03 Breed Notes – Jan 2018

Against my better judgement and armed with a stiff drink, I watched ‘Britain’s top 100 dog breeds’ on ITV last night. The program itself was a bit of a misnomer as it transpires that it was the result of a poll taken of 10,000 Mirror newspaper readers and so not exactly representative of British Joe Public! I suppose calling it the Mirror’s top 100 dog breeds doesn’t have the same ring to it, albeit more accurate!

About half of it was more like a list of bizarre names for ‘designer dogs’, most of which just made you ask ‘Why’??? I suppose it was some consolation that of the top 30 dogs, 25 were pedigrees; with the dog in second place actually being called a mongrel.

It started off OK with the Dandies in at number 100, and there were a few good moments (1st Aid demos with the Ridgebacks for example) but so many more missed opportunities. Some of the pedigree dogs and their owners weren’t the best examples or advert either. The couple whose St Bernard had 13 pups and they didn’t realise she was in whelp; despite her living with an entire male. The lady who loved her white Maltese so much she dyed it red……… The fact that most of the crossbreeds listed had poo somewhere in their name just about summed up the program for me!

I’ve heard from Michelle Wright that her mum – Caroline Gate hasn’t been enjoying the best of health recently. She’s definitely much better but will take a while to return to normal. She’s now back at home, which is the main thing; so I’m sure a card or phone call would cheer her up.

Caroline will have no doubt been cheered up by the fact that their Kimi – Lacetrom Cruivie ShCM, has been invited by the Scottish Utility Breeds Club to compete in both the SUBC Top Veteran and SUBC Top Dog competitions in March; which she had qualified for at their 2017 shows when she won Best of Breed and Best Veteran In Show.

Anji Marfleet