Due to the Corona virus situation and the limited shows in 2020 the committee of the National Bedlington Terrier Club have agreed that all paid up members will receive free membership for 2021 anyone that's already paid in advance their membership will be extended for an extra year. Thanking all of you for your loyal support in these trying times. 

Pandemic Puppies: Exploring puppy buying during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic (UK)

As you may have heard in the general media, many sources including the Kennel Club ‘Find a Puppy’ statistics suggest that unusually high numbers of the public sought to, or have, purchased a puppy since the COVID-19 pandemic started in the UK. This ‘Pandemic Puppy’ phenomenon raises major welfare concerns for dogs, including lack of opportunities for appropriate socialisation and veterinary care under lockdown. In addition, it is likely that huge demand for puppies will have led to increased levels of puppy farming and illegal importation.

The Royal Veterinary College is being generously funded by the BVA Animal Welfare Foundation to undertake a study to understand how and why owners went about purchasing a puppy during this unprecedented period. We will compare the motivations and behaviours of 2020 ‘Pandemic Puppy’ owners with owners of puppies purchased during 2019. Our results will be used to understand any new welfare challenges facing puppies bought during the pandemic to improve the lives of these dogs.

We are keen to include the knowledge and experiences of large numbers of owners of puppies of any breed. As Secretary for the Bedlington Terrier Health Group, we would be extremely grateful if you can support this welfare study by sharing our online survey to UK-based owners who acquired a puppy during 2019 or 2020. The survey will be open until 31^st December 2020.

The survey link is: https://rvc.uk.com/pandemic-puppy-survey

This study has received ethical approval from the RVC Social Science Research Ethical Review Board (SR2020-0259). If you have any further questions regarding our study, please contact the Primary Investigator Dr Rowena Packer on rpacker@rvc.ac.uk.

Yours sincerely

	New presentation of health tests Dog health test results will now be accessible online only, not printed on the registration certificates as was previously the case. Registration certificates will instead carry a clear message indicating that health test results can be found on The Kennel Club website.  We have made this change because the website allows us to present health information in a more up to date and dynamic way that is beneficial to both the puppy buyer and the breeder. When health test data started being collected by The Kennel Club many years ago, there were limited ways in which this information could be reported. The registration certificates and of course the Breed Record Supplement (BRS) provided the best solution at that time. However, information on registration certificates is only accurate at the time of printing, whereas online data can be completely and continually updated in real time and access to information is not limited to the holder of the certificate. Furthermore, there is a demand from breeders for an ever growing number of health schemes and DNA tests and the space available on a paper registration certificate is limited.   Not only are the number of tests growing, but it is also clear that the complexity and relevance of some tests and results require quite detailed explanation. Different owners and breeders attach differing levels of importance to certain results and conditions, sometimes leaving these open to misinterpretation if the correct level of explanation is not available.  Therefore, going forward, all results will continue to appear in the BRS, but instead of being on registration certificates they will appear on the online Health Test Results Finder (thekennelclub.org.uk/health-test-results-finder) the moment that they are available on the Kennel Club system, and there will be a clear message printed on the registration certificate signposting to this area of our website, where it is possible to print off results directly. By recording them on the Health Test Results Finder, we are able to provide more explanatory information about each test, with associated links, to help breeders and owners make better informed decisions, therefore increasing the opportunities to produce healthy puppies.                                                         ***********************************************************************************************		Dr Camilla Pegram VetCompass Epidemiologist, RVC (Co-Investigator)

HYPERKERATOSIS

The skin on the pads of a dog’s foot is thicker than the rest of its body and the cells are (reinforced) by a protein called Keratin. In some dogs this process is exaggerated, and they produce large amounts of excess skin which is rich in Keratin. This results in corny and cracked pads. The corns are very painful, and the cracks can go right down to the living basal layer of the skin. The condition is present for life. The cracks are very different from the small superficial cracks found in most dogs that are walked on the road.

Fortunately, a genetic abnormality related to this condition has been identified. The best method of avoiding it is to check that both parents have been tested for the abnormal gene. The cost of the test will probably be reflected in the price of the puppy, but animal welfare should come first.

The test can be carried out in this country by a cheek swab available from Animal DNA Diagnostics. They have their own website and an email address of info@animaldiagnostics.co.uk or speak to June on 01223 395577. It is possible that soon other firms may also offer this test.

There are a few other conditions that can look a little like hyperkeratosis, such as some forms of dermatitis, especially one associated with low levels of zinc in the body. If you have any doubts, visit your vet or check out the numerous photos available on the internet

for more information on all health matters concerning the Bedlington Terrier visit the health group website 

http://www.bedlingtonterrierhealthgroup.org/home/4594375737

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Champion classes to be introduced for breed club championship shows

The Kennel Club has agreed to introduce champion classes at breed club championship shows, with effect from 1st January 2018.

These classes, which are not compulsory, have been brought in by the Show Executive Committee (SEC) following a recommendation from the Dog Show Promotion Working Party which recently announced a number of measures designed to improve the dog show scene in Britain.

The winner of the champion class, provided it is unbeaten, will join all other unbeaten dogs or bitches to compete for the relevant Challenge Certificate.   

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: “The Kennel Club has received feedback from a number of exhibitors that this concept would be a welcome addition to the show scene. The working party was of the view that the introduction of these classes at breed club championship shows would be a positive step as there would be a number of advantages in allowing exhibitors an opportunity to show a champion dog in this new class as well as another dog in the open class, for example.

“There would also be benefits to newer exhibitors and to judges in being able to see more champion dogs which would assist them in the development of their knowledge and expertise in the breed.”

This initiative will be reviewed by the SEC after a three-year trial period (1st January 2021).

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KC BREEDS LIAISON COUNCIL

Mark can be  contacted direct by the following means……

Mark Walshaw (KC Breed liaison Representative).

07780 950843 or 01287 652860

mwalshaw.janmark@gmail.com

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