John I would agree that the working ability of most breeds has dimmed to a flicker. So that everyone is clear I refer to working ability as valid Sch/IPO/FR etc. and will confine it to the a typical breeds that do these sports.

I personally just don't feel you can lay blame on any one organization for the demise of any one breeds working ability. You and I both know the ADRK, DV, SV etc. can produce their fair share of crap dogs even with those stringent breeding practices in place. Like I've stated I have no undying love for the AKC but let's face the simple fact that most people who own dogs don't know what the sport is and if they do will never entertain the idea of competing for whatever the reason. These people make up the 99 percentile, if not more, of all dog owners and registered dog owners. Truth of it is these are the people that make up the majority of the AKC registered owners and as such are catered too the most. I don't like it but it is what it is.

I think it will have a positive impact on the sports as was said they are the biggest game in town and right or wrong the vast majority of dog owners look to the AKC. I doubt there will oodles of people jumping on the WD program but what do you think the Europeans were saying about 30 years ago when the US was really starting to organize Schutzhund here? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Actually, FCI does seem to require working titles before international conformation titles are given....

FCI Rules page

....then click on "International Championship", then scroll down to "Breeds subject to Working Trials".

I did the helper work for the first three Invitational test trails for the Germanshepherd Dog club of America. It is no joke and the people have been very interested in the sport. I think a lot of them want to see there dogs compete, but a lot of them don't realize the time and effort it takes to suceed in the sport.

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Actually, FCI does seem to require working titles before international conformation titles are given....

FCI Rules page

....then click on "International Championship", then scroll down to "Breeds subject to Working Trials".

True but that is for CACIB but not to a achieve a CAC.

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As for Keith with all the dates, of when AKC has been "exploring" this, they finally took heed to crap or get off the pot, and was pushed into this and no one will get me to believe differently. UKC's program maybe a schutzhund type thing in a suit, but it's a program created out of the passion for working dogs as UKC has been demonstrating, unlike AKC, who had to have 3 arms and a neck broken to finally agree to this after "ALL THESE YEARS"!

Now correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Service Dogs of America already have this started and approached the UKC to form a partnership to give it some validity? So in essence the UKC didn't really develop any thing. I'll be the first to admit the AKC didn't truly develop the WD program as it's Sch/IPO with a different nomenclature. They just had a few more lines of red tape to cut than the UKC I would guess.

Doesn't matter, it didn't take the UKC "Four scores and seven years ago" to be pushed into this realm of dog sports. They looked at it, said this IS work and since we are about promoting the working dog, yes, lets do it.

The AKC had more talks than the U.N. and still could BARELY agree. Doesn't sound like a whole lot of heart and enthusiasm about it for it to take this long to just approve something.

I think it is a step in the right direction, but they have a whole lot of stepping to do before I will trust anything AKC does! I also have a problem with the way GSD's are judged by AKC judges. By awarding points & ch to dogs with ridiculously exagerated features they have pretty much succeeded in making the American GSD look like a whole different breed, let alone the fact they have bred the work right out of them. This leads me to be suspect of any program they develop, but the proof will be in the pudding, as they say.

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I did the helper work for the first three Invitational test trails for the Germanshepherd Dog club of America.

I'm very curious.. how did the dogs, I'm assuming all American-bred showlines, do on the bitework?

ED, your comment on the AKC and the state of US.G.S.D.`s the same goes for the breed here in the UK,as well as my breed, Dobermanns,they have been ruined to the point where in, my opinion, they should be removed from the Working Group and into the pussy class if there is one

Ed, and the moderators won't like that language at all, but I'm sorry, I have to continue ROTFLMAO on that one, LOL!!! I was raised on the working dobermanns in the late 70's and early 80's and also have watched their demise hit IMO an all time low.