ILP with AKC

[INU]

I asked in my previous post about registering with ABC/AKC. my BC is already registered with ABC and I had no intention of registering her with AKC after reading some posts and articles.

 

There seem to be many more agility/herding trials in my area (near Houston) that are held by AKC. I've asked them if she could participate in the future even if she wasn't registered with AKC. They told me that I could try and register with AKC if I get all the information that is asked. or I could register as ILP (Indefinite Listing Privilege).

 

I am not interested in showing her but would like to do some agility at least...maybe more. I know BC people (and some other dog lovers who own certain breeds-and I totally undertand why) but what do you think about this ILP thing. I never knew about it just found out today.

 

Your opinions are appreciated!

[mayflower]

I have thought about obtaining an ILP through the AKC with one of my Border Collies as well so that I would be able to compete in obedience trials during the winter. I figured it would help keep us both from going stir crazy and that we'd have a "job" of sorts to do. Winters are long here in Minnesota and the weather doesn't cooperate very well for herding. Plus it gets dark at around 4 p.m. so that just leaves weekends to do anything at all.

 

ILP registration does require the animal to be spayed or neutered. You can go to this site for more info on the ILP thing http://www.akc.org/registration/ilpex.cfm

 

I believe there is still open registration for Border Collies in the AKC registry which does not require spaying or neutering. For more information on open registration, try this site and scroll down a bit

 

http://www.akc.org/love/faq.cfm?page=7

 

I guess I would do what makes you happy and not worry about what others think. Easier said than done. I guess I personally would not have a problem "ethically/morally" obtaining an ILP on my Border Collie since he is neutered and I would look at any opportunity out there where I could work with my dog and develop my skills as a handler and trainer. Before I got addicted to herding, I did compete in AKC obedience with one of my Border Collies and he was registered with the AKC under their open registration policy, however he also was neutered. Currently I have two Border Collies, one is dual registered with the ABCA and the AKC and the other is solely registered with the ABCA.

 

If you wanted, I'd be more than happy to further discuss this issue via email since I have no desire to be flamed about my opinion or reply which is why I choose not to post replies very often.

 

It is simply my opinion, take it for what it's worth. And good luck in competing. I for one enjoy competition and wish I had more opportunity to do so.

 

Have a good afternoon,

 

Donna

[SoloRiver]

One of my dogs, Solo, is ILPed. I got his ILP shortly after I adopted him, because at that point I thought I might do competitive obedience with him. Since then I've realized that obedience is not our cup of tea, and even if it were, there are other venues to compete in (ASCA, UKC, even Schutzhund obedience if you're a glutton for punishment). I wish now that I had waited to apply for that ILP. It turned out to be unnecessary for the things I like to do with my dogs, and besides that, I'd rather not have anything to do with AKC now that I know what I didn't know back then. Every now and then I toy with the idea of asking to have the ILP revoked, but I haven't had time to pursue this.

 

I could literally be at an agility trial every weekend if I wanted without having anything to do with AKC. If you're willing to drive a few hours (and you have to be, if you want to get serious about agility) and you live in a major metropolitan area, I'd be really surprised if there were nothing but AKC agility available. I just took a look at the USDAA website, and there are a buttload of USDAA-affiliated clubs in TX and LA, as well as loads of USDAA trials. There doesn't seem to be as much NADAC, but if you want to trial, USDAA seems to have what you're looking for. I didn't even look for UKC, CPE, or JFF trials in your area.

 

As far as herding, there are always lots and lots of trials in Texas. You can look up trial dates here:

http://www.usbcha.com/upcomingtrials.htm

 

Your regional club, who if I were you I would contact for more info, is here:

http://www.texassheepdogassoc.org/

 

If you're interested in trialing with other clubs, there's also ASCA and AHBA.

 

The reason AKC is the eight-hundred-pound gorilla that it is, is that people have the misperception that AKC is the only or most important game in town. Nothing could be further from the truth. I know scores of people who are very active in dog sports with their dogs and have nothing to do with AKC either by choice (like me, other Border Collie people, some Belgian Shepherd people I know, etc.) or by necessity (they have mixed-breed dogs who are not allowed to compete at AKC events).

 

My advice is to keep up the good fight and avoid AKC. At the very least, explore your options thoroughly before deciding that you must ILP your dog in order to do dog sports. I highly doubt that this is true. I know some people who live in remote areas where AKC really is the only game in town for obedience or agility, but this is a very rare occurrence as far as I can tell, and since you live in Houston I have no doubt that there are plenty of other (and perhaps better -- all of my friends who compete in multiple agility venues including NADAC, USDAA, and AKC, enjoy AKC the least because of the way the courses are laid out and because of the social atmosphere at events) venues you can take advantage of without "sleeping with the enemy."

 

Hope this helps.