About the Club

Purpose

The National Capital Area Great Pyrenees Club's (NCAGPC) purpose is to:

• encourage and promote quality purebred Great Pyrenees,

• urge members and breeders to accept the standard of the breed as approved by the American Kennel Club as the only standard of excellence by which Great Pyrenees shall be judged,

• protect and advance the interests of the breed by encouraging sportsmanlike competition at dog shows,

• encourage contact between owners and fanciers of Great Pyrenees to facilitate the mutual exchange of knowledge and experiences, and

• conduct and/or support sanctioned and licensed specialty shows and obedience trials under the rules of the American Kennel Club.

Area

The Club membership is concentrated in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area, including Northern Virginia, Maryland, and surrounding areas.

Affiliations

The NCAGPC is affiliated with the Great Pyrenees Club of American (GPCA), which is, in turn, a member of the American Kennel Club (AKC).  As a member of the GPCA, and a show-giving club licensed by the AKC in its own right, the NCAGPC is eligible to hold shows for Great Pyrenees competition, as well as to host regional and national specialty shows.

Through the GPCA and its AKC representative, the Club has opportunities to express itself as a body on matters of concern to the dog fancier, and individual members of our Club can also express themselves through this channel or through becoming individual members of the GPCA.  GPCA membership is worthwhile for the individual if only to bring him/her the GPCA Bulletin.  It also helps the NCAGPC, since maintenance of an adequate foundation of the GPCA individual membership is necessary to enable the Club to participate fully in the matters of the GPCA.  An application may be obtained from the GPCA Secretary  or at our Membership page.

Officers

The NCAGPC is carried on through the Board of Directors, elected officers that include a President, Vice Presidents, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, and Treasurer, and its appointed committee chairpersons.

Members

Club menbers are encouraged to volunteer for whatever service they would like to perform, the standing committee includes the following: Show, Obedience, Trophy, Ways and Means, Historian, Publicity, Welfare, Membership, and Pyriodical.  In addition, chairpersons are appointed as required to handle individual large events, such as a specialty shows or match, and other tasks of relatively short duration, including the study of issues requiring Club action.  A wide variety of talents and interests are represented in these tasks.  Please read more on our Membership page and our Code of Ethics page that all members adhere to.

Activities

The Club fulfills its purpose through a variety of activities, all with the aim of developing and presenting the Great Pyrenees as an "all rounder" capable of doing well in all aspects of training and showing, as well as being a pleasant, well-adjusted companion. These activities provide the opportunity for fanciers and breeders to enlighten and engage each other on many levels. Please see our Photo Albums and be sure to check our Event Calendar.  Here are some of the activities: 

Membership Meetings

Central to all the Club's activities are the membership meetings which are the member's chief contact with what is happening and their opportunity to participate in the decision making process. It also presents informative and entertaining programs of interest to dog owners and fanciers in general and to Great Pyrenees owners, exhibitors and breeders in particular. The Club helps new owners with problems of raising, training, grooming, showing, and general health information. Sometimes we will have a walk in the woods with our dogs. In December, we sometimes  participate in the Manassas Christmas Parade with our "Christmas Dogs" (truly a sight to behold), and in June each year the annual meeting is held, at which time new officers are officially installed and we normally have great food.

Shows and Matches

Every year the Club gives two specialty shows and obedience trials, either independently or in conjunction with an all-breed show. In addition, the Club holds a match or practice show. The Club is also active in supporting other shows in the region with trophies and entries.

Training

The Club encourages its members to train their dogs in obedience to the greatest extent possible and can offer a "Great Pyrenees Only' obedience class if there is sufficient interest. Also, there are many all-breed obedience clubs in the area which offer training. For many members, training with, and membership in, an obedience club adds an extra dimension to their NCAGPC activity that benefits both the Club and themselves. The Obedience chairperson can introduce a new member to the possibilities for receiving appropriate instruction in their area.

Newsletter

Through the Pyriodical, the Club tries to keep the membership informed both of its activities and its accomplishments as an organization and of the activities and achievements of its members. The editors look to the membership of the Club to supply news items concerning all aspects of Club interests and welcomes any help you can give in producing the newsletters.