Re: [pyrnet] GPCA

[Jack & Charlotte Perry <pyreau@erols.com>]

Joe,
    When we first joined the GPCA in 1970 the membership was very limited (you
just about had to be a good friend of those few members from New England)!  Even
then you needed two sponsors.  Later there was a limit put on how many people
each member could sponsor (4 per year).  The limitation on sponsoring only people
you have known for at least a year has been more recent.
    Robyn, I think that the current Board is trying to address the problelm by
allowing everyone to join as an associate member with no sponsors needed.  The
associate members would have all the rights of membership except for voting and
being on the breeder referral list (currently you must be a member for 3 years
before you can be on the breeder referral list).  If , after two years, the
person wishes to be a voting member they will apply with sponsors and their names
will be published for comment.  Of course, all this depends on whether the AKC
will allow an associate membership.
    The GPCA is improving so much of what it does. The Bulletin has many
exellent  articles of interest to all Pyr owners.   The Health Committee and
Rescue Committee are very active.  The Versatility program and awards are open to
anyone who belongs even to a regional GPCA club.  There are many members involved
in carting, agaility, obedience, public education and therapy work that got
started in these activities due to the Versatility program..  The Livestock
Guardian Dog committee members are very helpful  to people needing help with
their livestock guardian dogs.  The chairman of that committee, Catherine de la
Cruz, spends countless hours helping  livestock guardian dog owners.  Kerry Kern
Woods, the GPCA breed information chairman also has experience with working Pyrs
and is a good resource.  My feeling is that the best thing we can do to help
owners of pyrs is to make the effort to educate and help them  (Yes, the e-mail
lists are probably the best thing that has happened to the dog world in years!).
I've spent a lot of years talking to people about their dogs; but if all they are
interested in is another "cash crop" there is not a whole lot we can do about it
other than council prospective buyers about things like health clearances and
buyer contracts.....did you know that the US Department of Agriculture used to
have a pamphlet on home businesses that suggested dog breeding as a money-making
home business!
Charlotte