[ SHOWGSD-L ] was: IS THE GSDCA TOO DESPERATE? some thoughts...
- From: Pinehillgsds@xxxxxxx
- To: Windwalkergsds@xxxxxx, showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 23 Aug 2005 06:20:49 EDT
In a message dated 8/23/2005 12:38:53 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
Windwalkergsds@xxxxxx writes:
With someone like this lady, I think an approach like "oh, we could sure use
your knowledge and expertise in our club" and let them know that they have
something very valuable to share with the rest of us as well as offering the
comraderie of the other club members. If you could get her involved with the
local club, maybe joining the PC would follow.
Find out what her objections to joining are, and then talk her out of them.
<BG>
Jamie
I tried. It was a three day trial and boy did we have a whole lot of
waiting to do <G>.
Her main objection was that the PC was primarily for people interested in
breed. True enough. OK, we do performance stuff too, but the emphasis is on
the breed ring. Remember, this lady has taught OB for tens of years. What
gets placed in pet homes? Right, those dogs who are "not exactly". The (big
bad) breeder keeps the best. In ANY breed. (Hell, if I'm going to put all
the blood, sweat and a whole lot of tears into the process, you had better
believe it!)....Still, what is available for die hard performance enthusiasts?
More of the same. (In ANY breed.)
Finish a few dogs and everybody wants you to take one of their good ones.
Call around wanting a "good one" for a performance prospect and see who will
talk to you. I'm not saying this is right, wrong or indifferent, it's a "just
is".
By the end of the weekend, I had made a new friend. The bitch that sat
quietly next to this lady's dog under the tent and impressed this lady with
her
lovely manners was (gasp!) a BREED dog, so maybe we made some points there. I
shared cool wet towels and the best sprayer my (new) friends had ever seen
so that their dogs would be more comfortable, so maybe some came away with the
idea that "breed people" aren't all self centered, and might actually have a
good idea or two.
Basically, I made new friends, but not a new member on the regional or
national level.
I'm not looking to start a debate or get everyone all defensive, but there
are a whole lot of people out there who love their dogs, who spend a TON of
money on their dogs (so it's not dollars and cents), who, because they have no
interest in the breed ring and feel there's be no point to joining. If you
had to categorize potential new members into underrepresented groups, you'd
have the owners of the performance dog and family pet.
One thing I'd like to suggest to target performance people is for regional
clubs offer a "high scoring" trophy at their local all breed performance eve
nts, and actually have someone who is going to be there anyway stick around,
present it, make a big deal of it and make new friends. The problem w/ that
though is so many regional clubs are hurting for $$$$...still, a $6 short
leather leash isn't a big deal to come up with....
Targeting owners of one or two family pets is hard. I've recruited a few
over the years on the regional level, but they don't "stick". They love their
dogs, but family, work and other leisure activities leave little room for the
GSD owner who isn't involved in competition to be active in club events.
The Rottie and Golden people do a nice job of reaching out to get everyone
involved. I wonder how?
Kathy
three generations of Dual Titled Champions live here!
visit _Pine Hill German Shepherd Dogs_
(http://www.geocities.com/pinehillgsds/)
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