ILP or Canine Partners?

[elegy]

There was a lot of fussing among agility people in areas with trials that fill in the first two seconds about opening it up to mixed breeds and how that would increase entries even more and it would be even harder to get into trials and blah blah blah. "There are plenty of other venues for those dogs."

To be honest, I'm not sure if our club allows mixed breed entries in Obedience. I know the place I usually show at (one ring, very quiet) does.

[BostonBanker]

The couple of trials I've had Meg at, people reacted to seeing her the same way I react to seeing a deer in the field. "Ooh, look! A mixed-breed! Should we take a picture? Don't scare it!".

Okay, maybe not that bad But you could tell it was a bit of a novelty to them. Kind of cracked me up. People were generally very friendly, except for the people who I don't think are friendly to anyone.

[Shai]

Originally Posted by elegy

There was a lot of fussing among agility people in areas with trials that fill in the first two seconds about opening it up to mixed breeds and how that would increase entries even more and it would be even harder to get into trials and blah blah blah. "There are plenty of other venues for those dogs."

To be honest, I'm not sure if our club allows mixed breed entries in Obedience. I know the place I usually show at (one ring, very quiet) does.

Yeah I heard that too and I'm in one of those areas but really I'm not sure the 2-4 mix breeds at most of the trials I've been to really exasperate the situation all that much. But that is one of the rallying cries of the "anti-" ground, especially in tracking.

Both my clubs (and both my previous clubs) allowed mix breeds to compete in any event they hosted that had the possibility. One of my club's AKC rep was actually one of those people lobbing against inclusion of mix breeds in any AKC event in any way (this was before I was a member) but once AKC decided to allow it they sucked it up and permitted them at all their events...agility, obedience, and rally. And they have some of the bigger trials in our area which do fill.

The giving-equal-opportunity-to-others-could-mean-less-for-ME argument does not impress me one bit.

[Aleron]

Originally Posted by Emily

Yeah, that's why tracking seems to stick out like a sore thumb to me also, as opposed to breed specific activities. It would get really hairy with mixed breeds. If I've got a Aussie/Dobe mix, let's say, does it get to herd because it's part Aussie or is it not allowed because Dobes are not a herding breed? Etc etc. But yeah tracking is all bred sooo...

Yeah and even at that, who's job is to ensure the mixes or non-registered breeds actually are what people say they are. So someone says their dog is an Aussie/Dobe and that's what the shelter said it was but then the dog shows up and it appears to be a APBT. Sort of opens the Canine Partners program up to being a lot more trouble than it's worth for the people putting on trials. Or having to create a whole new "Mixed Breed ID" committee that would evaluate mixes by pictures to determine if they appear to be herding breeds or sporting breeds or sighthound crosses.

Originally Posted by Emily

Ouch, I'm glad I'm not there! Everybody here has been really supportive, thankfully. I've gotten a lot of, "Oh... so your dog is mix? How does that work, exactly?" but nothing negative thus far.

I'm not that people have been unwelcoming at the trials. No one seemed to care at the few I have been too that there are mixes competing. It's the politics more so than the feelings of the competitors. Like our training club didn't object to allowing mixed breeds to compete at their trials in itself. But they didn't want to create problems with other local clubs or judges who were saying they wouldn't come to clubs that allowed mixes. And likely, the other clubs felt the same way. Like I said, there was this big "well, we will allow mixes but not until someone else does" thing going on. Pretty ridiculous considering the dwindling entries in AKC obedience. You'd think clubs putting on obedience trials would welcome having so many more potential competitors. Instead, they got all "well people will talk....".

Agility people didn't care because agility has never been limited to only purebreds, except in AKC. AKC was never the only game in town for agility either. USDAA and I believe what eventually became UKC agility was already well established before AKC recognized just how big agility could become. AKC has always been the oddball in agility in terms of not accepting mixed breeds (well...not officially anyway. Like I said some of those ILPs...). Most agility people compete in multiple venues and were used to competing against mixed breeds. Or they have friends who have/compete with mixed breeds in other venues. So while agility certainly didn't need the entry boost of allowing even more dogs to compete, the agility people embraced it anyway. And obedience people continued to complain that their trials aren't making money and interest in the sport is quickly fading while turning away a large, new group of potential participants.

Gotta love how stupid politics are involved in everything.

[crazedACD]

The problem here is that there aren't many non-AKC trials unless I want to be traveling out of New England. Even APDT Rally, there are a few, but generally the same two or three training centers..one in NH, another a few hours away in MA. And Maine. Makes for a very long day if I don't get a hotel room. The Mixed Breed club doesn't even have an events page linked anymore. There are a few things I don't care for regarding the AKC, and would rather not support it, but there are few other options without it being a pain for me.

Originally Posted by PWCorgi

Are vision impaired dogs allowed to compete in AKC?
I have a friend with a deaf border collie who can't compete in AKC due to rules against deaf dogs competing.

Blind dogs aren't, but Romeo isn't to that point in normal lighting. When he starts showing signs of difficulty we will stop.