The well known and much loved BBC 1 TV programme "Country File" will have a special feature about Vulnerable British and Irish dog breeds on Sunday 24th February starting at 11am. Organised by the British and Irish Dog Breeds Preservation Trust the BBC filmed a total of 15 different breeds, representing the bottom 15 on the list of Vulnerable Breeds.

Three breeds were selected to be specially featured: the Otterhounds doing man tracking, a group of Irish Water Spaniels retrieving from a lake and a team of working Glen of Imaal Terriers performing rat clearance barn work. The Glen of Imaal Terrier is officially Britain & Irelands' rarest breed for 2007 with just 36 puppies being registered at the UK Kennel Club and has been the subject of extensive media interest recently.

The item was filmed at Cotswold Farm Park, near Cheltenham, which is owned by Country File presenter Joe Henson.  Back in 1973, Joe was the founder chairman of The Rare Breeds Survival Trust. The farm is famed for its many rare breeds of livestock, so was the perfect venue. The BBC presenter for the item is Miriam O'Reilly, whose credits include Farming Today, Costing the Earth, File on 4 and is a Country File regular.

Filming took place on Tuesday 12th February 2008 on a beautiful sunny winter's day and the breeds that were filmed by the BBC are as follows (2007 registration totals in brackets):

Glen of Imaal Terrier (36): Skye Terrier (37): Otterhound (41): Sussex Spaniel (61): Smooth Collie (63): Sealyham Terrier (65): Field Spaniel (67): Welsh Corgi (Cardigan) (68): Irish Red & White Setter (93): Manchester Terrier (113): Dandie Dinmont Terrier (124): Norwich Terrier (128): Lancashire Heeler (146 ): Irish Water Spaniel (162 ): Clumber Spaniel (223):

Paul Keevil, Press Officer for the Trust said: "The response from our vulnerable breeds when I requested volunteers was outstanding. The Irish Water Spaniels brought a team of 14 trained dogs and many owners came down the night before the filming having travelled hundreds of miles at their own expense to attend. I have nothing but praise for their commitment to the Vulnerable Breeds Project and, with such enthusiastic and dedicated owners, the future looks bright. What I find so exciting about this BBC project is that the programme is aimed fairly and squarely at country folk and the working abilities of our traditional breeds was stressed and demonstrated, along with the fact that we are adapting our dog breeds to life in the 21st century."

If you miss the show or live overseas, this programme will be available for the next seven days following the broadcast, on the BBC website from their new "i player" service:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/

Garry  Mason
Norwich Norfolk Borzoi.

I would hope that those people who are considering the Lab x Poodles will realise there is at least one British alternative that would fit the bill of what they imagine a cross between these breeds might be like.  I believe most of the others are pretty low in numbers too like the Curly coated Retriever and then of course the foreign ones like the Spanish Waterdog and Lagotta.

I also thinik that a program like country file is a good place for such exposure, as it attracts more serious viewers.

Barbara, no, no, there were over a 100 Spanish bred last year, way to many in my opinion for a breed that is not suitable for all first time owners.  We definitely don't want many  more being bred.  Though as you say with all the breeds in this country there are around 7 that fit what supposedly the Labradoodle is bred to look like and many of them have similiar temperaments. 

I've been stopped numerous times with all my dogs with people who have Labradoodles and saying how much they look like such and such Labradoodles!!

Hi Barb  the show is to highlight the UK Native Breeds
that are on the  KC Vulnerable breeds
Garry

The Gordon Setter was originally on this list but the breed clubs asked to come off it from what I understand, presumably as they didn't want lots of people to start breeding indiscriminately. I think Bloodhounds did the same. This is always the danger of highlighting the plight of these breeds I suppose, but I look forward to watching the programme, it should be interesting. I suppose breeds go in and out of fashion like everything else. I know the Swedish Lapphund was very near extinct in the 1920's because its work role had changed and it wasn't needed  :( , thankfully someone stepped in to save it which is what the Kennel Club is doing here I suppose.

> Hi Barb; the show is to highlight the UK Native Breeds
> that are on the; KC Vulnerable breeds
> Garry

Yes I did realise that.  If my breed were British it would be among the vulnerable breeds too as last two years under 100 registrations per year, and the breed has been in the UK since 1870's.

Dakkobear

Gordons were only on the list for one year from what I remember because of a blip in registration figures.  They're now getting over the cut off point for registration hence why they asked to come off the list

Jill

thanks for this, im cani-crossing Sunday so have set skyplus for it :)

not neccessarily...you can request your breed remove even if registrations below the 100....we did and we are no longer on their list thank goodness even though numbers are well below.

how do you find out how many puppies have been registered in a year for a particular breed?

Here you go:http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=1128&d=pg_dtl_art_news&h=242&f=0

What a shame as I am just up the road from there and would have loved to gone. I must admit I have fallen in love with the IWS after seeing one and having a chat with the owner. He struggled to keep me kidnapping him :-D

Will Sky Plus it, thanks for letting us know about it.

thanks!