[schildkoi]

Quote: Originally Posted by Nancy M. Steve, I am wondering how many profesionals participate in the KHA program? I know it was opened up to dealers, about 3 years ago for a minimal fee of $100. How many high end dealers don't already have vast knowledge on QT, water quality, KHV testing, scraping and scooping fish? Of all the high end dealers that I know here in California, I can't think of one, who does not constantly teach, koi husbandry to there customers. I can't imagine that the KHA course could teach most of them anything, on the other hand I think the dealers could teach the KHA's a thing or two. What hobbiest deals with as many parasite problems, fish deaths, bacterial infections as any one dealer? Just a thought but, if said dealer declines to join and follow this new program, do you think this will harm his bussines? I think to a certain point the dealers are being forced to participate. If they don't play then everyone will know. Would you still buy from your favorite dealer, if he does not have a certificate from AKCA proudly displayed in his shop? Another thought is we will have new dog & cat vets coming out of the woodwork, to join this new venture for the honest Vets this will be a good thing for the hobby, for the ones that just want to make a quick buck, this could knock us back a few steps.

Nancy,
For every dealer that you can name with the knowledge as you present, there are at least 5 others without such knowledge. Whether a dealer joins or not is their business decision. As I elluded to, I am not worried about the higher end/reputable dealers. Nor even those that participate in the program and apply such knowledge gained. I would be afriad of those that get "certified" and choose not to use the knowledge but use the certification as a "marketing" tool. We all know how much I "love" ......"marketers."

By the way, for me, a certificate in the window does not mean squat. Its the actual practices employed that get my business so to answer your question, for me it does not matter one way or another. But then again, I am not exactly the uninformed nor naive' buyer either.

Steve