AKC has approved the recognition of working dog titles!!!! - Page 1

From Danny J. Spreitler

The American Kennel Club Board of Directors has approved the recognition of working dog titles!!!! This will include schutzhund, police, FH, IPO etc. This is a historical moment and opens the recognition of titles to other venues and breeds. It is also the first time in AKC's long and proud history that they have stepped outside of their own programs to recognize titles. Today history is written!

Ya yippie skippy The AKC will recognize Sch and working dog titles just what we need more fingers where they don,t belong. And from a orginization who not so long ago would not even recognize biteing sports matter of fact they issued a wordy letter some time ago on how biting sport were just terrible and abusive to dogs. 

This is not good news. 

The AKC working dog sport program is up for review at the November Board meeting. If that meeting has been held yet, I don't know. Nothing new on the AKC website yet. They have recognized titles and scorebooks from USA, SV, DVG and WDA in the past for their WDS program. I don't see how any of this can have much impact since they only allow 4 breeds to title under the program, you can only hold a trial 5 times a year (per allowed breed) and then only at an AKC specialty show.
Of course with USA's recent "us or them" vote, I could see AKC and WDA doing some serious talking.
I'll wait and see what the minutes of the November meeting say.

The WDS trial did not need to be held in conjunction with a breed specialty show.

Keith Jenkins

and so what, does not change my view on AKC (American Krapper Club)

Denise

There was a meeting Monday.  The WDS program is dead.  AKC parent breed clubs are to send in to the AKC Performance Dog committee what organization they want to "oversee" when they have a SchH event.  Originally, it was to be a selection from any established legitmate organization i.e. DVG, USA, WDA, AWDF.  Not sure if that selection pool has changed or not.  However, the AKC Performance Dog committee will "vet" the organization to be sure they can give legitimate titles.  Moreso than wanting to be able to hold SchH trials should a club so want, the AKC needs a process to be able to be sure any title presented to it earned in the United States is legitimate as this is also part of the process to be able to put those titles on pedigrees.

There is absolutely no machinations or aspirations by AKC to take over SchH, nor to disrupt any other organization that does SchH.  It is just an amenity and a convenience for those people who want to have titles put on pedigrees and have SchH Trials at an AKC club.  Those trials would still be required to be adminsitered by an established club again like DVG, USA, WDA, or AWDF.   I have not heard its only WDA nor is there an established timeline when this will come into effect.

I did hear that the SV has offered its input to this or any help needed. AKC works much slower than our other organziations because of the way they are structured.  I beleive the essence of it has been approved to proceed, but its a bit of a way off before it can be implemented.

Hehe,

Hi Denise, that one made me laugh.

Does the akc? - never mind.

Lee

Kim, thank you for the post above. These ideas make sense as the A.K.C. is an all-breed club. They should NOT be involved with any aspect of working dog programmes and sections such as the judging of Schutzhund trials, the administration of Körung examinations, etc.. That is NOT their specialty and they are wise to use the services of the other organizations for this. I think this is the simple task for that we have asked so many years. Really; how difficult could it be? 

They are the ONLY F.C.I.-recognized breed registry for the U.S.A. and of course their only present value to us is the maintenance of correct pedigree information. If all remains just as the statements you typed, then this should be a very successful thing. It of course requires A.K.C. to open bilateral communication with the performance dog clubs.

Of course in the end, there is but so much goodwill, and the remainder will be about money. The way that I see it; this should not initially place a financial burden on the A.K.C. to document a working dog's achievements on it pedigree. It does that already, of course, for dogs who have achievements in A.K.C.-sponsored events. But of course these events typically forward a bit of money to the parent organization!

I think that will be the deciding factor for A.K.C. - how much will it cost to administer such a service; and how can this business be funded and grown so it remains self-sustaining? And it must be sure that the achievement of a Schutzhund title requires exactly the same steps regardless of whether its is awarded by G.S.D.C.A.-W.D.A., DVG, A.W.D.F., or U.S.c.A.. I certainly see where that requires careful planning on their part. In closing, thank you again for your post.

Best Regards,
Bob-O

Kim, thank you for all the insight you provide.

Bob-O, the deciding factor for AKC will be how much $ is in it for them.

Rik

How will AKC verify titles already earned?