Inspired by Peter Wedderburn's column  here's my experience of the Noughties.

2000 - Sell office space in the City and start working from home. A dog of my own is now a distinct possibility.

2001 - Persuade Alex to visit Crufts with me to start choosing said dog. Crufts delayed because of foot and mouth. But Alex shortlists German Wirehaired Pointers and Gordon Setters.

2001 - 2002 Research breeds. Check for health issues and learn from the Kennel Club how to find a good breeder. (This advice turns out to be absolute poppycock) but heyho.

2002 -

Alfie (Kimmax Karlton) is chosen from a KC registered breeder, one of the first to join the Accredited Breeder Scheme.

2003 starts well with lots of great fun with Alf. Family walks in Trent Park, training classes and even ringcraft, hide and seek and ball games in the garden.

May 2003 Alfie starts to look a little lame. Off to the vets. diagnosed as having Osteochondritis Dessicans. Referred to Davis White and keyhole surgery is performed. Six weeks of on lead activity only and hydrotherapy sessions follow.

But the swim sessions are a joy. Alfie makes a good and full recovery from OCD. But then a few months later has a massive seizure and so back to the vets.

2004 - Following further seizures Alfie is referred once again to Davies White and after an MRI scan and spinal tap he is diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy.

2005 - seems to have reasonable control of the condition and we continue to love life with him.

But the seizures come back.

Learn that Alfie's litter sister Kaz has also had severe seizures and been put to sleep because of them. Join the online epilepsy support groups such as this one http://www.canine-epilepsy.com/

Battle hard to regain control.

2006 Get referral to the Royal Veterinary College and Dr Holger Volk.

But despite adding Keppra to his regime the seizures keep coming. So said goodbye to Alfie on the 17th October 2006.

March 2007 Learn that the breeders are having a litter from a mating of Alfie's litter sister Kimmax Kiss and Tell to his first cousin Abbotsbourne Piccadily. Despite them knowing about Alfie and experiencing seizures at first hand with Kaz. No mention of the proximity to epilepsy on the breeder's website. Both of those dogs, Bronte and Plumley, have done well in the show ring of course. Their litter is born on April 1st 2007.

http://www.klancraig.co.uk/brontie2007.asp

Note they are also Accredited Breeders.

April 2007 decide to get another dog but this time not a purebred.

And so the Ferds becomes part of our lives. I also learn that epilepsy is actually well recorded in German Wirehaired Pointers and has been known in the breed for sometime. So much for the KC's ability to encourage the breeding of healthy lines.

2008 A documentary called Pedigree Dogs Exposed is broadcast made by an amazing woman called Jemima Harrison.

This resonates so strongly with mine, and many countless others' experiences and thankfully the world of pedigree dog breeding will never be the same.

2009 - Breeding reviews are promised (APGAW and Bateson), the KC's complaints to Ofcom come to nought of import and we continue to have fun with the Ferds.

2009 Start to meet lots more fantastic other campaigners like Carol Fowler - see her web site at www.cavaliercampaign.com

and we look forward to the 2010s and teens knowing that breeders will not get away so easily with their practices and behaviours of the past thanks to the efforts of a growing number of people willing to speak out. And thanks of course to all who contributed to that "doco". Yes August 19th 2008 was possibly the day of the decade for me. That day by rights should have been the day in November 2002 when we brought Alfie home for the first time - but sadly events took hold. Quite a decade dogwise heh?