Labradors Are Toppled From Their Number 1 Slot

The Kennel Club have announced that the Labrador is no longer no. 1 in the UK.

This is what I think: https://thehappypuppysite.com/french-bulldogs-take-over-as-the-most-popular-breed/

How about you?

 

Couldn't agree more - so disappointing Those poor dogs!

 

Great article! I can't agree more with everything that you've said. It's such a shame that greed ultimately rules.

 

Totally agree but for me it doesn't matter that the Labrador is no longer number 1 in the UK who cares what breed is, it's the welfare of ALL dogs that should be number 1 not whether they look the part. I have never been a fan of the Kennel Club as it seems to me the welfare of dogs is not their number one priority and the French Bulldog proves that. It just saddens me so much that this cruelty by some breeders is allowed to continue. Breeders are selling these poor puppies for enormous amounts of money to some unsuspecting buyers who will have most likely a lifetime of a poorly dog and very large vet bills especially if they can't get insurance. But lets not forget it's not just the French Bulldog breeders that are at fault it's some breeders of all breeds. There are some truly awful examples of badly bred dogs with awful health issues, a lot that are registered with the Kennel Club. I will never forget watching an inside documentary on exactly what the KC allows, shocking, disgusting and extremely upsetting.

The Kennel Club needs sorting out now before any of this disgusting behaviour can ever be remotely sorted out. It makes me very mad. What is going to happen to the KC and who's going to step up to sort them out? xx

 

I really don't know what it will take to change things in any significant way Helen. It seems we have all been protesting for so long.. There have been some small improvements I suppose, with information on some health issues now highlighted on the KC website, but as long as the KC keep endorsing these deformed dogs with certificates, people will keep buying them

 

I didn't realise these dogs were so poorly bred. Shame.

I saw this stat a while ago and still find it strange. I never see French Bulldogs out and about, ever. Still see tonnes of Labs though.

 

Market forces will always win and these dogs will keep losing x

 

I've noticed the same thing, but I think it's because where I go walking you need to be out for a while and most French Bulldogs simply can't cope with that level of exercise

 

It’s really strange that anyone would choose a breed that they know is going to have difficulty breathing.

 

It is a tragedy that people buy dogs for 'the look' or 'the fashion' ie 'handbag dogs'. French Bulldogs look like babies, flat face, large eyes and this is what attracts 'ignorant' buyers. The KC should be more responsible and put a dog's health as number one priority, but I suppose it all comes down to money again.

 

I think this says it all. It's a very sad state of affairs.

 

The only thing that will stop this is education. People simply don't know about the problems faced by bracy breeds. Once they do its usually too late.
Pugs frencies and bull dogs are being signed over to rescues at an alarming rate due to vets fees. Owners can't afford them so they get rid of them.
They are seen in adverts with celebs and are a fashion accessorys no thought is really given to welfare they are the next must have.

 

Isn't there a whole veterinary centre dedicated to research into these brachy breeds? I'm sure I saw it on Crufts once. I suppose it's a good thing to have an understanding of the issues but I find it quite odd that it's come about because of human manipulation in the first place.

 

Oxygen tents are available owners and bracy dogs are known not to fight the ventilators like most dogs because being on a vent is one of the first time in their lives that they can breathe. All those cute clips on u tube of cute pugs snoring sleeping sitting up are dogs fighting oxygen deprivation. All those big so cute bracy dogs go through their lives fighting to breathe, what a life?

 

French bulldogs are insanely popular here, and I see ads for them at $3000+. Saw two yesterday...one being pulled in a wagon and the other wheezing and huffing and puffing along and they weren't even old dogs

 

We have a bit of a problem with our two cats displaying predator behaviour towards small dogs but more than any they "hunt" the braci types. I am sure it is because they sound unwell.

 

The average life span for a frenchie is supposed to be 8 years but many don't make 6.

 

True so true. I was walking with a man last week who has the most adorable 7 month Rottie, gorgeous calm boy. He went on to tell me he had been given the dog for a "favour" he had done for a friend, who knows what the favour was to be given a pure bred Rottie, I didn't ask! He told me when he reaches 1 year old he will use him as a stud. I asked him what kind of health issues Rottie's have, and what health tests he needed to do before he bred from him. He looked at me like I had just fallen from the sky. "Oh I don't need to do any health tests because he is KC registered, I have his papers that show his parents and grandparents details" I tried gently to say that doesn't guarantee your puppy doesn't have any issues and really the only way to be sure is to do the relevant health checks before embarking on bringing puppies into the world. Nope he wasn't having it at all I've seen people round here breeding from a nervous Spaniel twice, Labradors not health checked. People have been brainwashed into thinking the Kennel Club is the fountain of all dog knowledge, to be trusted, the protector of dogs health when they certainly are not. We've all watched Crufts and seen the examples and been upset by it. It beggars belief that in the 21st Century this treatment of dogs is still allowed to continue with the "Kennel Clubs" knowledge and approval xx

 

It's not just the KC Helen, they have done somethings but I totally agree they can and do much more. There are some standards hip score etc which do help, but the problem is people as a whole don't understand it or even care they want what they want now.there are so many sites which sell pups pure and cross breeds of every description size and price, people can buy them without thinking planning or researching. It is truly horrifying crossbreeds which look ill and so deformed they won't survive long. I just look at them and think why would you cross that with that and expect it to physically be able to move breathe and thrive. Dogs thrown together by people who just have greed at heart labeled as rare designer dogs. The pure breeds can be the same no tests usually whatever is the in colour and cheap oh do cheap, but they don't come with any health tests. It makes me so sad. I try hard to support law changes and want restrictions, but a lot of codes of practice are voluntary. It's so slow.
I think we need to fundamental change the way we treat and think of animals.

 

Oh yes I know. You can have crossbreeds with health scores, Hattie is obviously a crossbreed but I saw both of her parents also their hip scores so some breeders are doing the right thing but far too many are not and all in the name of money. I don't know how they sleep at night.

The fundamental change needs to happen possibly in Primary School, get rescue centre people any organisation involved in animal welfare to talk to young children whilst they are at an age to soak it up. At our local village primary school the dog warden regularly visits to talk to the children about responsible dog ownership, picking up poo, being kind etc. I think that's a great idea. What happened to the school pet and who was going to responsible for it during the holidays? all these things make children think more and respect animals. I involved all of my children in the looking after of our dogs, training, poo picking just every aspect of dog/animal welfare. xx