It had become apparent to the officers of the AKC that they simply had to have a stud book. Without one, they had no leverage in enforcing their rules. But, the Club didn't want to start over from scratch. The Secretary was "directed to confer with the N.A.K.C. S.B. and A.K.R. as to what arrangement could be made for the surrender of their publications, records & good will to the A.K.C." Though a committee was appointed to see to this, the man who took charge was the highly efficient Secretary (later Secretary/Treasurer), Alfred P. Vredenburgh.

Watson, who had been at this meeting as the delegate for the Hornell Kennel Club, refused to abandon his registry. He was still not convinced at this point that the AKC was vigilant enough to handle the job and, of course, he had his conflicts with Taylor and Smith. So, Vredenburgh turned to Rowe. It's likely that Vredenburgh played on Rowe's hatred of Watson, for an issue of the AKC Gazette reports that Rowe said, "All right, Vredy, since the AKR takes that stand, I'll present my stud book to the American Kennel Club." And, so, the AKC got their stud book. It was on this basis that the registration system and future stud books were based.

Even though the AKC had purchased Rowe's stud books, they were still worried about Watson and his registry. At a meeting in December 1886, a committee was formed to publish the stud book, but the same resolution recommended to the committee "that an arrangement be made with the American Kennel Register if possible..." Again, Watson refused and, in 1887, the AKC published their first stud book, The American Kennel Club Stud Book, Volume IV.

Okay, a quick break for another of those shameless promotions. I have included Vol. 4 of the stud book in our web catalog since some glitch has prevented me from listing it on ebay. It is, needless to say, highly collectible since it's the first volume appearing under the AKC banner. In the weeks to come, I'll be adding Volumes 6-9, 11 and 12 and 17-19. There will be a few assorted volumes from later years.

Naturally, the AKC wanted to be the sole registry in the country. But, they still had Watson to contend with and the AKC stud book and the American Kennel Register were neck and neck in dogs entered. The dispute turned into all-out war. Rowe took to the pages of the American Field to say that the only reason Watson was criticizing the AKC was because of the money he made registering dogs. In order to undermine Watson, the AKC implemented a policy requiring mandatory AKC registration for any dog competing in a show held by a club that was an AKC member.

At a December 1886 meeting of the Executive Committee, the officers again struck back at Watson. If he wouldn't play ball, he could at least go away. The following resolution was passed:

"Therefore be it Resolved, That the Hornell Kennel Club, be respectfully requested to name some other delegate, to represent said club, and that the Secy of the AKC be requested to send a copy of this resolution to Mr. Watson and a copy to the Hornell Kennel Club."

And yet, at the next meeting, in February 1888, there sat James Watson, stubbornly representing the Hornell Kennel Club. Sure enough, Watson popped up with the first order of business. He wanted to appeal the decision, made at the recent Philadelphia Kennel Club show, to decline the entry of his Saint Bernard bitch, Margery, because she was not AKC registered.

Later that day, the Executive Committee met. They voted unanimously on a motion saying, "it is the sense of the meeting that the Hornell Kennel Club is not represented at the meeting." The minutes do not reflect if it was in support of Watson, but they do show that the New England Kennel Club and the New Haven Kennel Club submitted their resignations. The officers took a further step to defeat Watson:

"The stud dog committee was instructed as follows--

All dogs registered in the American Kennel Register, prior to Dec. 31/87, may be registered in the stud book, free of charge, upon an application from the owner of the dog, so registered in said AKR."