INSEGNARE "TO TEACH"
by Jonna Palmer

The following article was written in response to recent debate over the AKC recognition and creation of the AKC Standard for the Spinone Italiano

In 1874, the AKC was formed by a small group of devoted amateur sportsmen wishing to develop a record keeping system or studbook for their "best hunting dogs" and a uniform criteria (standard) for ranking or judging these dogs.  The first formal field trial was held that year with the first dog show following in 1877.  That first show allowed thirty-five hunting breeds and the AKC studbook was born with the listing of "Sporting Breeds"--Pointing, Retrieving, Flushing, European Versatile Utility breeds and scent hound gun breeds.

The "standard" for each breed came about as inherent in the concept of domesticated breeds was the selection of certain dogs by traits of performance, behavior and appearance and the selective breeding of those dogs to maintain or continue those desired characteristics.  Today, the AKC is an association of over five hundred (500) dog clubs, registering well over thirty million dogs, holding over six hundred (600) dog shows and over five hundred (500) field and hunting trials annually.

Every AKC recognized breed of dog, and those in application, has a National Parent Breed Club that is the guardian and acknowledged authoritative body on that breed, as well as the originator of the studbook from which all future dogs in that breed will be registered. AKC has a reciprocal agreement with other countries on foreign imports registered in the U.S.

The Parent Club serves the AKC with a unique and vital responsibility and power.  They, the Parent Clubs, are the custodian of the official standard of their breed.  All changes, revisions, clarifications or additions to the breed standard must come through the Parent Club.

The Spinone Club of America is the AKC acknowledged National Parent Club for the Spinone in the U.S. We, S.C.O.A., have an obligation to the breed to send the AKC a standard for breeding and judging Spinone that will preserve the integrity, character and function of the breed.  The S.C.O.A. has the major control of the breed--we control most of the Spinone born in this country through our membership as well as having some influence over a high percentage of the stock being imported into this country.

The AKC Complete Dog Book, the "bible" if you will, is the source of information on each breed of dog.  The way the Spinone will be perceived by dog show exhibitors, judges, the public selecting a dog and future writings in dog books and magazine articles will come from what the S.C.O.A. send to AKC in our breed description and standard.  We will define where the Spinone came from, what it was created to do, what it should look like, the personality of the breed and how we want it viewed.  All of this rests solely in the hands of the S.C.O.A. membership.   The future of the Spinone will be determined by our attitude, breed description and standard more than any other influences.

A breed standard is a verbal description of the best example of a breed  for the function or use for which it was created.   Standards tell us the physical characteristics required to carry out the function of the breed, be it to point, flush, retrieve, race, hunt, pull a sled, herd, go to ground, etc.  A breed standard is not a rule book for Beauty Contests.   The Spinone standard tells us what the "ideal" Spinone should be in order to be the best versatile hunting dog, the dog show part came secondary.

The standard is a "recipe" for recreating, for maintaining the Spinone that the Italians created through "processo e errone", generations of trial and error breeding to develop the definitive versatile hunting breed.   It is a "recipe" for the definitive field Spinone.  The purpose of the standard is "insegnar"--to teach".

The standard for the Spinone Italiano does not redefine the breed nor is it "a new standard".  It is the original Italian standard in simple, easy to understand wording, rather than the technical terms that require a degree in veterinary medicine to understand, set in the format that AKC requires.  If judges, exhibitors, handlers and breeders cannot understand the standard, they will misinterpret and misuse it.  We have stressed faults because they are a preventative and educational tool.  If a standard says a dog is blue and yours is purple, it is implied that purple is a fault because the standard says blue.  As a protection for the breed, we chose to clearly tell judges, breeders, exhibitors and Professional Handlers what is not acceptable by listing faults and disqualifications rather than imply what is a fault or disqualification.  Italians don't need to do this, it's their breed!  They have generations of knowledge to guide them.  We don't.  We are novices in the breed, we are learning.  The Spinone cannot afford the luxury of our assumption that someone will know what we do not spell out.

The standard tells judges, exhibitors and breeders that "any characteristic which interferes with the accomplishment of the breed's function is a serious fault".  The breed is to be exhibited in "natural coat"--that the appearance may not be altered (fluffed-up, clipped or faked) to deviate from the natural look of a functional field dog.   "Vigorous and robust, his purpose as a hardworking gun dog is evident."   Resistant to fatigue, an experienced hunter on any terrain, weather resistant coat--enable him to negotiate underbrush and endure cold temperatures.

The movement described is to produce a ground eating endurance trot that can cover distance over irregular terrain with ease.  The hair coat in the standard wasn't selected for beauty, it protects the dog in brush and in cold water and bad weather.

Again and again the standard stresses, emphasizes, demands that the reader recognize the Spinone is a working, hunting dog.  He MAY NOT be perceived as a fluffy "show dog".  He WILL NOT be groomed or presented as one.  This wording, and it is strong, cautionary wording for AKC standards, was specifically included to protect the breed and disallow it being viewed as anything other than a field dog.  The serious faults and disqualifications are designed to prevent dogs that do not conform to the description of a working hunter from becoming a representative or example of perfection of the breed.  Judges don't allow dogs with disqualifications or serious faults to win.  They can't, if it is in the standard, it is contestable and the judge is in trouble.  Dog show people don't breed dogs with serious faults or disqualifications lightly.  They have no desire to create more disqualifiable dogs that they can't work or show.  Therefore, serious faults and disqualifications become a protection for the breed.

A responsible Spinone owner is "avere un obbligo con", under an obligation and has a responsibility to learn what the Spinone standard or"recipe" shows to be a correct field dog, to know the pedigree and the quality, or lack thereof, of the dogs therein before any decision is made regarding breeding.  We need to bite the unpalatable bullet and acknowledge that not all Spinone should be bred.  A fact of genetics is that good dogs reproduce good dogs and bad dogs reproduce bad dogs in overwhelming odds.  The standard defines the best example of Spinone as a Versatile Hunting Dog.  Dog shows are only a spin-off.   We can't breed away from or in disregard of the standard "because I breed hunting dogs, not show dogs".  The standard is for field dogs!   Loose droopy eyes, a bad bite, long fluffy coat and unsoundness are all detrimental to a dog in the field--not just for "beauty contest" judging.  Yes, a dog with bad eyes, sway back and a thick, fluffy coat can work in the field, but he works harder and is at a disadvantage to a dog with correct conformation and proper coat.   It takes as much effort and time to train a bad quality dog as it does to train a good quality dog.

We cannot take the standard as a personal indictment against our dog or wish to alter or minimize the purpose of the standard as a defense of our own beloved dog.  That's destructive and in opposition to this standard.  The bulk of complaints on this standard have been issued as a defense of existing dogs that deviate from the standard.

FACT:  No breed of dog is ruined by AKC recognition.  AKC recognition brings a breed into the public's view, gives it higher visibility and recognition.  It may even induce more people to want a Spinone.   The damage comes from a supply and demand situation from within the Parent Club.   Only we, the breeders, can ruin the breed by breeding quantity rather than quality, selling puppies indiscriminately and to the wrong people.  We can destroy this wonderful "dono" or gift from Italy by justifying poor quality dogs being bred because there is money to be made or because a demand for pups exists or because of a "I have a right to breed the dog that I have--good or bad" mentality.

The Saluki and Whippet Parent Clubs lure course and race dogs at their Specialties and give special awards to truly functional dogs. Proudly, their top winning Best in Show champions and their top coursing and racing champions are the same dogs.  There is no separation of breed.  Terriers go to ground and hunt trial their same top dogs.  Alaskan Malamutes require sled pulling and pack carrying at National Specialties to reaffirm the dogs original function.  We can do the same.

The Kentuckiana Cluster, the largest dog show held (5000 dogs over 5 days) in the U.S., top group and Best in Show winning dogs also won weight pull, obedience, racing, terrier trials, herding events or field trials.  Dog people will honor accomplishments and will treat our breed with the respect that we do as a Parent Club.

How we, as the Parent Club, treat the breed at our National and Regional Specialty Shows will also safeguard and protect.  At our Annual Meeting shows, we have held special classes for dogs with field trial wins (dual purpose), special awards for dogs with both field and show wins.  This reinforces the message.  We have been so fortunate to have the quality and luxury of Italian judges at our Annual Meetings.  Few breeds boast this, especially in the beginning.

The bottom line is that if the S.C.O.A. doesn't comply with AKC as the Parent Club, another group will become the Parent Club and take the breed into AKC.  We all know that that would be tragic for the breed.  Again, it is our message to send and it is a great responsibility and obligation.  We will have only ourselves to blame if we don't.