The pedigree dog world was thrown into turmoil back in the summer of 2008. Jemmina Harrison’s now infamous television programme “Pedigree Dogs Exposed” (PDE) caused such an uproar that we’re still feeling the shockwaves.

Many argue that the programme was deeply flawed and far too emotive. There is no hiding the fact that some of these criticisms were upheld by a subsequent OFCOM inquiry. Nonetheless the core charges made in PDE have been generally accepted as fair. Some within the dog world, me included, view the programme as a long overdue wake up call.

The key charges were long standing and had been made by a diverse range of people down the years. PDE’s power was that it presented these charges in a way that touched a nerve with the general public.

The case was twofold. First that dog showing has encouraged unhealthy exaggeration in some breeds. If, for example, wrinkles are a desirable feature in a breed then some breeders would produce even more wrinkly dogs hoping for success in the show ring. In the end the wrinkles would be so excessive that the dog’s health suffered but, as in the story of the Emperor’s New Clothes, everybody concerned was too afraid to speak up.

PDE used old photographs to demonstrate how some breeds had changed over time, emphasising that avoidable health problems really had been bred in by design.

The second charge is more subtle. It is that the practice of close or line breeding conducted over generations of dogs has produced health problems by default. The argument being that restricting genetic diversity by “inbreeding” is bound to produce a higher risk of inherited disease.

The most damning criticism was that inherited problems were being ignored or simply seem as a reasonable trade off for show success.

In the past these charges have been hotly disputed by the pedigree world in general and the Kennel Club in particular. This time has proved different. There are many complex reasons for this, not least the fact that few dog people were inclined to close ranks and attempt to defend what many of us accept as indefensible.

The Kennel Club moved quickly in reviewing its breed standards and changing the focus of judges to punish unhealthy exaggeration and reward good health. It also effectively banned very close mating such as father to daughter.

PDE has led directly to three inquiries into pedigree dog breeding. The first to report was by the RSPCA, then the Associate Parliamentary Group on Animal Welfare (APGAW) and most recently Professor Bateson’s report commissioned by the Kennel Club and Dogs Trust.

The good news is that none of them called for an end to pedigree breeding or dog showing. All have called for much closer regulation of breeding and a continued change of focus towards robust good health and away from ascetic beauty or an over concentration on meeting “breed type”.

What will this mean for our British Heritage Dog Breeds? Greater regulation of breeders could mean some people will be put off breeding an occasional litter in their own home. In breeds where every puppy counts this could spell trouble. It will be up to all of us to support each other and encourage the sharing of skills and knowledge so no one is put off by extra red tape.

The more fundamental issue will be genetic diversity. In the short term our heritage breeds may have to seek exemption from regulations on close breeding. The genetic diversity is so compromised in some of our breeds that all individuals in the breed are, genetically speaking, close relatives.

Longer term we might be faced with some very hard choices. It may not be possible to preserve our breeds exactly as they are today and we might have to cross with related breeds to have any chance of long term survival. These outcrosses will have to be done with great skill to preserve the essential character of the original breed.

To some people it will spell the end but I look back to the practical farmers and country people who created most of our breeds in the first place. They would not want their breeds preserved in aspic. I’m sure they’d happily compromise on “pure blood” to see their dogs living happy lives - working, involved in dog sports or simply being well loved pets."