If you’ve been in the sport of purebred dogs for more than five minutes, you’ve heard the phrase “Breed Standard.” At Dog Show Mentor, every member takes a thorough look at their Breed Standard and finds the answers to many questions about showing and breeding dogs.
Taking a deep dive into your Standard, you develop an understanding of the ways that it affects your breed’s future. It also helps you hone in on how you fit into guiding your breed looking ahead.
When you understand how Breed Standards evolve, you’re not just satisfying curiosity—you’re stepping into a leadership role in shaping the future of your breed. As someone who has worked directly with parent clubs, I’ve had the privilege of helping clubs navigate the sometimes-murky process of revising their Breed Standards. Now, I’m lifting the veil so that you can understand how and why it all works. It’s about empowerment.
Breed Standards define everything. They guide how we breed, how we judge, and how we show. They ensure consistency, preserve hallmark traits, and protect the integrity of your breed over generations. In short, they are the legal and cultural DNA of every breed. However, sometimes Standards change. Here are some of the reasons why:
When Standards change, most exhibitors, even longtime breeders, don’t fully understand the process for changing them. That’s what this article is about: Not just what changes are made but how, why, and by whom.
Contrary to common belief, the AKC (American Kennel Club) doesn’t write your Breed Standard. That responsibility—and privilege—belongs solely to the parent club. The AKC Guidelines for Writing Breed Standards state:
“It shall be the duty and privilege of each parent member specialty club to define precisely the true type of the breed of purebred dogs which it was organized to promote and improve.”
That wording is powerful: “duty and privilege.” Your club—not the AKC—is entrusted with defining the breed. The parent club creates the Standard, and once approved by the AKC Board of Directors, it becomes “the sole Standard of excellence by which dogs are bred and judged.”
Yes, you read that right: the AKC Board must approve every change. It’s not 100 percent the parent club’s decision. AKC determines the formatting as well.
And once there is an official change, no revision can be made without going through a formal process. The parent club owns the Breed Standard—but within a specific set of AKC rules and circumstances.
A revision includes any change, deletion, interpretation, or clarification to an existing Breed Standard. These elements were taken directly from the Guidelines for Writing Breed Standards by the American Kennel Club. Direct quotes are so noted.
Your club’s Constitution and By-Laws have a system in place to create a Breed Standard Revision Committee. The club’s board of directors forms a committee specifically to review and
propose revisions.
Once the committee is established, the club must notify the AKC that it intends to revise the Standard. This is a required step in the process.
The committee is expected to be intentional in following the highly recommended AKC process.
Experience shows that when clubs are inclusive and transparent—keeping members informed of proposed changes—the revision process moves more smoothly and faces less resistance. Members should know why the Standard is being opened, and which elements are under review.
Once the draft language is developed, it must be shared with the membership for comment before submitting the final version to AKC staff. For example, if revisions address potential legal concerns such as ear cropping or tail docking, or propose changes to disqualifications or size, those topics should be clearly communicated in advance.
The committee should consider all available methods for outreach—presentations at national specialties, website updates, Facebook posts, or private emails. No matter the method, include the “why” behind the changes.
When members are involved early, consensus builds. AKC has intentionally woven in principles of shared decision-making—tools proven effective in mediation and conflict resolution for centuries.
The committee begins crafting language. This may include edits, additions, deletions, or clarifications. The language must be clear, precise, and measurable—especially when it comes to disqualifications (DQs). Draft revisions incorporate the feedback and rationale outlined in Step 3.
The proposed changes are reviewed by AKC staff and then published in the AKC Gazette, where they remain open for comments for 60 days.
Members of the parent club vote on the proposed revisions. Clubs must adhere to their own Constitutions and Bylaws during this step.
If passed, the proposed revisions are submitted to the AKC Board of Directors for final approval. Once approved, the revised Standard is locked in under a five-year moratorium, during which no further changes can be made.
If a revision is unsuccessful, the club must wait 18 months before resubmitting.
Note: If submitted by petition and fails, the same topic cannot be re-petitioned for 18 months.
You don’t have to be on the Standard Revision Committee to have a voice. You can write to your club, your board, or even the AKC during the 60-day comment period. You can share your expertise and advocate for or against proposed changes. And if you want a seat at the table, step up and get on the committee. It’s one of the most influential ways to shape the breed for generations
to come.
Know your club’s Bylaws. Sometimes they can be hard to locate if they’re not on the parent club’s website, but they do matter. The order of operations in your Bylaws must be followed in tandem with AKC procedures. Don’t assume compliance; verify it.
There are particular formatting rules for each Standard. They are too numerous to list here, but they are specific. The AKC expects Standards to use clear, declarative language. For example:
Use of the AKC glossary from The Complete Dog Book is required. “Standards should avoid long lists of faults or vague descriptions.” Every word should relate to the breed’s function and hallmark qualities. If your breed was recognized before 1989, you may be exempt from specific formatting rules—but that doesn’t mean you can ignore clarity or intent.
Your Standard’s “General Appearance” paragraph is the most important. It should distill the essence of your breed, outline its function, and highlight its hallmarks (key breed characteristics). If that paragraph doesn’t do that, it’s time for revision.
While the AKC now encourages a consistent, linear format for new Standards, many longtime fanciers worry that a rigid structure can dilute the essence of a breed description. It’s a fair concern. The unique voice and poetic phrasing found in older Standards often captured more than mechanics—they captured the essence of breed type. If your breed’s character lives between the lines, consider how to preserve that while still honoring the required framework. The goal is to clarify, not flatten, the uniqueness of each breed.
As I tell my members, if the General Appearance section doesn’t describe your breed’s essence and purpose, how can you expect judges or even fellow breeders to align with it?
Let me share a note I received recently from a Dog Show Mentor member. It beautifully illustrates the kind of ripple effect this work can have:
“I’m working on a medallion design for our club and needed language for the inscription. Guess who knew exactly where to go? Me. How? A certain awesome mentor taught me how to read the Standard for the important stuff.”
This is what I mean when I say: All roads lead to the Breed Standard.
It isn’t just paperwork—it’s legacy work. When you understand how the Standard is written, how it’s changed and why it matters, you become a steward of your breed’s future. This is more powerful than learning how to free-bait. This is the foundation.
The purpose of your breed’s Standard is to define its identity, emphasize its purpose, and preserve its hallmarks. Changes should only be made when absolutely necessary and with strong consensus. Stay true to your breed’s function. Use precise language. Avoid generalities and long fault lists. Build consensus within your club, and read between the lines to understand the words and their intended meaning.
You hold the future of your breed in your hands.
Whether you’re an exhibitor, breeder, or judge, don’t forget: The Breed Standard isn’t just for the judges, it’s for all of us who love purebred dogs.
I’ve seen firsthand how this process shapes the future of our sport and how much stronger we are when we shape it together.
