arteyesalways: The Revised Breed Standards of U.K. Kennel Club

Sunday, January 18, 2009

The Revised Breed Standards of U.K. Kennel Club

Here's the totality of the U.K. Kennel Club Revised Breed Standards, by group.

For most dogs the changes are all very minor and generally boil down to randomly tossing in softening words to avoid "exaggeration,"which seems to be as far as the Kennel Club will acknowledge that show dog breeders and Kennel Club judges, divorced from the work that their dogs should be doing, have NO IDEA what is important in a dog -- or even what is obviously detrimental.

And so the changes to the Fox Terrier's standard makes minor changes to language concerning eye size and placement, but makes no mention at all of chest size -- this in a dog that cannot fit down a fox hole!

The Glen of Imaal Terrier now says the legs should only be slightly bowed -- and never mind the size of the dog which makes it unsuitable for work, or the fact that achondroplasia is still written into the breed standard.

The breed standard for the Scottie continues to me a monument of literary dysfunction reading (I am not making this up) as: "Thick-set, of suitable size to go to ground." Right. Here's a clue: a thick set dog is NOT SUITABLE to go to ground, which is one reason no one in the world is actually using Scotties in the field.

Some other breeds have had more extensive changes made in their standards (the German Shepherd, the Dogue de Bordeaux, the Mastiff, the Bulldog) but it remains to be seen whether the language is clear enough or strong enough, or whether the Kennel Club will toss judges and breeders that do not abide. What toss breeders? Surely the scrap of paper is enough for me to show I have a correct dog? Right. There's your problem. And yes, it remains unaddressed.

Note that in the links below, any underlined text indicates a change or addition. Square bracketed text indicates a deletion.

All Breed Standards will now include the following introductory paragraph:

A Breed Standard is the guideline which describes the ideal characteristics, temperament and appearance of a breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function. Absolute soundness is essential. Breeders and judges should at all times be careful to avoid obvious conditions or exaggerations which would be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of this breed. From time to time certain conditions or exaggerations may be considered to have the potential to affect dogs in some breeds adversely, and judges and breeders are requested to refer to the Kennel Club website for details of any such current issues. If a feature or quality is desirable it should only be present in the right measure.