ILP or Canine Partners?

I'm thinking I'm going to try out some rally with Romeo...it's now or never, really. He is a purebred ACD but not registered...is there a difference between registering PAL/ILP or the Canine Partners in AKC? He is neutered so that's not a big deal. I'm leaning towards Canine Partners because there are some extra benefits, but would like to know the difference.

If you are a Canine Partner, you get to say "Come on, partner" in a cowboy drawl whenever they call you from the gate at a trial.

Is there a bigger benefit than that?

PAL identifies them as a breed and requires pictures. Canine Partners registers them as mixed breeds. All trials take ILP/PAL registered dogs. Not all trials take Canine Partners dogs. (Probably not a big deal with rally.)

The difference is that if he's ILP'd as a ACD then he can do the "purebred ACD" stuff like Tracking and Herding (if they herd in AKC) in addition to Rally, Obedience, and Agility. He can't do conformation either way, or the other breed specific stuff that ACDs are not permitted to do, like hunt tests.

If he's a Canine Partner then he can play in Agility, Obedience, Rally, and the all-breed Lure Coursing ability test thing, but nothing else.

Thanks! There's really nothing else he can do as his vision is deteriorating, or I would for sure be pursuing herding.

Tracking could still be an option though if you are interested and his sight isn't too terrible. He would need the ILP for that. But yeah otherwise it doesn't really matter. Good luck either way

Yeah, I'd do ILP if possible for the reasons listed above. It's a little more work though, as you will have to send in pics and proof of spay/nueter. Also, it means that if you wanted to, for example, do Rally at an ACD speciality, you could. You won't have that ability with Canine Partners.

Hmm..yeah I guess you guys are right. Man I wish I could do tracking, would be so much fun...I just hate to put the time into training and not be able to. Blind tracking dog? I just don't know what kind of time we have now..he's blind at night/low light situations. They say it's about a year after you notice the night blindness, but I think it's been longer than that since I knew something was up.

This is actually kind of interesting..so say if you got a Kelpie, or even a mixed herding breed (Hangin tree, etc) that isn't listed under the ILP stuff, you wouldn't be able to do herding trials? That really sucks...something to consider for the future.

Correct. So the Kelpies and Koolies on this board wouldn't be able to do herding or tracking with AKC because they'd have to be registered as Canine Partners.

Further, they would have to be spay/neutered to do even that, so for them to compete in AKC they'd have to be taken out of the small gene pool for their breed in this country.

Plus... Typically people that get these non AKC herding dogs want to pursue herding in other venues or simply on their own ranches. The Kelpie people don't want their breed KC recognized (they are recognized in CKC though).

Hence the late altering plan with Zinga. Zuma is a PAL but we only compete in agility right now so I'm not too much help on the difference! It was super easy to register, I didn't even have to send proof of spay but was prepared to if they asked for it.

She's a PAL? Isn't that Purebred Alternative Listing? I thought she would have to do Canine Partners. Does that mean she can try herding?!

Shiznit. I meant the other one... that's what I get for typing and drinking again.

I don't know a whole lot about herding but arn't there other venues than AKC? Like where do all the AKC-hating border collie people compete, just ABCA?

Yes I understand that, though there are very few non-AKC herding trials in this area. And most of the ones through other venues are affiliated with someone I do not support. Hmm..great..things to think about .

AKC, ASCA, AHBA, and USBCHA all do herding trials in the U.S. Everyone I've ever talked to said AKC's is the easiest and for BC people USBCHA seems to be the pinnacle but I haven't done real herding and have only seen a little so I can't weigh in on that.

Yep I do ASCA herding, and they allow many herding breeds, even some very obscure ones, to compete

**** IT, I was excited LOL.

What I really, REALLY don't get is why Canine Partners can't do tracking? I get that herding and field trials and coursing are all breed/type specific, but tracking? It seems to be the odd man out, and it's long been an all-breed sport.

Even herding...there are enough purpose-bred mixed breeds now that could compete. Maybe they don't want mixed breeds kicking butt in these sports .

Well, you could try registering him with the Mixed Breed Club, too (http://mbdca.tripod.com/index.html). They offer titles in obedience, rally, conformation, lure coursing, tracking, versatility and retriever instinct.