How do we overcome the suggested apathy and increase the 'market awareness'?

How about asking our supporters to do things that take no extra time rather than expecting them always to do the 'big promotions'? For example Game Fairs are providing an absolutely stunning opportunity for showcasing and introducing the Breeds which don't normally attend, but are extremely costly in fuel, time and perhaps even accommodation for those manning the displays.

But introducing our Breeds to the public doesn't always have to be such a major event. Paul and I have both been 'testing' methods of exposure of our Breed and simply making sure we have a small card, giving some type of contact details if they want to find out more, to give to people whilst walking our dogs has made a big difference. This isn't a Breed Club job or a Kennel Club job - it's something each and every one of us 'owners' can do almost daily. This isn't done within any confines; it doesn't matter whether the dog is working, walking or in competition - it's just you and your dog promoting your breed in its own environment to people who might never have heard of or seen the breed before.

We should be rethinking our ideas in response to the experience we now have in promoting our Breeds. We should understand that some people just want to 'own a dog' rather than be drawn into saving a vulnerable dog breed. Yes, the spectacular events we have in the pipeline will go ahead and provide fantastic publicity but individually we can all be doing our bit in the meantime. But, unless every dog breeder is going to either keep or give away all the puppies they breed, the bottom line is that we have a 'product' - and a very marketable one at that.

However we approach this subject, we all have one common aim don't we? To preserve our British Heritage Dog Breeds for the future. So whether you are classed as a companion dog owner, a breeder, a working dog owner, a Breed Club, the Kennel Club or an elephant - let's start from this common denominator and work on the differences later.

This is why this site is here. We can't tackle all the problems with elephants and various organisations but what we can do is market our British Heritage Dog Breeds, support all the excellent initiatives already in place, provide a new accessible idea sharing space and just get on with the job with a clean slate and a new beginning ...because they're worth it!