Finally!!! I've been waiting for this for YEARS. I've known they've been talking about it for a long time
AKC Accepts Mixed Breeds for Companion Events
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Even if they did, I would imagine current ILP dogs would be grandfathered in or something. However, if they don't, it should at least make getting an ILP a bit more stringent in terms of how much leeway the board gives an individual about whom they have doubts.
I'm glad this will help you and Marge
Looking forward to hearing about her performance career!
To denote that it's a mixed breed. They are competing in a seperate class from the current ones offered for purebreds, likewise it would make sense that the title would be different as well.
Because Lure coursing, earthdog trials, herding, and gundog trials are breed specific events. A great dane is not allowed to compete in an earthdog trial and like wise and Afghan isn't allowed in the herding competion
Keep in mind at the moment clubs are only allowed to offer mixed breed classes at standalone Agility, Rally, or Obedience events. That means any Agility, Rally, or Obedience held in conjunction with a conformation show CAN NOT offer classes for mixed breeds. Keep in mind it's taken many years just to get this far. Perhaps in the future if it becomes a profitable endevor they will open it up more, but at the moment the only planed expansion is to give some AKC discounts and allow access to the AKC website. Rome wasn't built in a day.
Why were you disappointed to find out they're AKC events?
I highly doubt they would get rid of the ILP program. Essentialy it's free money for AKC. They get a registration fee from someone who wouldn't otherwise be able to register (and pay for) thier dog. That person would typicaly then go on to pay entry fees for shows and possibly extra money on certificates and other random AKCc goodies. And shoud they ever have the case where they're unsure if a dog is purebred they can just send a letter saying "sorry your dog wasn't accepted for the ILP program, but you can register him with our mixed breed program for another $35 registration fee"
I don't understand the "separate but equal" classification. I don't see any reason for it in agility and other events where the dogs aren't separated in competition by breed. Seems the AKC wants the money from the mixed breed owners, but don't want to "tarnish" their titles by events by sharing them with the mixed breeds. I'd actually be pretty offended by that if I cared a little bit more about what the AKC does. Maybe they can't stand the thought that a mere mixed breed might out-compete their pure breeds.
I can understand limiting participation in breed specific activities....though I know a lure coursing club that now allows mixed sighthound breeds. Dogs still bred for the same function. Of course, some would argue they alread let non-sighthounds compete (basenji, ridgebacks). I can only speak for lure coursing, but the dogs compete against dogs of their own breed, so I'm not sure how that would work if you opened it up to mixed breeds. I guess you could have one mixed breed stake...or separate by size or something.
I can understand limiting participation in breed specific activities....though I know a lure coursing club that now allows mixed sighthound breeds. Dogs still bred for the same function. Of course, some would argue they alread let non-sighthounds compete (basenji, ridgebacks).
I can only speak for lure coursing, but the dogs compete against dogs of their own breed, so I'm not sure how that would work if you opened it up to mixed breeds. I guess you could have one mixed breed stake...or separate by size or something.
That's pretty much the way I took it as well. The reason it took so long was simply because they wanted the revenue that many of the alternate venues were getting as performance dog sports become more popular even with the "out" crowd, but don't want to risk making it harder for purebred dogs to rack up points or to taint the "real" titles. So they compromised...if they pay we'll let them play...over there...
Who knows where it will lead though...maybe in a few more years they will fully merge. I can think of a couple people off hand that would have heart attacks if their purebreds were beaten by a mutt for a title, though.
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