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and for aweitzm1 .... all of the above are great resources for you to find out some answers to your questions. Go click around the AKC website and especially the ones I put up there. Great information and things to learn about.
DCforever.... your statement is just so full of hot air.... The AKC has done more for dogs, purebred and mutts alike then any organization on earth. Why not go take a peek at some of these things AKC does for dogs, all dogs....
Now, tell me all the things that AKC doesn't do for dogs............ don't be misinformed
I am not a fan of the AKC for multiple reasons. Just for starters, in no particular order:
They provide AKC status for puppy mill dogs, and in fact makes a fair amount of money off of puppy mills
AKC qualified judges push conformation standards past what is healthy for the breed, and award breeders who meet those insane standards e.g GSDs, a particular rough collie, bulldogs etc.
AKC harassed and intimidated border collie organizations for years in attempts to get border collies into the AKC with the result that having finally submitted and joined the AKC, there are now numerous border collies with lovely conformation who wouldn't recognize a sheep much less be able to herd it if its life depended on it
All the good things the AKC does doesn't outweigh the truly horrible things they do to support puppy mills, insane conformation standards, and supporting bad breeding practices.
If you are going to say that the AKC does good things you also have to at least acknowledge that it is a political body with its own agenda that doesn't necessarily align with what is best for dogs.
That is just nonsense. The AKC has done more to ruin dogs that any organization on Earth.
Do you know what the AKC is? It is a registry...it registers dogs. All an AKC number means is that the parents of the registered dog were also registered/recognized as a specific breed. That number has no bearing on quality beyond assurance of a specific breed and any AKC rep or employee will tell you that.
If you are saying that the individual breed standards are what has ruined dogs...and I don't disagree with that in some cases...then you're placing the blame on the wrong party. The AKC does not write breed standards. Those are written by the individual breed parent clubs.
A breed parent club is made up of breed fanciers from around the country. These fanciers...regular people like me...are not members of AKC. We are merely members of our national breed club. Some of us breed. Some of us run our dogs in performance. Some of us show our dogs in conformation. Some of us do breed rescue. The list goes on.
The AKC will accept only one breed parent club per breed and there is a process for that acceptance that ensures the individual club is experienced enough to promote breed welfare.
For example, the United States Australian Shepherd Association (USASA) is one of two large national breed clubs for Aussies and they are also the AKC parent club for the breed. The USASA breed standard committee wrote a proposed breed standard (using the breed standard already in existence for many years as a starting point and considering not only form but function and how best to preserve both) which was then submitted to the USASA club membership for review. The USASA membership then had a period of many months to consider and submit opinions on the proposed standard. Those opinions were discussed by the USASA breed standard committee after which a revised proposed standard was re-submitted to the membership for review. When the process resulted in an acceptable standard it was then voted on by the entire USASA membership. Upon passing, it was submitted to AKC for approval according to their guidelines which dictate only format, clarity and the like.
The AKC promotes lots of very cool stuff...health, training, performance, conformation, legislation and more...but that's all icing on the AKC cake.
From their mission statement Mission Statement - American Kennel Club "The American Kennel Club is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its Registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function. Founded in 1884, the AKC® and its affiliated organizations advocate for the purebred dog as a family companion, advance canine health and well-being, work to protect the rights of all dog owners and promote responsible dog ownership."
Last edited by Jumpindogs; 08-30-2015 at 05:47 PM..
I am not a fan of the AKC for multiple reasons. Just for starters, in no particular order:
They provide AKC status for puppy mill dogs, and in fact makes a fair amount of money off of puppy mills
AKC qualified judges push conformation standards past what is healthy for the breed, and award breeders who meet those insane standards e.g GSDs, a particular rough collie, bulldogs etc.
AKC harassed and intimidated border collie organizations for years in attempts to get border collies into the AKC with the result that having finally submitted and joined the AKC, there are now numerous border collies with lovely conformation who wouldn't recognize a sheep much less be able to herd it if its life depended on it
All the good things the AKC does doesn't outweigh the truly horrible things they do to support puppy mills, insane conformation standards, and supporting bad breeding practices.
If you are going to say that the AKC does good things you also have to at least acknowledge that it is a political body with its own agenda that doesn't necessarily align with what is best for dogs.
I get what you're saying, 12. But truly, all of what you dislike is the ultimate responsibility of the individual breed clubs or breeders with the exception of the puppy millers. However, it is beyond the scope of the AKC to police puppy millers when our funded legal systems can't get a grip on them using current laws. How would you suggest the AKC detect which of it's many submitted registrations are for puppy mill dogs? I can't see any way beyond visiting every single source of registrations above a certain number and that would include many non-puppy mill breeders as well as licensed kennels. Not possible. Even that wouldn't prevent the millers as they would figure out a way to utilize numerous sources thus operating under that numbers cutoff.
Judges are human. Some are excellent and some are not. Excellent or not, they can only evaluate what is presented to them in the breed ring. It is the rare ethical judge with the cojones to decline to choose a winner from a group of substandard dogs. Certainly some breeders strive to produce what they think judges will favor to the detriment of the breed...those breeders suck IMO. But again, it's those breeders and those judges...not the AKC. The AKC requires that their judges evaluate according to the breed standard...they have to otherwise why even show dogs in the breed ring? What other method should logically be used to evaluate dogs? And who picks the judges for nationals and specialties? The breed clubs! If they pick judges who favor extreme type over proper type and movement then again, that's the responsibility of the breed club. Not the AKC.
As I stated in a separate post, the AKC has nothing to do with breed standards beyond ensuring they follow a format and are written for clarity, grammar, etc. The individual breed parent clubs write the standards. The AKC wants nothing to do with the specifics of breed standards...they feel that the national breed clubs know best. And they should.
I know a little about the BCs. Same thing happened, sort of, with Aussies. But guess what? Those folks did not have to cave. Maybe some did. But there were BC people who wanted AKC recognition and they got it. Just like those Aussie folks, much against the wishes of ASCA (myself included), who wanted AKC recognition got it. Not saying AKC did not deal a dirty hand in the BC issue...they may have.
I was adamantly against AKC recognition of the Australian Shepherd but only because I was afraid it would dilute working ability. It has. But that process had already begun within ASCA so it was inevitable.
Breeders and owners ruin breeds, not a registry! If Border Collie owners have a beef it is with the owners of the dogs..... same with any working breed.
I am just starting my search on adopting a dog. I went on adopt-a-pet.com and found two cute puppies one is a yorkie and the other is a shih tzu. I would love to hear about people's opinion on each?
According to the website info they are sisters and came from the same home. Both will be under 10lbs when fully grown. I would get them when they are approximately 15 weeks old. I may just end up adopting both if I can't decide but I am at a loss of what breed will be better for me.
A little about me and my plan. I live alone in an apartment. I am looking for a dog that will mostly be apartment bound. I plan to wee wee pad train them so they can use the bathroom while I am at work. Eventually the dog will have the run of the house once she is fully trained but before I plan to create an ex-pen with her crate, food, water, toys and pee pads. While I am at work I will have a dog walker come once a day to help with the training. I will walk the dog at least once a day hoping for two times a day depending on the weather.
I am looking for a small dog between 5 - 12 lbs. It can get noisy in my apartment due to the neighbors and outside noises as I live in the city. I would love a dog that is affectionate, playful and even tempered. Some barking is not a problem but I do not want excessive barking as it may disturb the neighbors though I have read up on how to train excessive barking. I have always thought I would get a yorkie but now I am not so sure. I have been reading everything I can on adopting and the yorkie breed. I feel I am just overwhelmed and when I read something negative I think is this really the right breed for me. I really don't know which direction to go in as I have read the shih tzus are more even tempered then the yorkies, but I find yorkies cuter when they are grown.
What are people's thought on adopting them together? I have read mixed reviews on the subject regarding them bonding together and not with you.
I appreciate any advice and tips you can offer.
Thank you
What ever breed you choose, adopt it from a rescue or animal shelter.
DCforever.... your statement is just so full of hot air.... The AKC has done more for dogs, purebred and mutts alike then any organization on earth. Why not go take a peek at some of these things AKC does for dogs, all dogs....
My linebred, sound, affectionate and friendly AKC-registered (and lovingly, carefully bred) English Cocker Spaniel who also happens to "look nice" proves that you cannot generalize. He's not an exception to the rule, either.
My last AKC-registered male dog, while less friendly to strangers, and an outcross (though his parents had common ancestry 4 generations back, since he was from a lower-population breed), was gorgeous, and devoted to me; and lived to be nearly 16, with good health for most of those years.
There is nothing wrong with either getting a dog from a responsible breeder (AKC or UKC) or from a shelter/rescue - just choose carefully and presumably from a reputable source.
I am just starting my search on adopting a dog. I went on adopt-a-pet.com and found two cute puppies one is a yorkie and the other is a shih tzu. I would love to hear about people's opinion on each?
According to the website info they are sisters and came from the same home. Both will be under 10lbs when fully grown. I would get them when they are approximately 15 weeks old. I may just end up adopting both if I can't decide but I am at a loss of what breed will be better for me.
A little about me and my plan. I live alone in an apartment. I am looking for a dog that will mostly be apartment bound. I plan to wee wee pad train them so they can use the bathroom while I am at work. Eventually the dog will have the run of the house once she is fully trained but before I plan to create an ex-pen with her crate, food, water, toys and pee pads. While I am at work I will have a dog walker come once a day to help with the training. I will walk the dog at least once a day hoping for two times a day depending on the weather.
I am looking for a small dog between 5 - 12 lbs. It can get noisy in my apartment due to the neighbors and outside noises as I live in the city. I would love a dog that is affectionate, playful and even tempered. Some barking is not a problem but I do not want excessive barking as it may disturb the neighbors though I have read up on how to train excessive barking. I have always thought I would get a yorkie but now I am not so sure. I have been reading everything I can on adopting and the yorkie breed. I feel I am just overwhelmed and when I read something negative I think is this really the right breed for me. I really don't know which direction to go in as I have read the shih tzus are more even tempered then the yorkies, but I find yorkies cuter when they are grown.
What are people's thought on adopting them together? I have read mixed reviews on the subject regarding them bonding together and not with you.
I appreciate any advice and tips you can offer.
Thank you
Yorkies can be barkers. Since the pups you are planning to get are less than 6 months old, I believe they will need more than one outing while you are at work. They should be heavily, though gently, socialized; walks to parks, dog-friendly areas. And just because they are small, the dogs should get to go to fenced dog parks where they can run and play off-leash at least once a week (preferably fenced dog parks where there are small dog areas). The same goes for one dog if you decide not to get two. If you can't do that, I would consider putting off dog ownership.
Good luck. It is possible to successfully raise dogs in an apartment; but you have to be dedicated and to be able to afford dog walkers if you work (or in general, unless you have roommates or many devoted friends; in case you have to go away or get the flu or break a leg or something).
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