Do You Feel Welcome In Your Breed Club?

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142 – November/December, 2025

By Matthew G. Stroud

When you pay your dues, do you know what they are supporting: growth or exclusion?

When a new exhibitor shows interest, are they met with encouragement or silence?

These are uncomfortable questions, but they are worth asking. How we answer them may determine whether breed clubs remain vital to the future of purebred dogs or slip into formality.

There was a time when joining a club marked a milestone, a way to feel closer to the breed you love, to learn, and to give back. Yet today that path feels less clear. Are clubs still offering what exhibitors need, or have they become symbols of the past rather than engines of the future?

For most exhibitors, that means the parent club–the national body that preserves the standard and represents the breed to the AKC. Parent clubs anchor the breed through specialties and education. Local clubs shape the sport’s daily life. They host shows, mentor newcomers, and keep dogs visible in their communities. Both are essential, but only one feels close enough to touch.

Click here to read the complete article
142 – November/December, 2025

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Posted by AnthonyA on Nov 14 2025. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.