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the articles I hope you give consideration to one of these well
established breeds as your next companion.
Crufts Parades the 'Forgotten' Breeds
By Alex Thompson, PA
The plight of declining British and Irish dog breeds took centre stage at the Crufts press launch today. Dandie
Dinmonts, Bloodhounds, a Clumber Spaniel and Curly Coated Retriever posed for photographers ahead of
the largest dog show in the world which opens on Thursday. The Kennel Club, which organises the four day
event, said there were 28 native breeds whose numbers were falling for reasons including an influx of new
blood from overseas and a lack of awareness among the public. Secretary Caroline Kisko said she hoped
promotion of these vulnerable breeds would encourage people who were considering buying a dog to look
beyond the Labrador, the traditional favourite. Ms Kisko said: "There are all these other breeds that are
forgotten about and make great pets. We are trying to promote them to remind people they exist. "We feel dog
lovers themselves hold the key to arresting the decline by giving serious thought to owning one of them and
instigating a new era for British breeds at their best. "With over 200 breeds available to UK dog owners and
nearly 180 breeds appearing at Crufts, dog lovers really are spoilt for choice but we should not forget these
well established breeds. "It would be a travesty if they became extinct from our shores." Inys Hows, from
Chelmsford in Essex, made a special trip to the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham with her Dandie
Dinmonts Buttercup, Thistle, Gershwin and Forget-Me-Not. The 38-year-old lorry driver said they were a
loving and friendly breed who, because they had not had a big win at Crufts, had passed under the public
radar. Ms Hows said: "We have had a lot of trouble getting b###hes to whelp and the litters we are getting are
getting smaller and smaller. "There are less than 100 puppies being born every year and only 300 dogs in the
country." Ms Hows said: "We need people who are willing to wait for puppies. You have to be patient but they
are worth the wait." More than 24,000 dogs and 120,000 visitors from across the world will be competing for
the prestigious title Best in Show which will be decided on Sunday. A relaxation of quarantine laws over the
past five years means more than 700 overseas dogs are registered to participate, the largest number in the
event's history. March 12, 2005 Crufts battle for the best of British breeds By Valerie Elliott, Countryside Editor
MANY of Britain's favourite dogs are falling out of fashion with young breeders. Instead, trendy foreigners,
such as the shih-tzu, are the new top dogs while the jowls of our native bloodhounds are sinking lower. The
Kennel Club, therefore, is making a special plea to dog-lovers to save the canine classics. A special parade of
the vulnerable breeds is being conducted each day at Crufts, the world's biggest dog show, which ends
tomorrow with the announcement of this year's champion. Bloodhounds are among a list of 28 native breeds
that have fewer than 300 registrations a year at the club. Other favourite breeds under threat are the dandie
dinmont terriers, deerhounds, gordon setters, Welsh terriers, Cardigan Welsh corgis and King Charles
spaniels. Caroline Sisko, the club secretary, blamed part of the problem on the ignorance of pet-lovers. They
do not know enough about the breeds and choose a popular dog, such as a labrador, or a fashionable
foreigner, such as an akita. In recent years the club has recognised the Portuguese podengo, the Pyrenean
mastiff and the azawakh from Mali, boosting the number of recognised breeds to 202, compared with 40 when
the club was founded in 1873. She wants potential dog owners to fly the flag for native breeds. "There are all
these British breeds that are forgotten about and make great pets and we are trying to remind people that
they exist," she said. "We feel dog-lovers themselves hold the key to arresting the decline. It would be a
travesty if they became extinct from our shores." Another breed under threat is the Sealyham terrier. In the
year before the outbreak of the Second World War, 1,084 puppies were registered in Britain. Last year there
were 60. Even though the labrador is the most popular dog in the country and the golden retriever is in sixth
place, one of its close relations, the curly coat retriever, has just 100 registrations a year. Cavalier king
spaniels are the seventh most- popular dog, yet its close counterpart, the King Charles spaniel, had just 176
registrations last year. The vulnerable dogs are: bloodhounds, deerhounds, greyhounds, otterhounds, gordon
setters, Irish red and white setters, curly coated retrievers, clumber spaniels, field spaniels, Irish water
spaniels, Sussex spaniels, dandie dinmont terriers, smooth fox terriers, Glen of Imaal terriers, Irish terriers,
Kerry blue terriers, Lakeland terriers, Manchester terriers, miniature bull terriers, Norwich terriers, Sealyham
terriers, Skye terriers, soft-coated wheaten terriers, Welsh terriers, smooth collies, Lancashire heelers,
Cardigan Welsh corgis, English toy terriers (black and tan) and King Charles spaniels
Below is another article about Crufts this year that you can read in its entirety. : :
The AKC CCR ranking for the last 2 years of : dogs registered for the ccr's. : Rank:130 Dogs registered 171
year 2004 : Rank:137 Dogs registered 119 year 2003 : : ________________article_____________________
:
Kennel Club fears dog breeds could be lost : to Britain Mar 9 2005 : : by Alex Thompson : : POOR Megan, the
Welsh terrier, has to cope : with the fact she's one of a declining : breed. : : Megan, along with other
threatened and : forgotten members of the dog world, was : yesterday paraded in front of the world's : press
on the eve at the annual Crufts show : to draw attention to their plight. : : The Kennel Club, which organises
the : four-day event, said 28 native breeds, : including two from Wales, were declining for : want of new blood
from overseas and a lack : of awareness among the public. : : Secretary Caroline Kisko said, "There : are all
these other breeds that are : forgotten about and make great pets. We are : trying to promote them to remind
people they : exist. We feel dog lovers hold the key to : arresting the decline by giving serious : thought to
owning one of them. With over 200 : breeds available to UK dog owners and nearly : 180 breeds appearing at
Crufts, dog lovers : really are spoilt for choice but we should : not forget these well-established breeds. : : "It
would be a travesty if they became : extinct from our shores." : : The Welsh terrier is one example. THE
KENNEL : CLUB SAYS A BREED IS VULNERABLE WHEN THE : NUMBER OF PUPPIES REGISTERED IN ANY
YEAR : FALLS TO AROUND 300. But Terry Spencer, : secretary of the Welsh Terrier Club, said : numbers
had not changed for 20 years. : : "As a breed I think we are vulnerable : because of the laws against tail :
docking," said Mr Spencer. "We are : also vulnerable because a lot of our : breeders and exhibitors are
elderly. Young : people are not coming into the breed because : there is a lot of work involved in : showing." : :
The Welsh terrier has been the most : successful of the handful of truly Welsh : breeds in the show ring,
taking the coveted : Best in Show at Crufts in 1951, 1959, 1994 : and 1998. Mr Spencer said, : : "They are
small enough for a woman or a : teenager to handle and they are big enough : for a man to walk out with one
and not feel : a prat." : : The second Welsh breed under threat is the : Sealyham terrier. A total of 123 new
puppies : were registered in 1982 but 20 years later : the number had fallen to just 58. Standing : about 12
inches tall, the breed was founded : in 1850 by Captain John Edwardes and named : after his estate, which lay
between : Haverfordwest and Fishguard.
The Kennel Club fears dog breeds could be lost to Britain Mar 9 2005
by Alex Thompson
POOR Megan, the Welsh terrier, has to cope with the fact she's one of a declining breed. Megan, along with
other threatened and forgotten members of the dog world, was yesterday paraded in front of the world's press
on the eve at the annual Crufts show to draw attention to their plight. The Kennel Club, which organises the
four-day event, said 28 native breeds, including two from Wales, were declining for want of new blood from
overseas and a lack of awareness among the public. Secretary Caroline Kisko said, "There are all these other
breeds that are forgotten about and make great pets. We are trying to promote them to remind people they
exist. We feel dog lovers hold the key to arresting the decline by giving serious thought to owning one of them.
With over 200 breeds available to UK dog owners and nearly 180 breeds appearing at Crufts, dog lovers
really are spoilt for choice but we should not forget these well-established breeds. "It would be a travesty if
they became extinct from our shores." The Welsh terrier is one example. THE KENNEL CLUB SAYS A BREED
IS VULNERABLE WHEN THE NUMBER OF PUPPIES REGISTERED IN ANY YEAR FALLS TO AROUND 300.
But Terry Spencer, secretary of the Welsh Terrier Club, said numbers had not changed for 20 years. "As a
breed I think we are vulnerable because of the laws against tail docking," said Mr Spencer. "We are also
vulnerable because a lot of our breeders and exhibitors are elderly. Young people are not coming into the
breed because there is a lot of work involved in showing." The Welsh terrier has been the most successful of
the handful of truly Welsh breeds in the show ring, taking the coveted Best in Show at Crufts in 1951, 1959,
1994 and 1998. Mr Spencer said, "They are small enough for a woman or a teenager to handle and they are
big enough for a man to walk out with one and not feel a prat." The second Welsh breed under threat is the
Sealyham terrier. A total of 123 new puppies were registered in 1982 but 20 years later the number had fallen
to just 58. Standing about 12 inches tall, the breed was founded in 1850 by Captain John Edwardes and
named after his estate, which lay between Haverfordwest and Fishguard
