Who is Irondog? - Why Register Bulldogs?
Before we go into the history of Registering American Bulldogs in Australia. Lets consider what the five main reasons we Register our American Bulldogs are. In hard times its easy to forget our commitments and just give up doing what is right. If people didn't give up they wouldn't have something to regret for the rest of their lives. So lets look at the rational behind registering American Bulldogs and what we have been trying to achieve for the last 33 years collectively. Sometimes we're dragging breeders fighting and screaming into the 21st Century. A brief sidebar before those 5 reasons on setting expectations and the timeliness of receiving paperwork.
The Timeliness of Producing Paperwork and Setting Expectations
The Number One Reason Irondog Paperwork takes time = SECURITY
What is the number one reason Irondog Paperwork takes time and is it worth the wait? The discreet issue is that because The Integrity and Security of The Registry is our primary concern papers are not issued without microchip details (and a host of others) as a rule. So breeders can't apply for paperwork until the puppies are six weeks and micro-chipped. Generally this is when the Breeders start getting their act together collating all the details. So despite reminders from us the puppies might be 8 weeks old (or older) before they even contact Irondog for paperwork. So why require : the Kennel and Breeder names; puppy names; description; sire ; dam; D.O.B, puppy photo (for the file); sex; microchip number and conditions for each puppy? Because the genetic integrity of the breed is a major part of our mission. We want to ensure to the best of our ability that what you are getting as a puppy buyer is a genuine, purebred American Bulldog. There are lots of checks and balances that are put in place to keep our wonderful breed safe. Getting details to uniquely identify a Bulldog is just the start of what is embodied in "The Ironlock Protocol" which is a comprehensive strategy that preserves the integrity of The Bulldog Paperwork. Just to name one other measure. Our Papers are all issued "on paper" and tamper-proof (laminated). We do not send electronic files that can be printed off again and again (no disrespect to anyone else).
Taking the time to Fight against Hybridization and mud blood Bulldogs
Overseas registries have been plagued by paper hanging and mixed blood Bulldogs to the point that they don't make a distinction between True American Bulldogs and Hybrid American Bulldogs. For instance the NKC in America until relatively recently only required 80% Bulldog blood to register a dog as a pure bred American Bulldog. Yes, this is for real! So taking time with the paperwork is actually a benefit not something pointless or unbearable.
How long should papers take and reasonable expectations
So generally paperwork is produced in about 10 business days. However you should normally allow 30 elapsed days from the time you provide all of the information necessary and make full payment. This allows for delivery issues through Australia Post, time for the funds to show up in the Irondog account and other miscellaneous issues. Though Australia Post advertise delivery within 6 days, if there is an issue they do not consider it a failed delivery as long as it occurs within 16 days. And this is for Express Post, which is how we send everything. Business days are Monday to Friday. Saturday and Sunday are not business days. Where there are Public Holidays you must also allow for these (also not business days - and include long weekends aswell). At the end of the year from the 23rd of December to the 5th of January, Irondog is on holiday like everyone else. So if you have ordered papers take this into consideration regarding calculating business days. Also take into consideration Irondog Events and Shows. This is true of all Irondog Shows but particularly interstate ones. The week before an Irondog Show and a week after you should not expect papers to be produced or to count these as business days. The preparation for Shows is intense and very time consuming. Travelling interstate on a whirlwind trip and running a show all day is exhausting. So be fair and reasonable in your expectations, please.
Irondog is a Boutique Registry catering for Bulldogs only
There have been and will be times when for family or health reasons Irondog Paperwork has been delayed. I know we live in an instant generation. Drive through pre-prepared meals the norm and people want everything to be done now or even yesterday. Please take into account that The American Bulldog is not recognized by the Governments in Australia and Dogs Australia. There is no team of people standing by when the Genealogist has a health or family emergency. The American Bulldog is a very rare breed still in this country and around the world. One of our goals is to get the American Bulldog recognized by bringing up the number of registered Bulldogs. There is no magic wand to solve the problems of life neither a crystal ball to predict when such emergencies will arise. So please take this into consideration if there are delays with your paperwork. Your not dealing with a mega corporation, just a lil Club.
Miscellaneous duties can delay paperwork
The American Bulldog Club uses The Irondog Registry Exclusively because this is the home grown organization that has been fighting for 33 years to preserve The Bulldog in this country. This arrangement is only practical but it does impose some limitations especially whilst The Club is building up because many of the "Club Tasks" fall on Irondog's Registrar and The Clubs Secretary. Even with efforts to delegate as much of this work as possible (and rewarding those for it) countless hours of helping Bulldog people (especially members) and answering inquiries are simply unavoidable. As a long time Club Member once said:
"Don't complain to me about Dez taking time to get papers done - Dez is a one man army". (Isaac Harris)
Which isn't to take away from those solid members who contribute so much. It is simply that the burden of voluntary and unpaid work falls on Irondog's shoulders. Helping members all over the country who are geographically dispersed.
American Bulldogs are a very rare breed - Providing paperwork is not a full time job
There are only so many hours in a day. The income from Irondog is that of a casual job. So The Irondog Genealogist has to work two other jobs to sustain himself. This is a very rare breed and it's not like the Genealogist is just sitting around waiting to do papers. Life goes on around it. It's a just a fantasy to thing papers can be produced at the drop of the hat. When there is a flood of papers, generally at the end of the year there can also be delays when the workload doubles or triples. And there is no reserve pool of labor or time to attend to extra Paperwork demands. Because that time is already allocated to other occupation that provide a living to the Registrar. There are only so many hands in a deck of cards. So the 10 business days and 30 elapsed days can easily double to 20 business days or 60 elapsed days and this is excluding the communication problems with the breeders when they are providing the details of registration. OFTEN DETAILS ARE WRONG OR MISSING! This adds problems, delays and lead times and often there is telephone tag until these details are ironed out and corrected. This can easily add a 5-10 business days or 15-30 elapsed days to the total time taken to produce paperwork
Breeder mistakes create lead times and can take weeks to clarify and even months. Sometimes they are never clarified and so papers are simply not issued. To comply with our security policy you must send all of the required information and payment before papers are issued. We pride ourselves on the fact that we have the most secure pedigree papers in the world. Which is why we ask that you do not send communication for pedigree papers via text message or by messenger. All of the registration details must be sent by email! But a lot of Bulldog people are unsophisticated and send orders by Facebook Messenger or Messages on Phone. Sometimes details are given in in pictures and screen shots rather than simple text. This may be convenient and quick for a Breeder but it multiplies the work effort significantly especially if the pics are low resolution (making hard to identify minute (but essential) details like Microchip numbers.
Sending Bulldog photos for Paperwork
Breeders often send photos of dogs (for registration papers) not as requested i.e:
"When sending photos of your Bulldog please send a photo of the whole Bulldog standing, side on, at attention and preferably turned 45 degrees displaying any distinguishing markings. Photos must be current when registering Bulldogs. Old puppy photos are not good enough and are against our Security Policy. Please consider the background of your photos also. We only want a Bulldog picture. "
Also photos vary in quality. Some have poor lighting and lack of color. These photos then have to be manipulated in a computer program so that they are suitable to go on a Certificate of Pedigree (which is a work of art suitable for framing). Because photos come in all shapes and sizes customization is often involved in producing the certificate. This can take time also.
Overseas Registries with Paperwork Errors
Like Overseas Registries we used to have quality problems at times with paperwork. That is errors in the details of the papers. So we introduced Quality Control. At three stages of the paperwork production each certificate is checked against the details provided to ensure they are all correct. This helps us to minimize having to resend paperwork. Ofcourse improving the quality - you guessed it also increases the time it takes to produce the paperwork.
So be reasonable in your expectations of time for Paperwork to be prepared
So when setting expectations please take all of these factors into consideration and own your mistakes especially if you haven't provided all of the correct details. Take the starting date of producing your papers from when you've paid the funds and have clarified all of the details. And then you need to allow for all of things we have discussed above. Sometimes Breeders who have not provided information for registering Bulldogs as above go on line and blame the registry when they are the ones to blame and this is common. Of course sometimes The Registry is to blame for delays. I hope that we have given some explanation to why papers are not received in what people perceive to be a reasonable time. Another issue with Breeders is that they are on "Bulldog Time" like everyone else. They generally leave it till the last minute to register their puppies and then want to Jump The Queue and make everyone else wait because they can't organize themselves. And then there are those Breeders who "handle the truth carelessly" and are just not honest about their Registered Breeder Situation with their puppy buyers and/or how they have mishandled the registration process or their status.
Comparing Irondog Paperwork Times to The KCC and Dogs Australia
I used to breed Rottweilers registered through the KCC/Dogs Australia. They generally took six months to arrive and have taken up to a year. And that is from a massive organization with massive resources. So if you are expecting to get papers in a couple of week from an organization of One Genealogist every time perhaps you need to rethink that. Having said that we aim to complete paperwork in 10 business days or 30 elapsed days and we often do. Sometimes we have turned around paperwork in 24 hours where we have had the opportunity to. Hopefully now you understand that we cannot guarantee this speedy service in all cases given all of the known risks and allowing time for the unknown risks. When all things are considered 90 elapsed days though not ideal is still not an unreasonable time frame to receive paperwork (when you step back and realize there is only one person doing the paperwork). Puppy Papers for a litter need to get out within 14-30 days. And we do achieve this except when there are special unforeseen circumstances like "Hospitalization" or at "Christmas Time" or at "Show Time". There are all kinds of emergencies that can impact the timelines of paperwork. For instance sometimes there are conditions on paperwork that limit when a Bulldog can be bred. Where these are in place the original breeders who put these conditions on have to be contacted (in the best interests of the puppies, Club and Breed. How long does it take to sort out this kind of problem? Well how long is a piece of string? All we can do is methodically keep working.
Official Recognition
1. By Registering our American Bulldogs we are making the very necessary individual contribution to the goal of getting American Bulldogs recognized in Australia. We have seen many times that councils have forced de-sexing of Bulldogs & even seized them, then put them down simply because we don't have the numbers of registered Bulldogs to get them recognized by the government. We must register our Bulldogs no.1! If you are anything other than a new-bee, "Tier Five" Kennel in your 1st year it is compulsory to register the whole litter. Anyone not registering their AB puppies with Irondog & The True American Bulldog Original Club of Australia is an irresponsible breeder and they will be dealt with by The Ethics Committee. Irondog is mandated to report this breech of ethics. Registering Bulldog puppies is the foundation of everything that we do together - it simply underpins the whole Bulldog campaign.
A fair price for Bulldogs
2. One excuse made for not registering American Bulldog puppies is the low price obtained for puppies (compared to the Covid era overprice). In 2024 we do have a flooded market as well as a culture change of non dog ownership. Although we can understand the rising costs and the frustration experienced by breeders. You must understand that by not registering puppies you are contributing the the very problem that is the source of your angst. In actual fact you are perpetuating the low price for the whole community including yourself by building & promoting the unregistered market. People with this mentality are being dishonest with themselves, they are in fact insincere bulldog enthusiasts. Hard times often expose peoples real motives when it comes to being Bulldoggers.
Breeding Better Bulldogs
3. Only registered Bulldogs can compete at Irondog Shows. The Shows preserve the true nature of The American Bulldog. The characteristics of American Bulldogs are promoted and safeguarded through competition. If Bulldogs are not registered they cannot be part of the legitimate gene pool which directly impacts our ability to "Breed Better Bulldogs". Contributing to the unregistered market is akin to the actions of a suicide bomber who has no regard for the collateral damage they are causing our beloved Bulldogs. When you consider that puppy certificates are available to Registered Breeders for $25 it simply inexcusable to not register the whole litter. The price of registering a puppy with the ANKC is $69 to $293 depending on when you register it. Breeders who don't register their litters are simply making havoc for American Bulldogs. If your not gathering together with us you're scattering & mere puppy peddlers.
Preserving The True Bulldog
4. Becoming a Registered Breeder is a right of passage into the community of True Believers. With it you take on the responsibility and privilege of shaping Breed Standards and the future of American Bulldog not just in this country but around The World. To not commit or renege on your commitment "To Breed Better Bulldogs" is no small thing. Its giving up being being a part of This History. Your throwing your reputation in the mud for all to see - and proving that you were always just a hard core money hungry puppy peddler. True Club Registered Breeders are The Champions who preserve and promote The Registered American Bulldog. Regressing to anything less places you at cross purposes with the best interests of our beloved Bulldog and its Community and will draw down the necessary and well deserved consequences. Registering your American Bulldog puppies is essential to the survival of The Breed! Breeder buy in to standards and programs keeps us all honest and hedges out show fancier trends have destroyed many breeds.
Accountability
5. We must register our puppies so that we can keep track for health purposes. Not just physical health but stability of temperament also. Without which The Bulldog will quickly become a crossbred nuisance. This in turn then destroys the reputation of our dogs in the community which further reduces not just their sale-ability but their very place in society. Non registration of Bulldogs litters puts us back 40 years or more. One big reason for non registration is to dodge accountability for producing healthy puppies. If their is an issue there is no where to go to hold breeders accountable. Such illegitimate breeders will be struck off the list and rightly so for their neglect. It also allows other breed enthusiasts to hide their dogs in our ranks which ultimately will destroy us! Your either part of the problem or part of the solution. Such illegitimate breeders will be struck off the list and rightly so for their neglect.
Who are Irondog to say what is an American Bulldog? What gives them the authority to register American Bulldogs? Irondog is the Original and Authentic American Bulldog Registry of Australia. It commenced with the Importation and Breeding of American Bulldogs on a large scale in Australia around 1993. Irondog records go back to 1950 and come from the first real Bulldog Registry the ARF, the Animal Research Foundation in the USA (founded in 1947), which is why the ARF stamp is on Irondog paperwork. The NKC was also used by Bulldog Pioneers but their standards of purity for Bulldogs was that only 80% Bulldog Blood was required. This is the reason that J. D Johnson moved to the ARF very early on. Irondog have been recognized internationally for almost 30 years. We work with Registries in the USA and Europe, recognize their paperwork and vice versa. Irondog has registered American Bulldogs in Australia, New Zealand and the USA (Hawaii). The ARF has now closed permanently leaving Irondog as it's successor in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere. Our mission is to preserve The True American Bulldog with its functional competence rather than just a look.
The American Bulldog Club and The Irondog have a long history together because they used to ONE in the combined Registry\Club - then called the ABRA. When Dez Auld purchased The Registry in 2000 he separated the two. Today they are still separate entities. Why does the Club support out sourcing its Registry and related activities to Irondog. Firstly the service delivery of Irondog is second to none. Though overseas registries have come and gone no organization has contributed to The American Bulldog Breed in Australia more than Irondog with dozens of Shows and Trials with many Champions titled. They have a local presence are are easily contacted and have real relationships with breeders around the country stretching back 30 years. They also issue the longest pedigrees in the World and the pedigrees they issue are works of art (of a very high quality). One of the main reasons The Bulldog Club can only recommend using Irondog; is that this is the only way American Bulldogs can get recognized in Australia - but it doesn't discourage people from Dual Registering with the ABRA or ABA or the Johnson Registry. Irondog recognizes the modernist Bulldog types of Classic and Standard and has those side by side with the traditional Johnson and Performance (Scott) and also Performance Johnson - a mix of the two types. So Irondog is compatible with the varied positions on type confirmed in America which is important.
Is it important to purchase an American Bulldog from an Irondog Registered American Bulldog Breeder? Our advise is if your speaking to a Bulldog Breeder and they are not a registered breeder the sales conversation should end right there! But it depends how you frame it. Do you mean state GOV registered, Council registered or may be registered with an overseas breed registry? Then yes this counts for little. The bottom line, if your not a Registered Breeder (in Australia) with "Irondog" your not a legitimate breeder. At the end of the day there is only one reason to have an overseas registry as your primary - and that is penny pinching. Overseas registries can charge ever so slightly less but they also provide a different quality of product in line with their price point. There is no legitimate reason for this except for those looking to make a quick buck rather than being part of history. Yes there can be exceptions to this motivation for instance; for convenience for those who have purchased American Bulldogs registered with another over seas organization. However these fall flat because Irondog offers dual registration of Bulldogs for $50 including postage (the real cost $25). So where there may be a few saying that they are not puppy peddlers looking to extract every cent - there really can be no excuse for not doing what is only right by The Breed. Which is working together to get them recognized in Australia.
So again our advice is to pass them by. We been working on getting Bulldogs recognized for 17 or so years in OZ. If your not a part of that, part of the solution - then your part of the problem. So is being a registered breeder with Irondog important? It's the first thing. Yes It's everything, And Irondog holds Breeders to account! You can be sure of that. Notably 2 Australian Breeders have been de-registered and banned for life. As a Breed Registry our primary concern is the integrity and reputation of The True American Bulldog. But the purpose of Irondog is not to punish wayward breeders. We work with the breeders to encourage them to "Breed Better Bulldogs".
Everyone who registers with Irondog has made a commitment to " Breed Better Bulldogs". Having said that this is the first question to ask - are they registered with Irondog. There are many other questions to ask. Especially what we recommend is that the Breeder has the Bulldogs in their lives. This is number 2 on the hit list! It's what's inside The Bulldog? That is most important. And their is only one way to know - to "Do life with them". Everything else comes after this paramount consideration; of exactly who you are bringing into your home, family and life. It's not the cosmetics or even the physical structure that has primary importance but what is "under the hood". Which isn't to say that we don't need sound Bulldogs. Of course we do. But the primary goal is the nature of The Bulldog and that is genetic to a large degree though it can be influenced by what nurturing the Bulldog experiences.
Lets turn back the clock to 1993 where The Irondog Registry began under the name The NABR, The National American Bulldog Registry founded in Western Australia by Tony Tascone. Although Bulldogs had been imported to Australia prior to this time this year represents a concerted effort by three individuals to import and breed American Bulldogs on a large scale. These three were Tony Tascone (who started the registry), Joe Cauchi and George Andrews. Records were obtained from the ARF to create the registry here in Australia with their help. Later the Registry/Club was acquired by Carl Kindred who re-branded it as "The ABRA" in 1996 though it was the same registry of 1993. Carl kept the records and helped run American Bulldog shows and Club like activities until the year 2000 when tragic circumstances in his life caused him to sell the registry and all the records exclusively to Dez Auld. Dez re-branded the registry as Irondog and separated the Registry and Club forming with it's members The ABCA (American Bulldog Club of Australia). In 2019 The American Bulldog Club was rebranded as "The True American Bulldog Original Club of Australia" to combat developments in America where breeders and even whole registries were openly adding other breeds into what they call "American Bullodgs". The Irondog Registry has also been revamped in 2020 with New Paperwork Templates, Products and most importantly New Service Deliver Targets. This is part of The Push to get American Bulldogs recognized in Australia. Previously Bulldog paperwork may be received weeks and in rare cases months later and though the quality was good it wasn't great. The new look paperwork with customized photos on A3 Premium laminated paper are simply works of art that carry the genealogies of the Bulldogs longer than any registry in The World. Irondog paperwork is now processed generally within 7 days from the time payment appears in the bank. However due to ill health some paperwork has been delayed longer. For this we do apologize and we are endeavoring to improve our service targets. Now these are working days and weekend days are not taken into account. Neither are the postal times and where there are delays.
Service Delivery, Security and Customer Service
All paperwork is sent by the same method; Express Post with tracking, receiver signature required and insurance in a rigid 60 cm Postal Cylinder. This guarantees deliver and the quality of the paperwork received. Express Post can take up to 16 days (before AUS Post will investigate a delivery) where clients are located in the Primary Postal Area with longer times for those outside of it. A photo, microchip number and unique registration number provide a three way security to the authenticity of paperwork that is only enhanced by the postal delivery method. A photo of the cylinder with tracking number displayed and the lodgement verification is sent to the client at the time of posting. This is the high level of service that Irondog Breeders and Bulldog owners now enjoy!
Exceeding Expectations
Going beyond the call of duty often photo's can be lacking in lighting, exposure and clarity. At no cost to the client these photos are massaged in an editing program to deliver an optimal record of your Bulldog that appears on your Certificate of Pedigree. Again a work of Art that you will proudly place on your wall. Further clients can request that the "Call Name" features on the paperwork with the registered name in the details. Irondog paperwork can also be created with "Conditions" reflecting the agreement between The Breeder and the puppy purchaser - and it is important to note that these conditions will not be changed by Irondog. Changing conditions of sale springs from a questionable place. Notably although in America Registries change the names of Bulldogs as they transfer from hand to hand Irondog does not change names. This can cause all kinds of problems down the track and at the end of the day is an exercise of vanity. However Irondog does permit Breeders to allow clients to choose their own names by call them puppy 1,2,3 etc which flags that the client chooses the name (Not the Breeders prefix though). This is achieved by Irondogs use of both relational an flat file databases which is almost unique in the canine world. Another advantage of having the length of historical records is that Bulldog Types are identified by blood not by fancy. In short Irondog produces the longest pedigrees in The World because they can.
Registered Breeders and lifetime Fees
Irondog is the "Registry Provider" for The True American Bulldog Original Club of Australia. They provide a professional service that experience and history has shown cannot be produced by volunteers. This relationship is reviewed yearly and is not binding. It will be dissolved when Dogs Australia recognizes The American Bulldog. To become a Registered Breeder with Irondog you need to have Purebred Registered American Bulldogs and be able to produce their pedigrees. You must make at least a one liner commitment to "Breed Better Bulldogs". So what is breeding better Bulldogs? It's really just common sense. However we will outline below what The Club's expectations are regarding "Breeding Better Bulldogs". Serious breaches of ethical breeding standards may bring suspension of a Breeders Registration and in the worst cases de-registration and life time bans.
The cost to become a Registered Breeder with Irondog is $200 and this is a once off fee for life. You are issued with a Registered Breeder certificate and given a rating of "Tier 5". All breeders start off at "T5". From there you have to earn your way to a higher classification. Which is explained further down below. To maintain the integrity of The Registry Breeders have to be registered for life. Otherwise their Kennel names and prefixes would be only transient. This would cause endless confusion examining pedigrees as is the case with some American Bulldog Registries. Other costs are listed as below.
Breeder Registration $200.00 (Once off for Life) plus postage*.
Upgrade of Breeder Registration to next Tier $50, this includes postage (With all documentation provided)*.
Puppy Certificates $20.00 plus postage*.
(Puppy Certificates are issued with the names Puppy 1,2,3 etc - these are for entry level Breeders, registration no.'s allocated on transfer.
Puppy Generation Papers $60 plus postage*.
(Puppy Generation Papers are issued with unique names and come with Registration Numbers and registration paid).
Certificate of Pedigree $150 (Required for Breeding) plus postage*.
(Certificates of Pedigree are only issued for Bulldogs 18 months old and over - they are required to register American Bulldog puppies)
Reproduction of lost paperwork $75.00 and this includes postage*.
Yearly Irondog Membership/True American Bulldog Club Partnership $100 (Not Required - only for those wanting to advertise Studs on the Club site, attend shows/trials, and receive a copy of the National Bulldogger Yearbook).*
*Due to lockdowns and covid 19 all Irondog Memberships have rolled over without requirement for payment for 2022.
*All paperwork is sent by Registered Post, Express Post with tracking, signature and insurance. This is part of the Security Protocol to ensure that paperwork is not lost or stolen.
Dez Auld at Irondog should be contacted for all matters regarding registration:
Irondog@AmericanBulldogclub.com.au
P.O Box 288 Baxter 3911
0449889548
.........
Registered Address for The True American Bulldog Original Club of Australia Public Officer is 63/1325 Frankston-Dandenong Road Carum Downs Victoria.
Investigation of Bulldog for Registration (where papers are not available) $1000.00 + all costs (which includes mandatory Breed DNA Test - which must result in "100% American Bulldog" and successful Single Registration in the USA with a longstanding registry). This service is provided without any guarantee of success and all monies are non refundable. Irondog does not perform "Single Registrations" nor is it within our delegated responsibilities as a Breed Registry to do so. This practice is discouraged by The True American Bulldog Original Club and Irondog. However it is recognized that their could be exceptional and unforeseen circumstances where this could be performed by an American Registry - who's territory does encompass whether or not a Bulldog can be registered as an "American Bulldog" as a single registration.
