# Anyone owns a breed of dog that is not AKC recognized? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 25, 2005, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-owns-a-breed-of-dog-that-is-not-akc-recognized/318531 "2005-08-25T03:30:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![percypercy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@percypercy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percypercy)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2005, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-owns-a-breed-of-dog-that-is-not-akc-recognized/318531/61 "2005-08-27T03:47:15Z")
There are actually two forms of Jack Russell. The Parson Russell Terrier(Used to be Parson Jack Russell Terrier) is a much taller, slimmer dog. This is the dog recognized by the AKC. The Jack Russell(no parson) has much shorter legs. They’re not recognized by the AKC, and the Jack Russell Club of America is campaigning to keep it that way. -Lil > [@Avarie537](#): > > Incorrect. Jack Russell Terriers were added to the AKC list fairly recently. See [here](http://www.akc.org/breeds/parson_russell_terrier/index.cfm). More recently, the “official” name of the breed has been changed to “Parson Russell Terrier.” I dunno why ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-owns-a-breed-of-dog-that-is-not-akc-recognized/318531/62 "2005-08-29T01:10:25Z")
Hi- Jack Russells were recognized but they changed the AKC name to Parson Russell Terrier. I’m not sure if the original working club forced them to change the name (something I wish we could dog with the Border Collie) or if the AKC parent club chose to use a different name. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-owns-a-breed-of-dog-that-is-not-akc-recognized/318531/63 "2005-08-29T01:18:49Z")
We have a large, beautiful, friendly dog named [Fozzie Bear](http://www.mortalwombat.com/Image/FozzieBear.jpg). He is half Golden Retriever and half Great Pyrenees. We’ve been asked so many times “what breed of dog is he?” that we finally started telling people that he’s a Golden Pyrenees. ---
**Author:** ![Archergal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Archergal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archergal)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-owns-a-breed-of-dog-that-is-not-akc-recognized/318531/64 "2005-08-29T01:52:53Z")
> [@BluePitbull](#): > > I never did understand why white dobermans and white boxers get hearing problems but other white breeds do not. So it is actually to maintain standards? As I understand it, many all white animals are subject to various problems, including deafness. It’s a problem in my breed (Australian Shepherds). The Aussie standard requires that the dog have color on the ears and other parts of the face. Aussies with too much white on their heads are often deaf. > [@](#): > > The inner ear consists of three segments: cochlea, vestibule and semicircular canals. The cochlea is coiled like a snail’s shell and is filled with fluid. Within the basilar membrane of the cochlea is the organ of Corti. It contains hair cells which act as receptors. The vibrations pass from the stirrup (stapes) to the cochlea. The vibrations pass through the cochlea, vibrating the membrane. The organ of Corti and hair cells are located on its membrane, causing the hair cells to move. The hair cells convert the mechanical energy to electrical nerve energy which passes along the cochlear nerve and on through the network of nerves to the brain stem. **This is where the lack of pigment comes into play in causing deafness. In order for the hair cell to convert the mechanical energy into electrical or nervous energy, the hair cell must contain a pigment cell. If there is not pigment cell, the hair cell cannot convert the mechanical energy and the sound path ends before reaching the brain stem.** The degree of conduction deafness depends upon the extent of the lack of pigment in the inner ear. Some pigment would allow partial hearing and total lack of pigment would cause total deafness. This could occur in one or both ears. (from [asca.org - asca Resources and Information.](http://www.asca.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=3224), my emphasis added) So it’s not just looks. ---
**Author:** ![mojave66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@mojave66](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mojave66)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-owns-a-breed-of-dog-that-is-not-akc-recognized/318531/65 "2005-08-29T02:03:39Z")
Speaking of the Pyrenees, my dad had a pound puppy that for the life of him looked exactly like a [a href=http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/bergerdespyrenees.htm]Berger des Pyrénées[/a]. He also had a partially collapsed airway, so he had a lot of energy & enthusiasm, but lacked the equipment to actually do anything about it. Bergers (aka Pyrenean Shepherds) are probably the most “mutt-like” of the so-called AKC-recognized dogs because they’ve been bred from a large stock for hundreds of years in the Basque region. They’re the actual sheepherders; the Pyrenees Mountain Dogs are bred to guard the flock, the shepherd and the little guys actually doing all the nipping and barking. When he died, I think my dad went a little bit nuts because he immediately called one of the only 2 breeders of Pyr Sheps (their nickname) in the US and arranged to go visit her kennel. He then adopted the most adorable girl puppy who looks an awful lot like the first picture in that link. Now mind you, I did read a very reputable article on the breed, and it warned potential owners that these are very small dogs that do very, very large sheep-herding duties. Make them a housepet, and they will make a Jack Russel Terrier look like a stoner on valium watching Larry King interview James Lipton. Now Missy the pup does NOT have a collapsed airway. She can run; and when she is not running she is leaping from object to object with all the grace and speed of a jaguar. She can leap straight up standing still and do a 360 mid-air, no exaggeration. In a way, I consider this fortunate since my dad is in his 70’s and she single-handedly (single-pawedly?) keeps him up and active. She’s a great dog, incredibly intelligent (I love teaching her tricks; she picks them up in a matter of minutes) but is a HANDFUL. Her nickname is “Devil Dog.” ---
**Author:** ![mojave66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@mojave66](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mojave66)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-owns-a-breed-of-dog-that-is-not-akc-recognized/318531/66 "2005-08-29T02:05:55Z")
Damn links. [http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/bergerdespyrenees.htm](http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/bergerdespyrenees.htm) ---
**Author:** ![BluePitbull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9bcb4/32.png) [@BluePitbull](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BluePitbull)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-owns-a-breed-of-dog-that-is-not-akc-recognized/318531/67 "2005-08-29T04:08:57Z")
> [@pinkfreud](#): > > We have a large, beautiful, friendly dog named [Fozzie Bear](http://www.mortalwombat.com/Image/FozzieBear.jpg). He is half Golden Retriever and half Great Pyrenees. We’ve been asked so many times “what breed of dog is he?” that we finally started telling people that he’s a Golden Pyrenees. He is a beautiful dog. I never understand why some people think only pretty dogs are purebreds. ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-owns-a-breed-of-dog-that-is-not-akc-recognized/318531/68 "2005-08-29T04:35:27Z")
> [@pinkfreud](#): > > We have a large, beautiful, friendly dog named [Fozzie Bear](http://www.mortalwombat.com/Image/FozzieBear.jpg). He is half Golden Retriever and half Great Pyrenees. We’ve been asked so many times “what breed of dog is he?” that we finally started telling people that he’s a Golden Pyrenees. Fozzie Bear is a beautiful dog ! He looks thoroughly cuddly ! ---
**Author:** ![NajaNivea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NajaNivea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NajaNivea)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-owns-a-breed-of-dog-that-is-not-akc-recognized/318531/69 "2005-08-29T13:54:58Z")
> [@Archergal](#): > > As I understand it, many all white animals are subject to various problems, including deafness. Dogos run about 10% born deaf, across the board. I think it’s something like 5% are unilaterally deaf (deaf in both ears) and 15% bilaterally deaf–however, this can be reduced with careful breeding and culling, my dog’s breeder has had only a single deaf pup in something like six litters, whereas some breeders of the sort who will breed anything with ovaries to anything with testicles will have half a litter of deaf pups. As always, choose your breeder wisely. ---
**Author:** ![NajaNivea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NajaNivea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NajaNivea)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-owns-a-breed-of-dog-that-is-not-akc-recognized/318531/70 "2005-08-29T13:56:30Z")
oops. As might be ascertained: Unilat = deaf in one ear Bilat = deaf in both ears. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-owns-a-breed-of-dog-that-is-not-akc-recognized/318531.md?page=3)