Have We Reached the Point of No Return?

Although my domestic circumstances have meant that I don’t travel anything like I have done in the past, I have plenty of time to monitor what is happening in the global purebred dog world, and it seems to me that there are several conclusions that can be drawn based on widespread comments.

First, show entries seem to be dropping quite dramatically around the world. This varies from country to country: The Scandinavian nations seeming to be fairly buoyant, but here in the U.K., some of our general Championship show entries where breeds have Challenge Certificates available are alarming. I have looked at several recent shows where popular breeds have attracted just four or five dogs in either sex, and it is very rare to see CCs being withheld. Breed entries at some of the major American shows seem also to be sparse, and it seems that we are drifting away from the mindset where the breed ring was the most important one to where everything is about groups and beyond.

Spiraling living costs and fuel in particular have affected dog shows badly. Nowadays attending any show that isn’t local means huge fuel bills and possibly overnight accommodation at a time when even very modest motels charge handsomely for their rooms, often adding ridiculous surcharges for dogs. The incentive to enter a show is still, I believe, primarily the breed judge and then the accessibility of the show. Exhibitors want to be reassured that the person who will be sorting out their breed will do so with deep knowledge and unquestionable integrity. While I believe that some of the greatest judges the sport has produced have been “all-rounders” worthy of the name, it seems that in many countries (including the U.K.), judges are being approved on minimal qualifications to create champions in breeds in which they have no real interest, but merely see them as a stepping stone for group approval. I believe that a lot of minority breeds in particular suffer as a consequence.

Unfortunately, every show has to look carefully at its budget these days, and the cost of employing true breed specialists for every breed would be astronomical and so not viable. Instead, it is a lot easier (and cheaper) to hire judges who can work for several full days. More and more I read complaints from exhibitors who feel that their breed is just “tacked on” to a multi-breed judge who holds little respect in the breed. It’s little wonder that the entries just aren’t forthcoming.

Then we come to the number of shows. The general opinion internationally seems to be that we have far too many Championship shows, which results in diminished entries and the creating of “cheap champions.” Withholding the top award in an entry that is mediocre and lacking in quality takes a bold judge, and sadly today most are more concerned with their popularity than serving the individual breeds. In the U.K., we have seen many regional breed clubs amalgamating in an attempt to survive, and this has been a positive step. If you look at the U.S., for example, the number of points-giving shows held on the same day and not so far from each other can be quite surprising. I recently read how Italy now holds double the number of International Championship shows that it did a few years ago. These shows offer the FCI’s treasured CACIB awards, and of course every show has to pay a levy to FCI for every CACIB offered. It is easy to understand FCI’s reluctance to limit the number of CACIBs offered to countries when it boosts their revenue.

Another contributing factor is the dramatic reduction in the number of large-scale kennels and dedicated breeders whose breeding programs have developed a distinctive “line” in a breed. These breeders would be where ascendant breeders turned when they needed foundation stock or stud dogs. We have seen a huge demise in such kennels in the U.K., where nowadays it would be hard to find a kennel in any breed where you could find just six available stud dogs. Most exhibitors these days just keep a handful of dogs in a modest home, which is the result of economics. Few people can afford to indulge a hobby which demands a larger property and kennel staff, though some support their breeding and exhibiting activities by combining them with a boarding and/or grooming business, but these are now few and far between.

Then we have to consider the lack of young people coming into the sport. These days the younger generations seem to live in cyberspace, and there are so many leisure-time alternatives to showing dogs. The sport has to be attractive to them — first to lure them in and then to keep them. Many youngsters are soon disillusioned if they receive no warm welcome and encouragement. I have mentioned in a previous article the wisdom of those elderly breeders who may no longer be able to show their dogs to advantage recognizing talent in Junior handlers and developing a bond with them, giving them the opportunity to handle top quality dogs … and by this I mean allowing them to handle the dog totally, not just letting them move the dog and insisting on setting the dog up so the judges can recognize a familiar face!

Your readers will be aware of the Split Four Summer Night shows held annually in Croatia, which I have covered in the past. Every night the Junior handling competitions are packed with youngsters from many different countries, and their talent is obvious. The mastermind behind Split is my good friend Ante Lucin, someone who started young and has a special interest in fostering the enthusiasm of Juniors. In the past in his popular weekly interview Talking Dogs With Ante, he has gathered together groups of young people to discuss their views and ambitions. It has been quite worrying that, while the majority of young people have expressed the desire to become successful handlers and later judges, very few of them have actually mentioned wanting to become famous BREEDERS. Maybe this is because they have already become aware of the vast amount of red tape, rules and regulations that in the modern world make breeding dogs more and more difficult.

We then have to look at what I believe is the biggest problem we are facing in the purebred dog world, and that is the lack of communication to the general public. You can find any number of discussion groups and talking shops where our difficulties are talked about, but they are restricted to those involved with the sport, and it’s very much a case of preaching to the converted. What is sadly lacking is any positive action by governing bodies in getting our message across — that owning a purebred dog has huge advantages. In my opinion the only major organization to be visibly communicating with Joe Public is the American Kennel Club, which is clearly prepared to invest huge sums of money in a public-relations exercise. Apart from them, who is doing anything to reach the potential pet buyer and convince them that owning a purebred whose size, shape, coat and character are entirely predictable is a far better option than contemplating a designer crossbred bred by someone whose only incentive is profit?

The BBC television program “Pedigree Dogs Exposed” did irreparable harm to our world, and we are still dealing with the fallout. Almost overnight the viewing public was convinced that purebreds are riddled with hereditary diseases, short lived and unreliable. Organizations that masquerade under the banner of “Animal Welfare” have huge budgets, thanks to the support of ill-informed but wealthy patrons, and consequently they have very sophisticated PR. What are our kennel clubs or the FCI doing to counteract their propaganda?

Maybe it is time to look not so much at the bigger picture — which may just be a pipedream — and attempt to redress the balance closer to home? There are many ways that small groups can make a difference. Local canine societies could easily contact schools with a view to visiting with a cross-section of purebreds, and serious breeders who could talk to children about their chosen breed. The kids go home filled with enthusiasm and sow the seed with their parents, who may be just considering going along to the local shelter.

I was recently involved with a Companion Dog Show (we used to call them Exemption Shows) where a few pedigree classes were scheduled but also a load of novelty classes that were open to dogs of any breed or parentage. The show was heavily advertised locally (and of course on Facebook via several group and private pages). The judge of the Pedigree classes was Chris Amoo, who is known in the dog world for his top-winning Afghans and Irish Wolfhounds, but he also has a public persona, being the lead singer of The Real Thing, the popular band that has worked solidly for 50 years and whose hit single — “You To Me Are Everything” —remains the most-played song at weddings! Consequently Chris was a great draw for the public. Needless to say, we used Chris’ photo of his Crufts Best in Show in promotion. The novelty classes were judged by Faye Bevis, who owns the famous Stecal Akitas but also has a high profile as a local groomer, these days having many “Oodles” as clients, so many of her customers supported and brought along their friends. These shows are always organized to raise money for charities, and ours raised more than £2,000, which was split between Alzheimer’s research and Streetvet, an organization that provided free veterinary care for pets owned by the homeless. It was amazing how many owners of dogs of dubious backgrounds expressed an interest in the purebreds, engaging with the breeders and asking for information. There is every chance that these people will in the future consider a purebred, having met them firsthand and seen what they have to offer.

So perhaps rather than bitch about the wealthy governing bodies doing very little to promote their paying customers, we could look at our own doorstep as a starting point. After all, “Mighty oaks from little acorns grow.”