http://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=2876 The breeds approved to compete are Bouvier des Flandres, Doberman Pinscher, German Shepherd Dog, and the Rottweiler. I'm hopeful this won't be a joke and some serious workingline people will get involved,but it could easily end up a joke.

Cool. That sounds good.

Im pessimistic. The AKC has no interest in regulating breed standards or working with breeders to improve overall quality. They are interested in Registrations only.
I will never own another AKC dog. Imports or FCI bred and registered with a breed governing body.
I cant believe that Giant Schnauzers, Malinois, Pits or others cant compete as well. Good luck finding a working Bouvier (AKC) in this country, or GSD, or Rott for that matter. There are a select few but they are in the minority. If Im wrong, Ill eat crow,, but I dont see that happening.

Hope you're wrong Bill. Hope they don't succeed in spreading their ruin into working lines, too.

OTOH, ANY exposure working/sports get would help the image of these dogs in this country, so I'll hope for the best. It IS frustrating that my dog's AKC ped doesn't show any of his ancestors' titles <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />. The whole AKC is a joke...

HI Tracey

It is no joke. My female Dobermann earned a WDM III title at
the pilot trial at Colorado Springs in 03. Her three year old son will compete at the next demo trial in Aurora Colorado. It is Schutzhund/IPO just like UScA or DVG trials.

I'm with you, I say we support UKC. AKC needs to play around the office with matches and gasoline, LOL! As for the question Tracy posed is this a joke? Just look at their "approved breeds list" <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> They're already starting off on the wrong foot <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> Plus, you know they only went through with this because their competition UKC approved and started working trials. I think they felt pressured to get into this, whereas I truely feel UKC, aside from the business aspect really wanted to venture this way. AKC is just trying to play catch up.

The approved breeds list is what it is because those are the breed clubs that campaigned for it. I see it as a potentially beneficial thing if it gives more exposure to dog sport in a positive way.

Just wanted to say hello to everyone. I've been a long time lurker (sounds kinda creepy), and am getting back into dogsport so I thought I should get active in the community.

My understanding is that FCI is behind all this AKC "seeing the light" business.

AKC is not officially recognized in the global community (FCI), and wants to be....badly.

FCI is telling the AKC what hoops to jump through, and AKC is begrudgingly doing it. This is just another step in that direction. There are a whole bunch of AKC GSD owners who still feel teaching a dog to bite is a bad thing.

Instead of shunning the AKC (although well deserved for what has been done to working breeds over the last 60 years), I would like to see dogsport people take over the AKC.

Can we imagine for a moment, the truly knowledgeable and skilled dogsport people controlling and setting the direction of the AKC?

It will take a long time, and the right people have to be voted in to the right positions....not an easy prospect under the current conditions and mindset of the AKC parent clubs. However, I think the ball is rolling.

Well actually the AKC and the FCI do have a working agreement to recognize each other's pedigrees so the statement that the they are not recognized is inaccurate. AKC is the the US recognized breed registry to the FCI. Not the USA or AWDF or UKC.

This was not the AKC's idea, this was a few Parent clubs who wanted this and have been working on this almost 4 years to get it approved. As for jumping through hoops? Look I'm no great fan of a lot of the things the AKC does but I do happen to agree with this program. In 2004 the AKC registered 958,641 dogs the FCI countries in Europe reported 935,083 and the rest of the FCI countries reported another 1,025,506 dogs. Does anyone really think the AKC is clamoring to have the FCI's approval with having almost half the number of dogs registered as the entire FCI? The AKC didn't do anything to the ruin anything, it was the breeders who did that. The AKC itself doesn't breed. The AKC is the first one on hand when BSL rears it's ugly head, not the USA or AWDF. Then there is the DNA program, health programs, education, etc. They do manage to do a few good things along the way.

As for the working people taking over....lol ok sparky. Now to just get the other 149 breed delegates to agree with the take over and probably 140 of those fought this most of the way to just get it where it is.

Well, actually, go to the FCI website. The United States is not recognized (in whole or in part) in any way. It says nothing about recognizing AKC pedigrees. The FCI has told the AKC that if it wants to be officially recognized as the registry for the United States, it has to implement working titles for those breeds that do work.

Yes, the AKC is clamoring for FCI approval.

It does not matter what percentage of (global) registration the AKC is responsible for, everything the AKC does right now is simply not recognized by the world body. Pedigrees, judges, shows, titles.....everything. The only exception I know of is the new WDS program that has been running the last year or so. Titles earned under SV judges at the WDA events (or USCA events for that matter) are recognized internationally...why? Because SV judges are officially recognized by the FCI (under the VDH).

FCI is indeed talking with the AKC, so I guess you could say that FCI "recognizes" them as the breed registry for the United States, but it's not official....AKC is not a member....yet. Thus....the hoop jumping.

As far as the AKC ruining things. Yes, they are responsible....to a large degree. The AKC, as a whole, set the atmosphere in which the decline of many a working breed took place. Yes, the breeders are responsible as well. It is a vicious circle.

I will agree that the AKC is getting some things right....now, and I fully support the move towards WDS. This can only improve things......if it is taken seriously and done right.

Regards,

Sparky