EDITOR’S PAGE
The New-Breed Stampede
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entries in the Miscellaneous Class, that was not the case
for their thriving parent club and regional club specialties.
Eventually, a pro-AKC parent club was formed for each,
and it was these organizations that accomplished the goal
of AKC recognition. Today the process from AKC Miscellaneous to full AKC recognition has become much shorter.
One wave of breeds graduates to the Groups while the next
wave enters Miscellaneous to begin the dress rehearsal for
Group acceptance.
This prompts the question: Should any and all breeds be
viewed as candidates for full AKC recognition? As I write
this column, a video is being shared on Facebook of an enormous, burly, dog-aggressive breed that requires two handlers
struggling to show its bite while a panel of intimidated judges
stands a respectable distance away. There are breeds whose
parent clubs have no desire to pursue AKC recognition, despite the fact that their breeds are in the Foundation Stock
Service (the FSS, from which breeds are chosen for the Miscellaneous Class). These include breeds that are judged without a hands-on examination in other countries, which clearly
would not fly under present AKC rules.
With smaller entries these days, we have some shows with
no more than six breeds — or even fewer! — entered in a
Group from which the judge selects four placements. Splitting up and increasing the number of Groups in this scenario
does not seem practical, and that’s without even factoring
in the expense of clubs having to hire more judges. Still, the
growing number of breeds in most Groups should give us
pause for thought.
Janet Souza, the matriarch of the Limerick Irish Wolfhounds, passed away on August 4. This issue contains
a wonderful interview her daughter-in-law, Linda Souza,
gave us about the family’s three generations of devotion
to the breed (see page 58). The interview now becomes
not only a must-read but a tribute to Janet herself.
Allan Reznik, Editor
[email protected]
JULIE LYNN MUELLER
ntroducing a new breed into
the AKC family is an invigorating event. Exhibitors of
these breeds are typically an enthusiastic and welcome addition
to the sport. Often they are willing to travel great distances to
promote their breeds, so many
shows in many different regions
benefit from their energy. It is
a collective shot in the arm to
the fancy.
With the Pumi’s arrival in
AKC show rings on July 1, we
are now at 190 recognized
breeds and varieties. All our
Groups are expanding — and
if it isn’t a full-on “stampede,”
it is certainly a steady march.
So is it time to revisit the matter of Group Realignment, going up from the present seven to 11 Groups?
Sitting ringside for Group judging these days, I am routinely asked by people around me, including judges and long time
exhibitors, to identify an American Hairless Terrier, a Sloughi
— and, outside the Group ring, a Spanish Water Dog, Lagotto
or Coton. I remember a great cartoon many years ago that
had a judge put up for his placements in the Hound Group
an English Foxhound, an American Foxhound, a Harrier and
a Beagle — all tricolors in descending order of size. Today, I
wonder what some judges will do when they enter the Hound
Group ring and are faced with a red-fawn Greyhound, smooth
Saluki, Ridgeback, Redbone, Sloughi and, in the not-too-distant future, Azawakh!
A Saluki exhibitor of my acquaintance was showing to a
judge who questioned her dog’s slight toeing out (quite common in the breed, although not mentioned in the brief Saluki
standard). The exhibitor was not impressed that the judge
knew nothing of this nuance in her breed and felt he needed
to enroll in Judges Ed! Seriously? I suspect that judge is up to
his neck taking seminars to learn the many new Coonhound
breeds and thinks the Saluki is one of the mainstream breeds
that he does know well.
I wonder how many current participants in our sport
remember the days before Cavaliers, Australian Shepherds
and Border Collies gained full AKC recognition. All spent
years languishing in the Miscellaneous Class. All had parent clubs that vehemently opposed AKC recognition for
assorted reasons. While the three breeds mustered scant
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