Found out this morning that the AKC is considering opening their performance events up to mixed breeds. There's a survey you can fill out to voice your opinion. After reading the survey and accompanying information about the proposed changes oh I've got an opinion all right. For one thing they're considering making the mixed breeds run in separate classes from the purebreds and not allowing them to qualify for nationals. Um, who in their right mind would go for this? My favorite quote was this, "Exposing mixed breed dog owners to AKC and encouraging them to make their next dog a purebred by showing that purebreds consistently outperform mixed breeds". Just how far do those crusty old farts at the AKC have their heads shoved up their keisters? From my own personal, selfish point of view I don't want them to let the mutts in. I'm afraid if they do that USDAA will lose even more business and we'll have even less trials than we do now. Right now there are 18 AKC trials on the Front Range vs 7 USDAA and 7 NADAC. Also, I loathe the AKC because of their politics and the lobbying they do, supporting puppy mills, etc. The thought of them getting even more money turns my stomach. In fact just reading the questions in the survey and they way they were worded turned my stomach. I felt so dirty by the time I was done.
However I did vote for them to allow the mixes in. Why? Because it's not always about me and my agenda. I have other options for competition, not a lot compared to AKC events but enough to keep me happy. Some people live in areas where they have no other option. I've heard of people who've ended up getting purebreds even though they would prefer mixes because AKC is their only option if they want to do agility. If letting mixes in AKC means a few more mutts from the shelter might go to performance homes I'm all for it even if it means a few more pennies in the AKC's grubby little paws. Also, how hurtful is it to be excluded from the agility community because you have a mixed breed dog? Telling someone to go do the other venues isn't very helpful if there are very few or none in your area. I've been trialing for around 4-5 years now and I still don't know a huge chunk of the agility community because they do only AKC. The people that I do know are great though, I can't even begin to list all the people who've helped me along the way and when I was so badly injured in the car crash I was touched by how many of them called to offer their sympathies and to walk my dogs or bring me whatever I might need. Again, I'm lucky to have found my way in, why should I vote to deprive others of the same joy of competing and camaraderie just because I have a bug up my butt about the AKC? Sure I feel dirty but it's nothing a nice long hot shower won't fix.
LOL! I also posted the info about the survey and also had mixed feelings (no puns intended), feeling my hairs bristle with every flip of the page of their presentation about allowing mixed breeds in because it would prove their inferiority. I've not been a fan of AKC for a very long time for a growing list of reasons. But here's *my* primary reason for voting for the proposal: AKC gets to pick who's on the world cup team, and non-AKC dogs aren't eligible. Now, there's nothing in the survey about that question specifically, and it might not be up to the AKC, it might be up to the FCI, and even if it is up to the AKC, they'll probably make it impossible for a non-AKC dog to be on the world cup team. But at least we'll have our chance to prove that we could be.
ReplyDeleteI'll be posting more observations about AKC on Taj MuttHall shortly. It sure is an organization that strikes fervor in the hearts of members and nonmembers alike--not most of it (in my experience) favorable.
-ellen
luckily the local kennel club here do allow we mixed breed to compete along with purebreeds in sports...but they charge us more expensive fees...
ReplyDeleteyeah right... i don't have enough cash to buy myself a purebreed, and yet they expect me to pay more expensive fees to join their stuff...
Well, that's obnoxious charging more for the mixed breeds. I doubt the AKC will try that or that very many people would agree to pay it except those that have no other venues because many areas have lots of choices of venues that allow mixes to compete equally.
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