context, stating that on the range temporary workers may be required to use non-potable water for laundry and bathing if the water is clean and safe for such purposes, but if runoff water is used to water the herd, dogs, or horses, precautionary measures must be taken to prevent contamination if the laundry or bathing water might be collected from areas where animals excrete.  20 CFR 655.235(b)(2).  More specifically, under 20 CFR 655.235(b)(3), the �water provided for use by the workers may not be used to water dogs, horses, or the herd.� 

There is no other mention of dogs in the regulatory text, though there are a number of explanatory references in the preamble.  What is perhaps most interesting about the regulatory release is that when proposed rules were published in the Federal Register only months before on April 15 (80 Fed. Reg. 20300), there was no mention of dogs in either the preamble or the text of the proposed rules.  The fact that dogs receive attention now is due entirely to comments received by the Department after issuance of the proposal.  Comments were originally due by May 15 (only one month from publication of the proposal in the Federal Register), but this was extended because of the number of comments that were being submitted, to June 1, 2015.  DOL got 511 comments in all, 505 of which it published on the regulations.gov website, with 39 of these referring to dogs (some because domestic dogs can be predators of sheep, but mostly because of guarding and herding functions that might be performed on the range when the dogs are deployed with temporary workers). 

(The H-2A program goes back to legislation President Reagan signed, the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Regulations were issued under the Act, but as to herding occupations the Department of Labor relied on two guidance letters concerning (1) employers engaged in sheepherding and goatherding occupations (Training and Employment Guidance Letter No. 32-10), and (2) open range production of livestock (Training and Employment Guidance Letter No. 15-06).  Attachment A to TEGL 32-10 provided that sheepherders and goatherders may �herd flocks and round up strays using trained dogs.�)

Peruvians Dominate Labor Market for Shepherds

Mountain Plains Agricultural Service, in trenchant comments, makes it clear that domestic labor cannot supply the needs of range operations: 

Dating back to World War II, sheep producers found it first difficult and later impossible to find United States workers able and willing to perform the difficult work of �range� sheepherding. In recent years, the number of U.S. born sheepherders has essentially dropped to zero. For example, in 2012, Western Range�s members sought to hire nearly 1,000 sheepherders. Out of that number, only 22 U.S. workers even applied, and only 2 met the qualifications and were hired.... One was not interested in the job and the other was hired but quit before completing his contract.

This commenter estimates that �[r]oughly 40% of all sheep in the U.S. and beef cows in the Western United States are herded by H-2A workers.�  Comments submitted by Julie Stepanek Shiflett, the Mountain Plains Agricultural Service, the Western Range Association, and the American Sheep Industry Association, refer to the cost of bringing in temporary workers from other countries:

Sheep ranchers face costs that other agricultural employers hiring H2-A workers do not face. The sheep rancher must incur transport costs to hire workers with unique talents from countries as far away as Peru. Second, the sheep rancher must incur the costs to transport food to often distant and remote areas where herders work and live. The sheep rancher must also maintain housing in remote areas of our country, also incurring a significant transport cost.

Peruvians are commonly employed as temporary range workers.  David Kelly, in a 2004 article in the Los Angeles Times, wrote that �ranchers across the West have come to rely almost entirely on Peruvians � to tend their sheep.  The rugged South Americans have a rich herding tradition, are used to harsh weather and, more important, are willing to work for low wages in one of the nation�s least known but most demanding occupations.�  A 2004 article by Amyjo Brown of the Associated Press explains that the same work in Peru would pay about $300 per month, and the U.S. income level allowed one worker to send his three children to school in Peru.

A 2013 posting on the website of the University of California at Davis cites other press reports indicating that once in the U.S., some H-2A workers leave their jobs for longer contracts and better pay.  �The Western Range Association said that about 10 percent of the 900 H-2A shepherds that it brought into the US did not complete their contracts.�  The number of positions certified by the Department of Labor to the Western Range Association was 1,333 in the most recently posted annual report (for 2013) of the Office of Foreign Labor Certification. 

The website of the U.S. Embassy in Peru has a webpage devoted to �trabajadores agricolas temporales (H-2A),� specifically mentioning that applicants may be able to work as shepherds (pastores de ovejas) .  The webpage includes directions on how to file an application (Formulario I-129, Petici�n de un trabajador no imigrante) and contains links to other relevant documents.  Statistics posted by the Office of Foreign Labor Certification indicate that the five top states for importing shepherds are Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Nevada, and Idaho.

Life of the Shepherd on the Open Range

A good many of the 39 comments the Department of Labor received regarding dogs are specifically cited by the name of the commenter in the preamble to the final regulations, a practice I wish other agencies would consider.  (The Treasury Department, in contrast, goes to great lengths to obfuscate the sources of comments referred to in preambles to tax regulations; I realize this is sour grapes on my part as a former commenter on some Treasury proposals.)  Some commenters said that without dogs, the losses due to predation would be so great as to put a ranch out of business.  Ken Hamilton of the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation stated that 13,600 ewes and lambs in Wyoming by predators in 2013.  Predators mentioned by this commenter include domestic dogs.  Terrell Brock of Mountain Plains Ag Service noted that the shepherds had to keep the herd and the guard dogs away from trouble with the animals of neighbors. 

Some commenters provided a description of how the employees work with guard and herding dogs.  Billie Siddoway of Driggs, Idaho, describes the use of dogs as follows:

The employee takes his dogs and horses with him out on the range. That employee will be responsible for tending the herd, keeping the sheep together, protecting the sheep from predators, and providing feed and water to the sheep. The work may involve transporting water or feed by truck to and from the base ranch. When the employee is not working with the sheep, he may work with his dogs and horses, prepare meals, launder clothing, read books or magazines, watch movies on portable electronic devices, talk on the phone, write letters, or engage in other personal activities. Once lambing is complete, another employee may join him so that there are two employees with each herd. When this happens, the employees may divide their duties so that one primarily moves the sheep and the other cares for the horses and dogs and prepares meals. During this spring grazing period, the employees move the sheep from the base ranch toward the summer range � a distance of over 100 miles.

***

In the fall, employees herd sheep down from the mountains. This generally occurs in mid-September. Employees assist in erecting a temporary sorting corral at the base of the mountain. The employees herd the sheep into the corral where market lambs are sorted from the rest of the herd. The market lambs are loaded into trucks and shipped to market. (The trucks are not operated by H-2A workers.) The employees herd the remaining ewes and replacement lambs to fall grazing areas. The employees once again take up residence in their mobile sheep camps and move the camps from one range to the next. The employees keep their guard dogs, herding dogs, and riding horses.

***

A key component of herding on our ranch is the protection of sheep from predators. Predators include wolves, bears, mountain lions, and coyotes. Employees may deter predators with guard dogs, light, noise, and motion. Fences are not an effective deterrent to predators. The term �protecting� should be added to the definition of herding.

***

[W]e typically provide our employees on the range with a riding horse, saddles, blankets, tack, pack horses, pack supplies, herd dogs, guard dogs, a gun, gloves, raingear, horseshoe equipment, axes, saws, hammers, nails, rope, a sleeping bag, blankets, a pillow, soap, shampoo, deodorant, detergent and mobile telephones. They may also have access to water delivery trucks and other vehicles. At the holidays, we provide clothing, which may include socks, underwear, shirts, sweaters, and winter gear.

Siddoway�s suggestion that �protecting� should be included in the definition of herding was not done, though the word does appear in the definition of �production of livestock� in 20 CFR 655.201.

Felippo Pelizzi, Landscape with Animals, 1859

The Cunningham Sheep Company of Pendleton, Oregon, commented that �well-trained Border Collies and large-breed guardian dogs � watch over the sheep when the herder returns to the living quarters during the middle of the day and night.�  John Peavey of the Flat Top Sheep Co. notes that extreme dedication is sometimes demonstrated by the dogs. 

Ours are border collies and are dedicated to caring for sheep. We have had dogs stay with trapped sheep for 24 hours. Waiting without food, water or companionship for someone to return and help get the animals freed and back on water and pasture. These dogs are very special. It takes many years and countless generations to imprint these instincts. In a collapsing industry as the flocks disappear.  What's to happen to these very smart dogs. Over the years I have seen neighbors sell out and try to find a home for the border collies. This is often difficult and some have to be euthanized. Something of incredible intrinsic value is lost forever.

This highlights an uncomfortable fact about ranch life.  A dog that ceases to be useful may become an expense that a marginal operation can no longer afford. 

Most comments concerning guarding and herding dogs did so in the context of sheep or goat herding,  but Vermillion Ranch and Midland Livestock mentioned using herding dogs for keeping cow-calf pairs together and moving them to areas where there is sufficient forage and water.  Dogs are also used �to keep range cattle in designated grazing areas in accordance with federal grazing permits.�

Conclusion

The regulations are effective November 16, 2015.  There were many issues that drew comments on the proposed regulations, particularly the wage levels for H-2A workers, which led to calls for action from many organizations and involved Congressmen and Senators in western states. 

I am not competent to judge the arguments regarding the economic impact that might have resulted had the list of responsibilities for which foreign workers may be brought into the U.S. to perform not been expanded from the April proposal.  It is apparent from the comments that the industry is, in many instances, quite marginal, and other forces will continue to drive sheep and wool production overseas.  My father would have been depressed had he lived to see this (though I am sure it had begun, to a degree, before his death in 1998).  Sheep and Wool Science was one of his earliest books, and he completed his doctoral thesis on some aspects of wool science.  Still, the industry such as it is will continue for the time being, apparently thanks in large part to many men from Peru. 

The painting by Felippo Pelizzi (1818-1899) hangs in a hallway in the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in Milan.  I could not take a photograph under the museum�s rules so this is the best depiction I could find.  It was apparent to me standing before it that two of the sheep are curious to know what the dog, clearly their leader, is sniffing.  The museum catalogue (The Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, English translation by Simon Turner, De Agostini Libri, 2013) does not state where it was painted but says that mountain scenes with sheep were a common topic for the painter. 

Thanks to Sarah Bell and Gene Papet for comments on an earlier draft, and to Sarah Bell for additional source material.   

Delighted To Announce A Partnership.....

It's with great pleasure that we announce to day our link up with a great place to visit right here in Northumberland.

Based in a converted village pub, Gallery 45 in Felton, has a shop and art gallery, as well as running all sorts of creative workshops..... And you can now purchase your SHAK Calendars, Christmas Cards,  Mounted Prints and the "It's A Dogs Life" book from there too. We are also very lucky that as well as stocking our merchandise we have also been chosen to be their charity of the Year. Throw in a SHAK talk in one of their exhibition rooms early next year, and it makes a really exciting link up.

We're all very proud to be part of a wonderful place, and really appreciate the support they are giving us.

You can get directions to the gallery and more information from.....

http://www.feltongallery45.co.uk/

100 per cent puggered

Poster at the the KC's Discover Dogs this weekend

The 100% real brachycephalic obstructed airway syndrome

The 100% real pug dog encephalitis

The 100% real hemivertrebrae

The 100% real corneal ulcers

The 100% real stenotic nostrils

The 100% real skin fold dermatitis (take a peek under that nose roll..)

The 100% real deformed mouth and teeth

The 100% real pigmentary keratitis

The 100% real inbreeding

The crossbred Pug?

Not so much.

Oh, and a Pug cross is 50% cheaper to insure than a 100% real Pug through the Kennel Club's own pet insurance.*

Say yes to crossbreeds.

*comparison drawn 19/10/15 between purebred Pug and "small crossbreed"

Time Marches On, But The Heart Stands Still.....

Today is a date that is etched into my head for such sad reasons. Fours years ago we lost Scooby and two years ago we lost Smokey. Two huge boys with even bigger reputations, they taught me so much and made the impossible possible.....

Their memories are always in my head, but what they taught me will always run through my heart.

This time two years ago.....

October the 18th is a day etched into my head already, as two years ago I lost Scooby, the dog that changed SHAK forever. Today that imprint in my head got deeper as my worst fears were confirmed and I had to do the right thing and let Smokey go.

After the beach on Tuesday I took Smokey to the vets as he had a large lump on his back leg that had got dramatically bigger. I knew it wasn't good, and the look on Emily's face said it all. An appointment was made for X Rays today, and thus began the horrific countdown of doing everything with the dog that had become my side kick for the last time.

Today's results were worse case scenario. A massive bone tumour was feeding off Smokey's body and there were signs of possible secondary tumours appearing other places. I had to put my personal needs to one side and do what was best for him.

Smokey had been with us for the best part of four years, the last month I have gotten to know him better than I thought I already did. He was tough, stubborn but oh so brave. If I had half the spirit he had, then maybe I wouldn't feel so broken inside right now.

Today SHAK lost a legend, like so many before him, Smokey summed up everything this charity stands for and fights against. Personally I have lost a dog that became so close to me, not having him hurts, but more importantly I've lost a dog that I am honoured to of let me get so close. We all loved him, and my family loved having him with us, I'd like to think that Smokey felt we were lucky to have him!

Smokey saying goodbye to his friends at the kennels yesterday with a game of football.

Relaxing last night around the fire outside.

Sweet Dreams big man.....

Our goodbye this morning.  Fighting back tears and wanting time to stand still.

?

?

Losing the big man was even more ironic as it came on the second anniversary of losing the dog that made taking in dogs like Smokey possible. A lot has been said about Scooby, and I think his nickname of Lord Scooby says it all, but if he hadn't of come into my life snarling and biting me in the process, Smokey, Miko and all the others would never of made it to SHAK and ultimately home with me. I still think about you Scooby, and miss you being here. Thank you x

?

His Lordship who I owe so much.

Save the Jack Russell... sign the petition!

Please sign the petition here

The Kennel Club seems intent on continuing with its plans to recognise the Jack Russell  - despite opposition from those who fear for the future of the breed if it is swallowed by the Kennel Club's lean, mean inbreeding machine.  (See my previous article here)

So today I am launching a petition that asks that the KC reverses its decision to recognise the breed - the first petition actually in PDE history.

You can sign the petition here.

Now petitions are a risky business - if people don't share your passion you're left looking a little foolish.  A few people have already asked me "what's the point... it's already a done deal". But on this occasion I'll risk it as I feel really strongly about this and feel a line in the sand needs to be drawn. I also hope it will help bring the debate to a wider audience.

It could be fairly claimed that in the UK the Jack Russell has been under the stewardship of the Jack Russell Club of Great Britain for the past 40 years. It vehemently opposes KC registration - and, indeed, successfully prevented a previous attempt at a steal by the Kennel Club.

On that occasion, the KC went ahead - but was forced to call its new breed the Parson Russell Terrier, leaving a large population of Jack Russells outside of the grasp of the Kennel Club.

In the US, meanwhile, the Jack Russell Terrier Club of America has successfully prevented the American Kennel Club from taking the breed under its dubious stewardship there, saying:

"Recognition, it is believed, will be detrimental to the preservation of the Jack Russell as the sound, intelligent strain of working terrier it has been for more than 100 years.

The AKC was forced to call the breed they adopted just the Russell Terrier.

That the KC now believes it can step in and take over the breed shows considerable chutzpah given the strength of feeling.

Make no mistake about it, the KC's move is a hostile takeover. And it will be the ruin of the breed - as it has destroyed so many others.

Again, you can sign the petition here.

The Kennel Club, meanwhile, is trying to present itself as some kind of saviour of the breed. In the Kennel Club's press release, KC Secretary Caroline Kisko even claimed:

"By recognising the Jack Russell as an official breed, we can help cement its heritage and protect its future as a much-loved traditional working dog and popular pet. By encouraging the bulk of the population of these dogs to fit a Breed Standard we can help to ensure that puppy buyers get a dog with predictable characteristics that is suitable for their lifestyle and that they are bred to be healthy, with good temperament and are fit for function."

It's bollocks of course.  The Kennel Club doesn't award rosettes for work. The dogs are judged for trotting round a show-ring. The Jack Russell in the UK has managed perfectly well without the Kennel Club's help and its great strength is its diversity - in looks and genetically. It comes in short and tall; in short and rough coats and this has helped keep the dog robust.

The KC goes on to to say that the Jack Russell will be "joining other well-known breeds such as the West Highland White Terrier."

But the poor Westie, once a scruffy, game little dog,  has suffered terribly under KC-recognition - a real shadow of its former self; beset with immune problems, including the often intractable "Westie Itch" - a skin condition sometimes so severe that the dogs have to be euthanised.

Here's what the show Westie has been reduced to - strung up on a table at shows and smothered in a product called Ducky White because nature didn't give them a white enough coat for a show judge.

Here's what they looked like 100 years ago, when they used to be able to see.

Then there's the Fox Terrier... look what Kennel Club registration did to that. Today's dog has had a rear-end shunt - and the dog's neck is as long as its back. 

As I reported recently, according to the Kennel Club's own data,  almost half of all Kennel Club recognised breeds are in trouble genetically - and a quarter are so genetically compromised that they may not survive. This is directly attributable to breeding practices promoted by the Kennel Club system. And whatever they may tell you, very little has changed.

There are conflicting reports as to how the KC is to manage the registration of Jack Russells should it really go ahead. The breed - well a version of it -  is already recognised in Australia and FCI countries where there has been little or no opposition from the working side of the breed.  The Australian dogs have a bad reputation for being horribly inbred though as the breed was developed on only a handful of founders.

The real Jack Russell deserves better.

Please sign the petition here.

Still bluffing it re co-efficients of inbreeding?

It was at Crufts 2008, five months before Pedigree Dogs Exposed broadcast, that the KC's then-genetics advisor Jeff Sampson told me: "We will never give breeders COIs (co-efficients of inbreeding). They wouldn't know what to do with them."

Hah!

Three years on, in May 2011, the Kennel Club launched Mate Select - giving breeders, owners and researchers access to inbreeding data (and health info) on individual dogs and breeds for the first time.  The KC has claimed several times that, at best, PDE sped up reform and didn't instigate it. But of course it had had plenty of opportunity to tell me about Mate Select if it had really been in development pre-PDE and it didn't.

(One day, I'll blog what they sent me regarding the breeds on the then high-profile list pre-PDE too... absolutely pitiful.)

Now, Mate Select has its flaws but there's no doubt that it's a fantastically useful tool - as is its sister utility MyKC, which gives access to more detailed breeding data. Both are free, too - all kudos to the Kennel Club for that and the other data it is now making available.

So... for those of you still struggling with COI is, here are two guides.

The first is this very simple explanation written by me a while back - how hosted on Carol Fowler's dogbreedhealth.com website:

http://www.dogbreedhealth.com/a-beginners-guide-to-coi/

And here's a comprehensive guide from Carol Beuchat at the Institute for Canine Biology:

http://www.instituteofcaninebiology.org/blog/coi-faqs-understanding-the-coefficient-of-inbreeding

Britain's favourite dog? A doodle...

Yesterday, the UK's Telegraph revealed that the nation's favourite dog is a doodle.

Well, actually, it was the "Cockapoo/Labradoodle etc"

Pedants among you will point out that this is actually rather more than one breed - although, in fairness,  the Telegraph also offered "Spaniel", "Setter" and "Labrador/Retriever" as options covering whole breed types there, too.

The purebred pedants, meanwhile, will point out, in capital letters and with a lot of exclamation marks, that THESE ARE MONGRELS NOT BREEDS!!!!!!

But the poll was telling. The purebred Poodle only managed 22nd in the poll in which 30,000 readers voted.  (Good to see too that Telegraph readers don't rate the Pug and Bulldog either  - 19th + 20th in the poll respectively)

The scruffy poodle crosses are massively popular in the UK - and the good news is that there are an increasing number of good breeders of them.

The Cockapoo Club of GB actually sets higher standards for its breeders than many purebred breed clubs.  It has... wait for it... 12,000 members.

The UK Labradoodle Association also has a Code of Practice and minimum health requirements for its breeders.

The basic rules for prospective doodle buyers are:

� make sure the pup's' parents have been health-tested for the problems that afflict their component breeds. 

� walk away if a breeder guarantees you a hypoallergenic pup. (Some are low shedding, but many are not).

Also, remember that the much-touted 'hybrid vigour' health benefits are more evident in the first cross (known as F1) pups. The F2/3/4 generations are less predictable health-wise and in looks too - although there are some very nice dogs.

In fact, they have in the main fantastic temperaments. Some of the big Labradoodles are a bit full-on, but I've never met a nasty one. I went to a big Labradoodle event a couple of years ago and was quite astonished at how well dogs that were perfect strangers played with each other - and there were literally dozens of them running around off-lead.

Beware of the coats, though. Every groomer I know whinges about them - although some of that stems for new doodle owners under-anticipating how much care the coats need; something most purebred Poodle owners know enough about to ensure the dogs don't get too overgrown/matted.

I confess I am not a fan of poodle/shaggy coats myself. I keep my "pretend" doodle (the imaginatively-named Curly) - clipped down most of the time, especially during the autumn/winter burr season here in Wiltshire.  Curly is three-quarters Irish Water Spaniel and a quarter Collie. My dog trainer says she's one of the smartest dogs she's ever known - and I'm very much hoping that the mixed blood will protect her from the cancer that kills purebred Irish Water Spaniels in their droves.

SHAK & The Wish Campaign.....

I said that the start of SHAK Club was just the starting point of a whole load of exciting things�.. Well today I�m delighted to announce another.....

It is with great pride that we start our WISH campaign with Newcastle�s The Chronicle tomorrow.

�Wish is back for 2015 and we�re giving away a share of a �30,000 fund to not-for-profit organisations in Newcastle and the North East. This is the fifth year we�ve ran the campaign, and to date over �205,000 has been given away to around 1,000 groups. 

Wish tokens will be printed in The Chronicle from Monday 12th October 2015, and will appear every day until Saturday 9th January 2016. Remember, the greater number of tokens your your group collects, the greater the share of the Wish fund you will receive. Watch out for the bonus token days too as these could give your group a massive boost!�

So it really is that simple. Save the tokens in the Chronicle and ask all your friends to do the same! The more you save the more money we could receive. We will announce where to send your tokens at a later date. Thank you in advance for all your support! 

We Lose Another Brave Soldier.....

There's more sad news this week as on Thursday we lost a real brave soldier.  Ronnie arrived with us emaciated and in a right mess, as you can see in the photo below. However with Alison and Michael it was love at first sight, and it was an instant bond that was never broken.

The fact I have no other photos of Ronnie other than the day he arrived shows how quickly they snapped him up, and with that move he quickly gained the best life a dog could wish for.  Caravan holidays,  the seaside twice a day, his own spot in the pub afterwards, Ronnie was never away from them, and in Michael he had found his soul mate.

As well as obvious concerns about his health, Ronnie also suffered from serious separation anxiety but Michael and Alison didn't bat an eyelid at that. They simply took him everywhere!  An action I admired greatly and will always be grateful for.

Tuesday saw Ronnie dip. He'd lost even more weight, and was rushed to the vets unable to support himself. Tests confirmed a cancer. That hideous disease had beaten us again. Despite the brilliant attention of Emily and her team at Moorview Vets there was nothing we could do. On Thursday he slipped away in the arms of his Dad.

Ronnie will be missed by everyone. His weekly visits to the kennels whilst his Mam and Dad helped others that hadn't been as fortunate as him will live with us all forever. Love and a big thank you go to Alison and Michael, amazing people who did all they could for an amazing dog.

Jack Shit

It is a very sad day for dogs today in the UK.

Breeder and judge Geoff Corish announced on his Facebook page this morning that the Kennel Club has agreed to accept the Jack Russell Terrier as a Kennel Club breed.

This is the man who campaigned THIS dog to top French Bulldog of 2013.

For Corish, it is a day of celebration. One comment on his Facebook page referred to to the announcement as "historical".

Sure - as in the sinking of the Titanic.

And such bitter irony. The Reverend John ("Jack") Russell himself was fiercely opposed to conformation dog shows - and the Jack Russell Club of Great Britain has campaigned against KC registration of the breed. It's constitution even states:

• History has shown Kennel Club recognition to be detrimental to the physical structure and working capabilities of a variety of working breeds. Therefore this club is opposed to Kennel Club recognition of the Jack Russell Terrier.

One wonders if they were even consulted.

I have been struck by an uncommon melancholy all day - which I would normally articulate, but actually, I couldn't do it better than "Terrierman"Patrick Burns - on blistering form on his blog today.

He writes:

Here is a simple truth: you cannot protect and preserve working dogs without working them.
You cannot breed quality retrievers or pointers when your own dogs have never heard a shotgun.
You cannot gauge the sheep-sense and holding power of a good Border Collie by tossing a Frisbee.
You cannot judge the true grit of a Jack Russell Terrier with a rubber ball.
A one-hour cart pull around a farm does not a sled dog make.
People who think otherwise are kidding themselves. They are the reason every working dog breed dragged into the Kennel Club has been ruined there.
These people sincerely believe that if they breed a dog that looks the part, it can do the part. But this misguided belief underscores their ignorance. What makes working breeds special is not what is on their outside, but what is on their inside.
"But why do we need that today," says the matronly show dog breeder. "No one works dogs today."
Really? Well, maybe not in their suburban world of shake shops and one-minute rice. It is true that in their world, there are no hunters, cowboys, Eskimos, or gamekeepers. In their world there are no rats, fox, bear, sheep, cattle, duck, geese, or pheasant.
But these creatures exist outside the suburbs, and these people exist there as well.
In America, Australia, and parts of mainland Europe, dogs are still used to bust, hold and drive wild cattle and hogs.
Retrievers and Pointers are used as bird dogs the world over.
Terriers are still used for pest control, not only in the U.K., but also in America, Canada, South Africa and mainland Europe.
Dogs are still used for transportation in the Arctic, and rabbits are still brought to hand by running dogs the world over.
Is this work being done with Kennel Club dogs?
No. Not usually. And no wonder; form is not function.
No matter how attractive a man in a dress might be, no one who has a clue is going to take that "girl" to the prom.
And yet Kennel Club breeders will tell you, straight faced, that they are sincere in wanting to protect their breed.
And who are they trying to protect it from? Why unscrupulous people who are not show-ring breeders, of course!
And what do they intend to protect the dog with? A scrap of paper!
It is all laughable nonsense. And it becomes nonsense on stilts when people begin to talk about "the standard" as if it were a sacred text delivered to Moses on the Mount.

Check out the rest of it here.