The Truth About Being More Welcoming: Are We All Working Towards the Same Goal?

The Truth About Being More Welcoming: Are We All Working Towards the Same Goal?

A recent social media post that was critical of one of my articles got me thinking that maybe I am wrong about where we are as a collective sport. I thought I was sharing to a receptive audience that is hungry for knowledge and open to some guidance. This has been historically true, but now, perhaps, I’ve learned we are not all in agreement. Just maybe we are not all on the same page when it comes to the sport of purebred dogs today. Despite our collective participation, I think we can lose sight of the fact that someone else might have a different opinion than our own. But shouldn’t we all still be working as if we have the same goal? And isn’t that goal to produce consistent quality over time and generations, even if we utilize a different plan to get there?

It is certainly okay when you go your way and I go mine, but the point in the long run is that we both end up at the same plateau. For example, you may think that you should only breed one litter a year; however, I’m encouraging breeders to do more than that. So, the road towards producing a better animal, one that is better made and finer in type, a little more breed-specific, can take more than one path. My hope, through all the articles I’ve written, is that our goal remains the same, which is a positive step forward for purebred dogs and for their well-being so that they are still sought after, and that their quality is always being elevated both in lifestyle and in their physical quality. Can’t we all just agree on that?

This goes back to some of the self-inflicted concerns we have on how to achieve goals and how to “get there.” Can we not agree on the basics of breeding, for example, despite the many obstacles and roadblocks that can prevent a person from even getting involved? The obstacles can include anything from a financial constraint to a rejection from a parent club. Those doors are not opened equally. Not everybody has the luxury of having a support system when they get started. So, when I say we’re not all on the same page, I’m saying, not everyone in the sport’s collective is all that willing to even let someone else in the door.

When we start looking at the demographics of who is joining the purebred dog community, many people are often a little bit older, somebody who’s already working—or even retired. These new additions bring maturity and stability to our sport. But if our target market is someone new to the sport, regardless of age, we all need to strike a match in their creative experience to entice them to get involved, and that requires sharing the common goal of being more welcoming. This goes directly to my article on being more inclusive and less exclusive. This is a goal we should all agree on, and one that we should put into practice. We need to make the sport more inviting.

Perhaps this article is timelier than I had initially thought. Many of us could benefit from stepping away from the social media outlets to voice our positions. Perhaps a nice face-to-face conversation or a pleasant phone call of concern with someone would be a more appropriate act in today’s hot-mic “gotcha” environment. Why not give benefit of the doubt when hearing something salacious, and simply go to the source and ask for the truth?

Today, with so many more diverse options of AKC activities for our dogs, we are no longer simply defined by a single event—Conformation. We no longer think solely about the physical conformation of our dogs when we consider breeding options. We consider the dogs’ mental abilities and their drive to compete in Performance events. With this point of view, each person decides the level to which owning their purebred dogs allows them to take on various activities.

Consider this, owning a purebred dog is a sport; just owning a dog can be considered a sport. I already know it’s a job, but now let’s consider owning a breed as a sport. For some, the “sport” can be walking around the park, acting as an ambassador for the purebred dog community. You actively become a marketer of the breed at that point. Or maybe you’re doing Fast Cat or Tracking or Hunting or Dock Diving. You are promoting your breed whenever you go to the dog park or the waterpark. You are showcasing your breed when you attend the “Drool at the Pool” closing of the seasonal public pools. All of these venues become ways for people to exchange knowledge about their dogs and what they can do, and what the breed can do and what the breed should look like. These activities are part of the promotion of purebred dogs to a greater audience, the general public.

Know that every exposure to a purebred dog of any type, for anybody who is not born into it or brought up around it, is an opportunity to bring someone else into the sport. These are marketing opportunities. Each of us can be out there, inspiring someone else to see their first Afghan Hound, for example. I can still recall going to the Skyline Kennel Club in 1983 and seeing these amazing dogs being groomed. I also saw the same type of dog at the circus. They brought me in, and that exposure got me engaged in learning more about purebred dogs, ultimately sorting out which breed I would someday get and where they might be found. Also, by example, we can show others in the sport how to get out there to showcase their breed, too. To me, this is part of our job as an owner of a purebred dog. We have to sell the advantages of legacy and predictability to our audience. You never know who is watching or who will be mesmerized by that exposure.

I was once asked, “What would you do differently if you could start over in the sport of purebred dogs?” and my response was that I would invest more in relationships with my competition. It is easy, in hindsight, to consider a utopic relationship with our competition, but I would like to think it could have been done. Yet everyone today still pushes back from the rapid success of others. The sport is still far too divided when it comes to celebrating others. It is always easier to criticize than to praise. I think competitiveness and the desire to become successful can be an obstacle for many. And since I was so young when I got started, it was even more of a turnoff. But, I didn’t know any better. I was, after all, only 16 years old, not a demographic most people in the sport are fond of. So, I moved forward, and the only thing that saved me was that fact that I was able to produce quality to go along with the adolescent attitude.

It’s no different for new people today. If everybody would just calm down and take a step back, and take off the barriers of insecurity, of fear, and maybe of some stage fright, we can all become more aware that everybody is in this together. Recall my article on this very subject. We have all walked the beginning stage of the sport in the same lane and we can move forward together, even if we are moving in different lanes. We should all learn to share in the celebration of quality and put any jealously aside, as it is never productive and is a huge waste of opportunity. It’s always best for everyone to join the winners and be a part of their celebration. This offers everyone a different perspective.

And speaking of perspective, in today’s challenging environment with the rising costs involved in just going to a show, exhibitors should be acknowledged by a club for simply attending. I don’t mean you should win because you show up, I mean the clubs should be celebrating your arrival. Here’s a donut and some coffee! Have a Diet Coke on us! Clubs have to reimagine how to host an event, not how to put on a show. With the increasing number of shows and shrinking show entries, and with most breeds now requiring the bare minimum for majors, shouldn’t we all get credit today for just showing up? I will note the effort. It is valid and worthy.

If clubs want their shows to gain in popularity, what are they doing to entice people to come? What are they giving exhibitors? Let’s start with being kind to them when they show up! There’s got to be an incentive beyond the opportunity for a win, because we don’t always get the opportunity to win. Host a free lunch! Reinvent your show to demonstrate to those attending that you are grateful they are there. Ribbons are a growing attraction. I love them. Maybe your club can offer “new title” ribbons to your exhibitors. At our show, we have a selfie station and it seems to be a big hit each year. Show the public that this is a place where they are welcome. Show them this is a place where they will want to COME BACK! These measures will increase the goodwill of your club—and they will be remembered.

At this stage of the sport, when there’s a lot of chaos, the mere fact that we’re able to go to dog shows is meaningful on some level. It’s meaningful that breeders are able to keep it going for 10, 20, 30 generations. That’s telling. That’s commitment. That’s dedication. And that alone is worth celebrating. Just having the ability to compete is a worthy goal. I think there should be a merit badge for 40 years of service to the sport! Maybe AKC will read this and agree?

In writing these articles, I wanted to provide some fuel to start a discussion, or even offer a change in demeanor by putting my thoughts on paper. I know that we are all different and we’re following our individual instincts, but I hope we can come to a consensus on an end game for uplifting both the sport and our dogs. I know this is what we all want. While we may not all be on the same page, we do share a drive and a passion to promote our sport, to encourage new participation in our dog show family, and to spread the word about our community.

What has become clear to me when writing these articles is that we are not all required to share the same trajectory. It may appear that we are all moving on individually; however, we may not all be moving forward, and some of us might even be left behind. Yet it is paramount that we unite around the same outcome: success. Success not in terms of a big winner, but success that comes from making lasting improvements. Success in the development of trust and goodwill with competitors. Success in ensuring our sport outlasts the current participants and that our dog breeds go on thriving. We must all share that basic desire, and it starts with being more welcoming.