In need of opinions

[Travis & Dio the dog]

I would like to become a member at a local beagle club in my area but my dog Isnt akc registerd so the club is reluctant to let him on grounds in fear he may find a hot female, which I completly understand as accidents do happen. A member told me that the club would consider making me a member if I were to have the dog fixed and then registered which is also no big deal since I had no plans of ever breeding him. My only question is does it affect their desire to hunt as of now there is nothing he would rather do but Id hate to get him fixed and have him turn fat and lazy on me. I really need opinions on this so everyones two cents is welcome

[Laneline]

I would like to become a member at a local beagle club in my area but my dog Isnt akc registerd so the club is reluctant to let him on grounds in fear he may find a hot female, which I completly understand as accidents do happen. A member told me that the club would consider making me a member if I were to have the dog fixed and then registered which is also no big deal since I had no plans of ever breeding him. My only question is does it affect their desire to hunt as of now there is nothing he would rather do but Id hate to get him fixed and have him turn fat and lazy on me. I really need opinions on this so everyones two cents is welcome

Those of you that belong to AKC clubs I’m sure already know what I am about to say, simply because your club’s President & Secretary has gone over it with their members. But those of you with no affiliation with an AKC club may not have a clue of changes in the AKC this past year.

As far as your particular question, the AKC has actually addressed this and made provisions for this. Now after living in 6 different states in the last 21 years, and establishing and/or assisted in establishing 11 different Beagle clubs and was a licensed judge and held a variety of different positions within the clubs, I have enough experience to know what I am about to say is “controversial”. But love it, hate it, agree with it or disagree with it… changes come and changes go and some changes are welcome and some are not. I have learned that when you get a group of people together that are “passionate” about any subject, being a Beagle Club, Sports Team, Lodge or even a Church, 100% agreement and peace is hard to come by.

Club members may not like it “or what is coming”, but according to the AKC the rule has been, you can register your dog here: and providing that your dog is spayed or neutered, not only can you become a member of the club, but you can also participate in any “AKC Performance Event”, “EXCEPT” FOR BEAGLE FIELD TRIALS.

But if it were me and I had “grade dogs”, I would participate in the PAL/ILP http://www.akc.org/reg/ilpex.cfm and/or Foundation Stock Service, http://www.akc.org/reg/fss_details.cfm simply because like it, believe it, disagree with it… it really does not change anything, change is on the way. Participate in these programs now, by your 4th or 5th generation of breeding, once you’re in the program, your dogs will have full registration privileges. The writing is on the wall, most of the time, money dictates changes made. It is already in effect for the majority of the “breeds”, it will come around to the Beagles too.

I love “tradition”, and I am not a “lover” of liberal change… but without consistency, you have nothing,

Step #1 has already been made towards this change. If incorrect parentage is found because of a failed DNA test and the Sire is “unknown”, it is sometimes not possible to determine the correct parentage of the litter because a potential sire is deceased or unable to be located. In these cases the registrations of the litter and its members and their offspring were canceled. Now, AKC’s “Conditional Registration” http://www.akc.org/reg/conditional_reg_info.cfm current policy for introducing breeds into the AKC registry requires a three-generation pedigree on each dog. This policy will also apply to dogs when an "unknown" dog is found in its pedigree based on a failed DNA test. An individual dog's registration can be reverted to regular registration status with the completion of a DNA sample verifying parentage of that individual dog and confirming three generations of DNA verified parentage.

Beginning July 1, 2010, if the dog has a DNA profile recorded in the AKC DNA database the dog may compete in Field Trials. They may not participate in Conformation events, and titles previously earned in these events will be removed from the dog’s record. In the fourth generation of DNA-profiled parentage, the registration will revert to Full and the dog may participate in any AKC event.

So in this scenario, if I purchase an AKC pup, and the sire is wrong and unknown due to a DNA test, if I DNA the pup and the next 3 generations out of that pup, those pups on the 4th generation will then receive full registration privileges. In my opinion, there is absolutely no difference between “my pup” and the average “grade dog”, if the same process is completed on both. Soon the AKC will see it the same way. It is slowly moving in that direction.


Eventually, AKC will “invite” the fellows over from the ARHA, UKC & PKC {Beagles & Coon Hounds}. As a matter of fact, open registry is already open for the coon hounds and several other breeds, it will open again for Beagles. There is simply too much $$$$$ involved, or I should say “not involved”.

A few other rules are now currently effective and some of them have been since 1-1-2010.

One new rule states that after the entries are closed, and it is found that there are fewer than six hounds eligible to compete in any class, the Field Trial Committee shall have the option of combining that class either by gender or size into a single class. In other words, if there isn’t enough dogs in any particular class, males & females can compete against each other and the different size classes can now compete against each other. And this is to be applied towards Brace, Small Pack, Small Pack Option & Two Couple Pack.

Another new rule allows: “club officers” to judge their own club’s events, members of their own club still cannot, but “club officers” now can.

Another rule, it was amended to establish a minimum of six months of age before a dog is eligible for entry.

Another new rule applied towards Small Pack & Small Pack Option, specifically Procedure 8-J "Except for trailing deer, which shall be a demerit, trailing game other than announced shall not be considered a demerit, nor shall any hound be demerited for failing to pack if the pack has been proven to be on game other than announced. In the event the hound has been ordered up, it shall be reinstated in the pack. Any hound that has been ordered up for not participating in running off game shall be reinstated in the pack. Procedure 8-J does not state that the judges must "see" the off game. Hounds may be ordered up and eliminated from further competition but “not disqualified” for running deer.

I personally agree with all the above changes, and I have my reasons, but to each his own.

[Tsa la gi]

Totaly assinine request by any club.Tell them to take it to the toilet.Sounds to me like they might be conected to peta.Tell them to get all theirhounds fixed . Field trials and clubs

[Pulpwood725]

Sounds like you should tell them to get their own nuts cut. Maybe they shouldn't be allowed to reproduce.

[bluerunner43]

I don't agree with that reguest but I have a 2 year old male that is fixed. I couldn't tell one bit of difference in him after he was fixed. He runs just the same as he did before. The vet told me he might gain alitte weight but if any thing he lost weight looks just the same as he did before. Its been 6 months or so since I had it done and I've seen no ill effects.

[fulcount]

James
I dont believe the rule on combining males and females in the case of less than six
hounds has anything to do with combining different sizes as you said
I believe it means combining males and females of the SAME height class

The rule on club officers as I read it is that they can now be advertised judges
no member of the field trial committee can be an advertised judge as I read it
has nothing to do with a club member being an advertised judge, unless on the field trial committee

John O

[Bunnyblaster]

Laneline, I don't understand how you can even get down to a 2nd generation let alone get to a 4th generation that will allow them to have full registration privileges if you have to spay or neuter the dog to become a member in the first place??? You posted a lot of info and I'm probably just missing something but that part didn't make complete sense to me.

[MasonsBeagles]

i was wondering if anyone had ever registered following the foundation stock. I have a friend that has probably one of the best breeding programs in the US and all of his hounds are not AKC registered, I have thought he should try this but he probably wouldnt want to hassle with it. I think AKC will open the books eventually and to some extent they should.

[thelegend23]

my first dog we ever put in a field trial was a grade dog, and nobody ever told me to get his nuts cut,a for a female to be at a trial that is in heat, the owner should have there nuts cut off if they bring a female that is in heat

[Bunnyblaster]

my first dog we ever put in a field trial was a grade dog, and nobody ever told me to get his nuts cut,a for a female to be at a trial that is in heat, the owner should have there nuts cut off if they bring a female that is in heat

Is it against the rules in all or any format to bring a female that's in heat???

[Casey Harner]

Why run a female in heat in the first place???

[thelegend23]

i do not know if is against the rules,but have seen females that are in heat at trials and have been DQ for bleeding and the males in the cast were trying to mount her. akc or grade what's the differance a good dog will shine no matter what. look at what EARL BRUNER has done.

[Fleetwood]

Totaly assinine request by any club.Tell them to take it to the toilet.Sounds to me like they might be conected to peta.Tell them to get all theirhounds fixed . Field trials and clubs

My sentiments exactly. The politics in our local clubs around here are pretty atrocious!

In my limited experience, I have never seen a neutered hound be adversely affected in his running abilities becuase of the ol snip snip.

[Travis & Dio the dog]

I thought this was alot of a club to ask for the little benefit I would get out of it, I dont wanna feild trial and I cant hunt on grounds so all it would be is a place to better my hound which is great dont get me wrong, I would have no probs paying the fees to get in if I could see myself getting a little more out of it but to force such a drastic rule right off then not benefiting that much I dont know

[Laneline]

James
I dont believe the rule on combining males and females in the case of less than six
hounds has anything to do with combining different sizes as you said
I believe it means combining males and females of the SAME height class

The rule on club officers as I read it is that they can now be advertised judges
no member of the field trial committee can be an advertised judge as I read it
has nothing to do with a club member being an advertised judge, unless on the field trial committee

John O

It may be that it was explained to me wrong or that I am interpreting it wrong, but as I understand it, if there are not enough dogs, the classes can be combined either way, by gender or size. Whatever happens to work out the best for that particular situation. But, here is the rule change: http://www.akc.org/pdfs/events/field_tr ... gender.pdf

As far as the rule on club officers, you are right, I do apologize, I should have not stated it as “member”, but rather “member of the field trial committee”. I guess I got ahead of myself and didn’t type my complete thought. The change is, “officer of a club” now can be, which I agree with. I don’t believe there was any “benefit” with the way it was, it caused more of a hassle than anything. The majority are fair, and it’s not like everybody does not know everybody “on the circuit” from club to club anyway, regardless where your membership is. But, here is the rule change: http://www.akc.org/pdfs/events/field_tr ... 212010.pdf