Sweepstakes $ for titling dogs? - Page 1

Is there any program out there for sweepstakes awards/ performance rewards like they do in horse breed clubs, the American Quarter Horse Association for example? To help/reward monetarily those who put so much money into proving their dogs? For instance, if a person titles their dog to Sch 1, he or she gets a kickback through the Sweepstakes program of $500 or more, and if their dog performs well in a serious competition, prizes upwards of a $1000 are awarded. For instance, the Arabian Horse Registry of America has a sweepstakes program. Stallions are nominated for a set fee into the sweepstakes program (used to be $2,000 I think). People who purchased that stallion's foal, or bred to that stallion, could nominate the foals as a breeding entry into the program for $350. Possible rewards at the National showing levels could be a few to several thousand dollars for winning certain classes. Some horses could win more than one class and collect winnings in each class he won. Some breeders nominated their foals FOR the owners, selling them their stallions offspring already nominated for the Breeders Sweepstakes. Any ideas or comments? Is there a program like this in place anywhere with GSDs? Does anyone like the idea of rewarding the owners of our dogs' offspring with prize monies for actually titling them? Veronica

I know some breeders do this for their puppies. For example, if the pup gets SchH 1, his owner gets $50, $100 for SchH 2, or SchH 3, etc. But they only do this for the puppies they sold, of course.

Getting money for titling a GSD is a nice thought, because we all like money. But guess what, titling should be required, at least for breeding purposes. And anyone titling is either breeding or a sport competitor. I dont think anyone should be "rewarded" for doing what should be the standard. nesides, where would all this money come from? not my pockets. I spend enough on my own dogs, and supporting people on welfare. Do you know how many dogs a year get just a SchH 1 title? Your tlaking ALOT of money form which there is no source. SchH USA is on a shoe string budget as it is. the pay that I receieve for it is being able to do it. Thats my reward.

I understand what you are saying, Hucklebuck, but devising a solvent Sweepstakes for rewarding the hard working would be like creating a lottery....lots of people hand in relatively small amounts, which make for big winning amounts in total. Perhaps for every Sch1 is too ambitious (I still like that idea), but how about prize money for winning larger competitions then? Some people do their competing on a shoestring, and winning prize money would be a way to earn back some of what went out, and justifying their expenses to some degree. Some people don't want to breed or sell their dogs, they just compete for the love of it, right? But competing can be really expensive.

<<<>> According to the AKC the only requirement for breeding and registering puppies is that the sire and dam are two AKC registered dogs. No titles required for breeding in the USA therefore you look at the majority of sport or competition breeders in the USA and they have litters off of untitled dogs. Sire or Dam, some even both are untitled. No show ratings, hip ratings, performance titles, etc., yet still sell their pups for top dollar. Even the SV has blue papers for pups off of untitled dogs. So the "so called" standard is voluntary. An incentive for titling is a great idea. As for USCA's shoestring budget?? They charge a whole lot for so little. Where is the money going? Just look at the fees they charge!! Do not be fooled "Someone is getting paid and has a fat wallet" After all they are a registry that you can voluntarily register for, you are not required. Under FCI they are operating and issuing papers illegally. Keep your dogs AKC registered, get an USCA scorebook if you must, but do not waste any additional money with their phony registry that doesn't recognize SV titles they do not award, they even let nobodies who are not recognized anywhere in the world, judge as trial judges and judge conformation shows to produce worthless titles that nobody will recognize. What a waste of money! Look at the sieger show, "American" not SV judges. The conformation ratings are useless and might as well be issued by a kindergarten class in Alaska for all there worth will be nothing. They are loosing registrations like crazy. Pink or Blue USCA papers carry no weight anywhere. You need your AKC papers. The AKC's Working Dog Master program will put USCA and DVG under the bridge and they will become defunct here in the USA. Everybody wants the USCA to be on par with the Germans. USCA wants to break away and be a separate "phony" registry. This is not what anybody wants and they do not care. If your titles, koreklasse, show ratings, etc., are not going to be recognized worldwide because phony American judges award them, why bother?

Martin, The AKC is a joke. Just becuase THEY dont require ANYTHING of ANY breed, doesnt mean it is ok. As far as German Shepherd dogs go, adhering to the standard by the SV is what ethical breeders do, to maintain and better the breed. The AKC's "working dog master program" is another JOKE. Please. Im assuming you breed ambreds. Your post mainly refers to the saleability of puppies. Not recognizing the need for strict requirements and standards the keep a good breed alive. What you refer to, is what people call "back yard breeders". People who know NOTHING about dogs, but bragg that thier dogs are "AKC registered". And just what does that mean? Other than, you can verify a dogs pedigree. You see, just because you have the ABILITY to do AKC tracking and obedience and agility, they dont require it be done for breeding. So its not a system devised for betterment. Only money. And all the "phony American judges" you refer to, as far as USCA goes, they are following SV rules to the t. Im a little concerned where you get your information from. It is quite obvious however, that you are breeding Ambred JUNK. Please stop destroying our breed.

D.H., As far as the USCA is concerned, I agree with you. As a Newcomer and having wound up buying and extremely overpriced pup that came from an impregnated German import bitch, I would not have had any other way to have centrally registered my dog with the SV without the USCA pink paper program. More than once, I called the chairman of the Breed Advisory Committee of the USCA to ask him about normal practice regarding showing and handling of dogs. My calls never appeared to be bothersome and I felt I was getting very good advice. I figure, I saved atleast $3,000 from the information I received. Sunshine

Hucklebuck, While I don't disagree entirely with your assessment of AKC and those of us who breed AKC dogs, you are judging some unfairly by making the general assumption that ALL AKC breeders and their dogs are unworthy. That's a personal opinion and not a fact as you suggest. Some AKC breeders do care about the working ability of their breed. There are breed clubs that sponsor all sorts of performance events for their specific breeds - OB, agility, weight pulls, sledding, back packing, lure coursing, field trials, herding trials, any number of things. They might not live up to your idea of the right way to prove a dog's merit, but I ask you to consider that most everyone with dogs involved in these AKC events do NOT pay pros to train, handle, title their dogs, they do it themselves. I doubt there would quite as many titled GSD's in this country if only owners would be doing that work. Be honest and do a little math using those who you know personally. How many have dogs with titles, how many have done their own titling? Include you own statistics in your tally. As far as titling being an endorsement of the breed's or the dog's worth, I think you are the one kidding yourself. Read the messages on this list alone and keep track of how many are are ripped off every day by unethical breeders selling poor dogs from titled parents for ridiculous prices with no guarantees. Some who buy these dogs think they have purchased "junk" too. What good are your "strict requirements" when there are no ethics? Are you saying there are no BYB's with titled dogs? Why do you think one has to be a breeder of "AKC junk" to be destroying the breed? There are plenty with titled dogs who are doing as bad or worse as those with AKC junk. When the dust clears, it comes down to one rather simple fact - good ethics is what makes any breeder or any breed worthy, not titles from ANY organization. Suggesting otherwise is smoke and mirrors. In the hands of unethical breeders, titles of any sort and the importance some attach to them are a license to steal from the unsuspecting public.

Perhaps I overspoke. So let me clarify. My dogs are also AKC registered. However, they are also either SV/USA registered as well. They must be in order to obtain show ratings, titles and koerungs. I train and title my own dogs. A great portion of USA members do. So, my tally goes like this, Ive purchased only ONE titled dog. A proven bitch for breeding. The others, were raised from puppies and trained and titled by me. So, I dont think the AKC is a total waste. My point however, is that they dont require any breed to prove its worthiness at all. Not to mention the total deviattion of the standard of the breed. And yes there are "junk" German dogs. Inevitably, the system is designed to weed those out of breeding. Hence titling, koerungs, show ratings, hip stamps and courage tests. All these are REQUIRED to breed. Since the AKC doesnt require it, they obviously only care about the $$$ for registartion, not just the betterment of the breed. Period.

This time I agree 100%. I salute you for training and titling your own dogs, that takes a lot of dedication. I haven't yet met many who do that, most I know send them off somewhere.