I am still processing all the great information from the NAIA weekend. A major guiding principle of this organization is to be inclusive of all animal husbandry segments - including commercial breeders. As I looked at the photos of some of their kennels and whelping rooms I began to realize that most show breeders I know are way behind the curve in how we manage our breeding dogs - and it is making me worry about the future of hobby breeders. What happens to us when the commercial kennels do it better (and thats not far away)? The public doesnt know us, they have no allegiance to us, and they dont care about show dogs. We are a tiny part of the market. Right now its the AKC showing that makes us different - but not necessarily better. Its easy to say we dont care about AKC and the showing, but the commercial part of the industry is changing so fast, and getting so much better that I fear it is only the showing that keeps us better and different. Competition does keep us on our toes. I know this is a radical idea, but I personally think dog shows and meet-the-local breeder events are the best way to keep us going. If we truly believe its about evaluating breeding stock, then how else would we do that? What do you think?
Posted on: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 02:30:01 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015