by BJ ANDREWS ON THE LINE "FOR A PALTRY $35, YOU CAN BUY YOUR TICKET TO THE WORLD OF AKC EVENTS AND CLUBS! SO WHY BOTHER BUYING A REAL AKC PUREBRED DOG?"
AKC’S MISSION IS TO PROMOTE THE PUREBRED DOG BY PROVIDING A BLOODLINE REGISTRY AND DOG SHOWS IN WHICH TO COMPARE BREEDING STOCK, H ow times change! AKC recorded only about 225,000 registrations in 1948. That number multi- plied by ten in the 90s, indicating that the mission was succeeding. But by 2016 registrations were dismal, down to only 525,000. Interestingly, promoting educated breeding, product sales and other smart business enterprises of purebred stock proved more profitable. From only a few million dollars before the turn- of-the-century, AKC’s offers swelled to $50,000,000 in the early 90s and by 2008, over $70,000,000. In 2016, overall revenue from registration and related fees, plus products and services totaled $34.6 million. AKC’s not-for-profit tax status has been unchallenged although an accoun- tant would wonder why, when registra- tions began to shrink, the AKC opera- tions budget did not. In fact, AKC Board and Officer Salaries remained at the top scale. In retrospect the AKC board must have had a vision of increasing ser- vices and thereby increasing income.
That it has done, but many would say that the original mission (the advance- ment of the sport and breeding of pure- bred dogs) was lost. Dog shows exploded from a smat- tering of small gatherings to compare breeding stock to over 3 million events, many of which seem to focus more on the people than the dogs. Indeed, dog shows have always been a social event but today they are more about deals, careers and where sales are made. Many would agree that when the American Kennel Club shifted focus from the evaluation of breeding stock to judging how people present their dogs (from children’s classes to national owner-handled awards), the mission of the sport suffered. Ignoring its mission statement, obe- dience competition was opened to mixed breeds. AKC then sanctioned more spectator-friendly events such as agility, flyball and trick dog, etc. Fun for all, but what does having an AKC-titled mongrel have to do with AKC’s mission of preserving and promoting the pure- bred dog? The answer is “not much.”
And “breeding to the AKC Standard” is passé because the American Kennel Club now issues certificates for any- thing that looks like a pure breed of dog. For a paltry $35, you can buy your ticket to the world of AKC events and clubs! So why bother buying a real AKC purebred dog? What do these registration and com- petition exceptions mean to the future of real purebred dogs? Will AKC have to change its mission statement again? What meaning do AKC Breed Standards have in today’s show ring or breeding programs? One multi-group AKC judge has something to say about preserving the breed standards, “Show breeders must wonder if AKC really cares about that little detail because seasoned dog show exhibitors witness flagrant con- formation judging disregard or outright ignorance of the AKC standards.” Does the current AKC Board (or active judg- es) ever read or reflect on the American Kennel Club mission statement? Or is it easier to just disregard it and concen- trate on pleasing the people who can get them more assignments? What can you expect when as a dedi- cated breeder, breed ring exhibitor or puppy buyer, you want a purebred dog that looks like and acts like the breed described in the standard? Can you still count on the American Kennel Club as the gold standard for that breed? Ask your friends, club members and, most of all, ask your breeder if AKC seems to have lost its way and its mission.
HAS AKC LOST ITS MISSION FOR DOGS?
68 • S how S ight M agazine , J une 2017
Powered by FlippingBook