Page 80 - ShowSight - August 2019

Becoming
BY JACQUELYN FOGEL
JUNIOR DOG BREEDING—AN UPDATE
Four years ago I published an article that talked about
starting academies for Junior Dog Breeders. The article generated some interest, but as farasIknowitdidnot generate any new young breeders, or any new approaches to teaching breeding skills to young people. The statistics on the number of purebred dogs and litters produced every year is validating
the trouble many of our breeds will have surviving into the next two decades. Last year, 16 Bedlington litters were registered. My own breed is on a fast track to extinction if we don’t start identify- ing, training and promoting new breeders.
Many of the ideas I hear others talk about focus on the AKC Junior Showmanship program as a place to start. They suggest mandatory service in all-breed or breed clubs that put on dog shows. They suggest using a trip to Westminster as a reward for breeding and showing a dog. They suggest encouraging more very young people to travel with professional handlers to learn the care of multiple dogs. I think many of those ideas have merit, but none of them will encourage breeding because they all use handling a nice
dog as a reward. This practically guarantees all children involved in these programs will learn to value exhibiting far more than breed- ing. That has been my biggest argument against the current AKC Junior Showmanship program. The “reward” for doing something with your dog is always winning a ribbon at a dog show—hope- fully the really big ribbon. That teaches a love for competition, but it certainly does not teach a love for breeding dogs. The motivator and the rewards are both wrong to encourage what we really need— more breeders. Most Juniors spend 3-4 years showing the same dog, probably one that someone else bred. The training of that dog, and the grooming and presentation of that dog use up all of their time. They practice endlessly with their one dog, perfecting every minute detail of the performance. Many years ago Juniors were required to exchange dogs in the ring, and were judged on how well they handled the new dog. I understand why the practice was discontin- ued, but at least it forced the Juniors to show a dog with which they had little familiarity. It was a test of actual handling skills, not just a test of a practiced performance.
I don’t want to disparage any of the ideas—some of them are actually pretty good, but the rewards are still winning at a big show with a dog someone else has bred. I particularly like the idea of mandatory service in a show-giving club before anyone can become a licensed handler. Most young people have no idea how shows get put together, or the amount of work individuals put in to make sure shows run smoothly. Not only should they become members, but they should show evidence that they successfully served on a subcommittee or two. Tell me about the issues involved in setting up reserved grooming or finding stewards. Tell me how you would encourage more spectators to come watch the show ad why that’s
“MOST YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE NO IDEA HOW SHOWS GET PUT TOGETHER, OR THE AMOUNT OF WORK INDIVIDUALS PUT IN TO MAKE SURE SHOWS RUN SMOOTHLY.
Not only should they become members,
but they should show evidence that they successfully served on a subcommittee or two.”
78 • ShowSight Magazine, auguSt 2019