Good news! AKC excepting mixed breeds

[Kim M]

Starting Oct 1st you can register your mixed breed with AKC and starting next April you can show your mixed breed in obedience, rallly and agility! I am SOOO happy! I started my mixed breed in agility thinking I would just show under the other clubs but not AKC. The bad part was the club I am training with is an AKC club and most events around here are AKC.

There is more to the program so here is the link:

https://www.akc.org/mixedbreeds/

 

[lizzybeth727]

Yeah, but it's extremely contriversal.

Check out this thread: http://www.chazhound.com/forums/t97529/

 

[Kim M]

Yeah, but it's extremely contriversal.

Check out this thread: http://www.chazhound.com/forums/t97529/

Yeah I know and there were things I did not like aobut it either but I am just going to look at the bright side. It will help those wanting to show in agility, obedience or rally save a shelter dog. Years ago when I wanted to show agility I had no choice but to chose a pure bred dog since there were only AKC trials around me. So to me it will help mixed breed dogs find more homes. Also, I want to show my mixed breed and this helps.

Like I said there were things I didn't like but I can usually find the good in things.

 

[misfitz]

Yeah, I've heard it's very limited what mixes get to do. Even in obedience, they can only be entered in "mixed-breed" classes, and don't get to compete against purebreds. I heard on an obedience list I'm on, that AKC is only doing it as a kind of marketing ploy. Mixed-breed dog owners get to have a little taste of competition, which will supposedly make them want to do "the real thing." For that, they'll need to get a purebred dog.

You can already do obedience, agility, etc. with the UKC (United Kennel Club.) In UKC trials, mixed-breeds and purebreds compete in the same classes, and mixed-breeds get pretty much the same treatment as a purebred. They are registered through AMBOR (American Mixed Breed Obedience Registry.) I've been researching all this as I wanted to to obedience with my purebred mutt (LOL). Even though UKC trials are hard to find around here, I'm going to stick with them.

UKC Limited Privilege Registration is offered by UKC to encourage all dog owners to be active and enjoy time with their dogs. This program accepts Mix Bred dogs (also known as American Mixed Bred dogs, or AMB), purebred dogs of unknown or incomplete pedigrees, purebred dogs registered with registries the UKC does not acknowledge, and purebred dogs with disqualifying faults. Dogs enrolled in the LP Program must be spayed or neutered and, if accepted, are eligible to compete in obedience, agility, weight pull, dock jumping, dog sports, hunting programs, and terrier races; however, they are not eligible for conformation events.

United Kennel Club: Limited Privilege

American Mixed Breed Obedience Registration

 

[BostonBanker]

I do have a lot of issues with it. I don't like the "separate" classes (but honestly find it funny that they are so serious about it - we joke about mixed-breed cooties). I don't like that I already hear about people who are planning to try and get their purebreds in that group INSTEAD of ILPing them because it will be easier to get a MACH that way. I don't like that it leaves people with non-AKC purebreds in an odd spot (can they compete in these classes? their show/breeding dogs can't, as they'd have to be neutered).

But, it is the ONLY choice locally for obedience/rally. I can have my fun running USDAA, CPE, or NADAC agility within about a 3 hour drive just about any weekend, but the two local AKC trials would increase my "non-hotel" trials for the year from one to three. Plus I have a good groupe of friends I train with who do quite a bit of AKC.

I expect I'll wind up treating AKC the same way I do CPE. Not ever a priority for me - I'm in love with USDAA too much. But a fun weekend to trial and hang out with a group of people I really like.

 

[corgipower]

You can already do obedience, agility, etc. with the UKC (United Kennel Club.) In UKC trials, mixed-breeds and purebreds compete in the same classes, and mixed-breeds get pretty much the same treatment as a purebred. They are registered through AMBOR (American Mixed Breed Obedience Registry.) I've been researching all this as I wanted to to obedience with my purebred mutt (LOL). Even though UKC trials are hard to find around here, I'm going to stick with them.

There are far fewer UKC trials available than AKC where I lived in NY. The only UKC trial in the area was obedience. If I wanted to compete in agility or if I wanted to compete more than once a year, my options were AKC or travel. And travel wasn't an option timewise or moneywise, so I had to go with AKC.

Personally, I prefer ASCA.

 

[Kim M]

We have mostly AKC trials here but we are starting to have some CPE trials. I can't/won't drive far for a trial. I don't really have anyone to travel with. I have twins that are 16 that will be juniors in high school next week so my husband and I can't both go. He would go if he could, he loves to travel (not necessarily to dog shows but he'll take what he gets, lol).

Also, the money for hotels and stuff really adds up so for me it is just easier and more likely to be able to show AKC. We have four training clubs within 30 minutes of me and they all have obedience, rally and agility stand alone trials. They never have confirmation shows. Most of them offer two AKC obediance, agility and rally every year.

So, yeah there are things I don't like but it is just so much more convienant for me to show AKC. I don't care that they don't want my mixed breed dog on their confirmation show grounds, they are just worried those dogs will see mine and be jealous! They are worried some of those "full breed only" people will see mine and think "oh wow, that is a good looking dog what kind is that?" and be changed to "mutt lover" forever. LOL

 

[adojrts]

It is funny how things can be so different in other areas, for us Kennel Club shows are very limited and expensive to compete for agility up here. AAC is the main game (and the toughest/most competitvie) in town, I could hit nothing less than 50 AAC trials a year and never travel more than a couple of hours.

If the AKC offers classes for mixes, great, just another option for people, imo.

 

[BostonBanker]

for us Kennel Club shows are very limited and expensive

It's in between for us as far as numbers - Just about any weekend of the year, I could find an AKC, USDAA, or CPE trial within about a 4 hour drive; pretty much as "local" as anything is in Vermont. I have one USDAA, one NADAC (which I don't do), and two AKC trials that are close enough that I don't need a hotel (AKC is less than 10 minutes from home, the other two are about an hour).

Entry fees are certainly higher for AKC than I am used to though!

 

[Kim M]

Well, I was kind of put off by someone at the club I am thinking of joining. She kind of acted like this club will not be excepting mixed breeds in AKC events but I could have misunderstood. She may have just meant that the clubs have the choice or something. I had a lot of things I was talking to her about so I never got the full story of what exactly she meant.

I am starting to think this club is very AKC oriented. Yes, I belonged to them before but I always had AKC dogs. There are a few other things I am not happy with about this club so I might start researching others. Sad thing is I am already taking a class with them and every club requires you to take 2-3 classes before you can become a member. So I feel like if I switch I wasted this money on this class. Ugh, I don't know what to do.

 

[elegy]

I belong to an AKC affiliated club. I am 90% certain we will not be accepting mixed breeds at shows due to the stupid way the AKC laid out the program (separate classes).

But there are a number of people with mixed breed dogs who train there, both in obedience and agility. They just do their trialing elsewhere. I think it does make the experience different if you don't have an AKC dog. Years ago I'd gone to this club for a rally match with my little red pit bull and was given attitude by a couple people with purebreaded AKC dogs. I don't know if those people aren't there anymore or what, because I really haven't been given any attitude whatsoever about my pitties. Or maybe it's just that they're passing well for AmStaffs. I don't know.

 

[corgipower]

Well, I was kind of put off by someone at the club I am thinking of joining. She kind of acted like this club will not be excepting mixed breeds in AKC events but I could have misunderstood. She may have just meant that the clubs have the choice or something. I had a lot of things I was talking to her about so I never got the full story of what exactly she meant.

I am starting to think this club is very AKC oriented. Yes, I belonged to them before but I always had AKC dogs. There are a few other things I am not happy with about this club so I might start researching others. Sad thing is I am already taking a class with them and every club requires you to take 2-3 classes before you can become a member. So I feel like if I switch I wasted this money on this class. Ugh, I don't know what to do.

For a club to hold an AKC event that allows mixed breeds, they need to have a second set of obedience classes and no conformation.

The decision could be financial. To lose all the conformation entry fees, to have to pay judges for the extra obedience classes - with possibly low entry numbers and certainly lower than conformation would've had.

 

[MafiaPrincess]

Well, I was kind of put off by someone at the club I am thinking of joining. She kind of acted like this club will not be excepting mixed breeds in AKC events but I could have misunderstood. She may have just meant that the clubs have the choice or something. I had a lot of things I was talking to her about so I never got the full story of what exactly she meant.

It is the clubs choice. Most AKC agility people I've talked to don't think that the clubs they trial at will offer mixed breed classes as their trials already over fill. It's mainly places where trials don't over fill already that will be considering it. It's not a perfect system, and it has enough flaws that I wonder if it doesn't take off if they'll cancel the program in a year or two.

 

[protodog]

You might want to check out Mixed Breed Dog Clubs of America: Mixed Breed Dog Clubs of America . It's an organization that allows people to put titles on their dogs by attending AKC fun matches/show and gos.

If the people at the club where you are training now are snotty, check out the others in your area. My local AKC obedience club is very welcoming of mixed breeds. It's not very fun to attend classes or events at which you are treated poorly for having a mutt. Been there--done that--got the T-shirt. But I love my local club, and my mutts have always been welcome in their classes--at any level. If you keep looking, hopefully you'll find a place that's a good fit for you and your dog.

 

[MafiaPrincess]

AKC isn't the only agility game in town..

There is CPE which is all breed accepting with trials in Milford OH multiple times a year. More CPE trials in Dayton.

 

[MericoX]

CPE, USDAA, TDAA (though that wouldn't apply to your guy), NADAC, and ASCA all allow mixed breeds. I highly doubt there aren't any in your area. Just because they're not within your driving distance doesn't mean they are there.

The most I will drive is 3 hours to a trial, but it has to allow tenters. Last year I tented at a CPE trial and the next morning I woke up to the first frost of the year... and stayed the next night in the tent too. Without a space heater. LOL. Not too surprised I was sick for a week afterwards, but eh... you do what you can when you get hardcore. LOL.

 

[corgipower]

Last year I tented at a CPE trial and the next morning I woke up to the first frost of the year... and stayed the next night in the tent too. Without a space heater. LOL. Not too surprised I was sick for a week afterwards, but eh... you do what you can when you get hardcore. LOL.

That's a little too hardcore even for me. I bow down to your hardcoreness. :hail:

 

[Kim M]

For a club to hold an AKC event that allows mixed breeds, they need to have a second set of obedience classes and no conformation.

The decision could be financial. To lose all the conformation entry fees, to have to pay judges for the extra obedience classes - with possibly low entry numbers and certainly lower than conformation would've had.

This club never has confirmation. They also hold their obedience trails seperate from their agility trials.

 

[Kim M]

You might want to check out Mixed Breed Dog Clubs of America: Mixed Breed Dog Clubs of America . It's an organization that allows people to put titles on their dogs by attending AKC fun matches/show and gos.

If the people at the club where you are training now are snotty, check out the others in your area. My local AKC obedience club is very welcoming of mixed breeds. It's not very fun to attend classes or events at which you are treated poorly for having a mutt. Been there--done that--got the T-shirt. But I love my local club, and my mutts have always been welcome in their classes--at any level. If you keep looking, hopefully you'll find a place that's a good fit for you and your dog.

I spoke with another instructor at the club about it and she said the lady I talked to is against agility. She said there is a group of the older members that never wanted agility there.

 

[Kim M]

AKC isn't the only agility game in town..

There is CPE which is all breed accepting with trials in Milford OH multiple times a year. More CPE trials in Dayton.

Yes there are some around here and the club I am going to join (the one I wasn't sure about) is even starting to offer then now. They are an AKC club they they have a CPE branch that basically rents the space so they can hold trials. I will not drive more then an hour for an agility show expect for every once in a while if my husband and make a mini trip of it.

I think I will be showing Reno CPE and I am also considering showing my 10 year old Poodle. He has not done agility in 9 1/2 years but the other day he did some of the stuff Reno was doing in our yard (mostly just boards on teh ground) and he was SO excited, happy and FAST! I am betting he remembers most of it. So I could show him AKC and CPE.