Registering with the AKC?

[ImWithAlice]

My county's shelter publishes their kill stats. They euthanize a couple of thousand dogs a year. Let's see, a million is 1000x1000. How many counties are there in the US? Yeah, some counties are no kill, but most aren't. PETA's numbers are probably high, but a couple of dogs a year from my county alone is obscene, especially with everyone and their sister breeding their dogs.

[Eileen Stein]

Most of us do agility to play with our dogs. Yes, Q's are great and setting and achieving goals and titles is fun, but I bet most of us got into it to play with our dogs. Some of us even do some instructing, I will be picking up my second class next month, but this is by no means a paying job for me, it will help to get me to another trial or two throughout the year. But the main reason I like to teach is to help others learn to play with their dogs. We as humans, get competitive and want to trial, our dogs don't care, they just want to play with us.

 

So I guess you just have to ask what your priorities are?

 

Jumpin Boots, what a great post! I simply don't understand people who say that they have to register with AKC, they have no choice, because there aren't any non-AKC trials around in the sport(s) they want to pursue. There are many, many ways to have fun with your dogs without entering formal competitions at all, let alone AKC competitions. There are plenty of wonderful dog owners who never enter formal competitions with their dogs -- that does not mean they are not "doing something" with their dogs. I don't need any organization to specify what I have to do to be "doing something with my dog." If there were no sheepdog trials -- if there were no trials of any kind except those run by AKC, I would not trial, I would still have border collies, they would still have a good home with me, and I would find plenty to do with them.

 

My answer to the OP's question is this: I would not register border collies with the AKC under any circumstances. I would not ILP/PAL with the AKC -- although I do believe that is a lesser evil, I still would not do it. I would not sell pups to someone without a contractual provision forbidding registration of the pup with the AKC. I would enforce that provision.

[Eileen Stein]

I've seen good people turned away by working breeders because their choice of competition is AKC agility or obedience. These people are s/n homes, keep their dogs for life - healthy, well trained, and well loved. Those same breeders will sell to working people who I wouldn't put a goat I didn't like with. I am *not* implying that all working people are bad, they certainly are not, I am simply saying there is something skewed with the decision when you'd rather see your pups in a working puppy mill, which will be the first of 4-8 homes in their lifetime, each worse than the last, instead.

 

I don't understand this argument either. I can list lots of things some breeders do that I would not do. I wouldn't sell to the kind of working home you describe here AND I wouldn't sell to someone who was going to register with the AKC. Both are bad IMO. The former is bad for the individual dog; the latter is bad for the breed, and for dogs in general.

 

And there is the gentler version of this. No to the AKC sport/pet home, but ok to be a "yard dog", active pet, or hobby herding dog. That isn't doing anything for your genepool either btw....

 

Well, depending on what you mean by a hobby herding dog, it actually might do something for the gene pool. But even if it doesn't do anything for our gene pool, it's better than selling to an AKC sport/pet home in all other respects. I wouldn't breed with the aim of selling to an active pet home, but I have no problem at all selling a working-bred pup or dog to such a home. They can be great homes. I've never understood the disparagement of "pet homes" aimed at people who don't compete in something with their dogs. I always thought it was an AKC thing -- a way to make you feel inferior if you're not paying those entry fees.

 

So where's the limit? It's ok to sell to sport AKC homes if you've won a National? an International? a World Trial? Something must be different for them because I don't hear anyone trashing them.....

 

You don't? What they're doing is just as wrong as if someone lowlier did it, IMO. More so, really, because their stature confers more of an appearance of legitimacy on it. But again, the fact that they do it doesn't make it an okay thing to do.

 

I took each potential home for the pups I didn't need at face value, and if it was a good home, I respected it as that.

 

I don't like AKC, but if you throw the those good owners to the curb because of it, then you've tossed both the baby and the bathwater.

 

If you don't like AKC, then a home that supports the AKC is not a good home, even if it's good in other respects. And also IMO, if someone can't find enough good non-AKC homes for the dogs they produce, then they're breeding too many dogs.

 

>

 

The question then continues....should, if you decided to purchase a registered puppy, you be punished for this by being denied a working bred ABCA puppy?

 

It's not a question of punishment. If someone decides that they "have to" support the AKC by registering their border collie with them, then I think it would be good if breeders of working-bred ABCA pups did not sell to them. Some will, and I can't stop them, but I will not emulate them.

 

You only buy dog food with humanely raised meat correct? no factory farm products...

You are eating only locally owned produce correct? and making sure that don't buy clothing or products that are made in third world countries by small children? you only drive a hybrid to trials to not contribute to the gas and oil industry that causes so much environmental damage?

 

When does it stop? When does it end? When will the animals stop suffering because of you? The little children? Does this sound familiar?

 

Actually, this does sound familiar. It's one of the oldest rationalizations in the book. "If you can't always do the right thing in everything you do, then you don't have to bother doing the right thing ever. In fact, you shouldn't even advocate doing the right thing ever."

[SoloRiver]

The AKC sanctions the trials and takes a cut of the entry fees. My point is the AKC says they lose money on performance events.

 

If all they are doing is sanctioning trials, how are they losing money? The local clubs take on cost burdens of putting on trials. There's a lot that AKC says that doesn't make sense.

[Shetlander]

If all they are doing is sanctioning trials, how are they losing money?

 

Something to do with recording all the stats and handing out title certificates. It's their argument, not mine. I do think their profits have been dwindling significantly for a variety of reasons, no doubt why they came up with some of their wilder schemes like entering into an agreement with Petland or one of those big puppy selling chains. IIRC, their greatest source of income is from registrations which keep going down. Entry fees aren't enough (according to them -- I've never looked at their books) to cover costs. So then they came up with the idea a dog tax to offset losses. I'm out of sports currently so I haven't kept up on all their stunts.

[Eileen Stein]

The AKC has been saying for years that they lose money on performance sports. I've always found that hard to believe, but they have consistently made this claim. So maybe sports people are actually fighting the Evil Empire and working to end animal suffering by entering AKC performance events.

 

It's true they're always saying that, but it doesn't ring true to me. Why would they set the cut that they get from events so low that they were losing money on them? I've always thought they say this so that they can use it to subdue rebellious delegates. For example, "Okay, you don't like it that we're partnering with Petland to increase AKC registration of the pups they sell? Well, if we don't do that, we're going to have to raise entry/sanction fees to $!!, because we can't afford to keep losing money on them. How would you like that?" And that usually serves to keep the delegates in line (though in fact it didn't work so well in the Petland case), because entering shows and trials is their life.

[sixx]

I just checked with the CPE and they have several trials within an hour of my city in the next couple of months, although Seek isn't old enough yet. There is also USDAA trials this summer near me.

[Laurelin]

Okay, question...

 

Do you feel the same about someone registering their OTHER dogs with the AKC other than their bcs? I ask this because I will always have the paps and they will always be AKC registered. There's just no other options for the breed here (well, unless you want to go to the pure puppymill registries).

 

I haven't personally trialed with my dogs, I enjoy agility/obedience classes as a fun thing to do with my crew. The club I'm looking at joining right now is NADAC, I believe.

[DTrain]

This subject is going to come up for me in the near future for a couple of reasons and I could use some input. First, my dogs are not registered anywhere. Although they might have been registered by the breeder but I could not care less about registration and neither could my dogs. My dogs work but as I have mentioned before my youngest dog Dave is a different little character and I have decided that I want to get him into agility. I am certain he can work and play. We will start classes in the near future but if Dave is good enough and he likes it my wife and I would like to compete with him. This is going to lead me right down the path. AKC or CKC is by far the most active group. I am not in favor of AKC or CKC but I do not want to stand in the way of the happiness of one of my dogs. The second reason is, in the course of writing my column and stories I may also be led down this path. I can see both good and bad things in it and I may need to forge ahead kicking and screaming if I like it or not. What do you think.

[Sue R]

AKC or CKC is by far the most active group. I am not in favor of AKC or CKC but I do not want to stand in the way of the happiness of one of my dogs. The second reason is, in the course of writing my column and stories I may also be led down this path. I can see both good and bad things in it and I may need to forge ahead kicking and screaming if I like it or not. What do you think.

I don't believe that your dog's "happiness" will be in the least dependent on competition, in whatever venue. By and large, although dogs can heartily enjoy participating in a competition (as they can enjoy just training or practicing with you), competition is not necessary for a dog's "happiness" but is really all about the handler's wishes and wants.

 

Certainly, dogs (and other animals) can be really excited by the atmosphere of a competitive venue (and some are highly stressed by it, but I doubt that they are as successful as those who respond favorably to it) and really seem to get into the competitive spirit, enjoying applause, and so on. But, if they don't ever do it, will they ever miss it? I don't think they will.

 

As someone who has done casual agility (classes and some fun time) with two of my dogs, I have to say that I strongly believe that taking classes, training together, and having fun while building a bond and a dog's self-confidence, obedience, and exercise is by far the most valuable aspect of agility - not potential competitions.

 

Dogs live in the moment and don't worry about what they are not aware of or missed opportunities, like we humans do.

 

JMO

[Eileen Stein]

I do not want to stand in the way of the happiness of one of my dogs.

 

That is such a noble, self-sacrificing sentiment. How could anyone be so mean as to want to stand in the way of his dog's happiness?

 

The second reason is, in the course of writing my column and stories I may also be led down this path. I can see both good and bad things in it and I may need to forge ahead kicking and screaming if I like it or not. What do you think.

 

How can you both forge ahead, and kick and scream, at the same time? Doing something "kicking and screaming," or doing something "whether I like it or not" suggests that someone or something is forcing you to do it. In fact, no one is forcing you to do it. If you do it, you are freely choosing to do it. I wish I had a dollar for everyone who says they don't want to register with the AKC, but they're forced to, they have no choice. And never is that statement true.

 

If you genuinely don't want to do it, don't do it. Write your column and stories about something else. Train your dog in agility, and work with him on improving your skills. If you must have ribbons to mark your progress, join or form a non-AKC agility club, put on some matches or trials, appoint a judge, and award yourselves ribbons. Make up titles to award too. Write columns and stories about that. Make up other challenging games and sports, and hold competitions for them. Before there was agility, someone invented agility (and it sure as hell wasn't the AKC). Before there was Rally-O, someone invented Rally-O. Before there was flyball, someone invented flyball. Before there was freestyle, someone invented freestyle. I don't believe there is anyone on these Boards with such poverty of imagination that they can't think up things their dogs would love to do with them, activities that would make their dogs totally happy. So I would scratch that excuse, and try to come up with another.

[Freeman 101]

I just checked with the CPE and they have several trials within an hour of my city in the next couple of months, although Seek isn't old enough yet. There is also USDAA trials this summer near me.

 

I'm hearing a lot of great things about CPE.

[Colton's_Mom]

Lucky me there are a few CPE events within 2 to 3 hour drive and several NADAC events in between 1 hour - 3 hours. I don't think I'll have too much trouble finding good non-AKC trials when I compete with Colton (long time down the road but still) and eventually a border collie.

[Jumpin Boots]

Okay, question...

 

Do you feel the same about someone registering their OTHER dogs with the AKC other than their bcs? I ask this because I will always have the paps and they will always be AKC registered. There's just no other options for the breed here (well, unless you want to go to the pure puppymill registries).

 

I haven't personally trialed with my dogs, I enjoy agility/obedience classes as a fun thing to do with my crew. The club I'm looking at joining right now is NADAC, I believe.

 

There are two main parts of my dislike of akc, one has to do with the point of breeding for looks versus's health and ability, this is not something that is done with only border collies, and it would probably be fair to say that so far border collies have been a lot less affected by the visual breeding standards than many other breeds. Take any flat nose dog as comparison. So this argument against the akc is not closed to just the border collie breed, it would be all breeds.

 

The second main apart of my issues with akc, is their support (even if it's through the back door) of puppy mills. I would guess that the majority of akc dogs being produced in puppy mills are not border collies. Recently I was involved in the seizure of over 400 small bred dogs from a horrible local puppy mill. Wire cage floors, inches of fecal matter, major health issues. Many of the small breeds were being mixed for 'designer breeds,' more money, but those that weren't are registered with akc. In their ads, they stated these mutt dogs came from akc registered parents, that statement must bring in more money too. So this issue is not limited to just the border collie breed either, this comes down the the ethical treatment of all dogs.

 

I guess you have to ask yourself why it is that your dogs need to be registered with anyone? If you breed that will be a difficult question you will have to ask yourself. Have you looked into any international pap clubs? If you don't breed than I really see no point in it. None of the mixed breed groups that I know of require info of you dog being registered.

[Laurelin]

There are two main parts of my dislike of akc, one has to do with the point of breeding for looks versus's health and ability, this is not something that is done with only border collies, and it would probably be fair to say that so far border collies have been a lot less affected by the visual breeding standards than many other breeds. Take any flat nose dog as comparison. So this argument against the akc is not closed to just the border collie breed, it would be all breeds.

 

The second main apart of my issues with akc, is their support (even if it's through the back door) of puppy mills. I would guess that the majority of akc dogs being produced in puppy mills are not border collies. Recently I was involved in the seizure of over 400 small bred dogs from a horrible local puppy mill. Wire cage floors, inches of fecal matter, major health issues. Many of the small breeds were being mixed for 'designer breeds,' more money, but those that weren't are registered with akc. In their ads, they stated these mutt dogs came from akc registered parents, that statement must bring in more money too. So this issue is not limited to just the border collie breed either, this comes down the the ethical treatment of all dogs.

 

I guess you have to ask yourself why it is that your dogs need to be registered with anyone? If you breed that will be a difficult question you will have to ask yourself. Have you looked into any international pap clubs? If you don't breed than I really see no point in it. None of the mixed breed groups that I know of require info of you dog being registered.

 

I don't breed yet, but I may. I see a lot of work to be done in the breed and I've seen it slipping downhill lately. If I can do something to help by breeding dogs with good health and temperament then I most likely will. I have shown paps before and am a member of the local AKC affiliate papillon club. I'm struggling right now about breeding my boy or neutering him. He's a great dog all around just haven't quite decided. In order to be taken seriously you have to register with the AKC in this breed in this country. Plus, I will always have them from reputable breeders (maybe a few rescues) and they generally come with AKC papers. We have another breed club but it's a joke for people that do not want to do a thing with their dogs.

 

It'll be a shame if I can't ever get a pup from a reputable border collie breeder. I would really like to at some point as I like having dogs from a known background. But I suppose whatever. I can always find bcs in rescues. I have no interest in breeding bcs, I just would like a quality one as a pet.

[Tommy Coyote]

I don't breed yet, but I may. I see a lot of work to be done in the breed and I've seen it slipping downhill lately. If I can do something to help by breeding dogs with good health and temperament then I most likely will. I have shown paps before and am a member of the local AKC affiliate papillon club. I'm struggling right now about breeding my boy or neutering him. He's a great dog all around just haven't quite decided. In order to be taken seriously you have to register with the AKC in this breed in this country. Plus, I will always have them from reputable breeders (maybe a few rescues) and they generally come with AKC papers. We have another breed club but it's a joke for people that do not want to do a thing with their dogs.

 

It'll be a shame if I can't ever get a pup from a reputable border collie breeder. I would really like to at some point as I like having dogs from a known background. But I suppose whatever. I can always find bcs in rescues. I have no interest in breeding bcs, I just would like a quality one as a pet.

Why do you think you can't get a good border collie from a reputable breeder? I did and I live right in the middle of the city and my dogs are house dogs.

 

Re: breeding. This is just my own personal opinion but breeding quality border collies is really tricky and it is best left to those who know exactly what they are doing. It takes someone who really knows working dogs to get the balance right.

[Lenajo]

It'll be a shame if I can't ever get a pup from a reputable border collie breeder.

 

You won't have a bit of trouble beyond that initial rule out of the anti-AKC home group. There are a significant number of very good national and international proven working lines that are available for anything you want to do with them. In fact they would be *thrilled* to have someone like you take on one of their dogs and give it great home.

 

There are also some very good dogs in rescue. Please do give that a chance first.

[Laurelin]

You won't have a bit of trouble beyond that initial rule out of the anti-AKC home group. There are a significant number of very good national and international proven working lines that are available for anything you want to do with them. In fact they would be *thrilled* to have someone like you take on one of their dogs and give it great home.

 

There are also some very good dogs in rescue. Please do give that a chance first.

 

Thanks for that. I definitely plan on rescuing my next dog. I've worked in rescue a while and we get some fabulous bcs and bc mixes through there. They're actually the reason I fell in love with the breed.

[juliepoudrier]

Laurelin,

The only real response I can give to your question, especially in light of your comments regarding problems and that perhaps you can make a difference by doing the right thing with the breeding of your dogs is that one person swimming against the AKC tide isn't like to have much impact. There are whole groups of people pushing the AKC to change the herding standards to make them more appropriate for what they're trying to save within their own breeds (original purpose, perhaps more demanding tests, making the passing of a purpose test a requirement for a CH, and so on) and they are basically getting nowhere. I think it's a nice sentiment to want to do the right thing like that, but generally you won't get far with it. My mom got her borzoi from a breeder who kept color in her lines even though color is never put up in shows (it's allowed by the standard). So if this breeder wanted to sell puppies, she either had to find folks like my mom, who wasn't concerned with whether her dog could win (or not) because of her color or she also had to breed the white dogs with colored patches, show them to their championships and then sell out of those lines. In other words, you're still going to have to compromise your principles to work within the AKC system. I guess you could say that this breeder was doing the right thing because she was trying to maintain the diversity of color within the breed, but I have to wonder if there was any real reward in it for her, because of the fact that colored pups won't sell as easily as those you see winning the shows. I imagine that if you marketed your papillons well, then registration might not matter to at least some buyers, especially if you end up selling on nonbreeding contracts.

 

I have friends who have raised sheep for a long time. They also show sheep and can certainly tell all sorts of stories about what goes on "behind the barn" to produce registered show-winning sheep. In fact, they don't even advertise their sheep as registered, but rather as purebred. That says something, now doesn't it? But if I wanted that breed of sheep, I'd be happy to skip the registration papers to know that I was getting something that was purebred and contained only the genetics it was supposed to have. The point being that a registry is only what the people who register with it make it. As a registry, the AKC has some real problems, especially in the PR department with the BBC show and the more recent ABC show here in the US. If you want to be a real activist breeder, then maybe the thing to do is consider an alternate registry (not the mill registries) where some tighter control is maintained over what dogs can be registered. There are no easy answers, and in the end you have to go with what your heart/mind say are right.

 

Philosophically I think AKC has been the ruination of many breeds, and I don't buy the line "We're just a registry with no control over what breeders do." AKC sanctions judges, provides training/seminars for them, and so on, and so certainly could influence the way judging goes and therefore the way breeding goes. By not doing so, they are copping out. Pragmatically, there are many breeds, especially small companion dogs, which if breeders weren't breeding for extremes that could cause health issues, I couldn't really quibble with AKC registration. Registering what was meant to be a lap-sized companion animal doesn't seem all that bad--at least up to the point where folks start showing them and breeding for traits that just aren't beneficial to the dog.

 

As for getting a border collie puppy from a reputable breeder, there are breeders out there whom I'd get a pup from in a heartbeat who probably also sell to people they know are likely to register with AKC. So chances are you can find a dog from good working lines, even if you are a pro-AKC person. I would sell a pup on a nonbreeding status (or with a contract that states no AKC registration), which from what you've said about your plans for a border collie wouldn't be a problem.

 

J.

[Laurelin]

I certainly would have no problem not registering a bc with the AKC at all. I respect the reasoning behind not wanting that for bcs and really any working breed. I don't know about the term 'pro-AKC' because I certainly see the problems and have been around enough to see much of the less than pretty side and less than wonderful breeders. In fact one of my girls is here with me now because of a show owner that only cared about the ribbons and not the dogs, but that's a long story. There are only three breeds I really want from a breeder- border collie, papillons, and german shepherd (in the far future). You couldn't get me to get a gsd or bc from the american showlines.

 

I am glad I could find a pup from a good breeder in the future. I've really been concerned that I couldn't because everyone loathes the AKC so much, lol.

[Amelia]

"If you genuinely don't want to do it, don't do it. Write your column and stories about something else. Train your dog in agility, and work with him on improving your skills. If you must have ribbons to mark your progress, join or form a non-AKC agility club, put on some matches or trials, appoint a judge, and award yourselves ribbons. Make up titles to award too. Write columns and stories about that. Make up other challenging games and sports, and hold competitions for them. Before there was agility, someone invented agility (and it sure as hell wasn't the AKC). Before there was Rally-O, someone invented Rally-O. Before there was flyball, someone invented flyball. Before there was freestyle, someone invented freestyle. I don't believe there is anyone on these Boards with such poverty of imagination that they can't think up things their dogs would love to do with them, activities that would make their dogs totally happy. So I would scratch that excuse, and try to come up with another. "

 

This is brilliant and just what I was talking about, but could not so eloquently put into words. As for my source of stats, yes, it's HSUS. I'm no fan either, but in fighting AKC, our agendas merge. Here are their estimates:

 

Number of cats and dogs entering shelters each year:

6-8 million (HSUS estimate)

 

Number of cats and dogs euthanized by shelters each year:

3-4 million (HSUS estimate)

 

Percentage of dogs in shelters who are purebred:

25 percent (HSUS estimate)

 

OK, so let's cut the numbers in half to eliminate cats. Give or take 1.5 million dogs killed in shelters every year. Let's halve it again to allow for overstating. 750,000 dogs killed in shelters every year, of which 25%, or 187,500 are pure bred. So, 513 pure bred dogs a day or 21 an hour are killed in shelters. That's 1 pure bred dog killed in a US shelter every 3 minutes.

 

Now, let's contrast this tragedy against what Mr. Ron Menaker, Chairman of the AKC, had to say about registering puppies for the "retail sector" in his September, 2008 chairman's report.

 

"Management has been directed by the Board to aggressively pursue all dogs eligible for AKC registration. We intend to reach out, communicate, and educate those in the retail sector as to why an AKC puppy is the gold standard and why they should be registered with American Kennel Club."

 

Do you still want to breed that Papillion and register with the AKC? Why not create a Pap rescue and save them from being killed in shelters. No room/time/money? Figure out some way to raise money for a pap rescue. Have a bake sale. Every little bit helps. I can't solve the world's ills, but this fight is closest to my heart and the one I've chosen to take head on.

 

Still don't like the numbers? Have a look at the National Council on Pet Overpopulation Study made between 1994 and 1997. They compiled data that shows of the roughly 2 million dogs entering shelters in 97 just over half were killed.

 

Mr. Menaker's own words clearly show the AKC's intent to make money. I could not have said it better. So, I'm not going to argue about how much they make from events versus registration versus whatever. Mr. Menaker made it quite plain that they wish to do so at ANY cost so that they may remain what they consider "the premiere registry." That's it. That's their sole motivation. Boil it all the way down and that's what you get. At the cost of untold misery and suffering to arguably a million or so dogs per year, they simply wish to remain premiere. You're either for 'em or ag'in 'em.

[Laurelin]

Do you still want to breed that Papillion and register with the AKC? Why not create a Pap rescue and save them from being killed in shelters. No room/time/money? Figure out some way to raise money for a pap rescue. Have a bake sale. Every little bit helps. I can't solve the world's ills, but this fight is closest to my heart and the one I've chosen to take head on.

 

I AM involved in rescue and our breed club does rescue here. We used to be on the list to foster but right now I can't. I will always be helping rescues but that has nothing to do with well bred dogs being produced. The paps you get in rescue are most the time mill dogs and a lot have really big obstacles to overcome. That's not to say they're not worth it but there is a reason well bred dogs need to be produced.

 

Also, just based on my experience in a kill shelter that even though many dogs come in that are purebred, most purebreds (with the exception of pit bulls and labs) get adopted pretty easily. I wonder how many of the purebreds on that list are from just a few overbred breeds like pit bulls, labs and chihuahuas?

 

I don't understand what the point of all the shelter info is. It's not just AKC breeders putting purebreds into shelters. Actually I would say it's mostly not. I actually think it's kind of funny considering I've been a shelter worker at a kill shelter for a long time.

[Jack & Co.]

Hi, Lauren. Please read the AKC Chairman's Report that Amelia provided the link to: http://www.akc.org/about/chairmans_report/2008.cfm?page=9 The Chairman talks about how hard the AKC must work to promote its brand in the retail sector and if they aren't careful, they will go the way of other major institutions such as Montgomery Ward, Pam Am Airlines, Westinghouse, and Woolworth's. See, it's just a brand name to them!

 

Here's something very important the Chairman wants everyone to take to heart:

Today, there are at least 30 All-Breed registries in addition to the AKC, whose combined registration numbers exceed that of the AKC. If this trend is allowed to continue, if we do not stop the hemorrhaging of declining registrations, we will no longer be the premier registry in the world, let alone in our country.

 

Management has been directed by the Board to aggressively pursue all dogs eligible for AKC registration. We intend to reach out, communicate, and educate those in the retail sector as to why an AKC puppy is the gold standard and why they should be registered with American Kennel Club. In achieving this objective we intend to continue to “raise the bar” by vigorously enforcing our policies. This action is essential to protect and preserve our leadership.

 

That is taken directly from the report. It's not for the dogs, it's for the "designer label." Please don't support them.

[D Strickland]

LOL

[jdarling]

In the February Minutes of the Border Collie Society of America website, it says:

 

5.3.5. Membership: Kathy Sours

 

New member applications have been forwarded to the board.

 

Membership numbers dropped drastically this year.

 

71 members did not rejoin for the 2009 year. Last year (2008), we lost 44 members and the year before (2007), we lost 36. In prior years, I did not receive any reason as to why members did not rejoin, I just did not receive their renewal check and form. However, this year, several members who did not rejoin took the time to contact me with their reasons.

 

With the exception of one person who no longer has BCs and two others who are going through divorces and/or life changes, the other notes state that the primary reason for not rejoining was the increase in membership dues. Most of these members were long time members as well as performance exhibitors. Most comments indicated that they felt they were not receiving $50 worth of benefits from BCSA, that the raise in dues was not an option in this time of economic uncertainty, and that their money was better spent for local performance events at home.

 

I received a suggestion of perhaps introducing a non-voting membership at a lower cost which would include Borderlines or perhaps a subscription to an online version only.

 

Megan will put together a survey to ask why members chose not to renew.

 

Would be interesting to see the numbers of dogs registered in 2008 with the AKC and with the ABCA. Does anyone know if these numbers are available yet and where to find them?