F To Be or Not to Be
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To Be or Not to Be

Jim Engel   September 4, 2014

Early in 2014 the FCI Play Dog Commission, formerly the  Utility Dog Commission, announced the intention of removing the stick hits from the IPO trial within two years, and that the 2014 championship in Sweden would omit the stick hits. Under intense pressure they relented on the championships, announced that a new vote had reinstated the stick. But this was only a tactical retreat, not an abandonment of the policy to emasculate the IPO program.

Play Dog Chairman Jansen down played the change, claiming that individual nations would still be free to devise and conduct their own breeding certification tests. This is maliciously disingenuous, an absurd canard. In order for a certification program to be effective it must be international in scope, must provide a uniform standard and opportunity for qualification in every nation. Judging standards, rules and procedures must be uniform across national borders. If this cannot be done within the FCI then it must be done through new structures outside of FCI auspices.

Consider the German Shepherd, a breed in turmoil on every front with increasing separation between work and show lines, rapidly evolving into the second breed in police and military service, in organizational disarray, especially in America. In 2012 the century old Schutzhund program, created by the SV as a breeding standard for working character, was folded into the international IPO program. But only two years later Mr. Jansen tells us that IPO is only a play sport, not a breeding certification at all. How was this decision made? When did the transformation take place? Was this the intention prior to the merger of Schutzhund and IPO? Was the SV leadership the victim of a scheme to emasculate the working breeds, or a willing participant, in their hearts desiring to once and for all eliminate real working standards? Was the real reason for the Schutzhund/IPO merger a maneuver to enfeeble the breeding test and divert blame to the FCI?

 If the IPO title is to be pussified beyond redemption, perhaps the SV will reinstate the Schutzhund trial. But under the new world order it would be relevant in Germany only. Were the SV to seek to extend this breeding certification trial to other nations, such as the Netherlands or Belgium, the national FCI organizations, such as the Raad van Beheer, would strenuously complain of "foreign interference" in their internal affairs.

When the FCI finally removes the stick hits, the dominos will fall. The SV will have to accept that German Shepherd breeding will no longer be according to a working standards, but just show breeding like any other candy ass breed, or establish their own international working trial system, essentially reestablish Schutzhund. This would ultimately mean separation from the FCI, and I doubt that they have the courage or the will to do it. If the SV gives in and goes along, in America USCA (United Schutzhund Clubs of America) will face the ultimate moment of truth. Five years ago there is little doubt that USCA would have complied with SV dictates, but today things are much different: USCA leadership has openly declared that they will never run trials without the stick or otherwise emasculated.

If the SV gives in and accepts a working standard without the stick hits – and the courage test would surely be the next shoe to drop – will USCA be true to their word and heritage and sever themselves from Europe, march into the future as a stand-alone American entity?

Personally, I think an FCI ban on the stick hits would be the best possible event for real working dog people, especially in America. It would once and for all separate the wheat from the chaff, for each of us would have to firmly commit to what we really stand for. My bet would be on the current USCA leadership, that they would finally stand up and run American working dog affairs for Americans and by Americans and put an end to forty years of sucking up to European dilettantes, commercial interests and opportunists.

Our moment of truth is at hand.

Jim Engel, Marengo    © Copyright September 4, 2014
Background and Reference: Peace in Our Time?
Breaking Under Pressure