EDITOR ’ S PAGE
The Attraction of the Rare Breeds
Welcome to our Rare Breeds Issue ! Or , to be more precise , the breeds in the Miscellaneous Class . This is the dress rehearsal for full AKC Group recognition , when breeders , exhibitors and parent clubs wait for that magic date , after all the i ’ s have been dotted and the t ’ s crossed .
However , applying the “ rare breed ” designation to those dogs in Miscellaneous and FSS can be problematic . Just a few short decades ago , the Cavalier , Australian Shepherd and Border Collie competed in the Miscellaneous Class , and yet we would never have considered them rare numerically . At the same time , we have breeds like the Harrier , English Foxhound , Sussex Spaniel , Dandie Dinmont and Otterhound , whose annual registration numbers are alarmingly low despite their longtime AKC-recognized status . These are genuinely rare breeds .
Calling the Miscellaneous and FSS breeds “ new ” is equally inaccurate and arbitrary . While they may be new to our shores , many have long , illustrious and , in some cases , even ancient histories in their native lands .
What appeals to longtime conformation exhibitors about taking on a Miscellaneous or FSS breed and helping to establish it in our mainstream AKC world ? Sometimes there is a cultural connection . I have many friends of Hungarian extraction who embraced the Puli decades ago … and now the Pumi . They remember visiting their grandparents in Hungary and seeing these breeds treasured for their loyalty and working ability . Others wish to take up the cause of a less common relative to their first breed : Pointer devotees who have discovered the Bracco Italiano ; sighthound fanciers who are mesmerized by the unique proportions and primitive temperament of the Azawakh .
It ’ s always interesting to observe and compare the progress that newly formed parent clubs make in their effort to introduce their breed to the AKC establishment of breeders ,
exhibitors , judges and handlers . Some make giant strides almost immediately , rising to the challenge and united in their purpose . Others stumble out of the starting gate , bogged down by internal politics , bickering about who will be authorized to give a Judges Ed presentation , in denial about the importance of strong marketing and public relations . Sometimes the in-fighting prompts one faction to launch its own competing club . Some breeds have even had a third club vying for market share , each club tweaking the breed standard until all three appear dysfunctional and in no way competent to guide their breed through AKC bureaucracy . The AKC is not fond of these splinter groups and encourages warring clubs to break bread , consolidate and play well with others . Those that can get past their differences for the good of the breed stand the best chance of a smooth transition from the Miscellaneous Class to full Group status .
A high-profile exhibitor and advertiser who takes up the cause of a Miscellaneous breed and shows a good representative across the country will , of course , stimulate interest among rank-and-file dog people . These serendipitous events are unpredictable , and not all breeds have the luxury of such a benefactor . The challenge for high-profile exhibitors and their handlers will then be to either show the breed in its traditional , unexaggerated style or to turn out an overgroomed exhibit that will stand a better chance of catching an all-rounder ’ s eye .
One thing ’ s for sure : Let ’ s welcome these breeds with open arms and be particularly kind and generous to their novice owner-handlers . The sport needs their enthusiasm and participation .
Allan Reznik , Editor areznik @ luminamedia . com
JULIE LYNN MUELLER
10 DOGSinREVIEW . com