I took my new pup to the local park to day with my kids. I was sitting on a bench with my boy while the kids played in the children's area and two women without dogs come over and asked if he was a Labradoodle. I told them he was a Briard not a labradoodle, this seemed to really annoy them, and they said that people like me were a disgrace.

At first I couldn't work out what they were angry about, then they mentioned a certain BBC program. Apparently by owning a pedigree dog I am an animal abuser. One told me that all pedigree dogs are inbred freaks who have trouble walking. I tried pointing out that this wasn't something my breed suffers from and that my dogs parents had been health tested, but they weren't really interested in what I said, they were to busy sounding off. She then asked why I thought it was O.K. to keep an animal who would spend his life in pain with that brain condition. I'm afraid I actually laughed at this and as you can imagine this didn't go down to well and started them off again.

At this point my husband came over with the children and they decided to leave, as they walked off one said to the other 'those poor children are probably inbred too'. Needless to say the whole experience was slightly unnerving, although hubby and I did have a laugh at their stupidity once I'd calmed down a bit.

As someone who is not a breeder and has owned and loved both pure bred and cross bred dogs I didn't for one minute think that the BBC program would directly affect me. It seems I was wrong.

i am sorry that you had to go through that, what rude morons :(

OMG, what a pair of weirdos! 

One wonders who it is that is suffering from 'that brain disease'

> 'those poor children are probably inbred too'

I couldn't have let that go, that is down right rude.  How dare those women talk to you like that, I don't think I would have been so calm! Said program seems to have caught the attention of many people, amazing what a program shown at prime time can acheive!!

I hope you let Jemima and Passionate Productions know as well as writing to the BBC about your experience.

how rude !!! i think if some 1 did that to me id be in a cell for the night !!! how dare thay jump at you like that ...ppl are making a mountain out of a mole hill this is now its dam right wrong to call you and attack your childern like that !!! just because you have a pedigree dog !!!

All I can feel is anger towards those women.  How could they call you a dog abuser?  I'm am sorry to hear that you had to go though that sort of abuse just because of the breed of dog you own.  I hope you let the producers of the programe know how you are being treated on a general walk with your dogs and children. 

How you didn't hit those two women I will have no idea.  Glad you were able to laugh about it later.

I however have taken to tell some people my dogs are cross breeds and not pedigrees, well before this program came out because pedigree dogs cost alot more and are more "valuble" then crossbreeds.  Only did that to funny looking people who I thought were only seeing ££££, Now might do it to everyone.

>> 'those poor children are probably inbred too'

> I couldn't have let that go, that is down right rude. How dare those women talk to you like that, I don't think I would have been so calm! Said program seems to have caught the attention of many people, amazing what a program shown at prime time can acheive!!

I didn't in seem worth dignifying with a reply, and they obviously weren't the brightest people in the world. Had my children heard it might have been a different story though.

It does show how many people watched. The women in question weren't even dog owners.

Idiots!! its their pedigree I would question

> I hope you let Jemima and Passionate Productions know as well as writing to the BBC about your experience.

Unfortunately, I suspect that neither will be particularly interested.

> I however have taken to tell some people my dogs are cross breeds and not pedigrees, well before this program came out because pedigree dogs cost alot more and are more "valuble" then crossbreeds.  Only did that to funny looking people who I thought were only seeing ££££, Now might do it to everyone.

Briards are not very common and many people think he is a Giant Schnauzer, I may just tell people he is a Schnauzer cross in the future. What a sad world we live in today.

You can always contact the production company here :-
http://www.passionateproductions.co.uk/contact.htm

- perhaps we should all consider sending our comments to them ......not that it will influence them, I'm afraid!

I'd just like to find something concrete to pin on whats'ername to her discredit if possible......there must be something out there!

Ignorant, very ignorant.
Sadly some people just can't see past their own 'one sided' uninformed opinion.

I'm a Stafford owner - I should know! lol :-D

I had similar comments made about my dogs being freaks but thankfully I didnt let them get away with it.  I purposely made them listen to my side of the sorry.  And went on to tell them that their mutt would probably have been to the vets more times in its life that mine.  I thought it was only me so far that had come across anyone that easily brainwashed by a programme.

My breed is very easy to recognise, and I swear I have had some other funny looks as well.

The women in question I have seen on many occasions and she actually apologised the next time I saw her, my face must have been a picture, i was in shock but we actually seem to get on well now.

So your not alone but dont let anyone just rant at you, rant back

Emma

> I had similar comments made about my dogs being freaks but thankfully I didnt let them get away with it.  I purposely made them listen to my side of the sorry.  And went on to tell them that their mutt would probably have been to the vets more times in its life that mine.  I thought it was only me so far that had come across anyone that easily brainwashed by a programme.

> My breed is very easy to recognise, and I swear I have had some other funny looks as well.

I guess I could understand, if not condone it if my pup looked like a dog where selective breeding had obviously taken place, but he looks at the moment like a large, leggy, scruffy crossbreed.

> So your not alone but dont let anyone just rant at you, rant back

I am not someone who is afraid to stand up for myself but do believe in picking my fights. The women in question were obviously ill informed, ignorant and looking for an argument. I saw little point I obliging them.

How awful, poor you.

Cross breeds can be just as unhealthy and inherit each of their parents health problems and some, depending on the cross can look hideous. One I saw was a whippet cross daschund, very strange looking and I did wonder why anyone want to do that?

Sadly a programme like "Pedigree Dogs - Exposed" hurts eveyone and does nothing to actually educate the general public.

they sounded inbred themselves. were you in orpington?

> Sadly a programme like "Pedigree Dogs - Exposed" hurts eveyone and does nothing to actually educate the general public.

Very true, how very rude of these people to just come up to you like that :(

Morons! :-(

Briards are not very common and many people think he is a Giant Schnauzer, I may just tell people he is a Schnauzer cross in the future

Why???  Be PROUD of the dog breed you own.  You made a choice, to get a pup from health tested parents, and have fallen in love with a wonderful breed.  You shouldnt have to make up a breed, just because some very ignorant, assaultive people flamed you. 

Those people, who made the comment in the park, should have some sense smacked in them.  For them to say something so rude, so offensive, so...arg...... it just blows my mind.  They arent worth the light of day. 

Know that you are the better person.  You have a dog breed, that is wonderful, and you have a wonderful personality from what the post states. 

Never will I say my dogs are cross bred.  They are Miniature Pinschers, and I dont care what the programme said about pedigree dogs, they will always be pure bred. 

i think you did really well not to lose your temper.
I know i would.

That's AWFUL and shows just how ignorant Joe Public are -and what damage that programme did. :( What would they have said, I wonder if your dog had been a RESCUE? It's not like all rescues are mongrels.....

Well done you for staying calm.

Pity they are probably the same type of woman who would call the police for your husband taking pictures of your children.

Some one I met was a bit uppity about my dogs. . When I happend to mention one was a rescue the attitude changed!! Still cannot work that out he is still a pure bred dog.I am a bit slow on things some times and  could not think of an answer , thought of lots on the way home LOL

> were you in orpington?

Or Bracknell !!!!!

Yikes, I would have definitely lost my temper. I actually own 2 Cavaliers, so I was half wondering if anyone would say something in the first few days after that programme when I was out walking them, but nobody has. Most people I know (apart from my doggy friends!) don't seem to have seen the programme actually - sounds like I've been lucky!

Be proud of your dog whatever his breed dont bow down to these ignorant people. He is aBriard so make sure people no what he is,. By the way I met a puppy Briard last week and stopped and chatted to her owners as I am afriad I didnt know what she was. Lovely dog very friendly.   

> Pity they are probably the same type of woman who would call the police for your husband taking pictures of your children.

I'm sure you're right, they were obviously looking for trouble. Some people have too much time on their hands.
I'm sure it was a one off. I can't imagine that most people, even if they had an opinion, would actually feel the need to say something.

> Yikes, I would have definitely lost my temper. I actually own 2 Cavaliers, so I was half wondering if anyone would say something in the first few days after that programme when I was out walking them, but nobody has. Most people I know (apart from my doggy friends!) don't seem to have seen the programme actually - sounds like I've been lucky!

That's interesting, I didn't watch the program, I rarely watch T.V. but quite a few people have bought the subject up when talking to me and most of them aren't dog owners, although they all seem to have an opinion.

I never saw the programme either, so really dont know what all the fuss is about.  People will probably forget about this , when something else comes along for them to talk about.

I had my pup out and about today and did not get one bad comment, all ooooo's and aaaaaa's !!!!!!

I've had a few since then who have come up and asked me if my dogs are Labradoodles also, they've gone on to say how much healthier they are etc. than my pedigree examples, so I've asked them if they have a pen and paper and wrote down the BVA website, where they need to go re hipscores etc. and advised them to look at my breeds worst score and the Labradoodles and the other crossbreeds worst scores on that website, one has written back who was going to have a Labradoodle and said that she wants to now go on my waiting list!

What a horrid experience and I echo the comment on them. MORONS. I think we should start a campaign against whatsits face that produced the programme saying that thay have encited people to abuse us and do they want to do a programme on programme makers who start 'enticement to cause an affray' problems.

Hugos There, that sounds awful - what ignorant people! Well done you for ignoring them, I'd have found it hard to bite my tongue.

We went to the park today and for the first time someone commented on my Cavalier asking if I was worried about the "brain disease" - but they were very polite with it, I feel really sorry for you having to listen to such twaddle !!

Yes, I encountered my first person today, I was actually out with my Yankee but he knows I have 2 Cavs and said wasn't it sad about their brains being too big for their skulls, I just explained it was rather more complex than that and said how the programme had found the few people who didn't test and ignored the vast number that did. :-)

Well yesterday at our open show the AvMP & PD winner went in against the PB winner for BPIS and when the judge handed the rosette to the Bitch he took his Reserve rosette stomped out of the ring and said to his 'acomplice' very loudly "that cav has brain damage" to which his acomplice said "yeah and all her others have"

My poor friend was so upset, what had been a great day for her was ruined by some silly man who wasn't happy he didn't win :(

It is most unusual no matter what anyone thinks about things to approach a dog owner just sat on a bench with their dog and say something like that. They sound very strange women to me, perhaps it is worth mentioning to the park warden, they sounded very hostile to me, and may make a habit of harrassing people.

I really think that you should have reported them to a warden, police?  Even animal activist don't (that I know of) turn their abuse to children accusing them of being in-bred, I think they are two very sick individuals. Well done for not reacting especially to the latter, they should not be allowed to walk around a park being abusive.

All these examples mentioned of people being harrassed one way or another -I'd suggest you all email them to the KC to give them more ammunition against the BBC.
http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/about/contact_us.html

Great link Marianne Im gonna keep that.
I havent expierance any backlash yet but if the same thing happned to me as the poster I couldnt gurantee I would be so cool headed but then I wouldnt have my children around to see their mummy go nuts at someone!

How do these people think they have the right to give us backlash when they know NOTHING about dogs or breed testing etc, makes me so so so mad!!!
Seems for once the staffords arent being backlashed by the latest bbc programme, their time will come again im sure.

Yep, especially when the Dogs Trust and the like home all the staffie crosses that are in rescue. Your life won't be worth living if they cause havoc because they are rehomed with people who have no experience and can't control them.

That is damn right out of order, if someone had of come shouting the odds at me like that i would of most certainly put them straight!! Some people are damn right rude!! And that is out of order totally, dont know how you kept so calm!! Good on you though for not rising to their stupidity!!

Its amazing how a programme like that can change peoples views so quickly!!