I dont think of it as closed ,this my education time that is never ending in this dog world.I am not a member of ASSA but I'm part of the sheltie network for rescue & am the contact person for Pyrs & Shelties for our local shelter. Just because there are more shelties in rescue than pyrs (which I'm thankful there is not) has nothing to do with the National breed Club policy of membership. ASSA is responsible for over 2000 rescue success stories last year.also The National has a herding trial,agility OB Jrs & conformation versatile awards & rescue parade also the sheltie e-mail listers many that are not ASSA members raffled a handmade"sheltie quilt that made several thousand dollars for the rescue program .Realize the breeds that are more popular with the general public are going to have more rescues because the BYB & PM's have a easy market for a small dog "that every child want's a little Lassie" The attributes that you list for Shelties can describe most of my Pyrs also only in 100 lb size. This thread of "How hard it was to get in the club"was on the Sheltie list a while back &when you get right down the consenus was you want it to be a challenge & a privilege to join. There is a code of ethics When it is too easy to get in a club is when BYB & the PM's can join & then use the membership to make themselves look respectable. Our local breed club had us join at the meeting .took our money & their only function beside the two fun matches & two shows a year was the monthly meeting to eat out at a restaurant! We were never asked our ethics as dog owners or breeders. I myself tried to get more club involment in rescue & community service.I know some clubs are different but this was my experience. Breed clubs are for the betterment of the breed .thats why there is procedures on the requirements to join them.JMOO BTW in our small city in Mt 4 adult pyrs & a litter of mixed pyrs have been placed in the last 6 months by a local group of people helping local homeless pets .Several Shelties have found forever homes also. Kalyn Allison GPCA member & Canine Sports Club member
---- End included message ----
- To: pyrnet-l@pyrnet.org
- Subject: [PyrNet-L] Re:Breed Clubs
- From: EandUnge@aol.com
- Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 10:54:05 EDT
- Reply-To: pyrnet-l@pyrnet.org
- Sender: owner-pyrnet-l@pyrnet.org
In a message dated 4/17/00 8:57:29 PM Pacific Daylight Time, pyrnet-l-owner@pyrnet.org writes: << GPCA was much easier to join than my other breed ,Shelties. The ASSA requires 5years actively showing/training in chosen field-performance/conformation, achieving a title on a sheltie be it a CD or CH & two members in your area that have been to your house & seen your setup write letters in your behalf. >> I think it is too bad the national breed club for Shelties is so closed. That prevents others who don't show or breed but who have a wealth of knowledge and can deal with such subjects such as rescue, or even agility -- which didn't seem to be mentioned. Because of the "negative" attributes of shelties (ie high energy and barking) there are alot of shelties that end up in rescue. And this rarely is addressed by those who are so intuned to showing and breeding because they usually are not the problem. But the problem exists. Last Sunday I sat next to Northern California Collie and Sheltie rescue and they had alot! That closed attitude also permeates down through the local clubs, which in turn turns people off altogether on breed clubs and those who are members. While I agree with you that membership in a breed club may not be for everyone, I don't necessarilly think it is some huge priviledge. From my perspective, a breed club is to better the breed, from all aspects, and to do so requires inclusivity rather than exclusivity, IMOO. Elisa Ungerman To unsubscribe, send a message to esquire@pyrnet.org with unsubscribe pyrnet-l as the BODY of the message. The SUBJECT is ignored.