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65-577: The Royal Kennel Club ( KC ) is the official kennel club of the United Kingdom. It is the oldest recognised kennel club in the world. Its role is to oversee various canine activities including dog shows , dog agility and working trials. It also operates the national register of pedigree dogs in the United Kingdom and acts as a lobby group on issues involving dogs in the UK. To celebrate its 150th anniversary on 5 April 2023, King Charles III confirmed

130-704: A competition for pedigree dogs aged between six and 18 months, and the National Junior Handling UK final, as well as agility competitions and displays by police and other dog teams. There are also a large number of trade stalls. It is popular, with the 2012 event drawing a crowd of over 30,000. From 2000 to 2012, Discover Dogs also hosted the finals of the Scruffts Family Crossbreed of the Year competition for mixed-breed dogs . Since 2013, this has been held in conjunction with

195-515: A dog, and instead owned a cat, however Cruft admitted to owning at least one Saint Bernard in his memoirs, published posthumously. Charles Cruft was born on 28 June 1852, one of four children. In his youth, Charles attended Ardingly College in Sussex, and Birkbeck College in London. Cruft first followed in his father's footsteps by becoming a manufacturing jeweller but he ultimately decided that

260-598: A group of well-known fanciers together and The Kennel Club was formed. In April 1873 a small group of people had a meeting in a three-roomed flat, which led later that year to the Kennel Club's first show at The Crystal Palace with 975 entrants. The first general meeting of the Kennel Club took place in Birmingham's Great Western Hotel in December 1874. During the same year, one of the first important actions of

325-636: A kennel club, however, was the breeding and showing of conformation bench purebreds, and this remains the most widely accepted definition. Widely known kennel clubs such as The Kennel Club , the American Kennel Club , the United Kennel Club , and the Canadian Kennel Club each offer canine events and training programs as well as dog registration services. By the mid-19th century, ownership of selectively bred dogs

390-580: A kennel club, people could obtain pedigrees for their dogs, which were included on permanent registers. Kennel clubs have had more influence on the development of dog breeds than any other factor since the original diversification of dogs according to function. Nations that have active groups of dog breeders and people who practice the hobby of dog fancy usually have their own national kennel clubs, often affiliated with those of other countries. Most kennel clubs have reciprocal arrangements and dogs registered in one country can be re-registered in another country if

455-652: A new animal cancer treatment and research centre at its base in Suffolk . The AHT also regularly receives funding to enable work to continue at the Genetics Centre run in conjunction with the Kennel Club. The sum of £250,000 was donated to the Genetics Centre in 2010. During 2010, the Kennel Club Charitable Trust had provided almost £800,000 to help non-pedigree as well as pedigree organisations. The Kennel Club Charitable Trust also funded

520-563: A new boy to work in the shop to free himself up to solicit orders for the dog biscuits from gamekeepers, promoters of dog shows and the like. He saw a connection between improved feeding and purebred dogs, and so supported the foundation of canine societies. As part of this new role, he was expected to have attended the "Grand National Exhibitions of Sporting and other Dogs" at The Crystal Palace , London, annually between 1870 and 1872. These early shows were unsuccessful financially and were not continued. Whilst at Spratt's, Cruft gradually rose to

585-626: A new building at the National Agricultural Centre, Stoneleigh Park , Kenilworth , which was opened by Prince Michael of Kent in February 2009. The facilities are used for various canine related competitions, training, seminars and charity events. The Kennel Club Dog Art Gallery is located at the club's headquarters in Mayfair, London. The gallery is devoted to fine art about dogs and features themed exhibitions, as well as

650-440: A permanent collection. Artists in the collection include Maud Earl , George Earl , Richard Ansdell , Arthur Wardle and Cecil Aldin . The gallery is open only by appointment. The art gallery opened in 2003 and was the idea of former Kennel Club Chairman John McDougall. The Kennel Club had accumulated quite a large collection of canine artwork, including 130 oil paintings,100 works on paper, nearly 100 engravings and prints, and

715-544: A pet, so we took the least line of resistance and kept a – CAT!" This was disproved in Cruft's memoirs, published posthumously in Charles Cruft's Dog Book in 1952, where Cruft explained that he had lived in households which had Alsatians and Borzois . He went on to make particular reference to the fact that he and his wife Emma had owned at least one Saint Bernard ; the same breed of dog he had used in his creation of

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780-704: A response to the report. Pedigree Dogs Exposed producer Jemima Harrison condemned the Kennel Club's response, stating that they are downplaying the criticism of the Kennel Club in the report and misrepresenting the findings. In April 2013, it was announced that the ABS scheme had secured recognition by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). Various changes were made to the scheme to gain accreditation, which included ensuring inspections were made of all new members' premises and that those who were already members would be checked within

845-468: A small flat with only three rooms. All business was conducted from there until a move to Pall Mall in May 1877. It was decided they would be responsible for publishing a Stud Book and the first volume was published and ready to be distributed in December 1874. It listed pedigrees of dogs competing at shows from 1859 and also included a "Code of Rules for the guidance of Dog Shows and Field trials" Shirley

910-508: A three-year time period. In January 2010, Prof. Sir Patrick Bateson had advocated seeking UKAS accreditation in his Independent Inquiry into Dog Breeding. In February 2013, the Kennel Club launched a programme called "Get Fit With Fido", which encouraged dog owners to lose weight by exercising with their dogs. The organisation was criticised in an August 2008 BBC programme Pedigree Dogs Exposed for allowing breed standards, judging standards and breeding practices which are said to compromise

975-541: A working farm), moorland, and woodland. A gamekeeper is employed, enabling gun dogs to engage in shooting parties, whilst the farm has a population of sheep, enabling sheepdog breeds to be trained and demonstrated. The Kennel Club registration system divides dogs into seven breed groups . The Kennel Club Groups are: Hound group, Working group, Terrier group, Gundog group, Pastoral group, Utility group and Toy group. As of 2021, The Kennel Club recognised 222 breeds of dog. The Kennel Club licenses dog shows throughout

1040-608: The Duchess of Newcastle , and so on 10 March his show opened at the Royal Aquarium in Westminster, London. Entitled "The first Great Show of all kinds of Terriers", the show received 570 entries across 57 classes and included Lord Alfred Paget among the patrons. Collies and several breeds of toy dogs were added by 1890. This gradual expansion of breeds led to the creation of the first show to be named after Cruft

1105-607: The Fédération Cynologique Internationale . The Kennel Club was founded on 4 April 1873 after Sewallis E. Shirley became frustrated by trying to organise dog shows without a consistent set of rules. Since the first dog show in 1859, shows had become increasingly popular. Shirley is listed as an exhibitor of Fox Terriers at the Birmingham Dog Show Society show in 1865. Together with a group of other gentlemen, he organised

1170-644: The National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham , where it still takes place. From originally being a show for the exhibition of purebred dogs, it has expanded over the years and now incorporates most other canine disciplines such as Obedience , Agility , and Flyball . Initially the Discover Dogs event was staged as a part of Crufts dog show, but as its popularity increased it became a stand-alone event. Established in 1996, it gives

1235-399: The 1878 Exposition Universelle . After running dog shows in London for four years, he ran his first Cruft's dog show in 1891, and continued to run a further 45 shows until his death in 1938, as well as running two cat shows in 1894 and 1895. He was involved in a range of dog breed clubs, including that for Schipperkes , Pugs and Borzois . He and his wife upheld a story that they never owned

1300-652: The American showman P. T. Barnum . The funeral occurred on 21 September. Cruft was buried in a tomb in the western area of Highgate Cemetery , London. It would become Grade II listed on 14 May 1974. The London Borough of Islington placed a plaque commemorating Charles Cruft at Ashurst Lodge, Highbury Grove, N5. His will left £30476 9s 3d to his family and friends, with the majority going to his second wife, Emma, and £2000 going to his daughter Clara. Two grandchildren, Charles and Betty Cruft each received £500, and two nephews, Kenneth and John Hartshorn, each received

1365-788: The BBC did not give the Kennel Club "a proper opportunity to respond" to allegations that the club was "eugenicist" and (per Ofcom's characterisation of the programme's allegations) that it "shared a common ideology with Nazi racial theory ", nor to an allegation that it covered up the nature of an operation carried out on a Crufts Best in Show winner. Due to the strong public response, the Kennel Club started rolling out new health plans. Breed standards for every breed went under review and show judges would be required to choose only healthy dogs. New breed standards were announced in January 2009 and close inbreeding

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1430-567: The Crufts logo. At the time of the United Kingdom Census 1901 , Cruft was living at 325 Holloway Road, N7 with his wife Emma, his father Charles, a boarder named Albert Causfield and a servant named Alice Gregory. He listed his profession as "show promoter". Emma would go on to outlive Charles, she died at the age of 82 on 5 September 1950. At the time of his death, he was living at 12 Highbury Grove, London, N5. His staff included

1495-558: The First Grand Exhibition of Sporting and Other Dogs held at Crystal Palace in June 1870. The show was not a financial success and the organisers had to make up the loss. This seems to have been the trigger for Shirley to call a meeting with 12 others who had an interest in judging and exhibiting pedigree dogs. The meeting, in 1873, agreed to set up the Kennel Club. It was held at 2 Albert Mansions, Victoria Street, London,

1560-598: The KC not just with the few that decide to join the Accredited Breeder Scheme (ABS)." The Inquiry believes that ultimately The Kennel Club can win back trust by showing that they are willing to take responsibility for dogs registered with them and that they are willing to lose members who do not meet high standards. The report warned that if the health measures implemented by the Kennel Club fails, government regulations might be necessary. The Kennel Club issued

1625-662: The Kennel Club Art Gallery is that it's a way of encouraging those people interested in dogs to learn a bit more about art and those people interested in art to do likewise about dogs." The Accredited Breeder Scheme was launched in 2004 but was later renamed as the Assured Breeder scheme (ABS). As the ABS membership grew, a number of regional advisors were recruited to inspect breeders' premises and paperwork to ensure adequate standards were being met. Breed specific recommendations were added to some breeds for

1690-561: The National Terrier Club, and from the second show onwards on 21 June 1902, the show became known as the National Terrier Show. Cruft continued as Secretary of the club until 1914 when Sir William Savory took on the role. Despite the fact that he gave away very few details about himself to the press, to make them concentrate more on promotion of his shows, he did not always see eye to eye with all members of

1755-580: The Trust in October 2007 when it celebrated its twentieth anniversary. The Kennel Club makes many donations to charitable causes, with grants totalling over £10 million between the club's foundation and 2020. The Animal Health Trust (AHT) has frequently received donations from the Kennel Club and, in 2012, a £1.5 million interest free loan was granted to the AHT to enable it to complete the building and equipping of

1820-450: The UK, but the only dog show it actually runs is Crufts . The show has been held since 1928 and attracts competitors from all over the world. It is held every March at the NEC , Birmingham, and includes the less formal Scruffts show for crossbreed and mixed-breed dogs. The Kennel Club also holds the Discover Dogs event in London every autumn. The Kennel Club is a non-member partner with

1885-644: The administrative offices, and charitable trust headquarters. The third site is Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire, where the Kennel Club Building consists of a restaurant, an educational centre, and showground facilities. The fourth location is near Hexham , Northumberland, and is named the Emblehope and Burngrange Estate. It is the KC's centre of excellence for working dogs, and consists of 7,550 acres of assorted terrains including farmland (with

1950-685: The biggest of its kind so far, with patrons that included the Duchess of Newcastle, the Countess de Sefton and Lady de Trafford . The publication Fur and Feather praised the new venture and encouraged more. Crufts however wasn't so sure as the initial show had lost over a hundred pounds, and entries in some of the classes were restricted to only a handful of cats. He held a second show in March 1895, which once again Fur and Feather heaped praise upon, despite

2015-687: The biscuit business. Whilst in France, he was invited to run the dog show at the third World's Fair whilst he was there promoting Spratt's dog cake, known as the Exposition Universelle . Further offers to run shows came in for Cruft, including an offer to become Secretary of the Dutch Kennel Club , and an offer to run the livestock section of the Brussels and Antwerp International Exhibitions. He took up job offers to run

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2080-408: The bookkeeping in the shop, changing it from a system using crosses to distinguish between wholesale and retail customers to a far more detailed system. The Maltese cross that was previously used in the bookkeeping was later instead stamped onto the biscuits as a type of trademark to distinguish Spratt's biscuits from other dog biscuits. Several months after joining, Crufts convinced Spratt to hire

2145-502: The career was not for him and left the business in 1865. He went on to apply for the post of office boy in the Holborn shop of James Spratt, the manufacturer of Spratt's dog biscuits . He was recruited by Spratt, who would later go on to say that Cruft had lent forward in the interview at one point whilst talking about the business and said "You know, I think this kind of business ought to do very well, I do honestly." Cruft overhauled

2210-702: The club was to publish a stud book , which contained the pedigrees of 4,027 dogs that had won prizes at shows in the previous fourteen years. Rules were formed and classifications established. In 1881, the French Société Centrale Canine was founded, followed by the Italian Ente Nazionale della Cinofilia Italiana (ENCI) in 1882, the American Kennel Club in 1884 and the Swedish Svenska Kennelklubben (SKK) in 1889. The United Kennel Club

2275-526: The club with a 'royal' prefix. The Kennel Club has four principal physical locations. Its headquarters are on Clarges Street in Mayfair , London , incorporating a private members' club (with bar, lounge, and dining facilities), meeting and conference rooms, art gallery, library, picture library, and a residential apartment for the use of the Chairman. A second site at Aylesbury , Buckinghamshire, houses

2340-593: The company diversified its product base and expanded into game bird and poultry food markets, as well as producing a range of accessories for cats and dogs. Cruft himself became secretary of the Toy Spaniel Club and the Pug Dog Club. He was also involved in clubs which promoted the Saint Bernard and Borzoi breeds. In 1886, Cruft was approached to run a dog show for terriers in London by

2405-511: The country where the breed has first originated. These breed 'owner' countries write the breed standard of the specific breed, with the breed standard being a detailed description of the ideal type of the breed, in partnership with and under the oversight of the Standards and Scientific Commissions of the FCI. The FCI is responsible for publication and maintenance of these breed standards, along with

2470-462: The creation of the library and the charitable trust. It was also under his stewardship that the registration system became computerised. The first successful annual all-breed dog show was produced by Charles Cruft in 1891. He produced the Crufts dog show for 45 years until his death in 1938. His widow, Emma, continued for four shows. She then sold it to the Kennel Club, as she felt unable to devote

2535-581: The cutbacks that Cruft had initiated to make the show more profitable. Fur and Feather announced in March 1896 that the cat show had been postponed due to Cruft's other business commitments, but he never went on to run such a show again. In 1896, Cruft designed special train carriages to carry competition dogs for his shows from around the country. Cruft was Secretary of the Ranelagh Fox Terrier Show in 1901, and together with several colleagues including Sir Humphrey de Trafford created

2600-600: The dog is imported. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale , sometimes translated as the International Canine Federation in English or simply known by its abbreviation 'FCI', is an international federation of national kennel clubs and purebred registries. The FCI is based in Thuin , Belgium and has 98 members and contract partners (one from each country) and as such, the FCI is considered to

2665-428: The dog shows with the help of the show's secretary, Miss Hardingham. After running the show in 1939, Mrs Cruft sold the show to The Kennel Club , however due to World War II , it wasn't until 1948 when they ran the show for the first time. The show would remain being called Cruft's until 1974, when during a rebrand the apostrophe was dropped, resulting in the show being called Crufts, which it continues to be called at

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2730-787: The dogs away each night of the three-day competition, and again pay if they wanted to take them away early on the final day. By 1914, the show had grown in popularity until it was recognised as the largest dog show in the world and by 1936 when the show celebrated its Golden Jubilee , over 10,000 dogs were entered at the event. Cruft's shows were frequented by Royalty, with Queen Victoria exhibiting dogs, and King Edward VII also doing so prior to becoming King. In 1893, Tsar Alexander III of Russia sent eighteen Borzois to compete, and from 1916 King George V entered his Labrador Retrievers regularly. On 7 and 8 March 1894, he experimented with expanding his shows and held his first Cat conformation show. The first show had over 600 entries, becoming easily

2795-622: The first dog show society came into existence in Birmingham , England. Within three years, the Société impériale zoologique d'acclimatation  [ fr ] held the first dog show on the European continent in Paris , exhibiting a range of breeds, although the definition of guarding a breed remained open to interpretation. Recognizing the necessity for the establishment of a governing body with punitive powers, MP Sewallis Shirley , called

2860-465: The first time in January 2010 after consultations with breed clubs. The scheme was meant to help potential dog owners identify responsible breeders, but has been described by the Dogs Trust as "full of pitfalls, the main one being that it's self-certificating". The Associate Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare report indicated that the low breeding standards practiced by some in the ABS may allow

2925-412: The health of purebred dogs. The programme led various sponsors to withdraw their participation in Crufts and the BBC eventually dropped Crufts 2009 from its coverage. The Kennel Club initially defended their practices, and criticised the programme as "highly biased". It also lodged a complaint to regulatory authority Ofcom . Ofcom rejected the Kennel Club's claim of unfair editing and deceit, but found that

2990-432: The ideal type as set out by the FCI. Charles Cruft (showman) Charles Alfred Cruft (28 June 1852 – 10 September 1938) was a British showman who founded the Crufts dog show. Charles first became involved with dogs when he began to work at Spratt's , a manufacturer of dog biscuits . He rose to the position of general manager, and whilst working for Spratt's in France he was invited to run his first dog show at

3055-409: The issue of pedigrees and record keeping of breeders and breeder addresses the responsibility of the national canine organisations recognised by the FCI. The purpose of the FCI is to make sure that the pedigrees and judges are mutually recognised by all the FCI members. At present the FCI recognises 356 breeds, with each breed being considered as the 'property' of a specific country, usually based upon

3120-606: The largest kennel club in the world. Worldwide, the majority of countries are members or have contract partners with the FCI, with only Africa and the Middle East poorly represented. In Europe, only the United Kingdom, Kosovo and Bulgaria are not represented by the FCI. Likewise, in the Americas only the US and Canada are not members. In contrast to national kennel clubs, the FCI is not a registry and does not issue any pedigree, with

3185-479: The main Crufts show. The Kennel Club Charitable Trust is a dog charity that looks after the welfare and health of dogs. They fund a wide variety of work, including supporting research into canine diseases, dog welfare organisations and the promotion of service dogs . Set up in 1987, it was first registered with the Charity Commission in May 1988. The Duchess of Cornwall became the first patron of

3250-514: The media. One newspaper refused to publish his name at all, and whenever it made reference to Cruft's dog shows, it simply referred to them as "a dog show in Islington". After running his 45th Crufts show in 1938, he fell ill. By the late summer he was recovering, but he died due to a heart attack at around 5:30 am on 10 September. Tributes came in from media agencies, with Our Dogs calling him "the man who made dog shows", and comparisons with

3315-405: The present. Cruft's first marriage was to Charlotte Hutchinson in 1878. Together they had four children, Charles Francis, Louise, Cecil Arthur and Clara Helen Grace. His second marriage was to Emma Isabel Hartshorn in 1894, they had no children. He remained in close contact with his children, and involved each of them in the dog show business. Such was the relationship with his daughter Clara, who

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3380-682: The public an opportunity to meet representatives of all pedigree dog breeds and talk with breed experts about the suitability of the breed as a pet. Until 2014, this two-day annual event was held at Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London in November. Since 2015, it has been held in October at the ExCeL Centre in East London. The event includes the semi-finals for the Kennel Gazette Junior Warrant competition,

3445-400: The public to be "falsely led into thinking a puppy they buy from an accredited breeder registered with the KC will have no health or welfare problems associated with its breeding history." It called for more random checks and robust enforcement of the scheme and states that "the use of the word ‘pedigree’ should be tied to a high standard of breeding (for health and welfare) across the board with

3510-531: The role of general manager, after being head of their Show Department for several years. At the age of 26, some twelve years after leaving the jewellery business, Cruft was made office manager. The Spratt's dog biscuits became the forerunner of the modern dry dog food , and under Cruft's work the company went from a single small shop to the British leader in these types of products. In 1878, whilst still working for Spratt's, Cruft travelled across Europe to expand

3575-421: The same number of sculptures and trophies. The collection is still being added to. Various exhibitions are held covering a variety of breeds, such as English Setters , Gordon Setters , and Irish Setters . To gain more awareness of the collection available at the art gallery, it sometimes stages exhibitions at art and design fairs. Former Kennel Club chairman Ronnie Irving is quoted as saying "The great thing about

3640-494: The same. Eight nieces, one great nephew and a young cousin each received £50. One of his maids, Kate Hempstead, who had worked for him for over thirty years also received £50. His cousin Lt Arthur Cruft received £100, while Cruft's secretary Miss E. Harrington, who had worked on the Crufts dog shows since 1925 received £500. At the time of his death in 1938, it was thought that his wife, Emma Cruft, would continue to run

3705-617: The shows for the Scottish Kennel Club , and became manager of the poultry section of the shows of the Royal Agricultural Society . He also co-founded and became club secretary of the Schipperke Club of Brussels. By the time Cruft turned 30 in 1882, Spratts had been sold to Edward Wylan who in turn promoted Charles first to "Chief Traveller", and then to general manager. Under Crufts guidance,

3770-511: The time to running such a large undertaking and she wanted to perpetuate her husband's legacy. No shows were held during the Second World War . The first Crufts show held by the Kennel Club was in 1948 at Olympia, London . The show was first televised by the BBC in 1950. The 1954 edition was cancelled due to the strike of electricians. The show moved to Earls Court in 1979, where it remained until staging its centenary show in 1991 at

3835-443: The translation of breed standard into the four working languages of the FCI (English, French, German and Spanish). The FCI breed standards act as the reference for the judges at shows held in the FCI member countries, as well as maintaining the qualification and license of judges in dog shows in FCI member countries. For breeders, the FCI breed standards are used as the reference in their attempt to produce top-quality dogs according to

3900-530: Was appointed as chairman at the first annual general meeting of the Kennel Club on 1 December 1874. The Kennel Club saw particular change under the chairmanship of John MacDougall during the period 1981 to 1996. Among the changes he helped introduce were the revamping of the Club's constitution, the development of the Junior Organisation to encourage youth participation in the sport of dog showing, and

3965-675: Was banned. Kennel club Kennel clubs maintain breed standards , record pedigrees , and issue the rules for conformation dog shows and trials and accreditation of judges. They often serve as registries , which are lists of adult purebred dogs and lists of litters of puppies born to purebred parents. A kennel club manages all these aspects of the dog breeds it claims to represent, either directly or through its member bodies. Today's kennel clubs specialize in working dogs or conformation show dogs . In today's parlance, dog clubs for mixed-breed dogs are gaining ground and are now sometimes categorized as kennel clubs. The original purpose of

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4030-465: Was common among the affluent throughout Europe . Kennel clubs were founded from the necessity to bring order out of chaos to the sport of public competitive dog exhibitions. The first dog show in England was held in 1859, which was a social affair held by English aristocrats to raise funds for charity. They grew in popularity over fourteen years and were held in a rather ad hoc manner. In 1859,

4095-556: Was established in 1898. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale was formed in 1911, under the auspices of the Austrian , Belgian , Dutch , French and German canine societies. The new kennel club rules reflected that pedigrees must be registered with their respective club. Clubs acted as a court of appeal to set and maintain standards. They successfully popularized the sport of dog showing and elevated it from venues such as bars and public houses to fashionable locations. Through

4160-469: Was in 1891, when "Cruft's Greatest Dog Show" was held at the Royal Agricultural Hall , Islington , with part of the deal to hold the show at that location was to restrict the venue to only allowing Cruft to run dog shows at the location. He designed the logo himself, the head of a Saint Bernard surrounded by a collar with a crown on top. He introduced a system where competitors would pay to enter their dogs, and make additional payments if they wished to take

4225-407: Was nicknamed "Birdie", that she alone was listed in his second wife's will as a step daughter. His wife Emma stated in her book, Mrs Charles Cruft's Famous Dog Book , published in 1949 that there was an unwritten rule that both herself and her husband couldn't own any dogs for fear of making others believe that they favoured one breed over another, even going as far to say "we were determined to own

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