Editorial: January 12, 2024

People often ask what is the advantage of being a member of your breed’s parent club. The obvious reasons: Making friends within your own breed. Sharing information and learning from the past experiences of longtime members. Learning about things both unique and mundane, from health issues, breeding and puppy rearing to training, grooming and exhibiting. The most important objective of a parent club to provide these different and important issues in the form of a Breeders Education Committee. Realizing the importance of the parent club’s educational responsibilities, the American Kennel Club created the Eddy Award (Eddy was shortened from Education, in the style of the Emmy and Tony awards) to recognize those clubs who have taken those steps. The Eddy Award was created by the former chairman of the board of directors, Alan Kalter. Alan, along with this year’s committee members Ashley Jacot, who is the American Kennel Club director of education, and Mari-Beth O’Neill, vice president of sport services, selected this year’s honorees. There are four tiers for the Eddy Award, based on the size of their membership program. This year, Tier 1 includes the American Eskimo Dog Club of America, which was recognized for its monthly Breeders4Breeder educational webinars available to anyone wishing to breed American Eskimo Dogs. Also recognized in Tier 1, the Norfolk Terrier Club of America for its monthly meetings, “Membership Educational Zoom” and breeder-support package. In Tier 2 the Pug Dog Club of America was recognized for its “Best Breeding Practices” and breeder-mentor guide for mentoring new members. Also recognized in Tier 2 was the American Bullmastiff Association for establishing a Breeders Education Committee that created an educational program available at its national and regional specialties and high-entry show weekends. Tier 3 recognized the Basset Hound Club of America for creating the Basset Hound University, available to breeders, judges and owners on its website and all-day educational events held at its national-specialty show. Also in Tier 3, the Dachshund Club of America for establishing an online breeder’s library on the DCA website and an interactive course, Breeding to the Standard. In Tier 4, the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America was recognized for creating the “Berner University,” an annual breeders symposium held at their national specialty and breed mentor program; and finally in Tier 4 the Doberman Pinscher Club of America for establishing “Generation Forward” to provide mentorship and available information on its DPCA YouTube channel. Hopefully, some these parent-club initiatives will help your parent club establish new and improved educational programs.