Broadcast to over 5 million people here in the UK in August 2008

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7569064.stm

this documentary written, directed and produced by Jemima Harrison revealed the very dark side of showing dogs and its disastrous impact on the health of many breeds. Never has a film on dogs provoked so much debate, anger and frustration about the UK's Kennel Club.

In one section they show a Boxer having a seizure. This is exactly like Alfie's seizures.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ixlK89OuxC0

They are heartbreaking. Apparently Caroline Kisko (of KC fame) said that she felt it cruel that the production team filmed a dog in such distress. As if somehow filming it was crueller than breeding it. And the breeding of epileptic dogs goes on knowingly - and this is what needs to stop.

Update 9th January 2010.

The impact that Pedigree Dogs Exposed has had on the world of dog breeding cannot be underestimated. It has simply shaped the entire agenda since August 2008. This week will see the publication of the findings of the Bateson Inquiry - an inquiry that was supported by the KC - so the KC presumably will need to show that it is taking those findings seriously.

Update 30th June 2011

The commissioning of Pedigree Dogs Exposed II has been announced. Initally I felt that perhaps it was too premature for a follow up. Perhaps it would be good to let the breed communities consolidate the improvements and the changes that they are implementing.

 Then I saw this thread on a forum about Heart Testing and I changed my mind. It is clear from this and from behaviours that persist in many other breeds, Slovakian Roughaired Pointers, Pugs, Cavaliers, Bulldogs, the list could go on, that as yet not enough has changed.

So seems to me Pedigree Dogs Exposed the follow up cannot come too soon. Too many poor breeding decisions are allowed to linger behind the protection of spurious awards and accreditations such as the Accredited Breeder Scheme and the so called Awards of Excellence.