AKC and Humility Lost

Let me preface this blog by saying I do not like to name names and call people out publicly.  However, I do not think the Pure Dog Talk host or Mr Green intended to be offensive.   I don’t think either of them realized the faux pas.  i also think by not naming names it discounts my message.  I hope some people of influence read this and a light bulb turns on. 

This morning I was listening to Pure Dog Talk Episode 218 Legendary Dog Man Peter Green Brings History to life.

This episode was recorded at Santa Barbara and at the very beginning the podcast host introduced Peter Green and commented on how he has won this show.  Peter corrected her and said he had won it twice.  

There are so many things wrong with that interchange.   Where is the sense of humility and gratitude for his success?   Does that not also validate all of us grumbling that it is all about who is on the other end of the leash?

I would like to correct them both.   Peter Green handled a dog and on two occasions won the show.   Dogs win dog shows, not people.

AKC please step up and take notice here.   Judges and pro handlers are mentors and role models whether they like it or not.    Judges and handlers are the experienced front lines in the Fancy.   What they do and say is so important to the interest of new people coming in to the sport.   Breeders and exhibitors are bashed all the time as if it is our fault that new people are scared off.   At another point in the podcast Pete and the host were bantering about something from the past and the host said “see there was drama way back then also”.    As if that justifies the climate of today.    I say breeder and owner handlers are the life blood of the sport.   We should be king not the judges and pro-handlers.   Without us en masse there is no sport.    Start treating us as one very offended customer that keeps being told we are crazy or what we see in front of us is not true. 

I worked on a cutting horse ranch for about 7 years.  The owner of the ranch said to me:  “Never take credit for a win on your horse.”   It was sort of a superstitious statement about staying humble.    I really took this to heart.   If anyone could get a big head it would have to be a trainer who trained and rode a horse to a 200k purse.   I am grateful for every break I have had in my life.   I will never take credit for something my dogs do.   

PS: In cutting horses the pros and non-pros never compete against each other.