# 🇨🇦 Canadian Kennel Club Rules of Eligibility Vote 🐩



## MiniMojo (Aug 20, 2021)

Hello Canadian Poodle People —The CKC is holding a vote on the Rules of Eligibility for the poodle (among other breeds) and the deadline to register is September 20. I am by no means an expert, and perhaps someone more knowledgeable can provide more information, but it seems as though the CKC is leaning towards including only solid colours in the Rules of Eligibility. This would mean that only solid-coloured poodles can have their puppies registered with the CKC.

As I understand it, the Poodle Club of Canada is supporting an ROE that includes parti-colour, phantom, and abstract in the ROE, however I am not a member of that club, and poking around on Facebook suggests that there are two camps within the PCC.

There's some information here on the CKC site, and this is where you can register to vote *before September 20.* *You don't need to be a CKC member or a breeder.*

Some more information from Amy Jackson, the Poodle Club of Canada's representative for the Rules of Eligibility (via Facebook):

_The Poodle is now up for voting on the Rules of Eligibility.
Important note. The Rules of Eligibility do not change nor influence the breed standard. They simply confirm what dogs are allowed to have unrestricted CKC registration, and have registered litters. The definition of the ROE by the CKC as well as agriculture Canada, is only a basic set of features that confirm an animal is purebred or of a specific breed.
As the PCC representative for the Rules of Eligibility. I can advise that the CKC has not taken our submission for the ROE on colour. They will be putting solid poodles only. Our submission included that purebred poodles include parti-colours but never merle.
As the PCC majority did not support this, I feel it is my job to get it out there that a vote is happening and that the CKC did not follow the expertise of the national breed club on this issue.
There was not insignificant division in the PCC on this. But with both our unofficial polling, and an in-meeting vote, in which the date and time of the vote was pre-disclosed to all members, the majority decided that a parti poodle, as incorrect as it may be in our standard of perfection, was still a purebred dog and should be treated as such. There were a wide variety of reasons given for this, which I summarize below:
1) These genes have occurred historically in our breed for a long period of time. A parti poodle, unlike a merle poodle, is still, by definition, a purebred dog.
2) Concern about overall genetic health of eliminating a number of dogs from the gene pool. While it may not even be a problem today, eliminating a large number of individuals over a single trait has had long term detrimental effects in other purebred populations (according to our more recent stud book research, up to 25%, but by the CKC's claim up to 8% since the year 2000.... neither number being insignificant)". Keeping individuals with this easy to eliminate, genetically testable fault, may be useful for solving problems down the road. Lets not go the route of the LUA Dalmatian.
3) This sets a precedent for sweeping restrictions on breeders and their choices in breeding. Today it's parti poodles, tomorrow it's that slightly oversized mini or toy, that dog with the minor breeding note in the CAER exam, the dog that is only unsound due to an unfortunate accident at a young age. This is already happening in Europe, where taking your baby puppy to a show requires a battery of health tests, or they are banning breeds and requiring breeders breed mixes. By saying "hey, it's okay to knock out a bunch of registered dogs from the breeding population for a single trait", we are bending down and accepting the noose around our necks. We should not be surprised at the moment we are dropped from the gallows.
As the PCC's position is that this is not the correct ROE, I encourage all poodle owners and enthusiasts to register to vote, and to vote no if the CKC has solids only on the ballot._

And another Facebook post from a few days ago that quotes a letter sent to the PCC by the director of the CKC:

_Received from the Poodle Club of Canada today...the future of a breed determined by the most "easily understood" ROE created by the CKC, and voted against by the membership of the National Club. But if their version doesn't get enough votes, then they will submit the version voted on by the membership. The PCC membership was told unequivocally by our representative to the CKC, and the CKC representative for the ROE Committee that Non Standard Colours would, under no circumstances, be accepted as a genetic variability. This was stated over and over prior to the Club vote, during the Meeting discussing the vote, following the vote and again when the issue was voted on for a 2nd time. Additionally, this email response shows that they clearly don't understand the issue. This is about more than "2 colour" Poodles. The term used by both the CKC and the PCC over the course of the last few years in Committees is Non-Standard Colours. The numbers quoted inaccurately reflect the number of NSC Poodles. The comment regarding diversity is an oversimplification of the issue and indicates a lack of knowledge about bottlenecks and COI's. Several years ago most Breeders were concerned about increasing diversity, but now those solid colour breeders who are against NSC's claim that our Breed is in good shape genetically.

The following letter was received from CKC (sent to the Poodle Club of Canada): PLEASE NOTE THE DEADLINE to register to vote is September 20th, 2022.

Thank you for your patience as we fully considered how best to move forward with our ROE process for the Poodle breed.As I look at the issue at hand, I believe there are two foundational objectives at the heart of this conversation: 1) Ensuring the health of the breed as is our responsibility under the Animal Pedigree act, and 2) following an approved, transparent and democratic process to finalize each breed’s initial ROE.We have consulted with the Ministry of Agriculture as they are a trusted and informed partner in the CKC’s registration responsibilities. They also have final say as they approve the By-law change that is last step to finalize each ROE. Genetic diversity is important to ensure a healthy breed and as such we have pulled our registration records for the Poodle. Over the last 20 years from January 1 2002 to August 24, 2022, the CKC has registered 51,960 poodles. 48,008, 92%, are solid colour. 7% are two colour and there is less than 1% that are Merle or more than 2 colour. The poodle has consistently been one of the top 5 breeds in Canada and has been one of the most commonly bred dogs in the world. We are confident that the poodle breed has a healthy gene pool in Canada and with 92% being solid colour the diversity will continue to be healthy either with or without two colour dogs.
The ROE process has been developed to ensure that there is consultation, allowing for a democratic vote amongst the breeders and breed enthusiasts. We appreciate the Poodle Club of Canada’s partnership over the last 11 months. Over that time, we have worked with the Poodle Club’s representative Jane Beaudry, then the Poodle Club’s representative Leanne McIver, and now yourself as the Poodle Club’s representative Throughout these months we have been informed that there has been consultation within your membership and breeders. We understand that a solid colour ROE was presented and received a positive vote. We attended follow-up meetings where there was no change in the vote for a solid colour ROE. Your recent letter has informed us of a new change…...
……..It is clear that there is a divide within the Poodle Club of Canada. The next step in the process is to allow ALL poodle breeders and enthusiasts , not just members of the Poodle Cub of Canada, to have their democratic say on the poodle ROE.
As we believe that the primary debate is on solid colour vs two colour, we will put the more easily understood solid colour only version of the ROE to the VOTE, yes or no.
If this ROE IS REJECTED, we will put the ROE that has solid colour plus the addendum for genetic variability of two colour to the vote.
If that is rejected, we will reconsult and start over.
We would appreciate the support of the Poodle Club of Canada to get the vote out and encourage all breeders and enthusiasts to participate in the vote.
Poodle enthusiasts can visit our dedicated webpage to discover more about the Rules of Eligibility and how to register to vote.
Enthusiasts are anyone that has a vested interested in the future of the breed and/or breeders that may not be captured in list of breeders that have bred a litter in the last 5 years. This would not just be your average pet owner but often performance exhibitors or keen owners that actively attend breed seminars but aren’t breeding for whatever reason.
On behalf of the Canadian Kennel Club and the ROE committee, I would like to thank the Poodle Club of Canada’s support on this initiative.Kind Regards.
Jeff Cornett
Executive Director | The Canadian Kennel Club
| TF: (855) 364-7252
400 - 200 Ronson Drive, Etobicoke ON M9W 5Z9
[email protected]_


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## Miki (Dec 25, 2021)

Holy flipping moly - that proposed ROE is flat out nuts. Looking at the number of solid color vs NSC registrations is indicative of nothing more than who bothers to _register_ their poodles with the CKC. (News flash - it's not your average pet poodle owner.) It says nothing about the genetic diversity of the breed, the overall health of the breed, or about the history of the breed (both before and after the registry was closed). 

🤦‍♀️


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## cowpony (Dec 30, 2009)

Unfortunate, but it's been hinted as a possibility for years. Ultimately I think the real winners will be doodle breeders. Pet buyers often favor unusual colors and patterns. Puppy mills and doodle breeders will be happy to supply these pets buyers if CKC chooses to cede this market.


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## Miki (Dec 25, 2021)

If the CKC is anything like the AKC it's seen an enormous drop in registrations since the early 90s (AKC lost something like 53%). Booting out all but solid color poodles won't fix that problem.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

I’ve already voted.

I’ve also seen on Facebook on a poodle group (it seems far fatched so I don’t know if it’s true) that in Germany, it will be forbidden to cut whiskers on a poodle and shave their face. Such dogs would be excluded from showing if I’m not mistaken. It scares me to think of what they will come up next…


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