10/23/2026
BUILDING MAJORS: WHAT ARE WE REALLY ACCOMPLISHING?
In 33 years in Maltese, I have never built an entire major for any of my dogs. I have entered both a male and a female to compete, but if my dog couldn’t compete against a legitimate entry for a major, I questioned what we were actually accomplishing.
And, for the sake of full disclosure, I wasn’t exactly being invited to help build anyone else’s majors, either! 😂
I remember a time before the Internet when an ordinary weekend in my part of the country could bring an entry of 30 Maltese. Today, that might be considered a specialty entry! There were different breeding programs, different interpretations of type, different grooming and handling styles. There was genuine competition, and you had to earn your wins.
Today, I often hear, “We have to build majors, or we’ll never finish our dogs.”
But I have to ask: What is the purpose of a championship title if the competition must be assembled primarily to achieve it? Who are we impressing, and what have we actually proven?
I understand that smaller entries make earning points difficult, and I’m not suggesting that exhibitors shouldn’t encourage participation. There is a difference, however, between bringing quality dogs out to compete and organizing an entry primarily to help a particular dog finish its championship.
The AKC has established rules for earning a championship, and a title earned under those rules is official. But meeting the requirements and demonstrating superiority over a strong, competitive entry are two different things.
I also wonder how much the title means to today’s pet-buying public. Years ago, people would ask whether the parents were champions. Today, many buyers are more concerned with finding a beautiful, healthy dog with a wonderful temperament. A title may still impress them, but it cannot substitute for those qualities.
A championship should represent something worth being proud of—not simply another prefix to add to a pedigree or a bragging point on social media.
Now, consider the AKC’s group-placement point provisions. Under the applicable rules, an eligible class dog that places in the variety group may be able to earn championship points based on its group placement, rather than relying solely on its breed competition.
Could this be a reflection of the challenges associated with declining class entries? Perhaps. Regardless, it raises an interesting question.
If we are breeding quality dogs that can compete successfully in the group, is there really a need to build points in the classes?
I’m genuinely interested in hearing other perspectives, particularly from those who have been involved in the sport for many years.
Are we preserving the meaning of the championship, or have we become so focused on finishing titles that we’ve lost sight of what they were intended to represent?
Picture: Chrisman’s Yukon Cornelius
@ AMA Regional Specialty 2017
