So, yesterday AKC announced that they are implementing a mixed breed program. We will be allowed to list our mixes beginning October of 09 and begin competing in Agility, Rally, and Obedience April '10. The stipulations are... the mixes will NOT be competing in the same class as the purebred dogs. Also they will have different title designations. So, Panic can't get a MACH, she can only get a MACH-M. Not sure why they would do that really. They are also not eligible to compete in invitationals or national competitions, or at shows where all-breed conformation shows are occuring concurrently.
I'm not sure how I feel about this. On the one hand, Andy and I do videography exclusively at AKC (well ok, a few CPE too) shows. So, if Panic could compete there as well, we'd get more ring time and become a more experienced, better team probably. We also have a LOT of AKC locally where I could compete without having to travel. However, I *enjoy* USDAA a lot more.
I don't like being segregated from the purebred dogs. I don't know the purpose... I don't know why they wouldn't want to have us compete against one another. Afraid the purebred dogs would beat the mixes? That's the *only* reason I see for not allowing mixes to compete at nationals. Invitationals make sense - that's a competition you get to go to if you are top in your breed.
I guess AKC is just taking an "all dogs are equal, some are just more equal than others" stance on the subject. Weird.
All said though - I am sure I will participate with Panic, for the aforementioned reasons. That is, if the clubs decide to offer the mix classes. They can elect not to. For the mix classes they will have to offer another set of ribbons, which adds cost. And because AKC has entry limits, and around here is is not always filled but usually fairly close, they may not end up getting any more entries due to the mixes, but we will increase their expenses, so I can see why they may *not* even offer the class. Hmph.
4 comments:
I'm not happy about it for all the reasons you mention (and I have purebreds). I don't think the program will go over very well for those reasons.
It seems kind of silly to me that we don't designate breeds with the MACH title, so why would we bother to designate a mixed breed with the title MACH-M? It seems petty and narrow-minded to me.
I'm not happy about it either. A mixed breed that earns a MACH has done the EXACT same things a purebred did to earn a MACH - why is it designated differently?
Why can't my mixed breed dogs compete right alongside the purebreds? Are they somehow unclean? My purebreds and mutts all seem to live happily together at home without an issue, nobody here cares that anyone else isn't "pure blood."
Instead of creating something that looks to the future, AKC has proposed a backwards measure that only reminds us of similar human events in the past.
They should have just stayed "purebred only."
I think this is the worst decision made by the AKC. They need to leave it to the Purebreds. Why can't the Mixes start their own club with their own titles... they are not "unclean" but owners of purebreds take pride in seeing "AKC registered" on papers..."AKC registered" is a trusted statement. Now who knows what your getting when you buy a puppy?
I think they were trying to address one concern a lot of AKC member clubs posed - encouraging purpose-bred mixes - like you have with flyball (border-border, staffy-border).
I think that's the concern, not any rescued mix, not matter how talented.
I am not sure they could have got it through without the separate designation and no nationals. BC-mix under 11" would have a great shot at Nationals!
I think that they wouldn't have gotten it passed the conformation members without the caveats that are in now. I wouldn't be surprised to see it change in the future.
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