In July/August 2021, I was informed in writing that the Australian National Kennel Club Ltd [ANKC] refuse to transfer and recognise any IGP, SCHH, IPO titles [Dogsport Titles] included on an overseas pedigree as part of their members re-registering imports in the ANKC Main Register. This message was conveyed to me  as part of me re-registering an overseas FCI pedigree for semen I had imported.

The FCI Standing Orders state members "…must exclusively and reciprocally recognise each other’s studbooks….”  and that the “…National Canine Organisations and their breed clubs may not make any alteration or change any information about the dog already registered in a recognised studbook…” (FYI: studbooks international nomenclature for pedigree certificate).

The FCI-ANKC agreement states that ANKC “accept the mutual validity of the Rules and Regulations relative to their application in the country of origin”.

ANKC’s Part 6 Regulation (Amended June 2021) states that:

• when re-registering imported dogs into Australia, at the time of re-registering with ANKC, the owner must provide an original Export Pedigree and Ownership Certificate indicating the “titles granted and colours by the overseas body”;
• in the process for registration of frozen semen that “The owners of semen will be issued with Certificates of Registration of Semen if they apply for it, much the same as the current Registration Certificates.”
• "No overseas titles will be endorsed on a dog's registration certificate unless the title was achieved while the dog was physically present in the country which awarded the title"
• when dogs registered on the ANKC’s main register are exported and then later imported back they will revert to their original ANKC registration and also include “any titles gained while overseas that has been issued by a body recognised by ANKC”

A natural question of mine was of course why does ANKC not recognise the Dogsport Titles?

In the correspondence regarding the re-registration of the semen, I was advised that “… to put Dogsport titles on ANKC Ltd pedigrees would be inconsistent with our promotion of the German Shepherd as a dog who displays friendly and family-oriented characteristics”

I disagree with their assertions on multiple levels.

I subsequently sought legal advice and had further correspondence with the ANKC via our respective lawyers. The ANKC’s lawyers have communicated amongst other things that they reserve its rights with respect to recognition of Dogsport Titles.

It is my firm belief that deleting Dogsport Titles from pedigrees on the rationale provided above is wrong. If there is a public concern of including such titles, then all the more reason for including these titles to provide transparency. In my view, removing such titles prohibits their registered breeders to provide transparency - regardless of whether one perceives Dogsport Titles on a pedigree as a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ thing. As a Breeder, I have a duty to provide transparency to the public.

If you share my view – please support the cause by signing this petition.

What are the IGP, SCHH, IPO dogsport titles? 

IGP is a dogsport that takes its roots as a means to assess temperament, character, trainability and workability of the German Shepherd Dog. It is over 100 years old. Internationally, IGP titles are a validity stamp of a dog that can be taught rules, context and who has demonstrated abilities such as self-control, clarity, composure, and a capacity to obey rules when in a state of excitement.

These are extremely valuable genetic as well as environmental cross-over traits for any dog expected to live in modern day society.