Fall 2018  Saber Tails 63    

Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen Club of America

populations can only remain healthy if they can grow and expand. To accomplish this Bell says that breeds with small 

populations (LE list) need a mentoring program for their puppy buyers because healthy gene pools require genetic 

diversity and the careful selection of sires and dams in order to produce the desired traits and avoid the deleterious 

mutations that accompany unwanted traits and diseases. 

When the AKC stud book of 188 breeds is ranked in descending order based on the average number of litters produced 

during a three-year period (2013, 14, 15) the 60 breeds that appear in the bottom group all have three common charac-

teristics: small gene pools, declining genetic diversity and the risk of extinction from the show ring.  

Table 3a shows the total number of show entries for All-

Breed conformation shows for a seven-year period. The 

downward trend in entries is likely to have a larger impact 

on the 90 LE breeds because of the few number of dogs 

being exhibited.    

Table 3b shows that 83 of the 90 LE breeds (88%) have en-

tries of less than 1,000 dogs per year which is well below 

the threshold of 3,500 required for LE status. Sixteen other 

LE breeds have entries that are less than 17 entries a year. 

The growing concerns of competitors in these breeds is 

not knowing where these few dogs will be entered and   

where majors can be found. This concern should not be 

ignored because the number of LE breeds continues to grow.

Table 3b shows the total number of LE breeds in competition and the number of entries at their national. It should be 

noted that most have entries considerably below the threshold of 3,500 per year. This declining statistic impacts the 

availability of completion and new judges.

When taken together, Tables 3b-3c show a more 

troubling statistic regarding the appearance of the 

LE breeds at all-breed conformation shows and at 

Regional and National Specialties.  For example, 

seven breeds do not have a national specialty and 

6 other LE breeds have nationals with less than 17 

entries and 50 with entries of less than 50.

Limited Registrations (LR).  The concept of a Limited Registration was approved by the AKC Board in June 1988. The idea 

was presented by staff to the delegates at the September 1988 Forum, discussed in December and 

Cont’d on p 74