The Doberman Pinscher Club of America

**Keghead** · 02-05-2008, 04:53 PM

Just a rant... I can not understand why I need two members to sponser me before I can join? Will be really fun to find in backwoods Mississippi...

Murreydobe · 02-05-2008, 05:18 PM

The DPCA membership votes on all changes to the doberman standard. This is a huge responsibility..a poorly thought out standard change could result in long term ramifications for all the dogs.

So the DPCA wants to do their best to make sure their membership is made up of those who take the whole thing seriously, people who have a long term interest in educationg themselves about the breed and the issues surrounding it.

IOW-membership is a privilege, not any kind of right. It's something new doberman owners might aspire towards, rather than expecting instant gratification about it.

**Keghead** · 02-05-2008, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Murreydobe

The DPCA membership votes on all changes to the doberman standard. This is a huge responsibility..a poorly thought out standard change could result in long term ramifications for all the dogs.

So the DPCA wants to do their best to make sure their membership is made up of those who take the whole thing seriously, people who have a long term interest in educationg themselves about the breed and the issues surrounding it.

IOW-membership is a privilege, not any kind of right. It's something new doberman owners might aspire towards, rather than expecting instant gratification about it.

Funny when reading the application EDUCATION or qualifications concerning the Doberman breed was not asked.
Or did it ask me how long I had been working with or owned a Doberman.
A few phone calls today got me two members I can use... Never said I could not get them, was just complaining.

bailyou · 02-05-2008, 11:58 PM

I have just recently went thru this process and I agree they are bit much in requirements.

whitecat · 02-06-2008, 01:11 AM

I don't think their requirements are too much; i know other breed clubs with more stringent requirements to join. murreydobe explained one of the reasons for the requirement of sponsors. there have always been people wiling to sponsor people they don't know and can't really vouch for, that is unfortunate because that way people who don't have the beswt interest of the breed at heart have goten in to the club. i think people should either know hte people they're sponsoring or maybe the club should do away with requirements and just let anybody whowants to join. that would give the club more money but then something elswe would have to be done about the standrd,

bailyou · 02-06-2008, 09:23 AM

For me.. I have a great working dog with a fabulous conformation too. I wanted to start to learn about the show ring and started taking conformation classes. I wanted to join DPCA to get publications and find contacts in my area to learn more. The problem is how do join if you don't know anyone in DPCA? How do you get to know people unless you belong to DPCA? I was stuck between a rock and a hard spot

I wrote to DPCA and explained my situation and also gave a mini resume of information about me. They still would not budge. I have found 2 sponsors which I am thankful finally, but I have to say I have started out with a bad taste in my mouth over it.

Julie W · 02-06-2008, 12:08 PM

Quote:

The problem is how do join if you don't know anyone in DPCA? How do you get to know people unless you belong to DPCA?

You don't need to belong to the DPCA to meet and get to know members. They are at every show. Once you start hanging out and competing you will get to know them.

**velmadobe** · 02-06-2008, 01:42 PM

I agree with Julie. You get to know people in the DPCA by becoming active with your dogs in various sports. Not everyone in the DPCA shows in conformation - there are people in bite sports like schutzhund; there are agility/obedience/rally people; there are rescue people.... the list goes on. Going to shows is probably the easiest way to meet people in the DPCA, but not the only way.

I joined my local Doberman club first - which also has requirements to join. I got active in that and then joined the DPCA a couple of years later.

I think that there is a misconception that DPCA membership is a right - it is a privlage and comes with responsibility. The information on the website is available to everyone whether they are a member or not, but I don't think the requirements to join are excessive. I would never sponser someone that I did not personally know - my signiture on an application would be my acknowledgement that the person I was signing for would be an upstanding member of the Doberman community.............. what if they ended up being a byber? IMHO that would reflect badly on MY name.... not worth the risk. Too many iffy people have gotten into the DPCA that way.

**Doberdog** · 02-06-2008, 05:02 PM

I wanted to join but I don't know any members. How can they sponser me if they don't know me?

Julie W · 02-06-2008, 05:08 PM

Quote:

I wanted to join but I don't know any members. How can they sponser me if they don't know me?

To be perfectly honest, they shouldn't. You need to get involved in the breed and start to meet people that compete in whatever venue you are interested in and start learning about it. National breed clubs are really designed for breeders/exhibitors with some experience under their belt. Normally people don't even think about joining until they have been involved in some aspect of competing and maybe are starting to have aspirations of breeding.