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| Click to go to archive site |
Fascinating footage this, from a dog show in Amsterdam in 1922. As ever, I prefer most of the dogs from this time compared to their current counterparts, and many of the breeds are a revelation. I particularly love the Setters, which have so much more substance than the breed today and smaller, more natural heads. Many of the dogs look more real to me. And as for the Boston Terrier... how amazing that they used to have so much muzzle.
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| Hook's Punch - the first AKC registered Boston Terrier |
And a provocative post on today's Boston Terriers from Terrierman here.
My thanks to Alan Hedges for this link, which he posted last eve on the naughty Gossip Hound site (mainly UK dog show goss, so will have overseas visitors scratching their heads). He captioned it:
"film from 1922 in holland, seems lots of things haven't changed, although it appears film makers had integrity in those days. How times have changed in that area."
Now I normally don't rise to that kind of bait. I've learned that it's pointless as some breeders simply see Pedigree Dogs Exposed as free license to say anything they like about me for the rest of time, however rude and however loosely based on reality. But, stupidly, I responded on this occasion, commenting that the archive footage was surely evidence of how "dog breeders had integrity in those days and how times had changed in that area". I was, rather clunkily, trying to point out that it was nonsensical to draw conclusions about either dog breeders' or film-maker's integrity from some archive reportage shots with no sound. Hardly the height of witty repartee, though, and realising it would probably backfire, I quickly deleted the comment and apologised.
I know. I should have known better.
Back came the following tirade from Mr Hedges.
"You have demonstrated you are not straightforward, or honest, and are generally pretty despicable. How does that sound for starters? You caused a lot of good people a whole lot of grief and I hope you get your share in due course. You are not fooling me in your "concern" about dogs. Its all about your career and no care as to who gets hurt along the way. I think you are a straightforward waste of good oxygen. I may know nothing about film making but I recognise when there is a bad smell on my shoe."Bit between the teeth, Mr Hedges has now gone even further and made the untrue and damaging claim that we withheld medication from Boxer Zak in PDE in order to get the dog to fit for the cameras - a horrible rumour made up by someone and oft-repeated in the dog world (including by KC Chairman Steve Dean) by those who are determined to not let the truth get in the way of a good demonisation.
I understand Mr Hedges has launched something called the Dog Union as an alternative to the Canine Alliance. I'd been told the DU might be a more interesting/level-headed/open-minded version of the CA.
Indeed, the Dog Union's Facebook page claims:
"The Dog Union... Working for the Health and Welfare of Dogs Through Negotiation not Confrontation."Obviously not universally.