There are two basic types of dog clubs (organizations). The most
widely known are the National registries, such as
AKC, CKC, UKC,
etc. Their function is very limited and simple: to issue a certificate for a
fee.
The lesser known type are the
working/training/sporting/Schutzhund clubs. These
clubs do not register dogs. However, they have an influence on the breeding of
working dogs by providing Schutzhund training
facilities and by organizing Schutzhund trials,
competitions and similar dog sport events for all working dog breeds, including
German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Giant Schnauzers,
Boxers, Dobermans, etc. In Deutscher Hundesport Verein), which is the
"National" or the "Union of" the Dog Sport Clubs of
(Deutscher Verband der Gebrauchshundsportvereine
e.V.). It is one of the larger members of the DHV and
has some branches in the
To complicate things a little, either type of club can be a
"national", or an "international" organization with
different purposes, plus, some of the clubs combine both
functions, registry
and training/sport, such as Schutzhund
National and international dog registry organizations
The SV and similar "breed-specific registry clubs" in
(Verband für das Deutsche Hundewesen e.V.). It is the
"national" or "parent" or "main" dog club of
Germany, which in turn is a member in, and bound by the rules of, the
international or
"World Dog
Club"
FCI (Fédération Cynologique
Internationale, with it's head office in Belgium), thus linking all dog clubs internationally
in the interest of world wide uniformity of breed standards. Most national
clubs of many countries in the world, including all of continental
The
WUSV (World
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If the function of the SV among all those dog clubs is a bit
confusing, there are several reasons for that. First, because of the immense
popularity of the German Shepherd, the SV is not only the largest breed
specific registry in the world, it’s also the most active of all clubs, thus
overshadowing many of it’s "parent" or "national"
organizations by it's size. Second, besides being a breed registry club, the
SV also strongly promotes working dog activities of all kinds, thus having a
dual function and therefore ties to both, breeding as well as sporting
organizations. Third, due to it’s rapid growth and
outstanding leadership, the SV has been a driving force and a trend setter
from the beginning and therefore is sometimes being mistaken as a large
international organization. |
One example is that of
Schutzhund. It was the SV under Max von Stephanitz
that started to test dogs for suitability to do police work, which later
evolved into Schutzhund. But in 1956, several of the breed-specific
clubs (led by the SV) and several of the working dog sport associations
(such as the DVG, described above) formed the "Association of breed
registry and working dog sport clubs" AZG (Arbeitsgemeinschaft
der Zuchtvereine und Gebrauchshundeverbände). The AZG has the purpose of
administrating uniform international Schutzhund rules
via the FCI, to assure inter-club and international conformity, making it
possible to hold international trials and competitions in many countries.
However, some people still think the SV is an international Schutzhund
administrator.