Napoleon's Web Page News

Website News

10th November 2007: It's that time of the year again and our regular users will know that we run a Christmas theme. London's Oxford Street switched their lights on this week so we have done the same. This year we have the audio stream available so we are able to play some real Christmasy music in full digital stereo.

1st November 2007: I have improved the sound technology on the site, the audio stream software only allowed one tune to played. I decided to write my own and it is now working as you can all hear. There are multiple tunes all with a special Poodle meaning, see if you can guess what it is. My "home bred software will also allow video (hmmm Napoleon TV). You will need to have Windows Media Player version 7 or above installed on your computers for the sound to work. If you can hear the sound then you need to do nothing, if you cant hear the sound and your computers sound is on (and the volume turned up) then click the Windows Media Player link on the bottom of the HOME page.

14th September 2007: We have got to the bottom of the technical problems that have dogged (excuse the pun) the site over the last few days. Working together with our excellent Web host it all seems fine now. If there are any outages over the next few days it will be because we are working on the site.

28th August 2007: B.U.B.A Schedules now online in our schedules page.

28th July 2007: When I moved the site to a server in the USA I said that I would be bringing new technology online in 2007. I have already started. Let me know what you think of the new music on the front page.

27th July 2007: The show information is back, click on SHOW CALENDAR, then scroll down to the bottom of the page. There you will find directions to the next show , a journey planner and a regularly updated weather forecast.

14th July 2007: We are supporting the Dog World initiative in sending a letter to Gordon Brown and asking how his government will treat dogs. Read it below and send him or your local MP a copy of it.

The Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP
10 Downing Street
London
SW1A 2AA

Dear Mr Brown

OVER THE last few years, responsible dog owners have been subject to ever more onerous restrictions on what they can and cannot do with their dogs. In these the early days of your premiership we would respectfully like to ask if this might be an appropriate moment for a new start so that dog owners, generally a law-abiding and trouble-free section of the British community, are able to enjoy the various hobbies and activities we undertake with our animals without the burden of ever-increasing bureaucracy.

First, as part of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act local authorities have the power to issue dog control orders. These powers are extremely wide-ranging, far more so than is generally necessary, and potentially can restrict drastically the areas where dog owners are able to walk with their animals.

Already a number of local authorities have attempted to impose orders which would be a considerable burden on the vast majority of responsible dog walkers. A consultation process is required but often it is only through the vigilance of concerned local enthusiasts that the planned restrictions are brought to the attention of those whom they will affect most.

We would like to ask you to ensure that any such proposals are properly publicised, and then that representations of those whom they will affect are taken into account. The Kennel Club, the voice of the responsible dog owner, is already asking that the consultation process be improved. We ask you, please, to listen to them.

Second, the Dangerous Dogs Act of 1991 is widely regarded as one of the worst pieces of legislation ever to go onto the Statute Book, not least because it negates the traditional precept on 'innocent until proven guilty'.
Since then some of the worst excesses of the Act have been improved, but there is still much to be done, and there remains a tendency for knee-jerk reaction to any, thankfully very rare, serious biting incidents, which penalise thousands of 'good' owners as well as the minority of 'bad' ones. We ask that you take seriously the carefully drafted proposals of those who are trying the reform the act to make it fair to all.

Third, with regard to any dog-related legislation that has been introduced in recent years, on topics such as hunting and docking of tails, the views of those thousands of dog owners affected by the law have been ignored, indeed at times apparently treated with contempt, often in spite of a lack of reliable scientific evidence in favour of the proposals. We ask you to ensure that this does not happen again, otherwise you risk further alienating thousands of law-abiding citizens.

There are many hundreds of clubs round the country to which dog owners belong and which run activities ranging from dog shows, to training classes, to competitive obedience, to field trials. These people are responsible citizens who do no harm to anyone and who love their animals. Yet their views are spurned. Please take note of them, consult them properly and above all listen to the Kennel Club which co-ordinates all these activities.

Fourth, European bureaucracy has affected many aspects of our lives. Again, before adopting and suggestions from Europe which affect pedigree dogs and their breeders and owners, please consult with those in Britain who know what they are talking about.

Dog ownership has so many social benefits to the community, and indeed economic ones too. Dog walking keeps both people and dogs fit and healthy, and discourages crime in parks and open ground. Dogs provide companionship for a great many people and in some cases give them a reason for carrying on. The manufacture of food and accessories, the running of boarding kennels grooming and training establishments, the need for veterinary care, all provide employment for thousands of people. Please do not ignore them.

Yours sincerely

15th May 2007: I have been asked if Dew Claw removal is still allowed since the Animal Welfare act came into being. The answer is yes, here is a brief synopsis of what the act says:

DEW CLAWS

The removal of dew claws is permitted under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. In England it is allowed under The Mutilations (Permitted Procedures) (England) Regulations 2007, which came into effect on 6 April 2007. The same provision is made in Wales under The Mutilations (Permitted Procedures) (Wales) Regulations 2007, which came into force on 28 March 2007.

The Regulations operate alongside the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966. As such the removal of dew claws by owner or his employee (over 18 years of age), before the dogs eyes are open, continues to be allowed. However the regulations also state that the permitted mutilation must be carried out—

(a) in accordance with any relevant requirement in Schedules 2 to 9;
(b) in such a way as to minimise the pain and suffering it causes to the animal;
(c) in hygienic conditions; and
(d) in accordance with good practice.

If the eyes have opened then anaesthetic must be used.

The full text is included at

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2007/20071100.htm

(This is the Government site, The Office Of Public Sector Information - scroll down to just above the start of schedule 2.)

And

http://www.countryside-alliance.org.uk/food,_farming_conservation/food,_farming_and_conservation/Brief_on_the_Animal_Welfare_Act_2006/

(Scroll down to the last paragraph on the Countryside Alliance site)

6th April 2007: DOCKING

All UK legislation has now been passed and enacted as follows;

The docking of dogs' tails will be banned in England from 6 April 2007 and in Wales from 28 March 2007 but with exemptions from the ban for certain working dogs, and for medical treatment. A total ban in Scotland will take effect 31 April

There will also be a ban on the showing of docked dogs (all dogs docked after the commencement date of 6 April/28 March) at events to which members of the public are admitted on payment of a fee. However, this ban does not apply to dogs shown for the purpose of demonstrating their working ability.

The exemption for working dogs allows a dog that is likely to perform certain specified types of work to have its tail docked by a veterinary surgeon. The dog will have to be less than 5 days old, and the veterinary surgeon will have to certify that he or she has seen specified evidence that the dog is likely to work in specified areas. Puppies being docked must be microchipped, either at the time of docking or when the vet considers they are old enough. The types of dog that will be allowed to be docked, and the types of evidence needed, is detailed below.

Puppies from certain working dogs may be docked if evidence is provided to the vet that it is likely to be worked in connection with law enforcement, activities of Her Majesty’s Armed Forces, emergency rescue, lawful pest control, or the lawful shooting of animals. It is accepted that in a litter not all puppies docked will be found suitable for work.

The owner of the dog, or person representing the owner must make a signed statement that: the dam of the puppies to be docked is of a type which can be certified as set out below; the date on which the puppies were born; and that it is intended that they will be used, or sold, for one of the working purposes set out in the regulations.

The vet must sign a declaration that the requirements of the regulations have been satisfied i.e. that he has been given the necessary declaration by the owner, or person representing the owner, and has seen the evidence required.

The vet must have a completed statement, signed and dated by the owner of the dog (or by another person whom the veterinary surgeon to whom it is presented reasonably believes to be representing the owner), made in the form set out in the regulations. The vet must see the dam of the dog and a further piece of evidence such as:

a current shotgun or firearm certificate issued to the owner of the dog, or to the agent or employee of the owner most likely to be using the dog for work in connection with the lawful shooting of animals OR

a letter from a gamekeeper, a land occupier (or his agent), a person with shooting rights, a shoot organiser, a club official, a person representing the National Working Terrier Federation, or a person engaged in lawful pest control, stating that the breeder of the dog whose tail is to be docked is known to him and that dogs bred by that breeder have been used (as the case may be) on his land, or in his shoot, or for pest control.

Although the procedure is the same, the list of dogs which can be docked are different between England and Wales. There is a total ban on docking in Scotland.

In England the following can be docked:

1.      Hunt point retrieve breeds of any type or combination of types.

2.      Spaniels of any type or combination of types.

3.      Terriers of any type or combination of types.

In Wales the following can be docked:

1.      Spaniels of the following breeds: English Springer Spaniel, Welsh Springer Spaniel and Cocker Spaniel, but not combinations of breeds

2.      Terriers of the following breeds: Jack Russell Terrier, Cairn Terrier, Lakeland Terrier, Norfolk Terrier, but not combinations of breeds

3.      Hunt point retrievers of the breeds listed below:

Braque Italian, Brittany, German Long Haired Pointer, German Short Haired Pointer, German Wire Haired Pointer, Hungarian Vizsla, Hungarian Wire Haired Vizsla, Italian Spinone, Spanish Water Dog, Weimaraner, Korthals Griffon, Slovakian Rough Haired Pointer, Large Munsterlander, Small Munsterlander.

It remains the prerogative of a veterinary surgeon as to whether he chooses to dock a dog’s tail or not.

Showing of Docked Dogs

A dog docked before the 28 March 2007 in Wales and 6 April 2007 in England may continue to be shown at all shows in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland throughout its natural life.

A dog docked on, or after, the above dates, irrespective of where it was docked, may not be shown at shows in England and Wales where the public is charged a fee for admission.

However, where a working dog has been docked in England and Wales under the respective regulations set out above, it may be shown where the public are charged a fee, so long as it is shown “only to demonstrate its working ability”. It will thus be necessary to show working dogs in such a way as ONLY to demonstrate their working ability and not conformity to a standard.

A dog legally docked in England, Wales, Northern Ireland or abroad may be shown at any show in Scotland or Northern Ireland.

Full information including a copy of the form need to be completed and presented to the vet to complete can be found at www.cdb.org/awa

The Kennel Club has a question and answer information page at http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=999

DEFRA has an information page at http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/welfare/act/docking.htm

19th March 2007: The Kennel Club have released a superb Q&A page concerning the showing of docked dogs in the UK, after the new Animal Welfare Acts take effect, look at sections " Q&A for Judges and Q&A for show organisers. Click on the link HERE. Crufts results are now online.

11th March 2007: Latest news on Docking, is there a last minute reprieve.

The Animal Welfare Act 2006 comes into force in Wales on 31st March 2007, England on 6th April 2007 and Scotland from 30th April 2007. Tail docking will definitely be banned in Scotland, but in an unprecedented move, the draft Docking of Working Dogs' Tails (England) Regulations appertaining to the English Act, were opposed in the Lords on March 7th.

It would appear that the Government has since withdrawn these regulations and that the Government will now have to reconsider the exceptions to the ban on tail docking.

At this point in time, nobody is sure of the next steps as the situation is unprecedented. Lord Rooker felt the matter should go back to the floor of the Lords, the RSPCA are suggesting the matter will go to a committee of MP's early week commencing 12th March.

Whilst the chances of the docking ban being lifted are highly remote, nothing can be lost by sending an e-mail to your MP and interested Lords yet again. The RSPCA are encouraging supporters to do so and we are suggesting the same.

http://tinyurl.com/yqakla takes you to "Write to Them" by entering your post code you can find your MP in a few seconds. If you write your e-mail before going here, you can just cut and paste it into the box on the site. After this please send an e-mail to a Lord. A list of Lords interested in docking, will appear if you type "docking" into a query box on the Lords page.

Please do not use the suggested text at the bottom exactly as it is, please change it to suit your own style.

Please also encourage as many of your friends to join in what is a last stand for docking, however futile it may seem, but do contact your MP NOW.

Text you can adjust before sending;

I understand that the draft Docking of Working Dogs' Tails (England) Regulations 2007 have not been accepted in the Lords and that they are now under further scrutiny. I strongly desire for the continuance of the status quo with regards to tail docking. Veterinary surgeons should be legally allowed to continue to exercise their clinical judgement with respect to which puppies they dock, where they feel it to be in the interest of the animals future welfare.

The draft Docking of Working Dogs' Tails (England) Regulations 2007, displayed gross hypocrisy in allowing only a select few breeds to be docked. The docking procedure is NOT cruel or painful for those breeds indicated in the original draft, nor is it cruel or painful to dock the remainder of the traditionally docked breeds.

Sheep and pigs can legally continue to be docked for sound animal husbandry reasons, I can see no reason why the same should not apply to all traditionally docked breeds in canines.

The government through DEFRA, studied and consulted on tail docking for 3 years and came to the conclusion that in the interests of animal welfare, the status quo offered the best solution. I concur with that opinion and trust you can do all in your power to help prevent future tail damage to my breed, when this legislation is re-examined

27th February 2007: A new petition to Number 10 to allow tail banding in the same way that Farmers are to be allowed to continue the practise with sheep, this closes on April 6th so please sign it and tell all your friends. This is a last gasp effort so lets all make it a BIG petition. The link to it is below:

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Banding-tails/

9th February 2007: Big thanks to all those who rang or emailed to see how Poly was. To those that don't know, he had a tumour on his neck which burst. He has had it successfully removed although it was touch and go for a couple of days when I thought I might lose him. The lab results are back and thankfully it is not malignant, it is a pilomatrixoma tumour which is prevalent in dogs such as Poodles and Old English Sheepdogs. He will have his stitches out next week. He is on the mend, spent yesterday barking at the snowmen and has been gobbing off at the girls today so its all back to normal.

11th December 2006: Show Dates for 2007 now online.

The Animal Welfare Bill has now completed all of its Parliamentary stages and received Royal Assent on 8 November 2006 - it now becomes the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

A ban on the mutilations of animals (including tail docking) is included, with certain specified exemptions.

The Act does not become law until 6 April 2007 and tail docking will be subject to regulations which now have to be consulted on, before the section on docking is enacted.

The consultation document can be viewed below

10th December 1006: LKA Poodle results now online.

9th December 2006:It has come to my attention that Labramongrel breeders have been posting on the forum. Now we do allow freedom of speech but there are limits. The forum is to discuss issues appertaining to ALL THREE sizes of Poodle, it is not to make personal attacks on people. These two Labramongrel breeders have already been banned from The Standard Poodle Clubs Forum, I also will not tolerate these personal attacks. Incidentally I was at The SP Club Show and never experienced any "debacle", I suspect these Labramongrel people are just stirring. Remember posts must be kept within the law and anything slanderous will have the names of the persons being attacked starred out **** . If the post goes too far I will remove it. If you want to accuse someone of something in a court of law you will not be allowed to use a nickname it would have to be your real name. I have started a thread in the SP section-> General about Labramongrels, now lets tell these people what real SP people think of them.

26th November 2006: There is an online petition to the Prime Minister to keep tail docking, the link is below:

Click here to sign the Petition to The Prime Minister to Keep Tail Docking

24th November 2006: The makeover has been completed, the site is now much easier to read, the Forum is up and running too. I have removed all the music apart from the front page and the news page. As you can see I have put up the sites Christmas decorations, which have been a tradition over the last 7 years. As I said yesterday, I have some plans to add some more features to the site in the new year so watch this space.

23rd November 2006: Well finally the site is in it's new home, this allows me to move the site up a level. It now has the space to update the show results and all the other services that it had before. There is a new Forum, (you will have to re register) with other exciting new services coming online during 2007. The Site will also be having a makeover giving it an entirely new look. Stories of our demise were simply not true, please bear with us during the changes, they will be worth it and will once again make us "The Number One Poodle Site on the Web".

1st August 2006 :

A while back I said that legislation would not stop at a docking ban and could include some aspects of showing, it seems I was right.

TV Vet "Emma The Vet" (one of the most vociferous anti dockers) has turned her attention to the way dogs are bred.

Who is this lady ? is she a well respected and vastly experienced Vet ?

She has been a Vet for 6 years so I will leave you to make your own judgement.

This is the lady who when I asked the question as to why she was so against docking but did not speak out against the ritual slaughter of animals and when I also used the analogy of circumcision, came out with the crass reply, all men think about is their p....

This wretched girl has come up with this statement about Basset Hounds and clearly shows her feelings about the show world.

*****

Bassets are one of the worst breeds of dog around today. They never used to be but with many of our breeds they have been COMPLETELY ruined for the sake of the show ring. Bassets were originally bred to hunt hares. I saw a Basset recently that could barely walk or see, let alone chase a hare. I had a very distinct mental picture of three hares rolling around around on the floor a few feet away from the dog, clutching their sides and crying with laughter and pointing at the poor thing.
Lets see, where shall I begin? Their legs are too short to support their weight, their backs are too long so they are predisposed to back problems, their ears are so long they trap all the wax and fluid produced in them and are prone to ear disease, their eyelids droop so much that they are prone to chronic eye infections, the ‘breed standard’ (ha ha) specifies the legs skin should be ‘heavily wrinkled’ so they get chronic skin infections in the folds, they have weak skin immunity and are prone to yeast and bacterial infections. They are no longer dogs, they are itchy, miserable ornaments, totally man- made and should be banned.

******

So here we can see where these badly informed, self opinionated anti dockers will go next. We must stop them in their tracks. Please email or write to their Lordships on the docking issue over and over until they listen. We have until October to put over our point of view.

31st May 2006 :Received in the post today a clipping from a LABRAMONGREL website telling us how INTERNATIONAL they are, using bloodlines from Australian dogs. Apparently they have a Solicitor on their side acting as an email contact. Now was this sent to me because of my stance on these crossbreeds ? I wonder ? But it does not make any difference I am still opposed to the cross breeding of two lovely breeds purely for financial gain. I have said it before and I will say it again " in our lifetime the LABRAMONGREL will never gain Pedigree status in this country". first they need a breed standard and then after that it can take 40 years to attain KC recognition. They cannot have a breed standard when they DO NOT even know whether the puppies coats are going to be Poodle or Labrador. Aside from the health issues, breeding these things is immoral and shows a complete disregard for the welfare of the dogs. If my attitude to LABRAMONGRELS upsets those in favour of them, then all I have to say is TOUGH !

16th March 2006 :Tradition, what does the word mean to you ? The dictionary says "an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behaviour". Fox hunting was traditional to this country and it was banned, now we face another attack to our culture and traditions, the banning of docking. Make no mistake, this legislation is not for the benefit of animal welfare, it is PURELY POLITICAL. It has been brought in to appease the Marxist animal rights movement, who are happy to point the finger at us but will not speak out against the ritual slaughter of animals without stunning them first (which is appalling) in case it offends religions. (that is not a racist comment, although I am an Aetheist now I WAS BORN JEWISH and have seen ritual slaughter for myself. so I know what I am talking about) . These "do gooding" idiots and their friends in the Anti Vivisection League are responsible for the suffering of those six poor individuals who took part in a drug test at a London Hospital last week. Had the drug companies been able to test properly on RATS then this terrible thing may not have happened. I hope that they can live with themselves (I suspect that they could not care one iota).Their "compassion" has caused more suffering to the fox community as farmers are not accurate enough when shooting them. They will also cause suffering to the docked breeds as many breeders will not continue thereby opening the door to unscrupulous puppy farmers breeding their bitches EVERY season and selling the puppies unregistered. I also blame those misguided anti dockers who breed traditionally docked breeds (those who jumped on the bandwagon when the hypocritical RSPCA joined in) for what has taken place in the house this week. Once again it is the minority brushing aside the wishes of the MAJORITY. It is not over until the fat lady sings though, the bill must now go to the House of Lords. Below are some instructions for what to do next. There are links to the CDB website in the text as they have all the information. Now lets all get emailing.

THE CDB TEXT FOLLOWS:

Parliament has voted on tail docking in an amendment to the Animal Welfare Bill on 14th March. Full details of the amendments to be put on the face of the Bill, can be found here. As it is not being introduced as a Stautory Instrument, it will cover England and Wales with no further input possible from the Welsh Assembly.

The Bill is expected to proceed to the House of Lords almost immediately, then go back for further consideration in the House of Commons. All business in the Lords is now set in stone up to the 27th March so the second reading cannot be before then. The Lords go into recess from 31st March to 17th April. There is a possibility that the Second reading could be 28th, 29th or 30th, but it is not yet even on the provisional list. Lists are generally published every Wednesday. The general feeling is that the Second Reading is likely to be after 17th April. We should know for certain on Wednesday 22nd March

It is essential that CDB members and supporters write NOW to as many Peers as possible in defense of all forms of tail docking. Please remember that Peers have the power to amend the Bill either FOR or AGAINST our interests!!!

Guidance for lobbying peers

1. The CDB suggests you write and/or email as many Peers as possible starting with those based in your locality. Peers are not attached to Constituencies like MP's so they will not be offended if they live nowhere near you. Write to / email as many as you feel able to. Your target should perhaps be a very minimum of ten (more is better).

2. Write to Peers at House of Lords, London SW1A 0PW and/or use these links to email a selection of Peers, end your correspondence "Yours Sincerely". How to address Peers can be found here

3. Your letter should ideally be short, hand written and polite. Please use an appropriate selection of the points made here as a guide and to personalise your letters. Please do not hesitate to add your own reasons too if not listed.

4. Peers do not always have the same secretarial support as MP's, so while you may not get a reply, please note that your letter will count. Do not forget to include your address.

Points you may wish to include in your letter (in no particular order):

Liberty and tolerance - a ban in any form represents an attack on an entire canine owning culture and the rural way of life based no scientific evidence to support a ban. There are well over 1,000,000 docked dogs in the UK so the number of docked dog owners affected is substantial.

Docking is not painful - In his anti-docking submission to the Scottish Parliament, John Bower MRCVS a former BVA President, stated “Pain is possibly the least powerful argument as it is so slight”

After three and a half years investigating, DEFRA concluded that “Scientists from across the globe agree that tail docking does not cause pain, as research distinguishes between groups of newborn animals, including dogs, and confirms that they are relatively immature at birth and up to around two weeks of age, and so cannot feel the same degree of pain as human babies, lambs and calves. Therefore, it seems unnecessary to amend current legislation”. (UK Government Regulatory Impact Assessment Note – Animal Welfare Bill, para. 15)

Docking simply for working dogs does not make sense. If it is not cruel to dock litters which will be worked, how can it be cruel to dock litters destined for companion or show homes?

Dogs are not docked for cosmetic reasons. We paint the outside of our house to protect the woodwork, and most agree it looks far better with a fresh coat of paint. The cosmetic effect is the same with docked dogs. We dock to protect our animals and prefer the look of a docked breed, which is a consequence of docking, not the reason to dock.

Docking simply for dogs worked in the field does not make sense. The same breeds in companion or show homes, display the same characteristics when exercising. All owners living in the countryside know how they love to forage in the undergrowth and left undocked, these will damage their tails the same as their worked relatives.

Tail Docking is a humane method of preventive animal management; over 500 vets currently dock legally and wish to continue the practice. Any form of ban would be detrimental to animal welfare, not assist Animal Welfare.

Undertakings by the Government that it would only legislate on scientific evidence, rather than hearsay or anecdote have been reversed. As John Bower, a former BVA President, states "Who needs science: docking is just a totally unnecessary, cruel and cosmetic operation.". which confirms that the anti-docking lobby has no scientific support for its arguments whatsoever.

Parts of Australia have banned tail docking and the effect on litter registrations of previously docked breeds has been devastating. Breeds are doomed to die out if a ban is introduced. Devoted conscientious breeders with years of experience will simply stop breeding their favorite breeds, the gene pool will reduce and puppy farms with little regard for temperament qualities and behavioral problems might well increase.

Many breeders both work and show their dogs. Under this suggested legislation, they cannot do both with the same dog. They will be forced to decide at 5 days old, which they want to work (and have docked) and which they want to show (and leave undocked). This is an impossible choice to make at 5 days old before temperament and type can accurately be assessed.

There are not enough vets prepared to sign the documentation required by this legislation, so its introduction in its current form would have the same effect as a total ban. The RCVS has confirmed its view that docking by vets is unethical and starts disciplinary hearings against any when it obtains documentary evidence under the current law, which allows docking by vets. Twenty vets to cover the whole of England and Wales is not sufficient logistically and the distance pups would have to travel is against their welfare interests.

Tail docking by Veterinary Surgeons is in the INTERESTS of animal welfare banning it for the majority is not.

12th March 2006 : At Crufts yesterday there was a lot of discussion about Addison's Disease, it was quite surprising to find that a great many Standard Poodle exhibitors did not fully understand the disease and it's causes. There is a wealth of information to be found on the Internet and from the Standard Poodle Clubs Welfare Officer. We carry a comprehensive section on health too so have a read of our Addison's information page.

3rd March 2006 : As you may already know, the Report Stage and vote on the Animal Welfare Bill in the Commons is now taking place on 14th March, not the 8th as previously expected. As of today, the various options MP's will be given to vote on, have not been announced. Both the RSPCA and the RCVS have stepped up their campaign targeting MPs with their anti docking propaganda.

If you have not received a suitable reply from your own MP, you still have a few days left to attempt to convert him / her. Copies of MP correspondence The CDB are receiving back from members are showing that we still lack enough support to win this vote, so please do not leave it to others. Let your MP know what you think now and do not stop writing until you receive answers to any questions you have posed.

Also write to Her Majesty the Queen to try and gain her support, (she does have docked breeds herself) the TV Vet Emma Milne (an anti docker) is trying to get a petition sent to her. We MUST do likewise. NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR APATHY , I KNOW ITS CRUFTS WEEK BUT IT TAKES LESS THAN AN HOUR TO WRITE A LETTER.

27th February 2006: The Countryside Alliance has published an independent poll today which clearly shows that the majority of the general public do not want a ban on tail docking ( http://www.countrysidealliance.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2499&Itemid=604 ).

Or read here http://www.politics.co.uk/press-releases/countryside-alliance-doubts-over-tail-docking-ban-$17055323.htm

The vote is split fairly evenly with close on one third wanting the status quo to remain, another third supporting the option for just working dogs and only 36% wanting a complete ban.

Considering that the public have been bombarded with hysterical misinformation from the RSPCA,
two thirds of the public supporting the continuation of tail docking is a remarkable result in its favour.

If you have been corresponding with your MP, please bring this poll and the results mentioned above, to his / her attention ASAP.

Is your MP aware that there are well over 1 million docked dogs in the UK? Does he/she appreciate the huge numbers involved and severity of the problem if it were to be banned and the number of unhappy voters which could result?

As always, please keep your messages courteous, in your own words and as brief as possible.

The Countryside Alliance Poll

A new poll shows that a clear majority of the public think the docking of working dogs should be allowed to continue. Meanwhile a senior vet has said that he believes “there is a welfare case for the docking of working dogs’ tails”.

MPs will vote on a ban on tail docking, which is only carried out by vets, at the Report Stage of the Animal Welfare Bill on 8th March.

The poll, carried out by ORB* for the Countryside Alliance, shows that just 39% of people think that the docking of working dogs should be banned. The survey asked:

Typically a vet may dock (shorten) a dog’s tail when the dog is young for two reasons – one is for cosmetic reasons (i.e. to enter the dog into a competition), the other is for working dogs (such as police dogs and working spaniels) to prevent serious tail injuries to them. Which of the following would you prefer?

Banning this procedure for all types of dogs    36%
Banning this procedure for working dogs     3%
Total – banning for working dogs     39%

Banning this procedure for cosmetic reasons 34%
None of these – this procedure should be allowed to continue 27%

At present the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ (RCVS) guidance on this issue accepts that docking may be permissible if it is for therapeutic or truly prophylactic reasons. The College suggests that it is for Parliament to decide how to interpret this in law.

John Parker JP MA VetMB FRCVS, last year’s President and now Senior Vice-President of the RCVS, is not convinced by the need for a complete ban. He says: “As a countryman and a vet who has seen injuries to working dogs’ tails I have docked all of the many working dogs I have bred. I personally believe that there is a welfare case for the docking of working dogs’ tails. I am not satisfied there is ever a justification for cosmetic docking.

“In my view, the best way forward would be to remove all the conjecture, anecdotal evidence and emotion that have clouded this debate and conduct a proper scientific investigation into the welfare consequences of banning the docking of working dogs”.

However, a proposal will be put to the RCVS’s Council at its meeting on 2nd March that it should support a ban on all except therapeutic docking. This would be subject to review after five years, in the light of a scientific review of evidence of the incidence of tail injuries in working dogs during this period. The College expects a lively debate as strong personal views are held by veterinary surgeons on both sides.

22nd February 2006:I cannot believe some of the replies that I have been getting from MP's of all parties on why they support ritual slaughter and not docking. There is no chance for us if these people are running the show. After reading HRH Prince Charles comments in the papers yesterday, I am going to write to him and try to get him on board. After all he is pro hunting and he has Corgi's and Jack Russell's (both traditionally docked breeds). Perhaps that is something we should all do, you can write to him at:

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales
Clarence House
London SW1A 1BA

21st February 2006: More things to do on the docking issue, please write to Bill Wiggin MP at The House Of Commons, London SW1A OAA giving your support for docking. Bill is the Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries and has told me today in a letter that (and I quote) :

"I believe it is right to make an exemption for working dogs because of the injuries they can sustain during their working lives. However, it is essential that docking is carried out by a qualified vet so that the animals concerned do not have to endure pain.

I am therefore opposed to a total ban on tail docking and I do not propose to attack cosmetic docking either.

I strongly believe in and have always voted in favour of choice"

If you have a Conservative MP and your response has not been favourable then you should contact him/her again and tell them of Bill Wiggin's view. If you have a Labour or a Lib Dem MP then say that you will not vote for them if they oppose docking. We must now pull out all the stops and maybe even start to fight a little dirty. Next week may be too late, DO IT NOW !

21st February 2006:Talking about fighting dirty, well those of you who know me personally know that I am Jewish, that allows me to criticise things I don 't like about the religion without fear of prosecution for racism or anti Semitism by this Orwellian regime we live under. As you may be aware the RSPCA jumped on the anti docking bandwagon at a very late stage and swung the MP votes over to the anti side. I went to their website and read their reasons, but I also noticed that they are not against the ritual slaughter of animals as performed by the Jewish and Muslim faiths. Now I have seen this and take it from me the animal does not die immediately and obviously suffers. The RSPCA's entry to the docking debate made me email them the following letter:

Dear Sirs, How can you justify your position on the docking of tails in dogs when you are not against the ritual slaughter of animals ?
I am JEWISH so this is not a question based on any racism or anti semitism.

When I saw the way that animals are killed for both Kosher and Halal I was physically sick, the animal did NOT die immediately and must have suffered.

It makes your position on docking at worst hypocritical and at best misguided.

I would like to hear your comments please as to the difference between the two and your reasons why you continue to support ritual slaughter but are against docking.

-------------------------------------------

This was sent a week ago and they have not had the "bottle" to respond, they know I am right and so does every MP that I have sent a copy of this to. As a Barrister would say it goes to "credibility" which the RSPCA have very little of. It smacks of "pc" all round, abandoning their principles so as not to offend religions (especially Islam which is anti dog, opposed to having dogs in the house) and taking a stance on docking to try and appease the Marxist animal rights lobby. They banned Foxhunting and are trying their damndest to ban docking. What next, will these wannabe do gooders want ? Today it is docking tomorrow it could be banning Dog Shows altogether . We must make a stand right now and stop them in their tracks.

10th February 2006: The C.D.B are asking for all pro Dockers to write to their MP's again and have a 14 page document on their website to send. I have sent an email to the RSPCA asking them some pertinent questions about their stance on docking and showing up their complete hypocrisy. I cant say any more on the subject at the moment except to say that I will let you all know more in due course. I await their reply with interest, if they have the "bottle" to respond. I am doing an upgrade to the site which should make us compatible with other browsers, there might be one or two things that don't work properly whilst the upgrade is taking place, there are a lot of pages so please bear with us. The modifications for the Mozilla Firefox browser are already in place and working.

24th January 2006: The RSPCA and the Dogs Trust are two charities who have thrown their weight behind the anti docking argument. I am not sure that it is right for charities to get involved in political issues of this kind so I have complained to The Charities Commission and asked if there is anything that can be done about it. Also the RSPCA on their website state that the results of a Mori poll shows that eight per cent of the British public supports the docking dogs' tails for cosmetic reasons, while 75 per cent oppose the practice. This poll was commissioned by the RSPCA themselves and was based on 1,000 interviews conducted by telephone in 11 regions, between 16-18 December 2005. A visit and search of Mori's website can reveal no such poll taking place. Indeed even if it did I would like to know how they arrived at the sample of 1000 people ? were they RSPCA members ? did they really care about the issue ? were they playing Devils Advocate ? did they give any old answer just to get rid of the caller ? and what questions and what information was given to them to base their answer on ? There were two Internet polls carried both by the CDB and the Anti Dockers and the results were a massive yes to retaining the right to dock. This has been born out by the governments decision to allow a free vote (due to the sway of public oppinion to retain the right to dock). This was the only true poll and not some namby pamby misleading poll carried out by bleeding heart liberals for bleeding heart liberals. I must urge all you pro dockers out there to write, phone and call your MP's and relay to them the real truth about docking and urging them to support the retaining of it. I have told mine that if he does not, then I will not support him or his party's candidates at the next council and country elections.

23rd January 2006: Manchester Poodle results are now online.

2nd January 2006: The docking issue is up for debate and the C.D.B have sent their members an email regarding it. If you are not a member but support docking then please make the first thing you do in dogs for 2006 is to become a member. The contents of the email is produced below.

The Second Reading debate of the Animal Welfare Bill is scheduled for the afternoon of 10th January. This will be the first time the Bill has been debated on the floor of the House. The Second Reading is high profile, but the debate will only deal with the principles of the Bill - this is not the point when decisions are taken.

Since writing to you last, the following have mounted an intense campaign against the retention of the docking option - the RSPCA, PDSA, Blue Cross, Dogs Trust, Wood Green Animal Shelter, BVA, BSAVA, RCVS and most have contacted their own members / supporters, asking them to contact their MP just as we have. Several members have writen to us in disgust at charities campaigning in this manner and have told us how they have withdrawn their support for those charities.

It is of vital importance that MP's receive more letters supporting the retention of docking than against. We now have a full guide with ideas on how to compose your letter at http://www.cdb.org/mp-letter.htm should you require assistance.

Even if you have writen to your MP before, it would help if you contact him/her again, asking if they are attending this debate, to ensure our message is getting through in higher numbers than the opposition.

You may also wish to visit the new Vets Against Docking site to see if your own vet has added his name to the anti-docking campaign at http://www.vetsagainstdocking.co.uk

You can write to your MP at the House of Commons, London W1A 1AA or you may prefer to email him/her direct from the following link: http://www.locata.co.uk/commons you can also use this link to find out who your current MP is, simply from your post code.

May we take this opportunity to wish you a happy New Year and to thank you for your continued support. If we all rally together and encourage others to, we can still win this campaign.

This Website continues it its support for docking and the C.D.B. campaign. If your Vet is one that has signed the petition then perhaps it is time to find another !! I have also written letters to the charities listed above expressing my disgust and telling them that I would no longer support them in any way. The CDB ask that if you are a member of one of the Poodle Breed Clubs then get them involved. Tell them to write stating how many members they represent. They can also send a delegation of 2 -3 members to visit MP's in areas their Club covers, always stating how many members they represent. I will be writing to the Clubs that I am a member of and I ask that all Pro Dockers do the same. Perhaps you could let me know what responses you get back from your club(s).

31st December 2005: Show dates for 2006 are now online.

29th December 2005: May I wish you all a very happy, healthy and successful 2006.

22nd November 2005: " Will you, won't you put the Christmas effects on this year " ? I have been asked that question by many of you. As you can see I have ! I think this is one of my better efforts. After sitting up half the night choosing the music and changing the page I am delighted with it. Just to poke a little seasonal fun at the politically correct brigade, can I say that this is one non Christian who is NOT OFFENDED by Christmas but one who thoroughly enjoys it, Bah humbug to those who say otherwise and try to rename it Winter Festival. IT'S CALLED CHRISTMAS (have all you "politically correct" councils got the message loud and clear ) ? If not may I respectfully suggest that they go and do what I am going to do to my turkey (the word Paxo comes to mind) !

7th November 2005: Standard Poodle Club results now on site.

29th October 2005: Midland Counties Standard results now on site.

17 October 2005 The Animal Welfare Bill, published yesterday, will ban ‘mutilation’ of animals, but will allow for a range of specified exemptions which will be listed in subsequent Regulations. Details of these Regulations have not yet been published. However, in the Regulatory Impact Assessment which accompanies the Bill, the Government has stated: “Sincere views were held by those who both support and oppose a ban on cosmetic docking and our preference is that there should continue to be freedom of choice.” Well done The C.D.B. this site joins them in their support for this statement. You can find more information on their site where you can also support them by joining. They only charge a modest £9 which in my view is a small price to pay for keeping our freedom of choice in the docking issue.

15 October 2005: Two articles that may be of interest from the USA on the subject of the "Labramongrel". One is from The Labrador Retriever Club and the other is an article written by Anne Rogers Clark on The PCA Website. It seems that the two Breed Clubs have joined forces on the issue and I am in total agreement with them. The articles are http://www.poodleclubofamerica.org/labradoodle.htm and http://thelabradorclub.com/library/labradoodle.html

8 October 2005: All the updates to the site have now been completed.

16 September 2005: The Forums have finally been fixed and can now be used again.

22nd August 2005: Been a busy couple of months here but a day off today to recover from Builth Wells yesterday. I will start doing some updates on the site this week and bring it back up to date. Someone has sent me a link to a Labramongrel website today where it clearly shows that a Poodle person of some standing has allowed one of their dogs to be used at stud to create a litter of these things. The breeder has the "front" to charge £650 for the puppies as well, as they say " a fool and his money..." . This website has is and always will be against the bastardisation of our lovely breed to create these litters. It is my opinion that if the owner of the stud dog is a member of the Standard Poodle Club then they are in breach of the code of ethics as follows: c) TO BREED ONLY WITH CONSIDERATION FOR THE BREEDS WELFARE AND NOT FOR COMMERCIAL RENUMERATION. 1) TO BE STRINGENT IN THE ASSESSMENT OF THE SUITABILITY OF THEIR DOG TO PRODUCE PUPPIES OF GOOD TEMPERAMENT WHICH WILL BE A CREDIT TO THE BREED IN TYPE, HEALTH AND SOUNDNESS. How can you have a "type" when these breeders cant even predict whether puppies will have a Labrador or a Poodle coat ? As for temperament well Lab temperaments are not so good these days. It is purely for commercial gain and not for the betterment of our breed that these are bred. Whatever these dogs can do the Standard Poodle can do better, remember the Labradoodle is and in our lifetime always will be just another Mongrel...

8th May 2005: What a long day yesterday at Birmingham, Standards not in the ring until the afternoon made it a tiring one for exhibitors. Birmingham Poodle results are now online.

3rd May 2005: After all that a computer failure, now all fixed and I have finally updated the site. Hope you all had a good WELKS ? I enjoyed it very much apart from the early showers (as usual just as I was getting the girls out of the car) and the resulting mud (mostly on my suit due to much excitement from jumping Poodles ) . By the time we all get together again at Birmingham the fate of our country will have been decided in the upcoming election. I wholeheartedly agree with the editorial in DW last week that asks everyone to check where their prospective candidate and their parties stand on animal issues. It seems that the Tories will (if elected ) remove any docking ban from the upcoming animal rights legislation proposed by our incumbent Labour government. They have also spoken out against banning fishing (the hobby) and will revisit the foxhunting issue. These things and their other policies (which I find myself in total agreement with) means that this website wishes Michael Howard and his party every success in the election. For the good of the country I hope he is our next Prime Minister even without the help of that LABOUR RAG "The Sun".

18th April 2005: A combination of problems with the ISP and my lack of time to correct it has meant I have not been able to update the site. However the ISP problems have been fixed now and I will be updating the site shortly. The For Sale page has already been done, the results and the rest will be updated shortly.

23rd January 2005: Manchester Poodle results now online.

22nd January 2005: One of the Poodle Calendars and one of the Internet Sites are showing the incorrect date for The Poodle Club's Champ Show. The correct date is SUNDAY 30th January (as printed on their schedule and in the Dog Press), some exhibitors have been confused over the correct date.

17th January 2005:Show dates for 2005 now online.

26th December 2004:I would like to take this opportunity of wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous new year. LKA Poodle results now online.

5th December 2004:B.U.B.A Poodle results now online.

5th December 2004:I received some enquiries about using my dogs to breed these "Labradoodles" which I declined. I am shocked to hear that many Standard Poodle owners have had the same enquiries, thankfully they declined too. Why oh why do these people want to "bastardise" our lovely breed ? Why create yet another MONGREL when the rescue centres are already full of them ? I ask them what purpose does this type of mating serve except to make money !! Their excuses are pitiful , "Labradoodles are good guide dogs for allergic blind people" one "breeder" told me. Well I got news for them, Standard Poodles are used as guide dogs in their own right in some countries. Another excuse was that it is for people who are allergic to dogs, I thought that was one of the reasons for getting a Poodle !! One of the people who enquired told me that they would shortly be getting full KC status. HA HA HA HA I think not, look how long it took the Parson Jack Russell to be accepted. As I said it is a money making exercise on the backs of ill informed members of the public who do not know that the Standard can not only do what the Labramongrel is being sold as doing but do it better !!

24th November 2004: Well its that time of year again, the decorations are now online. I am going to see if I can make BUBA as I have not entered LKA this year and would like to be able to wish you all compliments of the season in person. I have just had to upgrade my car to an MPV (Multi Poodle Vehicle), the old one was fine for me and Poly, along came Josie which made things just a little cramped. Now Jordan has joined us it is impossible so just for the comfort of the Poodles I have bought a bigger vehicle. Imagine the salesman's face when I told him what I wanted and why. Its a dogs life !!!

15th November 2004: Show Results page now updated (inc SPC). Been very busy of late building web sites for clients. Coupled with a new puppy in the house it has left me with less time to spare. Thoroughly enjoyed the SPC show yesterday, it was up to its usual high standard and with what I suspect will be the highest entry of the year. Good atmosphere and good sized rings helped make it a very enjoyable day. Once again the parade of the SA affected dogs brought home what a terrible affliction this is. I have entered B.U.B.A but will probably not be able to attend so look forward to seeing you all again in the new year.

19th September 2004: Darlington Poodle Results now online.

12th September 2004: Richmond Poodle results now online.

12th September 2004: Good day out yesterday at Richmond's new venue Loseley Park. It seemed to be a smooth transition from Ascot to its new home. The weather kept dry, there was a good collection of trade stands and the burgers were excellent. It was a good sized ring for the Standards too, hope you all had a good day.

8th September 2004: Birmingham City Poodle results now online.

30th August 2004: SKC Poodle Results are now on the site.

22nd August 2004: Didn't enter WKC this year as I had designated the last two weeks in August for starting decorating the house ,hope you all had a good day and will see you all at Birmingham next month. WKC Poodle results now online.

16th August 2004: What a wet Bournemouth show it was yesterday. I felt so sorry for the Standard exhibitors who got thoroughly soaked as the dog classes were judged during the downpour. Thankfully the bitch judging was moved to the wet weather ring, which although smaller at least was dry. The Mins and Toys were in their wet weather rings from the start so they and their exhibitors were able to keep dry. Bournemouth Poodle results now on the site.

11th August 2004: Busy month here, new projects keeping me busy and finally I have updated the site. The show results and the for sale pages are now up to date. If I have missed anyone out please let me know. Mad rush now to get ready for Bournemouth.

8th July 2004: Blackpool and Windsor poodle results now online.

21st June 2004: Border Union Poodle results now online.

17th June 2004: Busy month here, I have been working on a couple of new projects. Apologies for the delay, Bath and SCCA Poodle results are now online.

16th May 2004: SKC Poodle results and The Poodle Club Open Show BIS/ BOB results now online.

7th May 2004: Birmingham National Poodle results now online.

26 April 2004: WELKS Poodle results now online.

11 April 2004: After reading the RUBBISH in this weeks DW regarding vaccinations, I feel that I have to first castigate the AHT for making their statement that (and I quote) "no such association was found between vaccination and ill health in dogs". This is total nonsense as there is ample evidence provided by researchers across the world that there is such an association. If this is the best that the AHT can do then I think that their research is flawed, I have lost all respect for them . Secondly on page 9 of DW , there is an article by one David Coffey a Vet whose arrogance sticks out like a sore thumb. Apart from his obvious leanings toward annual vaccinations (I wonder why ) he goes on to say that (and again I quote) "It is the multinational drug companies who provide the scientific justification for the use of their products" (hmm wonder why) that just about says it all ! He also said that " The idea that owners could research the subject themselves is frankly ridiculous" Well Mr Coffey guess what, this is 2004 and due to our education system many of us can read these days and understand what we read ! I think you are an arrogant so and so and I feel sorry for your patients and their owners, I am glad that I am not one ! Perhaps under the impending legislation for the welfare of animals, people like him could be prosecuted for allowing our Pets to suffer. Reading the letters page there are two who agree that there is a link between vaccination and ill health and I know of several SP owners whose dogs have suffered (remember I have one).

31st March 2004: A new format on the For Sale and Wanted Page, I have split it into three pages, FOR SALE, WANTED and DOGS AT STUD. You may now advertise your Stud Dogs as well as your puppies. I have added this after several requests from some of you, so your wishes are my command. Just access the new pages via the main menu, which will take you to a sub menu for the three pages.

29th March 2004:IPC, BOB/BP/CC/RCC results now online.

19th March 2004:The headline and front page article in today's Dog World should now make more people aware of the dangers of vaccination. The article says that "A group of Vets (UK) are calling on their profession to cease the policy of annual vaccination". They quote The American Veterinary Medical Association Committee's recent report on re-vaccination. This refers to the earlier report by all the Veterinary colleges in the USA on the subject. Today's article clearly states that " promoting annual vaccination constitutes fraud and theft" and also can subject dogs to the risk of allergic reactions and Autoimmune disorders. If you have not already done so, then please read the papers on vaccination and it's Homeopathic alternative in our Health Section. This web site has been providing information on the dangers of vaccination and the benefits of Homeopathy. My interest in the subject started 3 years ago when my white dog had bad stomachs and coughs which subsequently have been proved to be allergic reactions and the two tumours which he later suffered could all be attributed to a vaccination booster. After speaking to Eileen Geeson about the subject I did a lot of research and that has enabled me to take the dogs health and his quality of life to a level he has not enjoyed since his puppy hood. Eileen's research goes back over ten years and she has done more than anyone to raise awareness to the dangers. This article is a huge step in the right direction, hopefully leading to a switch to the kinder Nosode vaccination even for puppy jabs. At the end of the day the winners in this debate will be the dogs themselves who will no longer have to suffer all those toxins pumped into them and if everyone stopped using processed dog food (those with all the additives) as well then maybe, just maybe we might even see a reduction in the number of Autoimmune and other genetic problems whose cause could be attributed to these environmental issues.

18th March 2004:Some sad news to report today, Poly's Mum Bruvelle Morning Blase (Tanya) passed away peacefully in her sleep on Monday evening. She was 13. She always greeted visitors to the Caswell home in Birmingham with a lovely warm welcome. Tanya had been at Discover Dogs in 2003 where her lovely nature made her a big hit with visitors to the stand.

12th March 2004:Many of you have expressed your dissatisfaction about the horrendous problems getting away from Crufts last Thursday. It seems that this was not helped by the NEC having non existent traffic management and another exhibition going on at the same time. I know of several exhibitors who have written to the NEC complaining and it might be an idea if we all did the same.

5th March 2004:Super day out at Crufts, I do like the atmosphere ,had a good result too but had the day spoiled (as did most of us) by the traffic problems outside at 4PM. It appears that an accident on the M6 caused a massive jam which prevented cars leaving the NEC. It took over 3 hours to get out of the car park. The Police should have had some traffic control at the two roundabouts to help the traffic ease out of the NEC but I think matters were made worse by Crufts insistence that exhibitors stay in the venue until 4PM. Crufts have said in the past that this is to allow paying members of the public to see the dogs. How many of us put our dogs in their crates and cover them when their judging is completed. I think Crufts need to rethink this and allow dogs to leave (perhaps after their BOB judging has been completed). This would allow a staggered exit instead of the mad rush at 4PM. Crufts 2004 Poodle results are now online.

22nd February 2004:It has been suggested to me by many of you and I am happy to oblige so, due to the high number of advertisers on our very successful Sale And Wanted Page, I am changing the format slightly. I am listing litters in order of their age so that the oldest appear first. Would you also email me and let me know when you no longer require your advert so that the ones in the list below you can move up.Also contrary to what is going around I will confirm that I have no plans to change the service from a free one and to re-iterate that the primary objective is to find good homes for puppies and nothing else ! Some advertisers have asked if they can make some sort of donation to charity, if that is what you would like to do then may I suggest that these are paid to The Standard Poodle Club's DNA fund. I do ask that sellers and purchasers do read the disclaimer on the page. Thank you for using the service and if anyone has any suggestions as to how it could be improved still further please email me.

16th February 2004:The case of the missing pom cover to report, I was packing up and located Josie's gold pom covers ready for the "off". With everything on the trolley I went to get the covers and found that I had misplaced one. I looked everywhere but it was nowhere to be found. I was quite upset until Sandra Pennels found it, with it's Velcro grip firmly attached to the rear of my jumper. We all had a good laugh over it. It made up for a bad start to the day, when I was unpacking one of my rubber bungees flew off and hit me in the face, it has left me cut and bruised and minus a filling in one of my teeth, I am going to try and use straps in the future. Thank you to everyone who offered assistance yesterday. MCPC 2004 Standard Poodle BOB/BP/CC/RCC winners, results now online.

30th January 2004:There has been a problem with new users registering on the updated Forum (those of you using Norton Internet Security) this problem has now been rectified.

28th January 2004: Our Domain name has been hijacked by hackers, they have been sending out Spam emails using the napoleon.org.uk and the full email address. Some of the emails have "bounced " thereby alerting me to the problem. The emails have links to Pharmaceutical sites in the USA. I have reported it to the Internet Abuse team and my ISP and have been assured that our domain name is not and will not be blacklisted. The Powers that be are well aware that this kind of thing goes on and they are investigating the hackers unique Internet addresses. They are quite satisfied that both my ISP and myself have taken every precaution possible even to the extreme of Virus scanning emails from here twice (with different software) and again at the ISP. The outgoing mail server will not allow relaying so it is locked tight and any Spam does NOT come from here. Sorry to disappoint you Mr/Mrs Hacker but your feeble attempt to bring us down has failed, I don't think that there is a waking hour in the day early enough for you to catch me out. As I have said before What I have forgotten about I.T. you have yet to learn !!!

27th January 2004: The Poodle Club Champ Show BOB/BP/Ticket & Reserve winners (Standards) now online.

25th January 2004: I have been asked to explain what the new vaccination protocols in the USA are, here is a reprint taken from the April/May 2003 Newsletter of the Senior Dogs Project:
All Veterinary Schools in North America Changing Vaccination Protocols
Recent editions of the Senior Dogs Project's newsletter have reported on the
ever-broadening trend of eliminating vaccination for adult dogs, except for rabies, where required by state law. All 27 veterinary schools in North America are in the process of changing their protocols for vaccinating dogs and cats. Here, in a nutshell, are the new guidelines.

"Dogs and cats immune systems mature fully at 6 months. If a modified live
virus (MLV) vaccine is given after 6 months of age, it produces immunity,
which is good for the life of the pet (i.e., canine distemper, parvo, feline
distemper). If another MLV vaccine is given a year later, the antibodies
from the first vaccine neutralize the antigens of the second vaccine and
there is little or no effect. The titer is not 'boosted' nor are more memory cells induced.
"Not only are annual boosters for parvo and distemper unnecessary, they subject the pet to potential risks of allergic reactions and immune-mediated
hemolytic anemia. There is no scientific documentation to back up label claims for annual administration of MLV vaccines. Puppies receive antibodies through their mothers milk. This natural protection can last 8-14 weeks.
Puppies and kittens should NOT be vaccinated at LESS than 8 weeks.
Maternal immunity will neutralize the vaccine and little protection (0-38%) will be produced.
Vaccination at 6 weeks will, however, delay the timing of the first highly effective vaccine. Vaccinations given 2 weeks apart suppress rather than stimulate the immune system.
A series of Vaccinations is given starting at 8 weeks and given 3-4 weeks apart up to 16 weeks of age.
Another vaccination given sometime after 6 months of age (usually at 1 year 4 months) will provide lifetime immunity."

24th January 2004: The Forum software has been upgraded to the latest version, let me know if there are any bugs. Sorry about the glitch on Friday (when we appeared to be offline for a while) this was caused by a problem between the servers and was quickly rectified. There should also now be a noticeable speed increase.

23rd January 2004: I have started a new Forum Topic regarding Vaccination problems (one for each size of Poodle) . I would like those of you who have had dogs react badly to post your thoughts and comments there. If we can get enough interest and enough of you are prepared to post then I will send the information to the RCVS to see if they would at the very least consider changing our vaccination protocols to match those now in place in the USA. Remember, last year ALL 26 Veterinary Colleges in the USA said that their Vaccination protocols were wrong and have changed them to a much kinder way. I have heard that a Standard a Toy and two dogs in other breeds have suffered recently as a result of our protocols, how long must this go on and our dogs suffer until our Vet's see sense ? Let me share this thought with you, would you unnecessarily pump toxins into your body ? NO ! then why do our Vet's insist on doing it to our dogs ? perhaps the reason is not medical !!! If you have not already done so then please go to our health section and read the information on Vaccination and also Nosodes.

18th January 2004: Well I won't be going to The Poodle Club's Champ Show this weekend. Josie has obliged by coming in season but at least we will be OK for Midland Counties and Crufts.

17th January 2004: Manchester Poodle Results now online.

14th January 2004: Thanks for the phone calls regarding the closing date of MCPC on the Newsbar. The Schedule and entry form says SATURDAY 14th JANUARY and yes today (14th) is a Wednesday ! I should have spotted it as the 14th is my birthday. If you have any queries contact the Secretary (Mrs C Lawton-Anderson) on 01782 623955 or 07715 497281 her fax number is 01782 615199.

6th January 2004: Dezynadog are running a grooming seminar on Sunday 25th January. For further details see our Poodle Services page.

2nd January 2004: Midland Counties Poodle Club Championship Show, Schedule and class list now online.

22nd December 2003: I would like to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous new year.

12th December 2003: Dosed up with pain killers off we went to LKA for it's usual great day out. It went well, stayed to watch the Poodle BOB winners in the group but had a nightmare journey home. The M6 was closed due to an accident so went A45/M45 with a 12mile tailback. Eventually got to the M1 and all was well until Luton when there was another tailback so had to pull off and go through the villages to get home. What is usually a 1 1/2 hour journey turned into 4 1/2 hours, I am feeling it today. LKA Poodle results are now online.

8th December 2003: My Doctor suspects that I have aggravated a back problem from a year or two ago. He has told me I need to rest (some chance). I have some strong pain killers which have taken the edge off the discomfort. I have managed to face/feet and tail Josie this afternoon and now I am going to rest for a few hours. I will bath her tomorrow and hopefully if all is well will see you all at LKA on Friday.

7th December 2003: Eventful week here, involved in a car accident on Friday afternoon (thankfully not in my 4X4), just a little bruised and my pride hurt otherwise I'm OK. The vehicle I was driving now has a bad front but it's shoulders are most definitely well laid back ! Yesterday had a puncture and put my back out whilst changing the wheel. Hopefully it will clear up in time for LKA but I put my chances as 50/50. BUBA results now online

1st December 2003: Sorry it has been taking longer than usual to reply to emails. This is because of the "flood" of garbage no doubt sent via the person I spoke about on the 29th. I have to sift them out, contact the domains to report the abuse and add them to my blacklist. On a happier note, I have long had a dream of living by the seaside, it has gone up a couple of notches this weekend as I have found something I like. It fits in with work, showing dogs etc. A move in the new year looks very likely.

29th November 2003: Great show today at Eastern Counties, super atmosphere. One thing could have spoiled it (if I let it). A few people had told me that they had received anonymous phone calls from someone who told them that I had been making derogatory remarks. Well hopefully it was nipped in the bud, as I told these people who I thought was responsible for this stirring. It is because this persons infantile attempts to cause me grief have come to nothing and they have had to resort to this slander. Again "my friend" I warn you, the ice is getting thinner by the day and were it not for the fact that you are not worth the effort, I would have taken legal action against you ages ago.

20th November 2003: A while back there were one or two people who tried to use the Forum on this website for their own political ends, defaming the name of other organisations. I made the registration on the Forums more secure (by requiring a valid email address) to try and stop this from happening in the future. As you are no doubt aware there are many ways to obtain a valid email address. The system always emails me when a new user registers and I then check it out. I noticed this morning that a new user had registered and had then used the Forum to make derogatory statements about various persons in the breed. I have removed the post, the users login and placed the email address on a blacklist to prevent them from accessing the forum with it again. I will not tolerate this kind of behaviour, the forums are for the exchange of information and discussion of everything Poodle not for "slagging off people" . I have contacted the Abuse department of the domain where this person obtained the email address, you are treading on very thin ice my "friend" as this provider takes abuse very seriously and will act on it.

16th November 2003: I have updated the Show Dates page for next year. To view it click on SHOW CALENDAR then the link for 2004 DATES. It will become the main page after LKA. I have added full contact details for each show secretary (handy if you have forgotten that schedule) and a list of judges (where available) for all three sizes.

15th November 2003: Well it's that time of the year again, the Christmas lights have been switched on in London and that means we turn ours on as well (at least ours worked). There was a small problem last night as we ran out of space on the server and I have had to have a clean up, delete some unused pages and some pictures. I have had to remove a few old ones from Friends and Family and some from Poly's show career (which are now on my Affix site anyway). There is ample space now until the site is upgraded in the new year.

10th November 2003: Earlier in the year I added the multilingual facility to the website. I have been negotiating for a while and finally I am delighted to announce that we are taking server space in the USA, Australia and another two, one in Europe and one in Scandinavia. This will enable faster access to the site in these areas and provide extra backup in the event of a catastrophic failure. These servers will mirror exactly the content on the UK server and will not affect you at all as it is completely transparent, you still use the address www.napoleon.org.uk . I am also going to have to increase the space on the current UK server as it is near capacity, that should happen in early January when the ISP move the site to a new machine. I have some exciting changes planned for the new year but they cannot take place until the changes to the UK server are completed.

9th November 2003: It was great to meet friends old and new at the Standard Poodle Club's Championship Show yesterday, (BIS, CC & Res CC winners results are now online). It was another well thought out show with the usual parade of the SA dogs in the lunch break. This always brings home what a dreadful disease this is. There was also Tracy Ansell and her Standard Poodle "Spirit" doing their heelwork to music routine, I first saw them at last years SPC Exemption show. Coupled with the usual raffles, the background music and the biggest entry of the year for SP's made it one of the most enjoyable shows of the year, here's to the next one.

2nd November 2003: What a super venue for South Western Poodle Club's Champ Show yesterday. It was held at the Hutton Moor Leisure Centre in Weston Super Mare. It was a nightmare start to the day, when I woke up at 5 AM it was raining and I had to walk the dogs on their own so as to keep them under my brolly. On returning with Josie, Poly had found his way into my bag and eaten my sandwiches (no breakfast for me), we then had to travel through driving rain for the 2 1/2 hour journey to Weston. On arrival it stopped raining and I unloaded the gear, as I went back for the dogs it poured again and I had to wait for a break in the weather to get them out of the car. Once on the grooming table, blue skies and sunshine (wouldn't you just believe it). The journey home was dreadful, road works on the M4 created a 40 mile jam and it took over 4 hours to get home. BOB/CC & Res CC winners in Standards, results are now online.

27th October 2003: Midland Counties Poodle results are now on the site.

19th October 2003: The following is taken from the April/May Newsletter of the Senior Dogs Project:
Vaccinations: All Veterinary Schools in North America Changing Vaccination Protocols.
Recent editions of the Senior Dogs Project's newsletter have reported on the
ever-broadening trend of eliminating vaccinations for adult dogs, except for rabies, where required by state law. We have now had a report that all 27 veterinary schools in North America are in the process of changing their protocols for vaccinating dogs and cats. Here, in a nutshell, are the new guidelines under consideration:

"Dogs and cats immune systems mature fully at 6 months. If a modified live
virus (MLV) vaccine is given after 6 months of age, it produces immunity,
which is good for the life of the pet (i.e., canine distemper, parvo, feline
distemper). If another MLV vaccine is given a year later, the antibodies
from the first vaccine neutralize the antigens of the second vaccine and
there is little or no effect. The titer is not 'boosted' nor are more memory cells induced.
"Not only are annual boosters for parvo and distemper unnecessary, they subject the pet to potential risks of allergic reactions and immune-mediated
haemolytic anaemia. There is no scientific documentation to back up label claims for annual administration of MLV vaccines. Puppies receive antibodies through their mothers milk. This natural protection can last 8-14 weeks.
Puppies and kittens should NOT be vaccinated at LESS than 8 weeks.
Maternal immunity will neutralize the vaccine and little protection (0-38%) will be produced.
"Vaccination at 6 weeks will, however, delay the timing of the first highly effective vaccine. Vaccinations given 2 weeks apart suppress rather than stimulate the immune system.
A series of vaccinations is given starting at 8 weeks and given 3-4 weeks apart up to 16 weeks of age.
Another vaccination given sometime after 6 months of age (usually at 1 year 4 months) will provide lifetime immunity."

12th October 2003:Driffield Poodle results are now online.

6th October 2003:Some of the Northumbria results are now online.

26th September 2003:Quite a few suggestions regarding the news item on the 22nd. Most suggested that if we see anyone putting anything into our dogs water bowl, not to throw it away but to keep it for analysis by a Vet.

22nd September 2003:Some important information to pass on to you all. The breed notes in this weeks Our Dogs had a warning saying: Someone out there has been doing despicable things to Poodles at shows. One bitch has been poisoned and subsequently died (cause yet to be determined) , chewing gum has been found in the middle of a dogs coat and cigarette burns in another. Someone other than the owner was seen putting something in a dogs water bowl ,its owner saw it happen out of the corner of their eye and threw the water away before the dog could drink it. Unfortunately this allowed the perpetrator to escape. Lets all be vigilant and try and catch the person or persons responsible, these people (if caught) should be banned from breeding/showing dogs for life.

14th September 2003:Darlington Poodle results are now on the site.

7th September 2003:Richmond Poodle results are now on the site.

1st September 2003:City of Birmingham Poodle Results are now on the site.

29th August 2003:Reminder, judging for Standards is at 9AM at The City of Birmingham Show.

27th August 2003:SKC Poodle results are now on the site. As some of you know Poly collapsed on Sunday morning. It is a recurrence of his breathing problem and thankfully Steroids have once again stabilised him. He is going to have an ultrasound scan shortly and I will know more at that time.

24th August 2003:Some help from our London based readers is needed. A friend of mine Jane Keeling (who owns Canine Creations grooming parlour in West London) has had her eight year old Toy bitch stolen from her car outside a leisure centre close to her home . She is a black girl with silver markings on her legs, she has a lower canine tooth missing and is wary of men. Jane has been able to view the incident on CCTV footage but unfortunately it didn't pan low enough to get the registration number of the thief's car. If anyone is offered her or asked to groom her I have a telephone number. Jane is devastated and would love to get her bitch back. Some of you will remember Jane who used to show a white Myall Standard dog.

22nd August 2003:Our For Sale and Wanted section goes from strength to strength. Over the last few months we have been operating a "match up service". From the many requests that come in if there are people wanting puppies and people selling at the same time, (where possible) we put them directly in touch with the breeder. This has been very successful and I understand that good homes for over 30 puppies have been found. We had another first this week, a breeder had a six month old puppy back from a couple who could not cope with a grown Standard. He was advertised on the site and within 12 hours we had found a loving new home for him. Remember it is a TOTALLY FREE service with finding good homes the only objective.

20th August 2003:This is a message for the idiots who keep trying to send email to the sites address with a virus attached in a Zip file. THEY ARE NOT GETTING THROUGH ! If my ISP misses them one or both of the two scanners I run here catch and quarantine them successfully. Wake up and get a life, what I have forgotten about I.T. you have yet to learn. You can tell whoever has put you up to it that their attempts will always fail because "this is what happens when you ask boys to do the job of men " !

LATE NEWS: It has been traced to a BT OPENWORLD account, I have both the IP Address and more importantly the login information. Just to prove that I really do have the information the unique Windows name of the perpetrators computer is PASHA2. Some have the knowledge and some just think they do !

18th August 2003: WKC Poodle results are now on the site.

15th August 2003: A hacker has been damaging Forums on Poodle Websites, Both ours and the SPC's have been hit. Twice I rebuilt ours only to find them damaged again. I have been discussing the security with the ISP and they have made some improvements. I have upgraded our forum software and fortunately because this site has a daily backup policy have been able to restore all the data that was lost.

10th August 2003: Bournemouth Poodle results are now on the site. What a super day for Maefare Poodles, Roger Bayliss and Andrew Hoblins Maefare Hollywood Blonde at Kertellas winning Best Of Breed. Rodney Bird's Maefare Poetic Justice and Maefare Soul Mate winning Minor Puppy Dog and Minor Puppy Bitch respectively his other girl, Maefare Justice Be Dun At Lenurb getting third place in a very hard Junior Bitch class. My girl Maefare Proof Of The Puddin winning Novice Bitch and Mr and Mrs Lotts Maefare Secret Affair getting VHC in hard Junior Dog class. Well done to everyone. Don't forget to leave extra time when planning your route to the Welsh KC next weekend. There are some traffic problems in the area (see News Ticker for details). There is a route planner at the bottom of the Show Dates page. I have had several requests to add the latest entries to Poly and Josie's diaries, your wishes are my command.

26th July 2003: Leeds Poodle results are now on the site.

18th July 2003: The so called "animal loving" anti hunt campaigners are typical of the do gooders who are ill informed and do more harm than good with their ideology. Why do I say that ? well as you know the government is trying to pass a bill that would outlaw hunting. Whether you agree with hunting or not you do have take a look at the wider picture and see what "knock on" effects there will be. According to the latest figures, around 17,000 hounds would have to be destroyed if a ban came in to effect, only a handful could be rehomed as their pack instincts and need for exercise make them unsuitable as pets. Hunt supporters have criticised MP's who have portrayed themselves as animal welfare enthusiasts, who are so willing to pass a law which will mean genocide to so many dogs. As a dog lover I am appalled at this and I will be writing to my MP and President Blair. I am sure the latter will be too busy gallivanting around the world to "give a stuff" about what real people are feeling about real issues at home !

17th July 2003:East Of England Poodle results are now on the site.

10th July 2003:South Wales Poodle results are now on the site.

9th July 2003:There is an increasing number of Show Societies who have an Online Entry Form. I have today received permission from Higham Press to link to their system. To use the service go to the Schedule Page, scroll down to the relevant show and if it say's ONLINE ENTRY click on that to go to www.dog.biz (The Higham Press Online Entry System). A new window will open to allow you direct access to their system.

6th July 2003:I heard today about two Red Setter puppy's (in different parts of the country) who had suffered Epilepsy as a result of their puppy inoculations. One of the pups subsequently has died. To those who say that they will vaccinate conventionally for the puppy jabs and Homoeopathically for the boosters, this is further evidence to make you think again about vaccinating conventionally at all. Windsor Poodle Results are now on the site.

3rd July 2003:Suppose your dog has won twice at Championship shows outside of Puppy classes. You then have a batch of show entries to send off, you want to enter Novice. What classes should you enter your dog in (suppose he were to win at an early one in the batch) ? I had two answers to this and wanted a clarification so I rang the KC. They said that if 7 days (or later) before the closing date for entries is before your dogs 3rd first prize then you can still go into Novice. If the qualifying win comes prior to 7 days before closing and you have sent off the entry, then you have to contact the Show Secretary who may transfer you to the Open class. These rules apply (with the relevant number of wins) to all classes. This is Rule F(A) 9D (page 3.72 in the KC Year Book). After discussions with many exhibitors and trying to trawl through the Year Book this answers the question perfectly.

28th June 2003:Paignton Poodle results are now on the site.

27th June 2003:There is a letter from Eileen Geeson in today's Dog World regarding Nosodes, it mentions Dr Charles Loops Paper "To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate". For those who wish to read the paper it is on this site click the link to go straight there. Recent developments suggest that Optigen are making progress in detecting the DNA markers for the other type of PRA in Miniatures. They need more dogs to come forward and be tested. Those with the other form of PRA in their stock are needed to help by keeping researchers advised of any clinical developments in later life. For newcomers to Poodles who do not know what PRA is, go to our Health Sections where you will find comprehensive information on the disease.

As you may have seen in the papers and last week`s Dog World the Welsh Assembly has issued 2 grants to set up puppy farms and very many more are in the pipe line. If you are interested please would you at look at the information and petition on the link below.

http://www.ethical-business.com/?sect=detail&pet=619 My Thanks to Carole Grundy for emailing this to me.

26th June 2003:Poly is 4 today and it is also a year since Josie came to live with us. There was a Poodle exhibitor a while ago who said that I would never get Poly to accept another dog or bitch into my house and that I would have to re home him in order to get any others. We now know that this person was talking out of their behind (something they do quite a lot) as my two are totally inseparable (see picture below).

21st June 2003: