Foundation Stock Service (FSS)
I was just flipping thru some info on Foundtion Stock registration for rare breeds in America, and saw that Kai and Kishu are listed in AKCs FSS working group, on their way to Miscellaneous class recognition. The Jindo however, is listed in the FSS non sporting group. In the meantime, these breeds are not eligable to compete in the breed ring, but they are welcome to enter into companion/working events like tracking, hunt trials, agility and obedience. There is even a Kishu who has acheived a Rally Novice title.
What are people's opinions about registering foreign rare breeds (such as the Shikoku) with American registration bodies for dogs that reside in growing numbers in America? How should these rare breeds be allowed to have the experience of being reliably evaluated as good breeding stock and superbly tempered healthy companions if not being actively worked, trialed and/or evaluated for conformation thru an official body? If authorities of these breeds chose not to go thru American registration bodies for whatever reasons, then unaffiliated breed specific clubs should be hosting these events and giving their own evaluations, correct? Thoughts? Ideas? (wink-What's the Shikoku club planning these days?
What are people's opinions about registering foreign rare breeds (such as the Shikoku) with American registration bodies for dogs that reside in growing numbers in America? How should these rare breeds be allowed to have the experience of being reliably evaluated as good breeding stock and superbly tempered healthy companions if not being actively worked, trialed and/or evaluated for conformation thru an official body? If authorities of these breeds chose not to go thru American registration bodies for whatever reasons, then unaffiliated breed specific clubs should be hosting these events and giving their own evaluations, correct? Thoughts? Ideas? (wink-What's the Shikoku club planning these days?
Comments
If I may paraphrase a little, she said that she figured it was inevitable that the Kishu would be recognized by the AKC. Sooner, or later. She is concerned for the health of the breed and doesn't want to see the breed have the kind of problems that a lot of AKC breeds have had, with title-interested breeders engaging in breeding practices that focus on producing conformance champions every season when they should be concerned about health and temperment as well.
http://www.netpets.org/dogs/newsroom/akcfss1.html
Also there was some big hoopla circa 2000-2001. The AKC RETRACTED their policy which allowed some FSS breeds to participate in performance events. Many people I knew were furious and petitioning since they had worked hard to train and compete with their dogs in events and suddenly have the rug pulled out from them (so to speak), with nowhere to go to complete their titles.
There are many that believe that AKC recognition = demise of breed...
Here is a blog that discusses rare breed issues in the US as individuals attempt to move towards full AKC acceptance.
http://raredogs.blogspot.com/
Unfortunately, there was a faction in Korea, the UK, and the US that decided to approach the AKC, and the AKC was entirely amendable to adding a new breed in hopes of plugging their declining registration numbers. The export colony consists of 6 founders in the UK which were transported in 2002. The few AKC FSS dogs in the US are from the UK dogs. Their main speal is that their dogs are "the only official dogs from Jindo island" and that Crufts was the first time a Jindo was shown outside of Korea. Neither is true.
Dogs have been leaving the island with governor-stamped Jindo Island certificates since the mid-1980's (with US owner addresses on them), and there was even a big import group to Los Angeles of 20 puppies in the late 1990's. For sure, people continued to import from additional sources, like the KNDA, the KJDA, the KKC, and KJCCA, but these dogs at least looked like Jindos more than the UK import group and they still had pedigrees traced back to "jindo-sans" or unknown dogs from Jindo island. There is still an obscure way to get these dogs AKC FSS recognized, but other than wanting to confound the faction, why would I want to aid in the demise of my breed that much more faster?
There were annual breed shows up until last year, whereby a Jindo judge was flown in from Korea to judge dogs. We even had the head judge of the Jindo Island show come and judge, and he brought award certificates from the island. I would rather count the opinion of these Korean Jindo judges who have seen hundreds of Jindos over an AKC judge who most likely will never see more than 5 Jindos in his/her life.
It has always seemed strange to me that people have denied the existence of Jindo in the US, but I can see one almost everyday down at the park. Thanks for clearing up that confusion for me. They are cute pups with A LOT of energy!
The AKC FSS really doesn't discriminate based on appearance. They are pedigree-driven.
For breed standards, there are a multitude in Korea, but the worst standard I've read is the The Kennel Club standard for Jindos (the standard for Jindos in the United Kingdom). It completely deviates from any Korean standard I've read and even the FCI standard. Hopefully the people registering their Jindos with the AKC FSS are not going to try to use the KC standard.
As for comparing Jindos to primitive breeds/mutts, it only appears that way until people learn to train their eyes. Just like how some people think of Shibas as foxes (which hardly does) or probably your Shikokus as coyotes (which they don't really), people have to train their eyes to pick out Jindos from Chow/Shepherd mixes or pariah dogs.