QUESTIONS
1 . Name , kennel name , city and state , breed for which you are best known . 2 . When and how did your involvement in rare breeds begin ? 3 . Did you have prior experience in breeding and showing an AKC-recognized breed ? 4 . What were / are the greatest challenges in working toward AKC recognition ? 5 . What were / are the greatest rewards ? 6 . How difficult is it to guard against generic judging ( e . g . rewarding dogs with
TRAD , overgroomed exhibits ) and have judges abide by your breed standard ? 7 . What are the pros and cons of having total novices come into your breed vs experienced exhibitors from other breeds ? 8 . Do breed club politics ever hinder rather than help a breed move forward toward AKC recognition ? 9 . Is the AKC ’ s process of moving breeds from Miscellaneous to full recognition too fast and superficial ?
Patty Hoover
I learned about dog shows by attending them , and then I looked for opportunities to show in the Xolo ’ s mother country , Mexico . With some uneasiness , which is part of any unknown , I found a handler and we went to a show in Mexico City . This was in December 1993 .
I spoke with Thelma von Thaden , the administrator of FCM at that time , and she advised me to continue showing . The word spread quickly that a Xolo from the US was present . We met many wonderful people at that show , and we determined to return again .
The show protocols in Mexico are very different than those in the USA , and we learned so much each time we returned . The thought of seeing more Xolos each time I went to the FCM shows was enough to keep me going .
I began registering my litters with the Federación Canófila Mexicana , A . C ., and , for the first 10 or so years , I went personally to the FCM office each year and presented my documents . They sent me home with documents for the Xolos and microchips . I also visited Mrs . von Thaden each year and presented her with my growing pedigrees . I hoped for advice , and she was very kind , supportive and encouraging .
Each year I gained more confidence in my grasp of Spanish and made many new friendships .
The years passed , and I continued to breed Xolos and acquired new ones when I could find them . I continued to show my Xolos in many countries , including Europe and Canada . Each year we hoped that we would be able to attend the FCI World Show and that we would have Xolos worthy of the ring . Fortunately , I was able to go to many of these wonderful events , and that was a very fine experience where I continued to learn and gain more experience with the breed .
During the years that the Xolo remained a rare breed in the US , I showed in the rare-breed club shows . The venues were relaxed , and often the judges were AKC-licensed and knew the breed well .
4 . As I worked with the Xolos day in and day out over the
years , I have done it because I love the breed . We live on a large ranch , so I had plenty of room for the dogs .
My main reason for this work was not to gain AKC recognition , but simply to do work that I enjoyed . Gradually the situation changed . As I built my data base of Xolo registrations , I realized that it would need a resting place in
the US . A Xolo breed club did exist in the US , but it was time for a second club . In 1999 , several other Xolo fanciers and myself founded a breed club and worked very hard to follow the rules that AKC laid out for breed clubs . We were determined to be fully compliant with the AKC rules . There was talk that the Xolo might be taken into a new program called the Foundation Stock Service . Eventually the breed was taken in , and our club registry of about 800 Xolos was included . All of these were FCM / FCI-pedigreed , but not all had a full three generations . The new program , called FSS , allowed breeders to breed the dogs that lacked the full three generations , and then they could eventually move into the AKC registry .
The greatest challenge of the AKC requirements was having several dog shows , as time went by , that were fully compliant with the rules of AKC . Fortunately , we had experts in our membership , and we were able to do this and to bring respected judges from Mexico for two different shows . The memories of those events are very precious to me , and the time spent with the members has been a highlight of my life .
5 . By far , the greatest reward of breeding Xolos has been
the unexpected gift of many wonderful new friends that the Xolos have brought to us . We have welcomed people to our ranch and kennel from around the world .
Watching the breed move from being nearly unknown to competing successfully against older , better-known breeds has been very exciting . We ’ ve enjoyed their many accomplishments in companion dog activities , especially obedience and agility . Having them in therapy dog programs , alert dog situations and other medical environments has been the frosting on the cake for me . The Xolos have made the world a better place .
6 . The Xolo is the national dog of Mexico , and that is
where the first breed standard was written in the early 1950s .
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