Think about that when somebody says such "guidelines" are no threat...
Click on diagram to enlarge:
(Thanks to Jess)
*(No "titled" ancestors in Asia; no saluki registration so no "standard" to adhere to; and the longdogs and lurchers are not "purebred". The so- called "crosses" of Asian tazis and salukis are not considered so by the SCOA either although they are no more, or less, crosses than ones of Arab X Kurdish blood).
10 comments:
This works fine by me, for the GENERAL PUBLIC WITHOUT A CLUE--but it should NEVER be a LAW! Which is why the AKC show conformation folks, who have incorrectly and egotistically put themselves on a pedestal as the ULTIMATE in dog breeding, must be refuted publically at any opportunity, as the general public just doesn't know any better! A perfect example is this month's Nat'l Geo's article on doggy genetics, focusing on purebred show dogs being used in studies of genetic diseases(good to know they have SOME use, after all!)--one comment in a caption(under an Afghan's photo, no less! Talk about coincidental to our recent discussions here!) mentioned the Westminster dogs being the "best-of-the-best" in the dogworld.... "BEST" at WHAT??? Well, I COULDN'T let THAT stand--I've already fired off an editorial response to the magazine--it'll be interesting to see if they print it--and I didn't cuss er anything!(I'm sure I won't be the only one! At least I HOPE kuhzillions of other dog people respond likewise--but I could be wrong about that....) Anyway, non-registerable dog people unite! Never miss a chance to beg-to-differ on such pompous(and VERY INCORRECT!) statements(propaganda)regarding conformation show dogs!....L.B.
My farm collie wouldn't make the grade either.
This is what happens when we let government make decisions for us.
My working livestock guardian dogs – those beautiful, brave beasts that keep me in the livestock industry here in large carnivore country – wouldn't make the grade either.
Time fer more RANTING--the more I thought about this, the angrier I got--not that I haven't ranted on this subject repeatedley here and elsewhere! "Best Of The Best" used to describe(as it has for years) dogs participating at Westminster is probably THE most misleading statement(illustrating so well all that is wrong with the present AKC dog judging system) involving dogs in the U. S. today. "Best" at what?(more specifically)--trotting around a show ring on a tight lead, allowed to do NOTHING that dogs do naturally or are trained for? No test of physical ability, intellect, or skills of any kind? Judged by people swayed by human politics rather than the actual dogs themselves? Not that the judges have much else to go on, except some tiny group's idea(the "STANDARD") what THEY think is a good-looking dog. Ironically, I almost always think the actual working lines of dogs are FAR better-looking than their show conformation counterparts!--who thinks a cobby, fluffy little Siberian looks better than the more functional, leggy, lean racing dogs? Who thinks a blocky, FAT, barrel-sided, klunk headed lab looks better than a sleek, athletic, lean hunting stock lab? What IDIOT thinks the crippled, sloped-hipped wretches known as Show Winning GSD's look better than the old GSD's in the old Rin Tin Tin movies, that could still run with ease in front of a galloping horse? I could go on and on, breed after breed--and THESE show dogs are the ONLY ones worthy of breeding? HOW DARE you totilatarian bastards try to tell ME what I should consider better looking(not too mention even mentioning ACTUAL FUNCTIONAL ABILITY!) And in AMERICA! In some tiny, suppressed, communist or dictatorial country on the backside of the Carpathians maybe, but you suckers want to tell ME I'm WRONG(to the point of trying to OUTLAW anyone else's ideals for breeding--talk about anal, Nazi-like control!) in finding preference to breed for MY PERSONAL ideal of aesthetics(so long as I care properly and take responsibility for all I breed) and actual function and health(which most AKC conformation breeders certainly DON'T consider!), and In the U. S. of A.--land of the FREE? How can such a stupid, tyrannical, ignorant suggestion even GET to the point someone makes up a CHART about it? Sheesh!!!!... Whew! Okay, I feel better now. But I feel mighty sorry for any breed enforcers that show up at my place and try to tell me MY dogs are unacceptable by THEIR standards--I always enjoy letting my dogs get some vigorous excercise(as do they!)....L.B.
I like this one even better.
So, Jess, are you trying to give me apoplexy?...L.B.
The really sad thing, L. B., is that I'm pretty sure that 'show breeders' don't make these things. They are made by well-meaning people, based on a mythology. Granted, it's a mythology that many 'show breeders' buy into and actively promote, but it's certainly heavily propagated by the pet community. The fact that such a construct is NOT ACTUALLY USEFUL in the real world doesn't matter. It gives the people who buy into it an excuse to be tribal and point fingers at people who don't fit the paradigm. There are certainly 'show breeders' who don't believe the mythology, (I know quite a few), but unfortunately we have this pervasive view that has leaked out, and we need to unleak it.
Yes, I attempt to "unleak" at every opportunity! And though, yes, actual conformation show folks may not have MADE the chart,some of them have invented the propaganda that only dogs by THEIR standards are suitable for breeding. At least there was mention of working dogs--but most working dogs I know of are unregistered by any club or society--the people that ACTUALLY UTILIZE dogs for various activities tend to be the personality types that don't want to bother with such hoo-haw, and power to them! Don't these chart-makers/law creators stop and think about how people have kept and bred dogs(and all other domestic animal types) just fine for THOUSANDS of years, without "clubs" and "societies" telling them how they should be doing things? I'm all for anti-cruelty and neglect laws(though THESE can even get unrealistic and out-of-hand too, sometimes certainly)--but we HAVE plenty of those already!....L.B.
....and, despite my ranting against AKC conformation showers, I in no way wish to OUTLAW them or their activities--if they love and want to continue such pomp and circumstance with their dogs, that's THEIR business. But they should be reciprocal in their attitudes--my reactions are purely defensive from all the crap I've been dished by show folks over the years(who wouldn't know a functional dawg if it bit them in tha arse!)--and QUIT sayin yer dogs are the supreme examples of dogdom, when the judging is based ONLY on some exagerrated physical appearances based on often erroneous human interpretations. I would love to see show people WAKE UP and STOP judging dogs based on one, tiny, narrow "ideal"(and non-existent) physical specimen, and require the dogs to pass temperment, physical, and breed ability tests BEFORE they can even enter the show ring. Maybe THEN, they can actually, truthfully boast they have some of the "best" dogs. I think people unwilling to do this, who get involved with dogs ONLY for the pomp and circumstance of the show ring, are the ones who shouldn't breed and show dogs! If they are not willing to do EVERYTHING truly necessary to REALLY determine the best dogs, then they should take up a simpler hobby, like stamp collecting or something(hey, they even have lots of dog stamps out there!)....L.B.
The problem comes when people start inventing 'standards' that are not built solidly on performance - herding, hunting, coursing, pulling - in other words actual performance of the work.
I can go back 10 generations on my bird dogs and never find an 'ideal' specimen that could cut it in the artificial world of the show ring. Performance? None of those 'ideal' dogs could touch them.
If someone wants their 'ideal' dog, let them have it. The last thing we need in this world are more rules or pronouncements from on high.
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