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

i hate when mutty-pooh's are made to seem inadequate or incapable.


B doesnt get it either.............

I know better! I meant RUNS even though I said dogs.  Shame on me!  Either way, that's a lot of runs, takes a hell of a lot of time...oy.

CPE trials in the east fill up quickly and it's hard to get into them if you're not on top of the ball about it.  Out here in Indiana, I've never had a problem getitng into a USDAA,  TDAA or CPE.  But there has only been ONE TDAA since I've started agility, ONE CPE (with two this year scheduled) and 6 USDAA trials this year.  So not many trials and each of those are at least an hour away if not more.  I hear of friends going to AKC stuff all year long. 

I just want to run agility!!!! 

ORIGINAL: heidandseek

I have not read the thread and skimmed just a few posts but imo...AKC stands for a registered breed of dogs.  If you want to compete in AKC competitions than buy and AKC recognized breed.   Otherwise find another dog competition to compete in.  Now that is just my take and I fully understand people wanting to show off the abilities of their canine companions but there must be another avenue they can take.

 
I agree.
 
I don't think it's about mutts being thought to be inadequate, but the whole point of AKC is purebred dogs.

I'm surprised people are saying there are more AKC events than any other kind. I just looked at the listings of early spring agility trials, and non-AKC trials far outnumber AKC trials-- 10 NADAC trials, 3 USDAA trials, 5 DOCNA trials, 5 assorted other venues, and only 3 AKC trials.

So not many trials and each of those are at least an hour away if not more

LMAO!
Well an hour is nothing here really. Our typical drive is 3-4 hours...and we are in a major metro....the shows are always out in BFE so we drive. I don't know many show folks that don't drive more than 1 hour to get to shows...it's rather the conformation person's way. Just funny to hear an hour's drive thought of as far/long...lol.

An hour is not far.  3 hours to Dayton, St Louis or another STATE is far.  And not a one day thing if you're staying there from 7:30 am until after 5 pm to get up and do it again the next day.  So 3-4 hours is an overnight stay and yes it's far if you can't afford the $100+ entry fees plus a hotel and tend to fall asleep at the wheel like I do.

I would be more than happy to travel to trials if I didn't have to get a hotel room as well and had a driver to help.  Not to mention I have a barker. [8|] 

So I know of 3 trials in the area already for AKC since last Oct which is when my last trial was and nothing till April unless I go to another state. Edited: and Mudpuppy, it's all about location.  Was that in IN?  Or elsewhere?  The only NADAC trial around here is in April and it's the first one in IN that I know of.

and it's incredibly funny that I lived in MA for 5 years and you could drive across the whole state in 2-3 hours.  Then spent a year in Montana where you couldn't even get to the next CITY in 2-3 hours!  So I know the whole gammet of distances.  We are driving to NY in August but I won't be the sole driver. 

Try traveling to conformation shows- especillay when all you need are your majors.  It's tough to find shows and you most often HAVE to go out of state to get them.  So driving is no big deal to me at all.
 
I personally think the AKC should stick to purebred dogs.  I don't think it has anything to do with snobbery, that's just what the club is for.  It's a purebred dog club.  The survey was polling the members about issues, and it should have been involved with just the members.  The AKC should not try to appease everyone and be 'fair'.  That's not it's job.  Yes, it does have major issues in other areas, I won't deny it.
 
And as far as elitism goes... do you guys understand exactly how much crap show owners/breeders/handlers have to go through on these forums?  Every other post it seems mentions how horrible either show bred dogs are or the AKC is or how elitist we as owners are.  It's annoying.  Many of you 'rescuers' (and I am NOT talking to all mixed breed owners or rescuers, just the same few that constantly shove things down our throats) need to seriously think about the way you keep coming off.  You sound bitter and elitist yourselves.  Obviously your dogs are better because they're NOT AKC registered and so on.  I refuse to sit here and constantly defend my decisions. 

And as far as elitism goes... do you guys understand exactly how much crap show owners/breeders/handlers have to go through on these forums? Every other post it seems mentions how horrible either show bred dogs are or the AKC is or how elitist we as owners are.

 i hope i am not one of "those people" but if i'm lumped in there oh well. i just wanted to say that it really is a two way street, and IMO you are exaggerating alot. i have seen just as many negative comments about mixed breeds. i think the original post was aimed at those purebred owners that do have that elitist attitude, and they surely do exist. which is unfortunate, i don't understand how one could say they truely love dogs if that doesn't include all dogs. having said that, i will never own a purebred, there are too many able and willing people out there demanding them, i am perfectly happy with a run of the mill shelter mutt, akc approved or not, they are all magnificent creatures in my eyes.

Other than ethics issues with designer breeds, I have NEVER seen snobby comments made on these boards about mixed breeds, but I have seen plently of negative comments about those who own and compete with purebreds, and I have experienced this in RL in regards to my our dog that is purebred.

As I said before, the "horrible elitist" that the OP was talking about has mixed breed dogs and runs a rescue.  She just wants the AKC to keep sight of what its origanial intent was--and I, as the owner of a mixed breed and purebred agree.  I guess that makes me a snob too, huh? [8|][8|][8|]

I think we are going full circle here. I started this with a message about a blog I read that IMHO slammed mixed breed dogs---just the way the quotation below says some MB owners slam PB dogs.
 
My original point was the blogger's attitude that MB dogs were "unworthy" somehow. THAT is what burned me. Re: the quotation below---yes I know the crap people say about folks who show dogs including that dog show people are elitist and I have always stuck up for show people which is why the blog stung me so much.
 
It also burns me when anyone slams my current dog for being PB.
 
I have had people tell me it was wrong to pay for a dog and that I should have gotten one at the pound and I have heard the lecture on mixed being better. I let it roll off or point out my old MB dog's health problems will not be showing up in my current PB dog.
 
I appreciate driving to find shows to get your majors--- I will have to do that with my dog and good luck to me because the state I will have to drive to has some of the top kennels for my breed.
 
As for the akc sticking with purebred dogs---it's a registry, it should continue to be a registry. As someone pointed out, it has strayed into many areas which are not necessarily a "registry" area.
 
The akc isn't a club and it does not have inidvidual members. It doesn't actually hold shows/trials (except for a couple) what it does is sanction events held by member clubs.
 
So if a member club (which is an all-breed club) decides it wants to allow MBs to compete I don't understand why the AKC can't agree to sanction the match as long as all the regular rules are followed. And I don't understand why it wouldn't want to recognize responsible dog ownership---part of its mission is to promote responsible dog ownership.
 
If someone trains a dog to the point where they can achieve a title, then that is responsible dog ownership.
 
The AKC already allows MB dogs to earn be certified as a CGC (Canine Good Citizen) by showing they are well-behaved and have some training. Why not let them compete?
 
As for shows "filling up," I know I have seen breed-specific shows where I believe the performance events were opened to other breeds after a certain date. The assumption was that all of the folks with that particular breed who wanted to compete were registered. Why not do the same thing?
 
I think tracking is the toughest event to address as there is only so much land at a location for tracking and that limits the ability to lay tracks. You submit an application for a tracking event and then a lottery is held to see who gets to take the test.
 
I think my bottom line here is I agree with allowing MBs to compete if that is what member clubs want to do at their shows. If a member club does not want to allow MBs, fine, if they want to hold a show that only allows Toy breeds---go for it.
 
I do NOT agree with anyone bashing MBs, or PBs or their owners. (Puppy Mills?--feel free to bash away)

Can't we all just get along?
Elizabeth
 

ORIGINAL: Laurelin_429

Try traveling to conformation shows- especillay when all you need are your majors.  It's tough to find shows and you most often HAVE to go out of state to get them.  So driving is no big deal to me at all.

I personally think the AKC should stick to purebred dogs.  I don't think it has anything to do with snobbery, that's just what the club is for.  It's a purebred dog club.  The survey was polling the members about issues, and it should have been involved with just the members.  The AKC should not try to appease everyone and be 'fair'.  That's not it's job.  Yes, it does have major issues in other areas, I won't deny it.

And as far as elitism goes... do you guys understand exactly how much crap show owners/breeders/handlers have to go through on these forums?  Every other post it seems mentions how horrible either show bred dogs are or the AKC is or how elitist we as owners are.  It's annoying.  Many of you 'rescuers' (and I am NOT talking to all mixed breed owners or rescuers, just the same few that constantly shove things down our throats) need to seriously think about the way you keep coming off.  You sound bitter and elitist yourselves.  Obviously your dogs are better because they're NOT AKC registered and so on.  I refuse to sit here and constantly defend my decisions. 

Well, I stand by my statement if you want to compete in akc events get an akc registered dog. 
 
I love owning purebreds and knowing for the most part what to expect out of my dog in behavior and looks.  I don't want to research the mixed breeds to find out if the dog and I will be a match and I want to be able to walk my dogs into a showring if that is what I choose to do. 
 
If that qualifies me as an elitist so be it.  I am not cramming my dogs or their pedigrees down anyone's throat.  I just know what I like....

I love owning purebreds and knowing for the most part what to expect out of my dog in behavior and looks.  I don't want to research the mixed breeds to find out if the dog and I will be a match and I want to be able to walk my dogs into a showring if that is what I choose to do.

 
Well that's great....but that has absolutely NOTHING to do with a dog's ability to compete in performance.  You may like your purebred (I prefer purebreds to mutts myself...and I've had both), but the fact of the matter is, your dog's pedigree isn't affected by a mixed breed running in agility, your dog's registration isn't affected by a mixed breed showing in obedience, and YOU are not affected by a mixed breed getting titles in Rally.
 
If you don't want to research mixed breeds...fine, don't.  But no harm will come to you, or me, or your dog, or Strauss, or Ranger by allowing others to join and compete with their dogs.
 
You can still walk your dog into the conf ring and not worry about a mutt being there.  Why?  Because mutts don't have standards!  They won't BE in the conformation ring...that's a given.  Your dog and my dog and everybody else's dog is no better and no worse than any other to the people that love dogs.

ORIGINAL: Xeph

I love owning purebreds and knowing for the most part what to expect out of my dog in behavior and looks.  I don't want to research the mixed breeds to find out if the dog and I will be a match and I want to be able to walk my dogs into a showring if that is what I choose to do.

Well that's great....but that has absolutely NOTHING to do with a dog's ability to compete in performance.  You may like your purebred (I prefer purebreds to mutts myself...and I've had both), but the fact of the matter is, your dog's pedigree isn't affected by a mixed breed running in agility, your dog's registration isn't affected by a mixed breed showing in obedience, and YOU are not affected by a mixed breed getting titles in Rally.

If you don't want to research mixed breeds...fine, don't.  But no harm will come to you, or me, or your dog, or Strauss, or Ranger by allowing others to join and compete with their dogs.

You can still walk your dog into the conf ring and not worry about a mutt being there.  Why?  Because mutts don't have standards!  They won't BE in the conformation ring...that's a given.  Your dog and my dog and everybody else's dog is no better and no worse than any other to the people that love dogs.

But the fact of the matter is AKC is for registered dogs so if you want to compete in AKC anything than get an AKC dog.  I know for a fact there are many events here for dogs that are not sponsored by the AKC and it is a great place for those dogs to go and show off their talents.  Now that is my opinion and I don't just sit on my hands and let things go I am a doer.  So with that being said I will voice my opinion to the AKC. 
 
I don't expect to go to a Quarterhorse show and expect to enter my 2d barrel horse who is registered APHA.  I take him to open shows and to APHA shows.  I would think the dog aspect should be the same.  You take an AKC dog to AKC events.  you take your mixed breed to an open show and do your best and have a great time.
 
That being said I have stated my opinion and am off to other folders []
 
 
 
 

i wonder if it would make MB people happy to have their own registry/competitions and if it would anger PB people if they couldn't get in, or if they would even want to get in. is their already such a thing?