hose who strive to sustain their breed, club and sport are forced to think about all the moving parts involved. For example, growing a breed while keeping it diverse and healthy involves many participants who often call themselves "preservation breeders". These breeders, working with club members, focus on saving and preserving what others before them took years to develop and perfect. Sustaining a breed is complicated because it involves searching for ways to keep the breed from shrinking in size while sustaining a club that docs not lose breeders, members and entries.

The AKC stud book has over 195 recognized breeds. Breed size and club membership vary widely. They range from those with large memberships and many breeders to others that are less known with only a few breeders. Size makes a difference. Even though the problems of large and small breeds are somewhat similar, their solutions can vary widely. Those involved discover that there are many moving parts to fix and several overlapping problems to address.

Most begin by knowing that three issues-puppy registrations, show entries and gaining new members-are all in decline. Another problem includes the increasing number of Low Entry breeds (LE), which now make up 50% of the AKC stud book. The definition of a low entry means that in the previous year a breed had less than 3 ,500 entries. This is important because there are only 1,440 All Breed shows each year, and in 2018 the average show averaged 855 entries, which meant that an ex• heritor from a LE breed would only expect to see an average of 1-2 dogs in their breed at a show. Data for the 195 breeds in the AKC stud book also show that, on average, only 41% of the pups born are being registered. Over many years, this trend has affected entries at conformation shows, and by 2018 the sport was in its (51h year of declining show entries. When declining dog registrations and LE breeds are taken together, they produce a ripple effect that contributes to a decline in the number of breeders and club members resulting in a smaller sport with fewer entries. The lessons learned from these factors point to a need for a better approach to sustainability and the efforts of the preservation breeders.

Four reports in 2018-2019 reviewed the major problems associated with the decline in entries, registrations, club membership and the sport. The complexity of the problems suggested that a better strategy was needed that could divide up the problems into manageable pieces. This led to the suggestion that the sustainability of a breed. club and sport be viewed as those of a three-legged stool. Each leg would be made up of several individual problems. One leg would involve the sustainability of a breed. This would include the efforts needed to increase breed health, diversity. gene pool size, and breeder education. Success could be measured and documented by the number of registered litters, pups and active breeders and the frequency with which health testing occurs. The second leg would involve the sustainability of a club. This would include finding ways to attract new members, address the graying effect of membership, increase meeting attendance. and developing mentors for new members and breeders. The third leg would involve the sustain ability of the Silt. This would include finding better and more affordable showgrounds, attracting new exhibitors, volunteers and larger audiences. Without the "fun match", new exhibitors in the conformation sport struggle to find ways to learn and succeed. When the "fun match” was abandoned, the opportunity to learn, experience success, and have fun quickly diminished. In such an environment, new exhibitors quickly learned they could not successfully compete against the professional handlers and experienced exhibitors. For them, other venues have become more attractive and less demanding. Because the conformation sport is a win-lose event, new exhibitors need opportunities to learn, succeed and meet others with a common interest. After six attempts without winning, many quickly learn that the costs related to acquiring a competitive dog, hotel, food and travel are not worth the investment.

Conclusion

Approaching sustainability as a three legged stool divides this very complicated problem into manageable pieces that can be shared among several individuals. The division of labor mini• mazes the skills required and reduces the need for workers to know all aspects of a breed, club and sport to participate. Each group can work to develop strategies, action plans, best practices and goals. Their successes will move the psychological machinery of their breeders, club membership and the sport for• ward. Those who choose to participate should keep in mind that when 60% of the pups born each year are lost to their breed, the future of that breed, its club and the sport will soon be chalk• lunged. Therefore, those who become involved must focus on finding ways to build a pyramid of successes that are made up of small steps which can each turn a solution into a long-term result. When coupled with tolerance, education and measurable goals, success can be described and accomplished.

1. American Kennel Club, 2018. Canine Heath Foundation An1111al Report, 2018. Raleigh, N.C.
2. Battaglia, Carmen.2018. 60 Breeds-Extinction in the Conformation Sport. American Kennel Club, paper presented November 2018, AKC Board Meeting. NY., NY.
3. Battaglia, Carmen, 2018. Delegate Sustainability Projects, 2018. Perspectives, The Delegate Newsletter, June, Vol. 32, No 2.
4. Battaglia, Carmen, 2018. Four Factors Portend the Future of the Conformation Sport, Part I, The Canine Chronicle, Ocala, Fl. April pg. 168-174.
5. Battaglia. Carmen, 2018. Four Factors Portend the Future of the Conformation Sport, Part 2, The Canine Chronicle, Ocala, Fl. May pg. 103-105.
6. Battaglia. Carmen, 2018. Four Factors Portend the Future of the Conformation Sport, Part 3, The Canine Chronicle.; Ocala, Fl. Aug. pg. 182-187
7. Battaglia, Carmen.2018. Four Factors Portend the Future of the Conformation Sport, Part 4, The Canine Chronicle, Ocala, Fl. Aug. pg. 149-150.
8. Bell, Jerold, 2005. The ins and 011ts of Pedigree Analysis, Genetic Diversity, and Genetic Disease Control. Tufts' Canine & Feline Breeding and Genetics Conference, September 29-0ctober I, 2005
9. Bell. Jerold, 2017. The Aspect of Population Size 011 Healthy Breeding in Dog Breeds. Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, proceedings, 2017 AKC Canine Health Foundation National Parent Club Canine Health Conference

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