60 Saber Tails Fall 2018
Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen Club of America
60 Breeds – Extinction in the Conformation Sport
Contributing Factors: Low Conversion Rates, Low Entry Breeds, Limited Registrations
By Dr. Carmen Battaglia
(Reprinted with Permission)
November, 2017
ABSTRACT
This study focused on four major factors thought to be related to a breed’s risk for extinction from the conformation
sport. The factors studied were the number of litters and dogs registered, low conversion rates, status as a Low Entry
breed (LE) and use of Limited Registrations. The ability to measure risk for extinction from conformation events involved
seven elements that were used as indicators for declining litters, registrations and show entries. When the four major
factors and seven elements are combined they show how the direction of a breed’s size, show entries and gene pool
diversity can be influenced.
This study ranked all the breeds in the stud book based on the number of litters registered. They are listed from largest
to the smallest breed. The calculations for the litters registered by each breed were averaged using a three-year period
(2013, 14, 15) to avoid an unusual occurrence during any one year.
After ranking all of the breeds based on the number of litters registered, the first factor studied was the conversion rate
for each breed. This factor is important because there are 87 breeds that have a conversation rate of 50% or less mean-
ing that half of all pups born are lost to the breed and the stud book. The second factor studied was the number of Low
Entry breeds (LE) which has steadily grown to 90 breeds or 47% of the stud book. The threshold for LE breed status oc-
curs when conformation entries in a breed fall below 3,500 entries in the previous year’s events. Data for 83 of the 90
LE breeds (80%) have entries of less than 1,000 dogs per year which is well below the threshold for LE status. To further
highlight the seriousness of LE status, 17 LE breeds did not have a National Specialty Show and 6 had a National with
less than 20 entries.
The third factor studied was limited Registrations (LR). This is a breeder’s tool that was intended to limit the breeding of
pups with disqualifications and or other serious breed faults. Based on population statistics the number of poor quality
animals expected in a breed should fall in the range of 4 – 6 %. The data for LR indicate that many breeds have signifi-
cantly higher than expected levels of dogs being registered on a LR. For example, 75 breeds have more than 25% of their
pups on LR; 66 breeds have between 25% - 50% and six breeds have between 50% - 60% of their pups on LR.
The AKC stud book has 188 breeds ranging in size and diversity. The data for the 60 breeds with the smallest number of
registered litters show their conversation rate, status as a LE breed and use of Limited Registrations to be good predic-
tors of their candidacy for extinction at AKC conformation shows. Two recommendations are offered to address the
problems of potential extinction from the sport and the decline in litters, dog registrations and show entries.
BACKGROUND
For more than 100 years dog shows have been a popular sport in America. What was for many just a pasttime and hobby
became a profession and a business. As the sport developed and matured, it became increasingly difficult for the nov-
ice to compete and win against the professional handler, the seasoned breeder and the experienced exhibitor. These
conditions in part explain the current popularity of the Owner-Handled program. In the early years of the dog sport,
AKC events continued to grow along with the number of dog clubs, breeders and exhibitors. However, over these many
years our society slowly changed along with the popularity of breeding and showing dogs. In time, the sport began to