I really dislike people questioning ILPs for the following reasons:
As most people who show an ILP dog, when I was showing my ILP I was new to the sport. Hearing ILPs questions can easily conform the worst stereotypes about AKC competitors, and really makes anyone competeing with an ILP feel very unwelcome. If a student thinks a dog is purebred, should I even encourage them to go play AKC, knowing that there is that nastiness?
Second, most people who make judgments about a breed have no idea the variation in body type you can get (and in very few generations). That is if you don't make it your top priority to get a certain look (i.e. don't breed for the showring). I remember sitting listening to an ILP being questioned on what was a Field Champion English Springer. But since it was fieldbred, it didn't look at all like show springers, so it couldn't actually be a springer could it?
Often size is used as a criteria - well, Hunter (a breed CH and AOM) has produced males over 16" and females under 12". I know fieldbred American cockers pushing 17", and field bred spingers that I think would have measured in at 16". I know shelties from the 8" to the 20" class. There are now BCs under 15.5". How many would question those dogs if they didn't know the pedigree and the source?
With roan, tailed American cockers, I am REALLY glad my dogs aren't ILPd - because I am sure you would hear the whispers at ringside! Well - at least if they won! Nobody has much problems with an ILP that doesn't do well...
I really think this kind of speculation is not being our best selves - it does take something away from that dog and handlers achievments to say "well yeah but it's not a XXXX!". I leave the issueing of ILPs up to AKC. Why not rise above that and be the better person?
Be a good sport.
If you think you know purebred vs. mixed - try to guess with these dogs.
Guess which breed of sporting dog if you think it's a purebred (Try not to look at the urls!)
DOG #1
DOG #2
DOG #3
DOG #4
DOG #5
DOG #6
DOG #7
DOG #8
DOG #9
DOG #10
Post your guess in comments!
I'll post the results tommorrow.
3 comments:
I agree. Just as one example, some dogs have a verified pedigree that goes back several generations but are not able to register as FSS because that option is not available (or wasn't at the time of registration) so they go with ILP.
they all look purebred to me, some cockers and some springers. One looks like it might be a field bred field spaniel, but I haven't seen any of those in years so I'm guessing it's a cocker.
#1-#6 are English Cockers (fieldbred)
(#3 is the National Field Trial Champion from a couple years back.)
#7 is an American Cocker (the first American Cocker FTCH! and related to all my crew)
#8-9 are fieldbred Springers
#10 is another English Cocker
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