The Miscellaneous Class is intended as an interim stage prior to a breed becoming eligible to compete in a variety group at AKC shows. Under our current policy, the stud book will continue to be maintained by the Foundation Stock Service until the AKC Board of Directors sets a date for full recognition. Before entry into the Miscellaneous Class, the Board will work with the national club to determine the variety group to which the breed will be assigned. After a limited time in the Miscellaneous Class a date would be set, at which time the breed would become eligible to compete in a variety group at all-breed dog shows. For more information on these breeds go to akc.org
On December 2, 2009, AKC has announced two breeds will become eligible for full AKC privileges.
The Bluetick Coonhound know for intelligence and endurance and the
Boykin Spaniel a compact hunting dog and the official dog of South Carolina
January 1, 2010 the American English Coonhound - know for its tremendous speed and excellent voice- and the Russell Terrier - a working earth terrier developed in Australia, will be eligible to compete in the Miscellaneous Class.
AKC has approved a new title, the Certificate of Merit (CM), for dogs competing in the Miscellaneous Class, effective January 1, 2010
The Irish Red and White Setter will be eligible for AKC registration and for competition in the Sporting Group effective January 1, 2009. There will be an open registry for the breed until January 1, 2012.
The Norwegian Buhund well be eligible for AKC registration and for competition in the Herding Group, effictive January 1, 2009. there will be an open registry for the breed until January 1, 2012.
The Pyenean Shepherd will be eligible for AKC registration and for competition in the Herding Group effective January 1, 2009. There will be an open registry for the breed until January 1, 2012.
The Pyrenean Shepherd or "Pyr Shep" has herded sheep in the Pyrenees Mountains of Southern France for centuries. The breed comes in two coat types – Rough-Faced and Smooth-Faced. Colors include shades of fawn from tan to copper, as well as charcoal to silver to pearl grey. Although tentative with strangers, the Pyrenean Shepherd has a very lively, cheerful disposition, and is a superb canine athlete who excels at agility and other dog sports.
A Look Back The breed first distinguished itself outside its native mountains with its service to French troops during World War I. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Pyr Sheps gave their lives for the cause as couriers, search and rescue dogs finding injured soldiers after battles, and accompanying guards on their rounds.
Some Pyr Sheps came to North America in the 19th century accompanying flocks of imported sheep. Pyr Shep fanciers imported breeding stock in the 1970’s and 80’s, establishing the foundation for the breed in America today.
Right Breed for You? This breed will thrive in the home of an active family. The Pyrenean Shepherd is dominated by his love for his work. As a companion, he is very active and enthusiastic and insists upon being involved in the day's activities whatever they may be. The Pyr Shep coat does not require much maintenance beyond a thorough brushing every few weeks.
If you are considering purchasing a Pyrenean Shepherd puppy,
5-12-08 - From the May 2008 Board Meeting - The Entlebucher Mountain Dog and Xoloitzcuintti will be eligible to compete in the Miscellaneous Class, Effective January 1, 2009
HISTORY
DOGUE de BORDEAUX
The Dogue de Bordeauxs’ history is a mystery that is speculated upon by many. The history is believed to predate the Bullmastiff, and others claim that the Dogue and Mastiff breeds were both being accomplished at the same time. Some believe the Bulldog is the building block of the Bordeaux, and again, another group believe that the Bulldog was used in breeding programs further down the line. Another theory is the Dogue de Bordeaux originates from Tibetan Mastiff and it is also said that the Dogue is related to the Greco Roman molossoids used for war, as there was a breed similar to the Dogue de Bordeaux in Rome at the time of Julius Caesar’s reign, possibly a cousin of the Neapolitan Mastiff. Others suggest that the Dogue de Bordeaux is a descendent of a breed which existed in ancient France, the Dogue de Bordeaux of Aquitaine. Whichever theory is true, it is obvious that the Dogue de Bordeaux shares the same common links as all modern moldered.
The Dogue de Bordeaux was once classified into three varieties, the Parisian, the Toulouse and the Bordeaux, types which were bred depending on the region of France and the jobs they were required to do. Ancestral Dogue de Bordeaux had various coat colors, such as brindle and majority of white markings that carried fully up the legs. They had scissor bites in some regions, undershot in others, big heads, small heads, large bodies and small bodies, very inconsistent in type. Another controversial aspect was the mask, red (brown), none or black. The Dogues de Bordeaux of Bordeaux of the time also sported cropped ears, for fighting purposes. Regardless, they all had a general type similar to today’s Dogue de Bordeaux.
In 1863, the first canine exhibition was held as the “Jardin d’ Acclimatation” in Paris, France. The winner of the Dogue de Bordeaux was a bitch named Magentas. The Dogue de Bordeaux was then given the name of the capital of their region of origin, today’s Dogue de Bordeaux.
The Dogue de Bordeaux was used as a guardian, a hunter, and a fighter. They were trained to bait bull, bears, and jaguars, hunt boars, herd cattle, and protect the homes, butcher shops, and vineyards of their masters, The Dogue de Bordeaux was prized as protectors and was often found in the homes of the wealthy of France. A setback in the breed came during the French Revolution when many of the Dogues de Bordeaux de Bordeaux perished with their wealthy masters. The Dogues de Bordeaux of the common man have thrived. These became the champions in the arena and were powerful dogs bred to do their jobs and do them well. Another setback for the breed was following World War II. Adolph Hitler was said to have demanded the execution of the Dogues de Bordeaux de Bordeaux because of their devout loyalty to their owners.
During the 1960’s, a group of breeders of the Dogue de Bordeaux in France, headed by Raymond Triquet, worked on the rebuilding of the foundation of the breed. In 1970, a new standard was written for the breed, with the most recent update in 1995. This standard is the basis of the standard written for the AKC in 2005.
Although the Dogue de Bordeaux first came to the USA in the 1890’s for the ring, the first documented Dogue de Bordeaux of modern times was in 1959, Fidelle de Fenelon, and in 1968, Rughy de la Maison des Arbres. Between 1969 and 1980 imported Dogue de Bordeaux in the USA were scares, limited to a few breeders who worked closely with the French Dogue de Bordeaux Club, the SADB. In the 1989 the typical American family saw the Dogue de Bordeaux for the first time on the big screen in Touchstone’s movie “Turner and Hooch” about a police man and his canine partner, although many people did not know that the massive slobbering animal was a Dogue de Bordeaux.
Since then the Dogue de Bordeaux, has taken hold in the United States and can be found in numbers across the country. The Dogue de Bordeaux has been supported by multiple breed clubs throughout the years and has finally found security in being assisted by the Dogue de Bordeaux Society of America. Since 1997, the DDBSA has taken the breed’s welfare in its arms, nurtured it and allowed it to flourish and take its deserved place beside the many noble breeds of the AKC.
Plott
Plott Breed Standard
Hound Group
The Plott may have an identification mark on the rump used to identify the dog when out hunting. Such a mark is not to be penalized when evaluating the dog.
General Appearance
A hunting hound of striking color that traditionally brings big game to bay or tree, the Plott is intelligent alert and confident. Noted for stamina, endurance, agility, determination and aggressiveness when hunting, the powerful, well muscled ,yet streamlined Plott combines courage with athletic ability.
Size, Proportion, Substance
Size-Height-Males- 20 to 25 inches at the withers. Females 20 to 23 inches at the withers. Proportion- General conformation and height in proportion. Faults: Extremely leggy or close to the ground. Weight - (in hunting condition) Males- 50 to 60 pounds. Females 40 to 55 pounds. Substance - Moderately boned. Strong, yet quick and agle. Faults overdone. Carrying too much weight and or to much bone to desplay speed and dixterity.
Head
Head - Carried well up with skin fitting moderately tight. Faults: Folds, dewlap, skin stretched too tightly.
Expression - Confident, inquisitive, determined. Fault: Sad expression. Eyes - Brown or hazel prominent rather than deeply set. Faults: Drooping eyelids, red haw. Ears - Medium length, soft textured, fairly broad, set moderately high to high. Hanging gracefully with the inside part rolling forward toward the muzzle. Ear spread in males - 18 to 19 inches. Ear spread in females - 17 to 19 inches. When attentive or inqusitive some Plotts desplay a semi-erectile power in their ears and lift them enough so a noticeable crease occurs on line with the crown. Disqualification Length of ear extending beyond the tip of the nose or hanging bloodhound -like, in long pendulous fashion.
Skull - Moderately flat. Rounded at the crown with sufficient width between and above the eyes. Faults: Narrow-headed, square, oval or excessively domed.
Muzzle - Moderate length, flews give it a squarish appearance. Faults Bluntly squared. Pointed. Pigmentation - Eye rims, lips and nose are black. Flews-Black. Fault: Pendulous flews. Bite - Teeth - Scissors. Fault: Overshot or undershot.
Neck, Topline and Body
Neck - Medium length and muscular. Clean and free of ponderous dewlap. Fault: Loose, wrinkled or folded skin. Topline - Gently sloping, slightly higher at the withers than at the hips. Fault: Roached. Body -Chest-Deep. Ribs- deep, moderately wide, well sprung. Back - Well musceled, strong, level. Loin- Slightly arched. Tail- Root is slightly below level of topline. Rather long, carried free, well up, saber like. Moderately heavy in appearance and strong tapered. Sometime typlfied by a slight brush.
Forequarters
Shoulders- Clean, muscular and sloping, indicating speed and strength. Elbow- Squarely set. Forelegs - Straight, smooth, well muscled. Pasterns- Strong and errect. Feet- Firm, tight, well padded and knuckled, with strong toes. Set directly under the leg. Disqualification- Splayed feet. Nails- Usually black, although shades of reddish brown matching the brindle body color are permissible and buckskin colored dogs have light red nails. May be white when portions of the feet are white.
Hindquarters
Angulation - Well bent at stiffles and at the hocks. hips- Smooth, round, and proportionally wide, indicating effcint propulsion. Legs- Long and muscular from hip to hock. From hock to pad short, strong and at right angles to the gound. Upper and second thigh- Poweful and well-muscled. Feet- Set back from under the body. Firm and tight. toes - Strong.
Coat
Smooth, fine, glossy, but thick enough to provide protection from wind and water rare specimens are double coated with a short, soft, thick inner coat concealed by a longer, smoother and stiffer outer coat.
Color
Any shade of brindle (a striped pattern of dark hair imposed on a ligher background) is preferred.
This includes, the following brindle factors: yellow, buckskin, tan, brown, chocolate, liver, orange, red, light or dark gray, blue or maltese, diluted black and black. Other acceptalbe Plott colors are solid black, any shade of brindle, with black saddle, and black with brindle trim. A rare buckskin, devoid of any brindle, sometimes appears among litters, ranging from red fawn, sandy red, light cream, and yellow ochre, to dark fawn and golden tan. Some white on chest and feet is permissible as is a grayhing effect around the jaws and muzzle.
Gait
Dexterous and graceful, rhythmic footfall. With ample reach in front and drive behind, the Plott easily traverses various terrains with agility and speed. Legs converge to single track at speed.
Temperament
Eager to please loyal intellligent, alert, aggressive, bold and fearless hunter. Disposition generally even but varies among strains, with a distinction sometimes appearing between those bred for big game and those bred as coonhounds.
Disqualifications
Length of ear extending beyond the tip of the nose or hanging bloodhound-like in long pendulous fashion, splayed feet
Approved: June 1998
Effective October 1, 1998
The Irish Red and White Setter
Information from akc
Will be eligible to compete in the Sporting Group
on or after January 1, 2009
Irish Red White Setter History
The Irish Kennel Club, a brief historical summary
Reference: The Native Dogs of Ireland. Their Origin-Development -Standard
The Irish Setter probably came into its own at the end of the 17th century. It is not well known outside of Ireland that there are two breeds of Irish Setters, but is fairly certain, that the Red and White Setter is the older of the two and that selective and judicious breeding evolved the solid red color. When Irish Setters came to the show benches, just past the middle of the 19th century, there was a good deal of confusion about their proper color. By the end of the 19th century the Red setter has virtually eclipsed the Red and White, which became so rare that they were thought to be extinct.
During the 1920s, efforts were made to revive the Irish Red and White Setter. The Rev. Noble Huston's work in gathering the Red and Whites available and recording pedigrees from as far back as approximately 1790 was compiled and preserved by Mrs. Maureen Cuddy from Midleton, Co. Cork. Mrs Cudd's hard work and dedication to the breed resulted in 1978 in having the breed separately classified and given championship status by the Irish Kennel Club. The breed had re-established itself well enough to have a club of its own by 1944 and today it can be seen in healthy numbers at Irish show and Field Trials
Irish Red and White Setter
Miscellaneous Class
Contact: Irish Red & White Setter Association, Marilyn Braychak (Corresponding Secretary), 302 Rutland Road, Milford, CT 06460-2444
General Appearance
The Irish Red and White Setter is bred primarily for the field. The standard as set out hereunder must be interpreted chiefly from this point of view and all Judges at bench shows must be encouraged to judge the exhibits chiefly from the working standpoint. The appreance is strong and powerful, well balanced and porportiond without lumber: athletic rather than racy with an aristocratic, keen and intelligent attitude.
Size, proportion and Substance
Dogs are 24.5 to 26 inches tall, bitches are 22.5 to 24 inches tall. The length of the body from point of shoulders to base of tail is not shorter than the height at the top of the withers. Bone is moderate in proportion to size.
Head
Expression - The gentle expression displays a kindly, friendly attitude. The eyes are dark hazel or dark brown, round, with slight prominence but without haw. The ears are set level with the eyes, well back, lying close to the head. Skull - The skull is broad in proportion to the body and domed without showing a occipital protuberance, as in the Irish Setter. Stop - The stop is distinct, but not exaggerated. Muzzle - The muzzle is clean and square. The jaws are of equal or nearly equal lenght. Bite - A scissors bite is ideal: a level bite is acceptable.
Neck, Topline & Body
Neck - The neck is moderately long, very muscular, but not too thick, slightly arched, free from all tendency to throatiness. topline - The topline of the dog from the withers to the croup should be level, not sloping. The croup should be well rounded and sloping slightly downward to the tailset. Body - The body is strong and muscular with a deep chest and well sprung ribs. The back is very muscular and powerful. Tail - The tail is of moderate length, not reaching below the hock, strong at the root tapering to the point, no appearance of ropiness and carried level with or below the back.
Forequarters
Angulation - The shoulders are well laid back. Elbow - The elbows are free, turning neither in nor out. Legs - The forelegs are straight and sinewy, well boned, with strong pasterns. Feet - The feet are close-knit with plenty of feathering between toes.
Hindquarters
The hindquarters are wide and powerful. Legs The legs are of strong bone, will muscled and sinewy. The thighs, from hip to hock, are long and muscular. The stifle is well bent. The hock is well let down and turns neither in nor out, chocks are of moderate length and strong. Feet - The feet are close-knit with plenty of feathering between toes.
Coat
Long silky fine hair called Feathering is present on the back of the fore and hind legs and on the outer ear flap, also a reasonable amount is on the flank extending onto the chest and throat forming a fringe. All feathering is straight, flat and not overly profuse. The tail is well featered. On the head front of legs and other parts of the body the hair is short, flat and free from curl but a slight wave is permissible.
color
The base color is white with solid, red patches (clear islands of red color), both color. show the maximum of life and bloom. Flecking but not roaning is permitted around the face and feet and up the foreleg as far as the elbow and up the hind leg as far as the back. Roaning flecking and mottling on any other part of the body is most objectionable and is to be heavily penalized.
Gait
When moving at the trot, the gait is long striding very lively, graceful and efficient. The head is held high, and the hindquarters drive smoothly and with great power. The forelegs reach well ahead and remain low. Seen from front or rear, the forelegs and hind legs below the hock joint move perpendicularly to the ground with no crossing or weaving.
Grooming
The trimming of an Irish Red and White Setter should be kept to a minimum, maintaining a neat natural appearance and not to be shaved with clippers. Light trimming with thinning shears is allowed. Under the ears, tail, pasterns and hocks may be trimmed for neatness. Feet may be cleared of hair including the bottom and around the edges leaving hair between the toes. No other trimming is allowed including the whiskers which shall remain intact.
Temperament
The display a kindly, friendly attitude, behind which is discernible determinination, courage and high sprit.
Faults
Any departure from the foregoing standard is considered a fault ant the seriousness of the fault is in exact proportion to its degree.
Approved August 8, 2006
Effective June 27, 2007
Irish Red and White Setter Links
Colors and Markings] Did You Know?] History] News] photos] Puppies
To learn more about the Irish Red and White Setter and the rest of the dogs in the Miscellaneous Class go to akc.org
The Dogue de Bordezux AKC 158th recognized breed will be eligible to compete in the Working Group on or after July 1, 2008.
On July 1, 2008 AKC welcomes six breeds to the miscellaneous class they are the; Bluetick Coonhound, Cane Corso, Cesky Terrier, Icelandic Sheepdog, Leonberger, and the Norwegian Lundehund.
Fun Facts- answer to the Best in Show question: In 1923 the American Kennel Club put a moratorium on the judging of this prize until a uniform process and regulations could be adopted to insure that the Best in Show of each dog show was determinded in the same fashion. answer to the Titanicquestion: Two dogs survived the sinking of the Titanic a Pomerianian belonging to Miss Margart Hays (in lifeboat7) and a Pekinese belonging to Henry Sleeper Harper (in lifeboat 3).
