"Pekingese breeders are going to the gas chambers! Oh my!"
John D. French, the president of the Pekingese Club of America, thinks that taking away BOB from Palacegarden Bianca at Crufts this year is something akin to the Nazis’ conquest of Europe. He left a bizarre message on his Facebook profile. In this message, he drags up the Winston Churchill analogy that so many foolish Americans like to throw out whenever they feel that someone is out to get them. The analogy comes across as little more than a paranoid rant. And yes, he does invoke the specter of the Holocaust, because he just can’t stop himself from going there:
I know that other lists have put out an email from AKC President, Dennis Sprung, about what is happening at Crufts. But I have the complete email conversation that Dennis’ email was taken from. It was sent to the AKC Delegate’s list, and I’m sure it is going to be discussed at the Delegate’s meeting this week.
This is just one more reason why I support the AKC in every way possible. Without the strength of the AKC and its leadership, what is happening in the UK could very well happen in the USA and around the world.
Even after receiving support and advice from AKC, The Kennel Club in the UK exercised very weak backbone when confronted by the animal rights attack and their BBC television program, and as a result, the fall out continues.
I was told by some UK Peke breeders that this decision to disqualify these breeds was determined before the show had actually started as it was rumored for weeks that “something” was going to happen. It has also been told to me that the KC is promoting actual legislation to ban certain breeds from the UK. And the Peke is one of them. If this is actually fact, then the Kennel Club in the UK has ceased to function in the best interests for the dogs, and the sport of pure bred dogs and ultimately the rights of all Brits. It will be the canine version of the Holocaust, and shame upon ultimate shame on the Kennel Club.
I am a student of history [just like Newt Gingrich!], and well remember when England was being savagely attacked by the Germans in The Blitz. The Brits fought back with everything they had to save their country. If they hadn’t, they would be singing a very different National Anthem today. So, where is that fighting for survival and civil liberties spirit in the British Peke breeders now?
When Lord Chamberlain came back from meeting with Hitler waving a piece of paper that ended up being worthless, what happened? Winston Churchill. If the Pekingese liaison to the Kennel Club isn’t fighting for the survival of the breed, the British Peke breeders can either be sheep and be driven off the cliff, or fight for the breed they say they love so much. Talk is cheap, actions speak volumes.
I have been a part of the British Peke world for a majority of my life and cannot for the life of me understand the lukewarm reaction from the British breeders this whole time. I always thought that the British people had civil rights and votes. Why am I not seeing it now?
May I remind the UK Peke breeders, when the Brits over here were being oppressed and unfairly treated and yes, discriminated against, they held a certain tea party in Boston that started a chain of events that changed the world. Guess what? I suggest you have a tea party.
As the 13 American colonies united to take matters into their own hands, so should the 15 breeds on the Kennel Club’s “hit list” do the same. This is your moment in time, the point of no return, war has been declared upon you and you are in the beginning of another Blitz. Either stand up and fight, or lose all respect from Pekingese lovers around the world.
I don’t have any problem signing my name to this post because I want all the UK breeders to know where I stand. WITH THE PEKINGESE!!!
Last I heard, David Cameron was going to set up secret prison camps to put all the Pekingese and bulldog breeders.
But you didn’t hear it from me.
LOL.
My God, these people are total head cases.
I hate to tell people this, but the Kennel Club is a private entity. Although it is a registry system, it also is the governing body for conformation shows in the United Kingdom. It’s not a government agency.
There is no big government telling the Kennel Club that it must have mandatory health checks for BOB winners in certain breeds.
This was the Kennel Club’s decision to have this rule for its conformation shows, not that of any government official. There is no evidence that the Kennel Club is pushing for more government regulation of dog breeders– at least that I know of.
Because we’re not talking about the government or state agency, is it too much to ask people to leave the Tea Party slogans out of this discussion?
At the very least, should we really respect people who want to compare everyone who disagrees with them Nazis?
All these people are doing is making themselves look like they need straight jackets and rubber rooms.
It would be funny, if these people weren’t taken so seriously by so many.
All that’s going on here is that the Kennel Club wishes to be relevant in the future. Clinging to past in such a bizarrely paranoid fashion means that you’re going down the tubes.
See related post:
Actually, the intent to vet-check Best of Breed winners in certain specified breeds (including the Peke and Bulldog) was published by the KC some months ago, and well publicized. Exhibitors had plenty of notice before hand. That said, it does seem that the whole matter could have been handled far better, over-all. What is the logic in allowing the dog a CC crediting toward a championship, but taking away the Best of Breed win? For that matter, why start at Crufts and not the earlier shows at which entrants had to qualify to enter Crufts?
That these people like Frenchi are listening to rumors, no matter how crazy and think they are hearing the truth doesnt surprises me, fairytales and stories is what they would rather listen to than the truth and research.
Someone who mention Newt Gingrich and the tea party in one post, has an agenda that has nothing to do with dogs. I wouldn’t be surprised if it were people who hold teabagger beliefs, that are the most into purebreeding, damn the consequences. Science does not rule in such circles, if fact, it is a dirty word.
His was an emotional and ill considered reaction- I hope he calms down and plans to breed less extreme dogs in the future- if the breed can be saved at all, without serious outcrossing.
They love their pekingese so much that they couldnt bare to live with a dog who had more nose & less coat
I must be from friggin mars I swear these people make no sence to me.
Rofl *attempts to compose ones self*
That bag of bollox has made my day, thanks for posting.
The kc wants to ban certain breeds, that’s why they don’t support bsl like the dangerous dogs act, lol, what a fool he looks…to me at least.
These people are dangerous. They need some kind of keeper to prevent them from dragging the whole dog world down with them.
Rah, Rah! You go on ahead and storm the bulwarks John…I’ll be right behind you (Not!)
One envisions little Pekes in WWI British helmets bravely providing aid and succor to the casualties of those nasty, Nazi, KC bombs. (Of course they’d have to take frequent rest breaks to catch their breaths and cool off, but hey that’s a small price to pay for glory isn’t it?)
John French’s analysis of both current ongoing dog legislation in England (dog welfare is a devolved issue), and the Kennel Club’s contribution to that legislation, bears no resemblance to what is actually happening here.
Go to the Peke Club website and look for their history page. You will see a photo of “Ah Cum” stuffed in a museum …(yes, he really is there) and with a couple of Peke aficionado’s staring at it. All that the photo needs is a caption exclaiming “So that’s what one really looks like?”.
I could only get halfway through Mr. French’s email before I was “forcing” myself to read it.
The way these people are acting makes me seriously think they are a few cards short of a full deck.
God forbid we put the health and welfare of the animal before vanity…
Is that a dog or a floppy eared rabbit? Because it looks more like a rabbit than a dog.
Barry Offiler, the President of the UK Peke was pretty funny when the KC changed the breed standard too: ““If it’s got a muzzle it won’t be a pekingese, and if we have to breed dogs with a muzzle which breed do we cross with them? We are talking about a breed that is popular worldwide. This will prevent us showing dogs abroad and will stop overseas competitors entering Crufts. We all support improved health, but we don’t know what damage the muzzle might give to the breed.”
Pekingese Breeding Standards:
“Old rules: head large, skull broad. Nose short and broad. Wrinkle, continuous or broken, should extend from the cheeks to the bridge of the nose. Muzzle wide with firm underjaw. Profile flat with nose well up between eyes. Eyes large. Short body heavier in front than rear. Coat long, with profuse mane extending beyond shoulders”
“New rules (2008): head fairly large. Skull moderately broad. Nose not too short. Slight wrinkle may extend from the cheeks to the bridge of the nose. Muzzle must be evident, but may be relatively short and wide. Eyes not too large. Relatively short body. Coat moderately long, with mane not extending beyond shoulders”
source: http://www.dreamdogs.co.uk/new-pekingese-rules-cause-furore-312.html
I really wish people who are ranting about what a private club does or doesn’t do with it’s rules would leave politics and “the Government” out of it. This has nothing to do with destroying human lives and wholesale attempts to obliterate countries, and the use of such images just makes the rant look stupider than it is.
If the Peke folk don’t like what Crufts and the KC does, they aren’t required to participate in the KC and Crufts. In the meantime, people who DO like what the KC and Crufts is doing may opt to stay with the KC and try and breed their Pekes to be a little more like the Tibetian Spaniel in appearance, their Clumbers more like an actual working spaniel, their bulldogs more like the American bulldog, etc. Styles change– if over time they changed to where the dogs look more like an animated tribble than a dog, then over time they may change back to the older type with a real nose, less hair, etc. They may even change to include better health.
I do think it might be better to do the vet checks before going in the ring. In one of the videos there really was a bulldog that looked like it would have passed the vet evaluation. THAT is the handler that got “robbed” — by the judge who failed to put that dog up as best representing the standard. I don’t know if there was a “better Peke” for the judge to chose, but if there was, then that handler got robbed too. It would have, IMO, been a good thing to show the public what the KC wanted in terms of a “correct” bulldog, peke, neo, etc.
Peggy said,
In one of the videos there really was a bulldog that looked like it would have passed the vet evaluation. THAT is the handler that got “robbed” — by the judge who failed to put that dog up as best representing the standard.
i could not agree more.
I do not see how they could get every single dog entred into crufts vetted by an independant vet though although I guess if you keep entries to a mim in the 15 breeds undergoing the vet checks it may be able to get done but it would be a nightmare to police it. This way I feel are they are putting the judges on warning so to speak & maybe they really thought the judges would keep it in mind when putting the winning dogs up in those 15 breeds.
I agree that they should have put up a Bulldog etc that is suitable if 1 was present(which I think there may have been in most cases) as that shows a more level handed approach & lets the breeders & those on the sidelines see what they do want to see put up.
M.R.S.’s answer is spot-on.
That’s the liberal media for ya.
Just telling lyes and no facts.
I’m glad they is standing up for our libertis.
I think “WITH THE PEKINGESE!!!” may become my new battle cry.
The breed standard says ‘Small, well-balanced, moderately thick set with great dignity and quality. Any signs of respiratory distress for any reason or inability to move soundly are unacceptable and should be heavily penalised. Not excessively coated.’
I think that breeders should take this to heart. Any dog who cannot self cool should be heavily penalized. But the problem is that form follows fashion, as the dog awarded BIS at Westminster also could not cool himself.
I am a breeder, not of Pekinese, but if anyone ever tried to make my beloved breed a bastardization of a dog, I’d be livid.