Last Updated March 31, 2008

IN PROGRESS 03/31/2008

Frequently asked Questions and  Answers regarding AKC recognition:

 

What makes AKC recognition better than how things have been with MASC and NAMASCUSA?

ANSWER:    There are many factors that make AKC recognition a benefit to our breed.

DNA Profiling:  AKC uses DNA certification to ensure reliable registration records vital to the preservation and advancement of purebred dogs.  They have no hardship registrations that could bring in dogs that are not purebreds.

Canine Legislation: The AKC Canine Legislation department monitors and provides input for federal, state, and local legislation governing responsible dog ownership.  Many new laws are being proposed by many states for mandatory spay and neuter laws statewide and nationally, within these proposed laws those that can apply for breeders permits are being limited to dogs registered with AKC and UKC only and must have dogs that are showed.  While AKC is one of the registries listed they are actively fighting these laws to preserve our rights as Americans to own and breed dogs.

Canine Health Foundation:   Works to improve the quality of life for dogs and their owners by funding research projects focusing on the genetics of disease, the canine genome map, and clinical studies.

Public Education

Shouldn’t the older clubs be the one to take this breed to AKC like MASCA or NAMASCUSA?

ANSWER:   We purposely did not move on this idea for 5 years waiting for those clubs to take the first steps. They did not, yet now that we have moved in the AKC direction they have shown an interest to beat us there. The very clubs who have fought AKC recognition for years, unless they were allowed in as a "size variation", are now claiming they still don‘t want it but don‘t want us to have it either.  Our club does not care who gets there first because our Board Members are not about "power/controlling a breed" but the improvement and forward progress of the breed.  Unfortunately though in first written questions to AKC by the older Miniature Australian Shepherd clubs, in December of 2006, our Board found a couple of questions quite concerning. Their question to AKC asking something like "what if we change our mind after being in Foundation Stock Service (FSS) for a period of time can we just withdraw our breed and buy back our stud books if we are the mother club". The leadership of those clubs at the time the our Club organized were clear they had no interest in AKC recognition. So if Miniature Aussie fanciers follow them they could certainly get to FSS and stall out there blocking us from AKC recognition and then lingering there for 30 years with no forward progress. The mother club has that kind of control at the AKC’s FSS program. The best way for MASCA and NAMASCUSA to continue on with their written beliefs that this is not a breed but simply a size variation is to purposely block those of us who are serious about AKC recognition from getting to FSS. After lingering there 30 years they could then withdraw if they chose to do so. That would block other clubs from ever advancing this breed to AKC and honestly many of us do believe that is their plan. Given the fact one of their FIRST questions to AKC was "how to withdraw once they get into FSS" tells our board how serious they are NOT about AKC recognition.

What is different about the our Club’s philosophy as compared to the Miniature Australian Shepherd clubs for this breed?

ANSWER:  We are all about improving the breed and letting our members vote on the forward progress of the breed. We believe it is time someone respect the breeder who registered the very first Miniature Australian Shepherd who put her intentions in writing that this breed was to be its own breed and not a size variation. The oldest Australian Shepherd breeders will tell anyone who will listen that both sizes "always were" and neither is a size variation of the other. We want the members to have a voice in what (TO BE ANNOUNCED) does and have already altered breed standards and such upon great recommendations from new members. We love getting suggestions from our members. Our board believes that no breed organization should be controlled by a few club members in Board positions. Our club will not govern who can and can not become members, nor will dogs be rejected that have proper paperwork, therefore no one is denied membership or registration based on a majority vote from Board Members. We have one goal, UKC and AKC recognition, and like these registries will not act so irresponsibly against the breed. As like UKC and AKC we are about providing a club that is for the improvement of the breed, providing documented pedigrees with DNA backup if needed verses simply using power to control the progress of a breed.

What will happen to those of us who already have AKC registry papers?

ANSWER:     We will not be registering dogs with AKC papers presented to us at this time so dogs will only be registered off of Miniature Australian Shepherd paperwork.  If your AKC dog fits`the Royal Basque Shepherd breed standard then you will need to gain Miniature Australian Shepherd registration paperwork through NAMASCUSA, MASCA, NSDR, UKC, ARF or ASDR.  You will then present that paperwork to us for registration.   If one parent was AKC and the other a registered miniature then the offspring could be registered with us as long as one parent was a Miniature.   If AKC works with us in the same way a UKC representative has suggested, then things could even be better.   We will share that with everyone when decisions are finalized.

I hear the "gene pool" is to small to go to AKC with this breed at this time due to the fact we will not be able to continue breeding back into  the larger "Australian Shepherd" lines since stud books will get closed.

ANSWER:   That is simply a stall ploy some Miniature Australian Shepherd breeders are using who are still determined they can over-ride AKC’s decision not to allow this breed in as a "size variation" of the Australian Shepherd. There is a small group that refuses to respect the decision of the "mother club" of the Australian Shepherd who has clearly refused "variety status" which is the reason AKC will not grant it. The truth is that no American bred dog has ever entered AKC with a gene pool as large as this breed has. Thanks to the efforts of many Miniature Australian Shepherd breeders and their diligence to do "health clearances" on so many of the well known studs/bitches in this breed for 20 years the (TO BE ANNOUNCED) (aka Miniature Australian Shepherd) is a much healthier breed than most breeds.

If (TO BE ANNOUNCED) gets to AKC first will the board blackball those from becoming board members that spoke untruthful things about the our club in its first days?

ANSWER:   That is the difference between our club and the other Miniature Australian Shepherd clubs, we are about the improvement and future progress of the breed not about personal agendas.  The members themselves will be able to nominate and elect whomever they want for officers as our club grows.

The (TO BE ANNOUNCED) club is just about making money off this breed.

ANSWER:    Money to keep our forward motion has come from a few founders to promote our progress in things like this website, mailings, registrations, memberships, ballots, paperwork, phone bills and so forth.  Dog registration and membership fees have been waived until FSS/AKC recognition.  We have tried to make this as risk free as possible for our members, yet in the future membership fees will be necessary to keep our club running.  

 

This website was built and maintained by Windswept Breed Designer

© 2006, © 2007 All Rights Reserved by Royal Basque Shepherd of America