Dog Registries

The American Kennel Club (AKC) and the United Kennel Club (UKC) are the oldest and most recognized purebred dog registries in America. It is easy to turn your anger towards them and ask, "Why do they let puppy mills register their puppies?" but you must put things into perspective.

Let's say that you just spent $20,000 on a brand new car. In the first month of owning it, it broke down six times, had 2 flat tires and only got 5 miles to the gallon of gasoline. Who would you call? Who would you blame? Who would you expect to be responsible for making sure that car company didn't do this to someone else? The car company itself? The dealership?  The Better Business Bureau? A lawyer? Your elected officials?

Whom ever you choose to call, I would bet that you don't call the license bureau? AKC and UKC are the equivalent of the Department of Motor Vehicles. So, while it is easy to turn your anger toward AKC and UKC, you must look at the alternatives.

Since DNA became available for identifying the lineage of dogs, AKC has begun to do random DNA testing when inspecting kennels.  In Missouri, where 1/3 of the Countries puppies are produced, DNA testing and AKC inspections are resulting in an alarming number of suspensions. 

The problem with AKC suspensions is that they don't put a breeder out of business.  More often than not, a suspension from AKC or UKC does not even mean that the person will stop dealing in AKC and UKC registered dogs.

At an auction I attended with KOMU TV of Columbia Missouri, Macon Missouri breeder/broker Don Foster sold several dogs with both UKC and AKC registration.   Don Foster had been revoked from all AKC and UKC privileges for life! 

I also worked with another media source (not yet aired, so I can not disclose the information) where we went to a puppy mill undercover and purchased two AKC registered dogs.  This breeder was under a 10 year suspension from AKC at the time.  

So who do you trust?  It is sad to say that for now we must put our trust in AKC and UKC.  As long as we are educated and take the time to properly search for a reputable breeder, we have a pretty good chance of obtaining a healthy puppy that was raised in a healthy environment.

The most disturbing part of the AKC crackdown that is underway now, is the 'fly-by-night' registries that are cropping up.  Here are just a few of the registries that are currently on the internet.  Please take the time to check out their requirements for registering a dog or registering a litter of puppies.  Some places only require a signature from you that your dog is a purebred.  Some require a notarized statement.  Some require a picture of your dog and still yet, some only require you to fill out an online registration form.  Their registration forms put the standard paper AKC forms to shame.  Most of these places are providing full page parchment paper registrations with gold lettering and even color photos of your dogs.

Many of these registries are quickly replacing the AKC and UKC registries in the puppy mill world.  Many puppy mills are 'double registering' their puppies so that they have something to fall back on if the AKC suspends their privileges.   Many of these registries are offering substantial savings to a breeder who double registers or registers a large number of dogs at once. 

AKC AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB
UKC UNITED KENNEL CLUB
CKC** CONTINENTAL KENNEL CLUB

**NOTE:  Do not confuse this registry with the Canadian Kennel Club (also known as CKC).  The Canadian Kennel Club is the equivalent of the AKC or UKC in America and is very respected in Canada.
APR AMERICA'S PET REGISTRY
ACA AMERICAN CANINE ASSOCIATION
NAMBR NORTH AMERICAN MIXED BREED REGISTRY
UKCI UNIVERSAL KENNEL CLUB INTERNATIONAL
IAR INTERNATIONAL ANIMALS REGISTRY
NAPDR NORTH AMERICAN PUREBRED DOG REGISTRY
DRA DOG REGISTRY OF AMERICA
APR AMERICAN PUREBRED REGISTRY
ADBA AMERICAN DOG BREEDERS ASSOCIATION
USKC UNITED STATES KENNEL CLUB
WWKC WORLD WIDE KENNEL CLUB
WKC WORLD KENNEL CLUB
FIC FEDERATION OF INTERNATIONAL CANINES