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.
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.