To go or not to go...

Well, while I don't usually use my blog for any other reason except talking about my dogs, this subject is troubling to me. I recently volunteered to be on the AKC Border Collie parent club's committee to revise the breed standard. While I have 24 years in the breed, I wasn't found to have relevant experience for this particular committee. Hmmm... really? What this means to me is that I don't show my dogs in the breed ring. My reasoning is sound... I refuse to finish breed championships on my dogs and lose their working registrations which is far more important to me. I have also been turned down twice to do judge's education as well. Considering I have had Border Collies for 24 years, I think I know what the breed standard says and I should be able to discuss and educate breed judges intelligently on what they are looking for in a quality Border Collie. I may not agree with the breed standard, which is only one of the reasons I wanted to take part in this committee, but I know a good dog when I see one.

The working line BCs rarely get a fair shake in the breed ring. The judges seem to want the same cookie cutter image over and over again. When presented with something different, although absolutely correct, they can't bring themselves to put that dog up. For example, in 2009 we went to the National Specialty and I showed Seeker in American Bred. He was the only working line bred dog in his class. He was in hard working condition, not an ounce of fat on him. The judge on the first day barely looked at him and treated him as if he were diseased when he did a cursory examination of him. Now, Seeker is a handsome male, with a gorgeous head. He is black tri with white factoring and his markings are deceiving. Which is why a judge needs to put hands on him... in a real effort to examine him. He was dumped to the end of the line, even though he behaved and moved better than other dogs in the class. I expected no less. On day two, the judge at least examined him, but still dumped him to the end of the class. Also no surprise. I told Seeker he wouldn't have to go in the breed ring ever again. The only reason I showed him then was for more points towards the coveted versatility award. If memory serves, there were only 3 or so working line dogs in conformation at all. Uh yeah...

In the parent club's last magazine... the current president's message made me shudder. Why? Because he obviously has no clue about what the hell is going on in his own breed! Right now, there is a Border Collie Health Survey being undertaken by the club. I participated. In his message he said, and I quote, "Given the genetic component for some cases of epilepsy, it would be interesting for someone to look at pedigrees of Border Collies that have epilepsy to see if there are any commonalities back in the pedigrees." Unquote. Is he seriously for real????? Does he have any idea about the current studies that are going on for epilepsy? Sound-sensitivity? Early onset deafness?Border Collie Collapse? Absolutely unbelievable... or maybe not. Scary? Indeed...

I was told that there are other committees that would benefit from my experience. Hmmph... What that tells me is that they don't want someone from outside the breed world to be on a committee to revise the breed standard. There are volunteers with "more directly applicable experience" to be on it. I was told to send in my opnions for changing the standard. I will be heard. I have to wonder if that is true or will they just keep going in the direction they are going. :sigh:

I am up in the air now about going to this year's specialty. I love going and seeing all those Border Collies in one place,  having a great time, doing the activities that they enjoy. But I can also go to any working Border Collie trial or any agility, obedience or rally trial to see that. More importantly, I can look at my own dogs and see their joy. Do I really need a parent club to validate that?