Message #100202

[aladatrot]

Our breed association is a little different than akc. Our breed standard was established when our association was created. It has changed just a little, but not to suit show ring fads. We are lucky as a breed in that our parent organization recognizes that the aussie is "first and foremost a working breed". Our breed standard promotes a dog who can soundly do his job comfortably for long hours in harsh terrain. In theory, our "show dogs" must have correct structure that is suitable to the task at hand. They are penalized for excessive coat, excessive bone mass, etc that may look pleasing to some but detracts from the workability of the dog.

Our registry is here to protect the breed as it was intended. Case in point- you are probably well aware of miniature aussies that purport to be mini versions but just as good as the standard form. They have been petitioning for years to have mini aussies included in the australian shepherd club of america. Our breed association refuses to recognize these mini aussies as true aussies because they feel that a dog the size of a pomeranian can't do the work required. They don't meet our breed standard as first and foremost a working dog. Even though it would increase revenue, they will not include minis. You can see how the breed as a whole would change if they were included.

As far as keeping the working dogs looking like aussies, it is to prevent the aussie from becoming something other than an aussie. Take american bulldogs for example. There are people breeding ab's with mastiffs for the purpose of increasing size. The problem with this is that the dogs show mastiff characteristics and lose what makes an ab what it is. This would not matter to someone who is raising just working dogs and not keeping with registered stock.  To each his own, but breeding a silky haired poodle is detracting from what a poodle is no matter how well he works. Technically, the working dog breeders don't have to breed to breed standard if they don't want to. However, by moving away from the recognized breed standard of a legitimate working breed they aren't necessarily "bettering" our breed. When you think "aussie" , a certain type of dog comes to mind. Part of preserving breeds in their original form includes keeping their conformation and style the same as it was originally intended. Without a breed standard, there would be nothing stopping me from breeding prick eared short haired "working dogs" the size of chihuahuas.

I hope I have explained this appropriately. In my opinion, breed standards are useful in keeping the "purebreds" pure. Without purebreds in their original form there would be no seed stock dogs to use in creating all the fabulous crossbreds. Hangin tree cowdogs were started by hangin tree australian shepherds.

Cheers
M