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A
Handy Thing To Know
If more people realized and understood some of the things that make a
dog tick there would be less injury...
by Delilah Pen
JUST
FOR THE ~LICK~ OF IT
Humorous and fascinating look at why dogs do what they do
by Dr. Roberta Lee
The
Personal Dog
Part one of an insightful series about choosing and training
that very special dog.
by Tam Cordingley
A World
Of Difference
Coonhound Olympics!
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by Tam Cordingley
What do AKC and AQHA have in common?
1- Both begin with the letter A
2-Both are animal registration organizations
3-Both sanction shows
4-Both give judge's directives that DON'T
MEAN A THING!
(For those of you who don't know AQHA is
the American Quarter Horse Association)
Some years ago, about then I think, AQHA
told its judges to penalize the extremely
and artificially low head carriage in pleasure
horses. The old "more is better"
attitude had performed its usual magic and
from the head carriage of a relaxed pleasure
mount there evolved what is known as peanut
rollers. Various unpleasant and inhumane
devices and trainers had the horse's head
almost on the ground. This supposedly was
to demonstrate a safe and easy pleasure mount.
In reality, it makes the rider feel like
they are perched on a precipice, having no
neck and head in front of you….
The AQHA sent a directive of NO MORE. These
horses should remain unplaced and could be
excused from the ring. A collective sigh
of relief went up from the using-horse people.
Ten years later judges are still putting
up peanut rollers. It is quite an experience
to attend a Quarter Horse show. All the directive
did was stop the people who were agitating
for reform from voicing their opinion for
a while. It also got AQHA off the hook, i.e.:
We told them to quit and they didn't.
Beginning to sound familiar?
Also some time ago, about the same time frame,
AKC announced with great fanfare, that they
had directed judges to disqualify anyone
using foreign substances in the coat. This
has apparently taken some considerable time
to implement as there is blatant chalking,
spraying, and coloring at every show I've
ever attended. Recently I was a spectator
at a show and was seated next to a judge
from England. She was most interested in
watching a Boston being touched up with a
marking pen at ringside. This was within
easy view of the judge, steward, and the
AKC rep.
If AKC really wants it stopped it is not
too hard--- throw out anyone using such stuff.
Right now. Unless the reps are blind, deaf,
and otherwise impaired they know stuff is
being used on the dog's coats. If the judge
is worthy of the name, they know too. Dismiss
the offenders. Right now. If the rep sees
a judge place a dog with a foreign substance
in the coat, suspend their license for three
months. Right now.
It's not much different from training dogs,
one command, immediate enforcement, every
time. It works with dogs. Surely people can
be trained?
That brings us to UKC. The dogs at UKC shows
are clean, brushed, and have no coloring,
chalk, or spray. Why? Because UKC won't tolerate
it. If it is found in the ring, bingo, excused
from the ring. Now then, wasn't that easy?
They also won't tolerate bait or grooming
in the ring. What a refreshing idea, actually
judging dogs.
UKC has a lot of refreshing ideas. Every
dog registered with UKC gets a 3-generation
pedigree - free. They also have a neat thing,
the PAD (pups and degrees) pedigree. This
contains the number of offspring produced
by every dog in the pedigree and titles earned
by those offspring. How would the puppy mill
pedigree differ from our carefully bred show/performance
pedigree?
UKC also pioneered DNA profiling.
For those interested in UKC but concerned
about incurring the wrath of AKC, there's
this bit of information. There are many dogs
registered in both registries. They offer
various types of working, hunting, agility,
and obedience trials.
The biggest problem I can see with UKC is
that there are too few all breed shows. UKC
grew and changed under the leadership of
Fred Miller and I'm sure we'll see more growth
and change under the management of Wayne
Cavanaugh and Mark Threlfell.
AKC could correct these violations of the
rules.
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