Fuming over elitist, nasty reaction to AKC mixed-breed survey--what do you think?

In my opinion, the function of the AKC is indeed to promote the standard of purebred dogs. However, they will always have conformation, which is the main test of meeting breed standards (whether we like it or not)

Whether a dog is good at flyball or agility or obedience does not n ecessarily make it a superior icon of the breed. Labrador 1 that does an agility course better than Labrador 2 is not necessarily a better-built or bred dog, while a Labrador that has better hips, better build, better teeth etc, IS.

I see no reason why events, which have little to nothing to do with whether a dog is a better example of a specific breed ( mean come on...a  Golden with terrible hips may make a better obedience dog than a Golden with great hips, but is that really a better Golden?) should be off-limits to mixed breeds.

Do you kind of see what I am saying? I can sometimes be bad at expressing my point.

to allowing mixed breeds into companion events are concerned that this will encourage people to purposly breed a mix in order to excel at a particular event

This is already done in the world of dog sledding. It is called the Alaskan Husky, a type of dog, rather than a breed. There is purposeful cross-breeding to create the fastest, strongest sled dog ever, which is not necessarily a benefit to the dogs but serves the glory and vanity of Man.
 
ETA: At another forum, I encounted breed snobbery from owners of Alaskan Husky, who now determine the worthiness of the dog by lineage. It can't truly be an Alaskan Husky unless the dog came from proven parents from an actual team. Yes, breed snobbery for a dog that is not an actual breed. And the snobbery served only the vanity of the people involved.
 

I don't. I don't see why performance mix breed folks would even "want" to associate with them if they don't have too lol.

 
I can certainly see your point too and I don't have answers, particularly since I'm not active any AKC or any performance sport. AKC's having a survey is an OK thing, as it is fairly detailed and leaves room for comments at the end.
 
What I have seen are people with shelter dogs that want competitions and can't find them in their area. I don't think they'd mind a seperate registry at all--they just want agility, rally, etc. competitions, and it seems like a good thing to me that people are putting that much effort into dogs that others have irresponsibly allowed to be born and then discarded.
 
Perhaps not the AKC's provence at all, but at least it is about good ownership.

I took that survey, and I too think that mixed breed dogs deserve the right to compete in events, not conformation but other events with the same awards and such.
 
I did hesitate over the idea that it could or would encourage more "designer" dog breeding, by the same token I also thought some competition in events would give those with elitest dog attitudes a run for their money. Conformation can remain as it has always been for the breed standands.
 
Dawn

in order to get what they would hope to be a "super" agility dog for example.

 
people are doing this-- not cross-breeding per se, but there are "lines" of various breeds that really don't meet the breed standard anymore, but wow do they excel at agility.

ORIGINAL: Stacita
What I have seen are people with shelter dogs that want competitions and can't find them in their area.

And, some people are not willing to lie to ILP their mixes when they know that the dog is really not a purebred, even if they could get away with it. 
Personally, I don't find much about the AKC these days that is exemplary.  They let all those puppy mill dogs get registrations without batting an eye.  Instead of worrying whether a spayed or neutered mixed breed might do better at competition than their purebred dogs (that would be the reason for keeping them in separate classes - the snobs might just find out that function is better than form LOL), perhaps they should give some consideration to finding some way to identify and manage breeders of qualitiy dogs, and reduce the likelihood that millers and byb's continue their behavior.  Maybe a five star system, like hotels? 
If you go to the AKC site and search on "survey", you can't even find the survey to take.  I had to use the link posted in this thread.
Maybe they want to keep the shelter dog people from noticing it?
Around here, show people are the snobs, who look down their noses at shelter dogs - who are also working as therapy dogs, learning to heel and retrieve, and providing wonderful companionship to their owners. 
For those rescued dogs, like Sioux, who try their little hearts out every day in their back yards, and do a great job, only to watch the purebred owners take home the ribbons, this one's for you.

Agreed. Word for Word.

Around here, show people are the snobs

 
That's rather insulting to people who own purebred dogs who do all the same things that you claim the shelter dogs (which is not synonomous with mixed breed by any means) are doing. It's also insulting to those of us who show and also own mixed breed dogs or dogs rescued from bad situations.
 
Again negativity and generalizations from either side are counter productive and only serve one purpose...divisiveness within the dog loving community.

I think, in this instance, as Gina said, it takes all kinds.  There are elitists everywhere.  If you want to prove them wrong, take the survey and get your dog into the obedience ring.  The only way to prove the elitists wrong is to show them.  And to do that you need to compete.
 
If you can get a UDX on a mixed breed-then you've already proven it-and can take whatever they say with a grain of salt.

Personally, there are a lot of changes I'd like to see the AKC make in regards to the purebreds before they go allowing additional dogs into the mix.  I guess I don't much see the point in an organization meant for people into purebred dogs having mixed breeds competing as well, especially with the work they need to do in regards to the purebreds.  It would be like the American Quarter Horse Association deciding they'll just let any horse, as long as it isn't purebred, compete with the Quarter Horses--there wouldn't be much point.  And before I'm accused of snobbery I own a mixed bred and a purebred, and if I had the desire to compete with Sally (mixed), I'd just compete with an organization that allowed mixes.

Around here, show people are the snobs, who look down their noses at shelter dogs

 
Wait a minute Anne, that's a low blow.  I'm a show person and I've got a rescue shelter dog-yes she's a purebred but I have NEVER said anything derogatory about any mixed breed.
 
I hope I'm misreading you and that you really mean "here" with reference to your geographic location.

Gina, just from my standpoint, she wasn't generalizing to the whole country.  She said "around here" and I took that to mean New England, which is where she's from.    I know plenty of people on both sides of the fence with regards to agility.  The purebred owners like their dogs for what they are and also do some conformation.  The mutt owners like their dogs for what they are and have fun in agility.

I found that survey to be quite obnoxious and most definitely NOT geared toward a mutt owner.  Some of the questions were quite offensive to me as a mutt owner.   Again it was not geared for mutt owners like me, but they should have considered that when making it, because WE are the people they're thinking about letting in.  With that attitude from the outset, how do they expect us to even consider joining them if they even do agree to let us in?

Another list I'm on someone sent a message something to the effect of  so those people can watch our mutts "beat the pants off" those PB's.  A PB owner got upset at the insinuation that it's a competition between dogs.  (this was an agility list) That agility was about beating the course and the time, not other dogs, because AKC does not compete dog against dog in agility.  You don't have to get 1st's to get titles in agility in AKC, as they pointed out.

So that leads me to the question, what are PB owners afraid of?  They can still get their titles and do the conformation thing without the mutts making any problems for them if they out-compete them.

I agree with someone's post about the AKC losing site of what they started out as.  But that has nothing to do with allowing fixed mutts to compete in agility, obedience or rally, especially if it doesn't affect PB's from getting their titles.  They would be following their mission more closely if they didn't allow registering of puppy mill dogs.

Actually I consider the survey to be something they are gearing towards people who already use the registry ie the purebred dog breeder/owner, not those they are considering making changes for. That's what I gathered. Which was why it was sent via email as I beleive it was.
 
If you run a club and are considering making  a chage you usually poll the membership first to get an idea for how much opposition you will get. They should have done one prior to PAWS backing or the Petland issue, so maybe they learned something and now we are being polled.
 
Around here...yep I read that part. Still a generalization.
 
What are we afraid of? The fact that AKC seems less and less inclined to further the interests of the purebred dog, and more inclined to court whatever market can give them the most income...and that bodes ill for the future of said same.
 
If they did separate classes then there's really no issue as to beating this or that breed or not....and if they are allowed in this is likely what would happen...separate classes.
 
Today it is the mixed breed...tomorrow it could be HSUS consultants on the board....it's really not about the mix breeds for me...it's about an organization sticking to what they were created to be, and not grabbing so hard for dollars or exposure that they forget the people who in essence created the organization.
 

Agreed.

ETA--there are snobs in every hobby everywhere.  I've run into people who get snobbish because my lab Jack was from a breeder rather than resuced.  Should I then generalize those that rescue their dogs as snobs?

In addition, (didn't want to have to edit again) did anyone read the entire text of the blog the OP pointed out.  The "snob" as she is being called, also owns mixed breeds that she competes with and runs a rescue.  Boy, she sure does sound evil....[8|]