If you think it tough to crash the Social Register and rough to make an Ivy League college, how would you like to be a dog trying for the venerable American Kennel Club?

There are some great Danes in Concord, Massachusetts, who have some great Muesterlaenders with impeccable lineage not yet eligible for the AKC.

Muensterlaenders? Like Muenster cheese, hailing from the same town in Germany, dogs whose blood lines can be traced to fifteenth century Feudal baronies, whose grace was painted by the Great Masters of the seventeenth century art.

Popular in middle and northern Europe, they are the newest immigrants (canine) to hit these shores.

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Jensen of Hunter Ridge Road, Concord, are native Danes of seven years residence here. On recent trips home they purchased a couple of Small Muensterlaenders and find they are possibly the only family in the United States breeding the unique hunting animal.

At least the AKC has not heard of others.

It is not that the AKC looks down upon upstarts. Since 1982, it has welcome one hundred twenty-two registered breeds. It is just that, according to Executive Secretary Roy Carlberg, dogs with no considerable following among dog fanciers must remain officially disenfranchised.

The process of gaining AKC’s approval is one of slow perseverance. At first breeds beyond the fringe are shown in the Miscellaneous Class in All-Breed Show. Until recently, the Bearded Collie, native to England, the Akita, a Japanese dog, and the Bichon Frises, of either French or Belgium origin, fell into that category. At last they made it in.

Still waiting are the Australian Cattle Dog, the Australian Keltie, the Border Collie, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Ibezan Hound, Miniature Bull Terrier, and Spinoni Italiano, and Tibetan Spaniel.

Although the Small Muensterlaender enjoys reputation in Denmark, for now the Jensens must be content to show their hunters in the specialized arena of the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA).

Unlike AKC, who maintains standards of foundation stock, conformation & appearance, and obedience, the NAVHDA dog must rank all these areas but primarily for its performance in the field.

The Small Muensterlaender, for instance, is a natural hunter, once used by German aristocracy for its all-around tracking ability. Neither a mere pointer nor water dog, nor a devotee of feather of fin, it is as eager to chase rabbits as bird game or deer.

Judging field performance is common in Europe. How a breed fulfills its natural attributes is what scores. In Australia, for example, sheep dogs are rated for their day on the job.

Thus a NAVHDA test is not used to rank dogs, but to evaluate the performance of dog and master.

What communication is between the two is how the animal is viewed. How they relate as a hunting team, the total dependability of the dog’s utility, is what the judge note.

"Such a dog," Jensen says, "then becomes your dog in the absolute sense."

This summer the first American litter was born. The first "Small M’s" to be born on American soil. When there are enough owners to form an organization, and there is widespread national interest, and all of the breeders maintain proper studbooks, the stirring of AKC recognition will begin.

Some day a Small M will make it to the Miscellaneous Class and then on to greater glory.