Monday, November 8, 2010

perspective

Talking with Liz on Saturday, I think I need to get a little more perspective on my rant the other day on worthless titles.

James aka Maxwell will be a well titled little cardigan by the time his life ends. I'm assured of that. But not conformation, performance. Liz does AKC, UKC, NADAC, and any other performance organization that comes along. These days the venues are huge for performance dogs and well deserved for the years that conformation overshadowed the diligently trained and hard working dogs.

I have nothing against performance titles. It's strictly you and your dog against the judge, his might pen and prescribed list of tasks that must be done in order and correctly. Each different organization has their quirks in how they want stuff done, but overall regardless of AKC, UKC, MBDCA or CKC(Canadian that is), performance titles are ones that are well earned. After a much needed rest from the Dirty Dozen, we are actually heading out to some UKC shows looking for obedience titles as well as hitting the AKC trials,

So let me say that what kills me is the cheapness of conformation titles. You can get a title for oh, $100 now(that's approx cost to enter 4 UKC shows). The judge has to know nothing about your breed, you don't have to compete against other dogs but you do have to at least beat one dog on the way each show. Granted you could do it in 3 shows given the right judge, but we're doing 4 to be safe. That's just for the little "ch" letters. BIS is a totally different monster as in UKC the shows are usually small. I have a friend with a UKC BIS dog-beat out a couple hundred dogs to get it-well deserved. But when it's 25 dogs or less, you have 4-5 of the total entry, seriously...

Did you even know that there's some joke website out there that you send in like $35 and they print out a "champion" certificate for you! Yes that's right. You can buy it online!

What I also think is very interesting, is that many times people can't get what they want in one venue so they feel that going to another that is much "easier" to get titles in, is just as good as the other? So you're dog can't compete in AKC, so you go to UKC or Int'l shows and get the title. But is it just as good? Or is it simple a title for titles sake?

The biggest unfortunate problem with titles these days is that the general public doesn't understand what goes into getting the titles, doesn't usually ask and many breeders, owners and handlers, are just as unwilling to go into detail as to what it takes. Honesty has a low value when it comes to selling dogs for many. I openly tell what my wins mean-did she win because she was the only one in her class? Got the major with a default due to the cross over-had a judge ask me once if there was a major in dogs as there was on in bitches. He gave the dog the BOW just to cross over the points and be nice, he admitted it. Did the title come because the dog beat it's own house mates that were entered to create the points? Or are you willing to sit down and explain how your dog came upon it's championship?

Dog showings a dirty game. Unfortunately, it seems that the reason it's turned that way is that people will do anything for a title these days.

Later gators...
C

No comments: