AKC & Petland - Perfect Together?

AKC & Petland - Perfect Together?

In an unconfirmed report, we hear that the American Kennel Club, that old and venerable organization, has inked a deal with Petland Discount - a chain of pet stores that sells live puppies and kittens and fish, etc.

This deal between AKC and Petland is designed to "educate" their buyers on the benefits of registering with the AKC. (cough, cough).

If true - this decision (we hear the board voted 12-1 to approve) will be sure to provoke discussion all across the web. 

But hey - maybe it makes fiscal sense for the AKC - you know pump up the revenue?  What do you think? 

Let's take a look from a sales perspective  ........

or-The 80/20 Rule

I'd like to point out the old 80/20 rule. 

Now  for you non-sales people out there - the 80/20 rule says that 80% of your business comes from 20% of your customers.

Using this rule would mean that 80% of the AKC's  revenue is coming (or should be)  from 20 % of breeders. 

Maybe high volume breeders - like the Hunte Corporation, that in turn sell their product through sales channels like Petland?

The Sales Challenge

Let's say all those puppies being sold by "high volume" breeders represent potential revenue for the AKC.

But those puppies from HVB actually lost revenue - because those were sold, the puppies were not actually being registered - and those (sales) were not reaching the home office up at the AKC. 

So all that revenue from all those puppy stores was being lost in LaLa Land. The question for the AKC is how to convert those lost registrations into "sales"?

The Sales Solution

How do you recover lost revenue? Why you need a sales strategy, silly.

Maybe the AKC has figured out that in order to close more sales - ooooopps- I mean increase registrations - that it should partner more closely with it's customers - the 20% of breeders from which most revenue flows.

"Cause really the remaining 80% of low volume breeders - meaning the home hobby breeder - they only represent 20% of AKC revenue.  Hypothetically - of course.

And as such a small share of revenue - it's kinda easy to ignore them.  After all - they make a lot of noise - and perhaps even chew of more AKC time and resources that they're worth. 

So coming up with a "program" that "educates" buyers about the "benefits" of AKC registration to close the gap on all that lost revenue  - well, that's pure sales genius.  Way to go, AKC!

But that plan just might be a little risky, in terms of PR and all that. But perhaps the AKC has it covered.

Risk Vs. Reward

Some people have this impression that the AKC has got things totally backwards - first lining up on the PAWS Bill with arch enemy, everyone favorite animal rights group, the HSUS. 

Now if this report is true about AKC partnering with Petland - - I would say that the AKC is gonna take a beating - again.  This rumored partnership may lead people to the mistaken belief that the AKC is lining up with so-called "puppymillers".

Of course - that couldn't be further from the truth, as we all know.

Such decisions thay fly in the face of the AKC's mission have seriously risked the AKCs reputation and loyalty with its core constituents.  But unfortunately - it's those core constituents  are the 80% who only make up 20% of the revenue.

Like they say - without risk, there can be no reward. So the AKC is betting that the rank & file will take this new approach - that despite the risk of alienting thier contstituents - the rewards (the revenue) will be there.

So the AKC will now embark on a new plan to take in more revenue over the objections of the clubs.  But I am sure the AKC has already thought of this and has a plan at the ready to be sold - I mean communicated - to the stakeholders.

Return On Investment

Now all those little Mom & Pop home breeders  that the AKC is supposed to represent, who feel they have been dissed by the AKC  - we'll those people are already pissed. 

They think that the leadership of the AKC has lost it's way a long time ago - as this venerable organization has strayed pretty far from it's core mission.

Now we happen to know that the AKC is run by some pretty smart people.  But we wonder how all those really smart people up at the AKC would keep making really bad decisions? It's not like they're doing it on purpose....... 

Now I'm not a dog breeder, and I don't show dogs, I'm just in marketing. But I gotta say that I  don't think the AKC brand is doing real well with it's core customers - and brand repution is really key.

Long Range Plan

But maybe the AKC has a long range strategic plan in place.

Perhaps its a plan that will make sure there's a return on investment (and will make for all the flak the AKC has been taking of late)  - one that will become clearer for all stakeholders.

Now any good long range plan should include a multi-pronged approach to overcome objections by different groups.  For example - there should be a plan to cover objections from the Mom & Pop hobby breeders, and another plan to overcome objections from the animal rights groups who are fighting puppy mills.

But any good sales plan includes strategies to "overcome objections".

After all - by partnering with animal rights groups on legislation, and now facilitating registrations from so called "puppy millers", the AKC kinda leaves the wrong impression with a lot of people. 

But I'm sure the AKC has that covered.

For The Good Of the Dogs

For the record, there's nothing wrong with two organizations partnering to bring improved products or services to their respective customer bases.

(UPDATE: We hear the AKC delegates have overwhelmingly voted to rescind the contract.)

The point here is whether or not such a partnership is in step with the core mission of the American Kennel Club,  a nonprofit organization,  and whether or not such a contract relects the values of the organization, and enhances or hurts the reputation of the AKC.

Now everyone that I've ever met that's connected with the AKC  - they have been warm,  lovely people, with an unparalled love of dogs.   The dog world has provided them with a lifetime of friendships built through the sport of purebred dogs.

They want "their" AKC. They want to see the AKC get on the right track. They want the AKC to succeed.  I do too.

I sure hope they get their wish - because sometimes it seems like the AKC couldn't couldn't do a worse job of running their reputation into the ground if they planned it, right? 

They would never plan it - would they?   Naaaaaaaah.

Getting back to the unconfirmed report..... I hope the AKC has a plan.  Millions of dog owners are depending on the AKC to represent their interests.............

For the good of the dogs.

Comments

[Donna]

I can not beleave it, what is the AKC is comming to. There are so many pet stores that are selling dogs that should never of even been born has the AKC even taken a look at how these store bought dogs are bread those poor animals. I think these pet stores should be shut down. There are so many abused animals in shelters, pure bread and mixed. If people can not afford to visit a breeder they should be looking at the Animal Shelters. I visit them often just to pet them and play with all the animals because i feel bad I can not take them all home. WAKE UP AKC and for that matter any animal organization Stop these pet stores.

[PBurns]

For the numbing numbers behind the AKC decision, see >> The Mathematics and Symbolism of Misery Puppies at: http://terriermandotcom.blogspot.com/2006/09/mathematics-and-symbolism-of-misery.html

P.

[PBurns]

Great blog and great posts.

The AKC, of course, is not going to change for the breed clubs.

See >> http://terriermandotcom.blogspot.com and the Sept. 21 and 24 posts to understand why. Here's a hint: the breed clubs cost the AKC $10 million a year and the puppy mill folks pay the tab.

As AKC's own Board member -- Steve Gladstone -- said while endorsing the Petland contract idea, saying:

"With all respect, Pat [a dissenting breed club rep.], we [the AKC] have been taking their money [puppy mills] for 75 years and cashing their checks....we have got to accept the fact, we are taking their money; and, yes, ... we are endorsing them with our papers. We are telling the world these people meet AKC standards. Now, you may not like that, but the fact is that we have lived off of that for the last 60 years."

So there you go.

PBurns
http://www.terrierman.com
http://terriermandotcom.blogspot.com

[Ancient One]

Don't worry as the British Kennel Club not only tries to force you into an expensive and not very effective insurance company, without any consents or permissions proceeds to let unscrupolous companies have your details too.

We have a Staffordshire Bull Terrier for stud here in the UK and even he is getting offers from credit cards and insurance companies which must mean that the KCGB is selling our details by the truckload.

One thing that strikes me as ironic, so far we have had him mircochipped, DNA tested and recorded, eye recorded... Are our animals the test bed for fascist mechanisms?

Ancient One

[GML]

I have signed petitions, gone to meetings to address the dog audiences on this subject and yet it doesn't seems to be enough. I had to wonder what else we could do to turn up the pressure with the AKC Board of Directors? I penned the following choice to the Discovery Channel who runs Animal Planet. I may not be the first to think of this, but thought it worth sharing...

Program/Show Eukanuba Tournament of Champions Comments:

"I regret that for the first time, I will not be watching the AKC Eukanuba Tournament of Champions this year unless the AKC rescinds its' contract with Petland pet stores. As a 20 year veteran breeder and competitor in AKC events, this move by the AKC has betrayed all that it once stood for. You may or may not be aware that a massive nationwide grass roots effort is underway by breeders, AKC sanctioned clubs, delegates (and even judges) to demand that the AKC break this contract reagrdless of cost in order restore any integrity to the AKC name. Unfortunately since this contract was forged (admittedly by the AKC Board without knowledge or consent of its' delegates) based on money, then the method of protest will be in terms they understand. I expect that will impact your ratings, the Iams corporation sales and the entries for this show in particular as it is the only AKC sponsored conformation show. I ask that you consider what is at stake for purebred dogs everywhere when a giant like the AKC endorses the purchase of a puppy from a pet store chain documented as doing business with the Hunte Co. (the notorious puppy mill brokerage). This may not be the kind of publicity your station needs either...as they say, "when you lie down with dogs..."
Maybe the AKC should hear what your company thinks about this contract?

[Labadorer]

Yes, the AKC has a contract with Petland. (See their website)
The whole thing is disgusting - PAWS vs Petland? Can you say convoluted?! The AKC was formed as a registry and has now become a huge corporate entity. Yes, they do some wonderful things - Scholarships for VMD students, Community Achievement Awards, Health Foundation, ROD, CARR etc but they have now struck a deal with the devil and the devil is going to make due - I think they have found a perfect recipe to destroy a reputation that was beginning to unravel around the edges.
Okay, so now it is all out in the open - before this, it has been an
unadvertised deal and widely known. Petland sells AKC puppies BUT here's the whore in the bed.........a friend
fell for the cute furry face in a Petland store MUCH TO MY DISMAY AND TRYING TO EDUCATE HER AND HER FAMILY ABOUT WHERE THE PUPS COME FROM AND WHO THOSE "AKC" Breeders really are, the pup has AKC papers, the breeder's name but is by NO MEANS any kind of pedigree or history search - "Fluffy and George litter and a date" .... when we did a search on the Breeder's name, low and behold the "Breeder" pops up on several Puppy Mill lists and the USDA Registry. Now people - everyone knows the AKC goes out and finds these breeders and sets up a deal to pump out more puppies- more puppies, more potential registrations - well,
now they are just making sure that the$e "AKC" pup$ get their paper$ sent in. My friend has not sent it in because she is not "into" that and says why should she do it. She "knows" she has an AKC papered pup and that is as far as it has to go. The "educated" Petland employee will now push the regi$tration so the AKC can collect (again) on their end - no different than the extended warrantie$ or service contract$ a car dealer or electronics store try to sell you.
The AKC has become a BU$INESS with a bottom line to be held accountable for.
The fact that this whole thing was railroaded through under the auspices of the AKC is also disgusting. Many delegates were caught off guard and were actually crying. At the delegates meeting they took a vote on an issue that had to do with "conflict of interest" - delegates and the so called "ideals" of the AKC. In other words - vote "no" and you go. (Previously they had been putting judges under the thumb - anyone that had a conflict with the interests/ideals of the AKC was not to become a judge) The delegates took a vote and it passed (if you have a conflist with the AKC ideals you should not be a delegate) - think about it - the AKC was positioning themselves with a rubber stamp to get everything done their way. The group broke for lunch and when they came back the bomb was dropped about the contract with Petland. Talk about dirty politics!!
They have been whining about losing money, backroom processing fees, and all the typical corporate ideals - why don't they save some money and move their Headquarters out of NYC and off of Madison Ave. - do they really need to be in a building tennanted by showbiz lawyers and the entertainment industry? Oh, wait.......this is s soap box opera for sure - stay tuned for the next installment of "As the Puppy Turns". Sooner or later the
storyline comes to a head and good triumphs over evil.....power to the people and the delegates.
PS - All contracts have a set time period so that they may be rescinded, from what I am told......we'll see. All Board members are voted in - AND CAN BE VOTED OUT. WOOF!!!

[Kathlynn Lyon]

Say it ain't so! AKC rejects registered kennel names to people who sell to pet shops, and now they want to SUPPORT pet shop sales? Shameful

[innesfree]

The AKC has always received the bulk of its money from commercial kennels, while its public face was all about showdogs.

The only thing that has changed is now they are forced out of the closet by the Hunte Corporation who wants recognition for all the business they bring to the AKC.

The delegates, who represent each of the member clubs, can hold a special meeting and fire the whole board of directors. Are the AKC officrs so sure of themselves that they will risk that? It seems so.

Will the delegates remember why the AKC came to be in the first place----to protect and further the interests of pure-bred dogs, and the sport of dogs? Time will tell.

[Nicole]

The organizer of the NYC French Bulldog Meetup kicked me off the board for begging him not to bring French Bulldogs on national television - because of the supply that will be breed and demand it will create for any breed to be on the TV- I know we can't stop everything but we don't have to invite it ! The group is almost 400 people large and he has no concern for the bad breeders of the world - he just wants on TV. I am glad to have found this forum.

[JOhn Wolf]

The AKC has always been anti-individual's. They have never care about the Fancy just the bottom line (how much cash can they rake off each show). So way does any one think they are going to change.
Last year the AKC was proposing group discounts towards puppy mills, as well as letting the puppy mills register dogs long deceased just so the AKC can rake in more cash.
The only thing I can see is if the AKC is a club of club, maybe its time the Parent Clubs as well as the individual clubs withdrawl (or at least threaten) to withdrawl from the AKC (or refuse to send in their fees) - but it has to be all the clubs and not one or dribs and drabs

[Donald K. Allen, DVM]

Petland is the largest purveyor of puppy mill dogs in the country today, but they have competition. I am seeing puppy mill puppies purchased from online websites that "look just wonderful," and from local "puppy fairs" held at hotel convention rooms. They all give the same spiel, "These puppies are from USDA registered breeders," and "These puppies are all from local breeders," and "We don't buy from puppy mills." BS.
What makes me really angry is seeing so many young couples bring in a new puppy and they are so happy with their credit card purchase of $800 or more for a "designer dog," i.e. a mutt. They are naive, have never heard of a puppy mill, believed everything the 16-year-old Petland sales "specialist" (or other huckster) told them, and are now prepared to pay $39 a month for life. I want slap them and say, "You idiots!", but instead simply educate them about the true source of these puppies and let them know I've made bigger mistakes myself.
Educate, educate, educate. We need to reach kids in grade school and high school. They are the upcoming "suckers born every minute." (Thank you, P.T. Barnum)

[Maureen Hill-Hauch]

Say it ain't so..but alas it is, THE AKC that I loved is gone...What could they be thinking...ohhhhhh money honey!

I get so many calls and emails every day from people who have purchased dogs from, puppy mills, pet stores, and side of the road breeders....people crying cause Poochie is sick, Poochie died from a serious health issue...Poochie bit someone!

Now the very organization that we all trusted is going to give FULL AKC registration to those dogs who have come from God knows what puppy mill or commercial breeder in a warehouse, backyard and who knows where else!

Here we are fighting bad legislation, defending ourselves and trying to separate ourselves from puppy mills; and the very registry we trusted is going to lump us in with the mills!

This is indeed a sad day for the fancy...I feel like crying.....

Please say it ain't so!

Maureen

[Deborah Howard]

The AKC delegates overrode the board's decision regarding Petland (by the way, Petland Discount is a pet supply chain in the New York area and is not related to Petland, which is headquartered in Chillicothe, Ohio).

[vickie haywood]

Well Brab, you are right on target once again. AKC care about dogs? AKC only cares about the bottom line which leads straight to the pockets of the people at the head of the line.All one has to do is Visit the AKC web site and spend a few hours searching it to read the bottom line..what in the world do they need excess cash for anyway???
Let them all eat cake instead of caviar!!Drive a Chevy instead of a BMW.. AKC on a piece of paper means NOTHING... Champion on a piece of paper means nothing... I will not take away the performace titles because those dogs and handlers actually have to do something to earn them...they have to invest something besides money to get those titles...But as far as AKC is concerned they have time and time again turned their collective backs on the FANCY who puts all the work into the clubs and the clubs put on the shows...the AKC does nothing except record and approve and make often stupid rules and those of us that show are the ones paying the recording fees to make the pockets fatter.The clubs pay the show site charges ,hire the judges, pay the judges fees and expenses, pay the insurence to have the events. The clubs pay every last cent...Without the clubs, there would be NO FANCY... AKC would be nothing more than a registration outfit..There are other places where you can play the game and not support AKC...It is high time the collective Fancy moved on to something better..where someone actually CARES about the dogs...
UKC is a good place to start!!! At least Wayne Cavanaugh stands AGAINST PAWS and all BSL!!!!! And he isn't afraid to say it out loud!
poodle hugs
Vickie Haywood

[Margo Milde]

First PAWS (purportedly anti-puppy mills), and now Petland (seemingly pro-puppy mills)? I think there's a vernacular term for all of this: "schizo".

[Marjorie]

You can go to stoppuppymills.org, print out their "Pet Store Challenge", and complete the survey at local pet stores, to prove exactly where pet stores get their puppies from.

(The survey was created by HSUS.)

However, it's all for naught. It doesn't matter if the puppies come from Grand Champion bloodlines and/or homes of supposedly very respected individuals. The mere fact they're in a cage, for sale, to any freak who walks in, means the person who provided the puppy to the store is an irresonsible breeder.

By rewarding them with profit, you'll ensure they continue their nefarious and heartless ways.

Before any dog, puppy or adult, is transfered to a new home, it is imperative the new home be checked out first, with references verified, and contracts signed.

Anyone who gives away/sells/adopts out a dog to a person he/she hasn't thoroughly checked out, is the definition of "negligent", and clearly doesn't have the least bit of concern for that animal.

A recent rescue I took in, and placed in a new home, was spirited away from an owner attempting to sell him. The owner admitted most of the inquiries were to use the dog as a guardian. When the owner explained to one caller that the dog was friendly, the individual said, "Oh, I can change that."

I was able to talk the owner into giving the dog up to me, where I would then have it placed through a reputable rescue group. Aside from all the basic training he needed; the numerous vet trips; and all the aftercare, worry, etc., I also did a home inspection, verified a number of references, including the applicant's current veterinarian, and discussed their ideas about dog training and ownership, as well as observing how they interact with their current dog. Would I have liked to do even more checking? Absolutely!

Still, that cost me countless sleepless nights, hours of training, hours of driving, and over $1,300 just in vet bills, alone!

Was that my resposibility? Of course not. I, and other strangers, came together to do what this dog owner should have done. She should have kept the dog. But, since she was hell bent on "getting rid of him" (her words), she should have had him neutered herself, and spent time placing him in a responsible, loving home. Not leaving it for others to do, and certainly not selling him to anyone with a good story and some cash.

Buyers at pet stores don't even need a good story. In fact, consumer laws dictate that a retail store employee can't refuse to sell a puppy to anyone who has the means to pay. To do so would be a form of discrimination.

I agree that I'd hoped "reputable" breed registries would begin refusing to honor registration applications to anyone who supplies pet stores with puppies.

[Patricia Younkin]

I cannot believe it. And here I was (silly rabbit) hoping that what the AKC would actually do would be to refuse to register pet shop animals, and/or any of their get. So, to whom in this "venerable" organization....the one that goes into raptures at every dog show about the wonderfulness of the breeder, owner, exibtor... do I yell at? Cause I badly want to yell!

[Nancy]

Now what happened to AKC's stand about not supporting those breeders who sell to Brokers and Pet Stores. What happened to AKC's gut aversion to HIGH VOLUME BREEDERS and those are exactly who supply the Pet Stores.