Why Do National Dog Shows Not Allow Mixed Breeds?

As a casual viewer, you might need clarification about different aspects of the sport when watching a dog show on television or attending it in person. However, here we will answer some basic questions regarding these shows so that you understand the same better.

Who attends these dog shows?

Most dog handlers that you see attending these shows are complete professionals. They have spent the entire year showing a series of dogs on behalf of their owners. A pro handler is supposed to be responsible for the following aspects of their charges:

• grooming
• conditioning
• transportation
• diet

Often, they are helped by assistants in such work. However, some of the handlers you see on these dog shows are breeders and owners of the dog.

They may be amateurs from a technical point of view, but in reality, there is nothing amateurish about the expertise that they possess. The following entities act as judges on dog shows:

• breeders
• amateur breeder-handlers
• pro handlers
• members of dog clubs

A lot of individuals have played these roles, but the thing is that all judges are licensed and approved by AKC (American Kennel Club). The club that sponsors these dog shows selects the judges.

How do dogs get into these shows?

By the time you settle down before your TV screens with your favorite beverage and popcorn, a lot has been decided on this topic. During the day that the show is held, the dogs compete for various awards within their respective breeds.

When a dog wins the Best of Breed award, a coveted one in this context, it entitles them to move on to the group show telecasted on your screens. The overall winner of each of the seven breed groups of AKC is decided.

So, by the time your feet touch that Ottoman, many entries have been whittled down to just one dog from each breed group.

How are various breeds judged?

The judges do not compare dogs of various breeds with each other. What they do is compare each of them to their breed standard.

The breed standard can be defined as a written guide focusing on the features that make the breed unique. It also spells out the qualities they must possess to do the job that they were bred for.

It includes features such as temperament and physical characteristics. The AKC parent club, the national organization devoted to the breed, writes the standards and is approved by AKC.

The standard can be defined as the blueprint of the breeder and the instrument that a judge uses to evaluate how well a breeder has done their work.

Why are mixed breeds not allowed to take part in these shows?

These dog shows serve a definite purpose – improving and maintaining the breeds taking part over there.

Underneath all the glamour, showmanship, and competition, the dog shows are a breeding stock exhibition. This is where breeders show their stocks and let experts judge them. Thus, according to the authorities, it would be pointless if conformation shows allowed the following kinds of dogs to take part in them:

• mixed breeds
• purebreds sans pedigree
• purebreds who cannot reproduce

However, AKC does allow mixed breeds to enroll as canine partners, and they can participate in other types of shows, such as agility and fast CAT, to name a few.

Dog shows where mixed breeds are allowed to take part.

There are certain shows where mixed-breed dogs are permitted to take part, and they may be named as below:

• The American Rescue Dog Breed Show
• The Farm Dog of the Year
• Scruffts
• The World’s Ugliest Dog Contest
• AKC National Obedience and Agility Championship

Hallmark hosts the American Rescue Dog Breed Show, the most warm-and-fuzzy and feel-good show of the year. The Farm Dog of the Year is a contest that celebrates pups working on food farms across the USA (United States of America).

Scruffts is organized by The Kennel Club of the United Kingdom, and this show can be deemed an alternative to Crufts, a massive competition meant only for purebred dogs. The award title of The World’s Ugliest Dog Contest might come across as mean at first glance, but it has been there since the 1970s and has been entertaining humans even as it adorns non-traditional dogs.

AKC had advocated for select purebred dogs for 125 years before it created the National Obedience and Agility Championship, where mixed-breed dogs are also allowed to participate.

Read Also: Westminster Dog Show 2023 Reveals Breed Winners and Best in Show

What can you do to enter your dog in these shows?

There are specific steps that you can take to make sure that your dog can enter these shows, and they may be enumerated below:

• attending a dog show
• Make sure that your dog satisfies the required standards
• taking advantage of AKC resources
• joining a dog club
• entering practice shows
• thinking of hiring a handler

When you attend a dog show, you get to see first-hand what the fuss is about. If you want to enter your dog in a purebred show, look up the breed standards of the club conducting the show.

Issues with conformation dog shows

There are several issues with conformation dog shows that can be mentioned below:

• the dogs come from breeders
• they could be exploited
• they are not fixed as well

One of the most significant issues with these dog shows is that the participants come from breeders rather than being adopted, thus encouraging people to buy from breeders and pet stores rather than embracing them. The kind of lifestyle the participants have to lead in these cases is challenging for them.

All dogs are equal.

All across the USA, dogs are restricted or banned by entire communities because of issues perceived with the same. However, these public policies are opposed by humane societies as they consider them to be ineffective and inhumane.

These bodies say that when you restrict dogs and ban them, they are forced out of homes into shelters and kennels, where they take up resources that would be more suitable for homeless animals. They also say that breed bans never make sense, as experts have repeatedly discovered that no breed is naturally predisposed to bite more than the others.

Conclusion

So, as you can see from above, there are indeed shows where mixed-breed dogs are allowed to compete. Some organizations offer events meant only for them. You also have events where they participate with their purebred brethren.

They would not be allowed in conformation events, but on several occasions, welcome neutered and spayed mixed-breed dogs. MBDC (Mixed Breed Dog Club) is one club that organizes conformation-type events for mixed-breed dogs with three competitions – conformation, rally, and obedience.

FAQs

Que: Why do national dog shows focus on purebred dogs?

Ans: National dog shows focus on purebred dogs to showcase and promote specific breeds that adhere to established breed standards.

Que: Why are mixed breeds not allowed in national dog shows?

Ans: Mixed breeds are not permitted in national dog shows because they do not meet the specific breed standards and lack documented pedigrees and lineage.

Que: Are there alternative events for mixed breeds to participate in?

Ans: Alternative events, such as agility trials and obedience competitions, are designed explicitly for mixed breeds to participate and be recognized.