蜜桃视频 recognizes over 200 dog breeds 鈥� a huge increase from the original nine breeds. The charter Sporting dogs,聽the Pointer; Chesapeake Bay Retriever; Clumber, Cocker, Sussex, and Irish Water Spaniels; and English, Gordon, and Irish Setters, were first admitted into the AKC registry in 1878. These 200-odd recognized breeds represent just over half of the 350 or so breeds recognized by other registries around the world.
To further complicate things, there are dozens, if not hundreds of other identifiable breeds that haven鈥檛 been formally recognized by any of the world鈥檚 international canine organizations, from the almost extinct to the bamboo-tailed .
Why the separation? The answer actually has more to do with people than it does with dogs. A breed that鈥檚 officially recognized by the American Kennel Club can compete fully and at the highest levels in AKC-sanctioned dog shows. Plus, the breed has one designated national 鈥減arent club鈥� that is the sole steward of its 鈥渟tandard鈥� (the official breed description), used as a blueprint by breeders and judges alike.
As a result, it鈥檚 not enough for a breed to simply exist in order to be recognized: There must be more than a handful of them in the United States. So, for example, while the hunted hare in the countryside of its native Spain for millennia, there aren鈥檛 enough in the United States to even form a national club.
The First Step Toward AKC Recognition
Acknowledging that rare breeds would benefit from a running start at the complicated process of recognition, the AKC created the Foundation Stock Service, or FSS, in 1995, which allows aspiring AKC breeds to maintain a studbook and participate in AKC companion events such as agility, obedience, AKC Rally, and tracking. Currently, there are over 80 breeds in the FSS, from the American Leopard Hound to the Working Kelpie.
As the first step toward AKC recognition, FSS is also the simplest: A breed club doesn鈥檛 have to exist, or there can be multiple ones. A request to enter FSS can even be made by an individual. That said, the breed in question must be recognized by a legitimate foreign or domestic registry. If not (and if the breed was developed in the United States), it must have a documented history鈥攊ncluding pedigrees鈥攖hat goes back at least 40 years.
To protect breeds that are already AKC recognized, FSS will not accept any dogs that result from crossing two AKC-registrable breeds. Nor is FSS open to breeds that are a variation of an already established breed, such as the white German Shepherd Dog, which has been recognized as the Berger Blanc Suisse by the FCI. (An exception to the rule is the Miniature American Shepherd, recognized in 2015 because the Australian Shepherd Club of America supported the formation of a new breed based on its undersized dogs.)
The Final Step Before AKC Recognition
Once a breed has gotten some steam, the next (and final) step before AKC recognition is entering the Miscellaneous class, which contains the fewest breeds between FSS and AKC-recognized breeds. Not surprisingly, the criteria at this stage becomes stricter. To move to Miscellaneous, a breed must have 150 dogs with three-generation pedigrees in its studbook, and a viable breed standard. They must also have one club that will represent the breed as its 鈥減arent club鈥� in the United States.
鈥淲e鈥檝e learned from experience, and the program continues to evolve based on that,鈥� says AKC鈥檚 Vice President of Sports Services Mari-Beth O鈥橬eill, who oversees the progress of breeds through FSS and Miscellaneous.
Conflicts between clubs are one reason why breeds that request Miscellaneous status must have a functional parent club approved by the AKC Board of Directors. They must also have documentation that its members have voted for the move. 鈥淲e provide a path that will both educate clubs and their members on how to interact with the AKC, and be able to then stand on their own and hold AKC events in the future,鈥� O鈥橬eill explains.
How Long Does Breed Recognition Take?
How long a breed stays in Miscellaneous can vary wildly. The Peruvian Inca Orchid, a diminutive, hairless South American Sighthound, has been in the class for over a decade.The Biewer Terrier (pronounced 鈥渂eaver鈥�), a particolored Toy once referred to as 鈥渢he German Yorkshire Terrier,鈥� moved through the Miscellaneous class quickly. The breed had more than 1,000 dogs in its studbook in 2020, permitting its parent club to apply for full AKC recognition after only six months in Miscellaneous.
Other requirements for leaving Miscellaneous are having a reasonable number of club members in good standing, as well as ten dogs owned by members with Certificate of Merit titles. Members earn these titles by showing in the Miscellaneous class offered at AKC shows.
Challenges With Breeds Standards
Fashioning a workable breed standard is another challenge. Breed鈥檚 standards in the (FCI), must often be adapted to fit AKC鈥檚 guidelines.聽Some breeds have lengthy written standards with complex or outdated language, and detailed measurements. Disqualifications, too, can be tricky. In AKC standards, disqualifications are must be concrete and measurable. For example, falling short of or exceeding certain heights or weights, or the presence of a disallowed color, are disqualifications. FCI standards typically have a greater number of disqualifications, which can sometimes be subjective.
The canine culture in a breed鈥檚 country of origin can be another stumbling block. Some European breeds, particularly ones of German origin, require breed wardens to approve a mating. They then identify those puppies that can potentially be bred down the line. In other breeds, dogs must acquire hunt titles or pass temperament tests before being cleared for breeding or showing.
鈥淥ftentimes Americans who want their breed to move forward here want the blessing of the country of origin,鈥� O鈥橬eill says. 鈥淏ut in the United States, our premise is freedom of choice.鈥� Clubs are encouraged to incorporate breeding restrictions or title requirements into their codes of ethics to preclude the AKC from having to police them.
Benefits of AKC Recognition
Learning more about breeds and having a broader understanding of them and their history, temperament, and everything in between, is almost always positive for the dog community. Some breeds, like the Azawakh, which was recognized in 2019, don鈥檛 like strangers. Their recognition helped judges聽modify their exams to be less intrusive and more respectful of the breed鈥檚 disregard for strangers.
O鈥橬eill notes that newly recognized breeds are a natural conduit for bringing fresh faces into the sport of dogs. 鈥淲e encourage new people to join an all-breed club if they aren鈥檛 already involved,鈥� she says. There, they鈥檒l meet experienced mentors to help them learn the AKC ropes鈥攊f, that is, the humans in their breed community are willing to sit, stay and play nicely with each other.