Kennel Union of Southern Africa
Encyclopedia
The Kennel Union of Southern Africa (formerly The Kennel Union of South Africa) was founded in 1891 through the merge of the Southern African Kennel Club of Port Elizabeth (founded in 1883) and the South African Kennel Club of Cape Town
(founded in 1889), ranking it among the world’s oldest kennel club
s.
KUSA is primarily a registration and administrative organization for nearly two hundred affiliated breed club
s with over six thousand members.
Over four hundred Championship or non-Championship events
are licensed annually. Dog sports administered are competitive breed (beauty/conformation show
s); field trial
s and the following competitive working disciplines: obedience classes
, working trials, dog jumping, dog carting
(draughtwork), and agility
. Although breed (conformation) shows are limited to purebred
dogs, any dog, purebred or not, if registered or recorded, may enter the working disciplines.
KUSA is a fully federated member of the Fédération Cynologique Internationale
(FCI) and has reciprocal agreements with bodies such as The Kennel Club
(UK) and the American Kennel Club
(AKC) which are not members of the FCI. It also has agreements with other national member countries of the FCI such as the Australian National Kennel Council
. KUSA represents the South African Dog world on the National Sports Commission and is recognized with the South African Stud Book Society. KUSA currently recognizes and promotes two developing South African breed
s, the Africanis
and the Boerboel
.
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
(founded in 1889), ranking it among the world’s oldest kennel club
Kennel club
A kennel club is an organization for canine affairs that concerns itself with the breeding, showing and promotion of more than one breed of dog...
s.
KUSA is primarily a registration and administrative organization for nearly two hundred affiliated breed club
Breed club (dog)
A dog breed club is an association or club of fanciers of a single, specific breed of dog.Breed clubs define the breed with which the club is associated in a document called a breed standard, although there may be multiple breed clubs for the same breed, each defining the breed in a somewhat...
s with over six thousand members.
Over four hundred Championship or non-Championship events
Conformation show
Conformation shows, also referred to as breed shows, are a kind of dog show in which a judge familiar with a specific dog breed evaluates individual purebred dogs for how well the dogs conform to the established breed type for their breed, as described in a breed's individual breed standard.A...
are licensed annually. Dog sports administered are competitive breed (beauty/conformation show
Conformation show
Conformation shows, also referred to as breed shows, are a kind of dog show in which a judge familiar with a specific dog breed evaluates individual purebred dogs for how well the dogs conform to the established breed type for their breed, as described in a breed's individual breed standard.A...
s); field trial
Field trial
A field trial is a competitive event at which hunting dogs compete against one another. There are field trials for retrievers, pointing dogs and flushing dogs. Field trials are usually organized by kennel clubs or other gun dog organizations...
s and the following competitive working disciplines: obedience classes
Obedience trial
An obedience trial is a dog sport in which a dog must perfectly execute a predefined set of tasks when directed to do so by his handler. According the American Kennel Club obedience regulations...
, working trials, dog jumping, dog carting
Carting
Carting is a dog sport or activity in which a dog pulls a Dogcart filled with supplies, such as farm goods or firewood, but sometimes pulling people. Carting as a sport is also known as dryland mushing and is practiced all around the world, often to keep winter sled dogs in competition form during...
(draughtwork), and agility
Dog agility
Dog agility is a dog sport in which a handler directs a dog through an obstacle course in a race for both time and accuracy. Dogs run off-leash with no food or toys as incentives, and the handler can touch neither dog nor obstacles...
. Although breed (conformation) shows are limited to purebred
Purebred
Purebreds, also called purebreeds, are cultivated varieties or cultivars of an animal species, achieved through the process of selective breeding...
dogs, any dog, purebred or not, if registered or recorded, may enter the working disciplines.
KUSA is a fully federated member of the Fédération Cynologique Internationale
Fédération Cynologique Internationale
Fédération Cynologique Internationale is an international federation of kennel clubs based in Thuin, Belgium. The English language translation, World Canine Organisation, is not often used.Its goals are described in Article 2 of their regulations:...
(FCI) and has reciprocal agreements with bodies such as The Kennel Club
The Kennel Club
The Kennel Club is a kennel club based in London and Aylesbury, United Kingdom.The Kennel Club registration system divides dogs into seven breed groups. The Kennel Club Groups are: Hound, Working, Terrier, Gundog, Pastoral, Utility and Toy...
(UK) and the American Kennel Club
American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. Beyond maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, an annual event which predates the official...
(AKC) which are not members of the FCI. It also has agreements with other national member countries of the FCI such as the Australian National Kennel Council
Australian National Kennel Council
The Australian National Kennel Council is the peak body in Australia responsible for promoting breeding, showing, trialling, obedience, and other canine-related activities and the ownership of temperamentally and physically sound purebred dogs by individuals across Australia. It was formed in...
. KUSA represents the South African Dog world on the National Sports Commission and is recognized with the South African Stud Book Society. KUSA currently recognizes and promotes two developing South African breed
Dog breed
Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....
s, the Africanis
Africanis
The Africanis is a group of South African dogs recently recognized by the Kennel Union of South Africa as an emerging breed. It is believed to be of ancient origin, directly descended from hounds and pariah dogs of ancient Africa, introduced into the Nile Valley from the Levant...
and the Boerboel
Boerboel
The Boerboel is a large, mastiff dog breed from South Africa, bred for the purpose of guarding the homestead. These dogs were often a first line of defense against predators and were valuable in tracking and holding down wounded game...
.