Kennel Clubs and Stud Books
On 4th April 1873, the Kennel Club (UK) the first of today's recognized Kennel Clubs was founded. Then came the American Kennel Club (AKC) one year later with the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) following by 1880. In Australia there used to be Kennel Clubs in each of the States but in 1958, the Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC) was born.
Since 1954, the FCI the Federation Cynologique Internationale has operated from the tiny Belgium town of Thuin. Saint Roch, the patron Saint of Thuin was also the protector of animals and was frequently portrayed with his dog. So today Thuin is proclaimed 'the Canine Capital of the World'[1], recognizing Kennel Clubs in 86 other countries, including many in Europe and South America. Each of these 86 FCI recognized Kennel Clubs keep their own Stud Books or registries for their own countries.
The Stud Books
The year after 'The Kennel Club (UK)' came into existence, the first in a series of 'Stud Books' was published by 'The Field' a well-known livestock magazine publisher of that time. This Stud Book is dated from 1859 to 1874. As every breeding dog or bitch was entered in a Show, it was given a number and had its pedigree recorded. If the dog or bitch had a reliable pedigree, that was also recorded, some dating back many generations. Some of these are in the form of a table and others are just a list.
These Kennel Club (UK) 'Stud Books' have been published every year after that to this day, even through the two World Wars! Dogs recorded in these English Stud Books are recognized by the American Kennel Club, the Canadian Kennel Club, and the 84 countries affiliated with the FCI. This recognition is reciprocal. So, between the world's Stud Books, many of today's purebred dogs have a background with recorded pedigrees dating back over a century and a half!
The First English Stud Book
The following 37 breeds appeared in this historic Stud Book:
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The First Dog Shows
It is generally accepted that the first recognized dog show was in 1859 held at Newcastle. Although it was for Setters (English) and Pointers only, the dogs exhibited were given numbers which were the very first entries in the English Stud Book. Later in 1859 Birmingham also held a show for sporting dogs only. This also included Setters (English) and Pointers but also included Retrievers, Clumber Spaniels and Cockers mor other breeds of Spaniels.
In 1860 Birmingham held their second show. This was historic because the show was split into two divisions:
- Division 1 (Sporting): Hounds, Setters, Spaniels and Retrievers
- Division 2 (Non-Sporting being dogs not used in field sports) : These included Mastiffs, Newfoundlands, Dalmatians, Bulldogs, Black and Tan Terriers, White and other English Terriers, Scotch Terriers, Italian Greyhounds, Blenheim Spaniels, King Charles Spaniels, and Toy Terriers (under 5 pounds).
[1] Marie Luna Duran, FCI Public Relations Officer, FCI Online Magazine, Issue 427, June 2011