D. Caroline Coile, Ph.D.
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Group Realignment Deja Vu All Over Again Sort of Maybe

11/16/2011

3 Comments

 
Picture
It's happening: The AKC is really going to realign the groups. Probably. Maybe. Eventually.

But really, I think they are.

There's been talk of it for at least a decade (or two---they're starting to run together). There was serious talk back in 2009, when a committee (formed in 2007) recommended to increase the groups number from seven to ten. But some concerns were present, and it went back to committee in 2010. Now it's back---with eleven groups, as follows:

Sporting--Pointers and Setters (19  breeds)

Sporting--Retrievers and Spaniels (21 breeds)
 
Scent Hounds (21 breeds)

Sight Hounds (15 breeds)

Working--Utility (19 breeds)

Working--Molosser (20 breeds)

Working--Spitz (24 breeds)

Terriers (31 breeds)

Toy (23 breeds)

Non-Sporting (14 breeds)

Herding (30 breeds)
 
It's still not a done deed. The change in groups has to be
approved, and the selection of which breeds to go in which groups subsequently approved. The vote will be in March 2012. If approved, the change would occur in mid-2015. Yes, your current special will be retired.

Why the change? Besides the obvious difficulty in comparing Borzoi to Basset Hounds and other wildly dissimilar breeds sharing the same group, the numbers will soon become unreasonable. AKC has streamlined its
recognition process for new breeds (translation: they need the money so come on in!) and at this rate some groups will have nearly 50 members by 2014. Winning or placing a group should be an honor, but odds like those will make all but the most advertised dogs walking away winless---and their owners eventually
choosing to spend their weekends elsewhere. 
 
Still, the numbers remain disparate. Terrier and Herding groups won't catch a break--in fact, they're still growing. Sighthounds will increase their odds the most, going from a current 29 Hound group members at present to 15 (versus 49 projected Hounds by 2014). 
 
Handlers should fare well, as they can now win more bonuses for group wins and placements. Clubs will be spending more money; they'll be buying four more group trophies and 16 more rosettes. Groups will take a little longer, but probably not that much longer. 
 
But will it help the dogs? Dogs won't have to stand around in the ring so long, although for some dogs, that might be a disappointment. 
 
The main concern is that of breed assignment. A case in point: the Italian Greyhound. Breeders disagree about whether it should go in the Toy or Sight Hound group. AKC wants it in the latter, if for no other reason than to
even out the numbers a bit. The parent club will be (re) voting on the issue soon, but AKC doesn't have to follow their wishes. Many IG breeders fear that this breed, which was never a hunting breed bit always a companion breed desired for its delicate  beauty and prancing gait, may lose its breed type in an attempt to keep up with the long-striding big guys. 
 
Where does your breed stand in the new groups? How do you feel about it? Here's the list  of groups and breeds:
http://www.akc.org/pdfs/news/Realignment_SuggestedBreedList.pdf

3 Comments
Nikki Riggsbee link
11/16/2011 04:23:42 am

Hoping that the increase in the # of groups doesn't happen so that the realignment as proposed this time doesn't happen. We don't want the Great Danes in the Molosser group. That is a group of people/property protection dogs. That is a bad idea just as it would to make a Bully group from some terriers. It puts a target on them, a list of dogs for the A/R, BLS, and insurance folks.
The additional breeds if/when approved are even lower entry than the current low entry breeds. 1/3 of the current breeds are low entry breeds that you don't see at many shows. Most working groups I've been at this year have had less than 15 dogs. Why split this into 3 groups?
It is a strawman argument. If number of breeds were an issue, the terrier group should be split. But it isn't, really. They are just emulating FCI.
Plus, Great Danes' main job was large game hunting. They did estate guarding as a part time job.
Hope this doesn't happen. Vote against increasing the number of groups.

Reply
Caroline
11/16/2011 06:49:47 am

Really good points, Nikki. I confess I like the idea of a smaller hound group---I quit paying attention after the whippet, although I realize there are some other breeds back there. But I have seen some groups this year--most notably a working group at one tiny show with only four breeds in it--that would argue that now may not be the time for this.

I think Danes are more hound-like than molosser-like, but they, like so many breeds, share traits with more than one family. I was involved with a project recently in which we tried (and tried and tried) to divide the breeds into families and while many could be so divided, a huge number could not. I wonder how being with hounds vs being with molossers would affect the breed---not even considering the issue of possible breed insurance/ban issues.

Reply
Nikki Riggsbee link
11/16/2011 12:17:29 pm

I would rather Danes be in the hound group. Functionally, they are more like Irish Wolfhounds. They have both scent & sighthound characteristics. I've found that many Dane people agree, tho many don't. Since supposedly Greyhounds contributed to Danes (tho an unsubstantiated theory), some said if the group were split, Danes should be with the sighthounds. Danes did contribute to Rhodesian Ridgebacks and to the recreation of Irish Wolfhounds.

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    Caroline Coile

    Dog writer, science geek, Saluki savant and communicator of all things dog. I'm concerned about hereditary health problems,  the decline of purebred dogs and the changing climate of dog ownership. I compete with my Salukis in conformation, agility, lure coursing and obedience. I write about science, breeds, health and competitions---and I don't believe in blindly folllowing the accepted dogma of the dog world.

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