http://reformconform.blogspot.com/

AKC can pull all this crap because the dog fancy is convinced that there’s no life possible outside of AKC. But there is. Check out the Jack Russell Terrier Club of America for a model of how a breed club/registry can defy the AKC and still remain vibrant, active and true to their beliefs and their breed. http://www.jrtca.com

And just as a clarification - ASCA trials are open to any and all breeds and mixes, in all venues save Conformation. ASCA also is unique in that it offers a parallel program for a dog to earn an Altered Championship. I’ve personally competed in ASCA Obedience trials with more non-Aussies than Aussies, and watched non-Aussies win top awards in Tracking, Herding , Obedience, and other venues. If a dog can do the job, then it’s eligible to come and play.

ASCA may not be perfect; any organization is going to have politics and disagreements when there are things involving money. But as far as performance dogs are concerned, I find it to be a more positive venue.

Sorry this strayed a bit from Christie’s original AKC rant. I just thought more folks might wish to consider a different competitive venue if they were too furious at AKC or UKC for their policies.

“Tracy’s listing of AKC membership may be ‘inaccurate’ or it may be a marketing ploy.”

Oh, I’m sure they think it looks good to say that on their webpage. But it’s still inaccurate. Individuals (including businesses) cannot become “members” of AKC since no such status exists. Only clubs can become members.

And that’s just the way it is! :)

This is third time I’ve tried to leave a comment.

Many puppy mills are inspected by the UDSA. The inspections can be requested and could be available to the AKC.

Here is an inspection report for the Bozarth Kennel (scoll to bottem for report)They also auction off puppies at dog auctions.

http://www.mda.mo.gov/brk/index.htm

Here is info on Missouri Department of Agriculture “Blue Ribbon Kennels”. Yes, dog breeding is a $$$ producing business.

http://www.mda.mo.gov/brk/index.htm

Tracy’s listing of AKC membership may be “inaccurate” or it may be a marketing ploy.

The info about DNA testing prompting development of alternate registries by the puppy millers is interesting. I had not heard that before.

I was aware of the AKC kennel inspection option. Since many of the puppy mills are USDA inspected facilities, the AKC can request inspection data from the USDA. Here is some inspection info on the Bozarth Kennel. (Which registers some of its dogs with the AKC. It also auctions off puppies at local dog auctions.) The inspection report is at the end of the page.

http://www.petshoppuppies.com/.....ID=43A3100

Dog breeding is a big business in Missouri, so much so that the Missouri Department of Agriculture has a “Blue Ribbon Kennel Program”

http://www.mda.mo.gov/brk/index.htm

At its most basic level, the AKC is a registry, and the repository of the stud books for the AKC recognized breeds. In “English” (G!) that means they keep records of who was bred to who to produce what offspring, and on through each successive generation. Which is how pedigrees are produced - a pedigree is nothing more than the documentation of the verified lineage of a particular dog.

So as long as a dog is the offspring of two AKC registered parents, the owner of the offspring can apply to get those offspring registered with the AKC. Whether that owner is a Responsible Breeder, your next door neighbor, or the most vile puppy mill breeder imaginable - the registration can be applied for (and usually granted) as long as the proper procedures have been followed and paperwork submitted.

That’s a concept a lot of people have trouble getting their minds around, but the fact is that AKC doesn’t “censor” who can register dogs as long as the lineage can be verified.

The next step, of course, comes in where AKC does inspections of kennels with respect to the care conditions and their recordkeeping. If they inspect a commercial kennel and find the paperwork is not in order (translation - the breeder can’t verify to AKC’s satisfaction that THAT puppy really and truly came from THOSE parents) they can rescind the registration of those puppies. Or if they find the care conditions are not up to standards, they can revoke the kennel’s registration privileges.

BUt this is where some people feel it’s questionable how thoroughly they can live up to their talk given the number of inspectors they have. With inspections generally happening only every other year or so (see shadepuppy’s post), how many infractions are slipping through the cracks? (This is much like FDA inspecting only 1% of our imports - you just KNOW stuff is gonna get through). So this is a concern.

Since AKC adopted DNA verification of parentage, it’s been a useful tool to catch these infractions after the fact. But guess what? The sudden birth of all these new and highly questionable “registries” sort of conveniently coincided with AKC instituting the requirement that all “Frequently Used Sires” have their offspring verified through DNA testing. Suddenly the puppymillers decided that they didn’t want to keep giving their money to AKC, and they formed their own “registries” with pretty paper certificates and pedigrees and everything, and foisted it off on the general public most of whom don’t understand what a registry IS - much less with ones have any integrity as to the accuracy of their documentation.

Thus began the AKC’s loss of revenue to other “registries” and the regrettable downhill slide that’s been continuing ever since. We never used to hear AKC talk much about “revenue”, but that sure changed once the puppymillers began hiring marketers to publicize their slick new “registries”.

It’s such a shame when things keep having a way of coming back to the almighty $$$ . . . . . . . . . .