Diana McCarty | MIJOKR Portuguese Podengos

Interview With Diana McCarty, Breeder of MIJOKR Portuguese Podengos

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Where do you live? How many years in dogs? How many years as a breeder? What is your kennel name?

Diana McCarty: I live west of Minneapolis and have been showing and breeding dogs since the early 1980s. I started with Basenjis with the MIJOKR kennel name and then co-owned and co-bred Bloodhounds with TwinOaks Bloodhounds. I imported my first Portuguese Podengo (Smooth Grande) in 2007 and a second in 2008, and bred my first litter in 2009. My Podengos carry the same kennel name, MIJOKRS.

2. What are the hallmarks of your breed and why are they important for maintaining breed type?

Diana McCarty: For both the Medio and Grande size, fit for purpose is critical. They have a strong hunting instinct, but know that they need the pack. In Portugal, the “Bigs” hunt boar in large packs, and a dog that doesn’t stay with the pack can be killed by the boar. The Medio size is also in a pack that many times will include the Pequeno to flush the rabbit. They, like the Bigs, are the open field runners. You can get both the big and medium in the same litter—EVEN IN PORTUGUAL.

3. In your opinion, are there enough puppy homes to support breeding a litter this year?

Diana McCarty: Too many are wanting to wait until the breed has regular status in the show ring. While we have dogs coursing and in Rally, Dock Diving, Flyball, etc., rescue groups in Spain and Portugal market their foundlings here so that we do have quite a few doing those activities as All-American dogs with PAL numbers. And they are altered. We have quite a lot of interest, but until we can show…

4. How have you implemented new technologies in science and communications as a breeder?

Diana McCarty: We manage a database of pedigrees, have submitted DNA samples for future research, and we have several dogs that we have collected and frozen. We have websites and have done articles in many magazines. We have a Canine College Class ready to go, but then we have been told that we are not ready. We have conflicting data and, at the same time, we are told to follow FCI rules—AKC does not recognize FCI rules and procedures. In Portugal, like other FCI countries, you ARE what YOU are. In AKC, you are what the sire and dam are. So, the Podengo in FCI is six Breeds, all going to the Group (three sizes, two coats); we had to divide in a way that recognizes the AKC rules.

They have a different system of registering Podengos that AKC does not recognize. Dogs there are judged against the Breed Standard, not gaining points by defeating many others. So, actually, I flew over to talk to Portuguese breeders so that they better understand. The CDC ban on puppies younger than six months has also impacted us and other primitive breeds, because no one wants to have an extra dog at their kennel. FCI countries where our dogs are from, and where breeders are, may have Kennel Club or Club rules against AI (artificial inseminsation), so importing fresh or frozen semen is also not able to be done.

5. In your community, have you noticed a change in the public’s perception of purebred dogs?

Diana McCarty: Although some at AKC will disagree, we are VERY impacted by the “adopt, don’t shop” mindset for Performance dogs. The sad pictures of dogs in the EU (European Union) result in many placements in the US. People want to do their good deed to save a dog. Allowing PAL and All-American dogs to get Performance titles gives folks a less expensive and faster way to get a dog.

6. Have you noticed any trends in the sport? Anything to be concerned about?

Diana McCarty: For FSS and other primitive breeds, we are hit HARD with changing rules that are sent out to us from the Board without understanding the implication. Since all of us, once we are recognized, have to essentially start over for Championship points, it is far more expensive for us to show our dogs in Conformation. Unlike everyone’s favorite statement on “Juniors are the future of the AKC,” it is the Breeders and Exhibitors of FSS and MISC breeds that really can revitalize the sport and increase numbers. By my estimate, we likely have thousands of new folks shut out. I have put on Open Shows all over the country and most people who enter don’t have a regular status breed, so those people are new to the sport, new to a breed, and don’t speak the jargon that those of us who have done this for 40 years, and the AKC offices, speak. There is NO support for any newbie, except from those of us who try to help create opportunities to show and help folks understand what is meant by requirements. It is now 2025, and I started with this breed in 2007 and have NEVER HAD A MENTOR who is a part of the requirements that AKC sets. To enter Open Shows now, we mostly pay the same fee as a regular status breed but cannot compete in NOHS Best in Show, etc. It is no wonder many go to Performance events done by other entities, or UKC or IABCA or any of the other alphabets out there. I hate to be a pessimist, but I don’t see that AKC shows as they are currently formatted will last another 10 years.

7. What are some of the positive changes you’ve seen in the sport in recent years?

Diana McCarty: Positive changes? NONE. Within our cadre of FSS/MISC breeds at Open Shows, it’s like shows how they used to be. I don’t see any effort to replicate that in the current regular status format.

I will end by saying—I love my breed. As a club, we have done some good work in expanding the breed in the US and in other countries. If I had realized how some people can just change rules and send you chasing one requirement and then a different one, I would have NEVER invested all that I have: time, money, and heart. How do you fix that?