Information about "alternative" Canine Registries

There are many registries, organizations and 'networks' popping up all over the internet! A good rule of thumb when trying to evaluate the validity and integrity of any organization is to examine their purpose (i.e., mission/goals) and to also investigate their standards and practices, making sure that you VERIFY the information they present.

At one time, a dog being "registered" or with "papers" normally meant a dog was registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC), or The (United Kingdom) Kennel Club, or the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC). But all of that changed with the event of DNA parentage testing now available on canines!

AKC has long required breeders to undergo compliance inspections and had suspended thousands of breeders, and/or had the dog's AKC registration cancelled for failing to abide by AKC's rules and regulations.

Now with the American Kennel Club's random DNA inspection program of testing AKC registered canines, AKC has indeed revoked/canceled a number of AKC Registrations (in some cases lifetime AKC membership suspensions of the breeders involved too!)

Both AKC and The (United Kingdom) Kennel Club also give lifetime membership suspensions on breeders convicted of cruelty to animals.

AKC suspensions and cancelations do not stop breeders from breeding however. It simply forces them to use the lesser known registries designed primarily on a "no questions asked" basis.

Many more of these registries were created when the AKC began requiring inspections of large kennels & mandatory DNA samples for all male dogs producing more than three litters in a calendar year or seven litters in a lifetime ~ The American Kennel Club’s Frequently Used Sires Requirement.

This requirement has resulted in the litters of many "commercial breeding farms" (also known as "puppy mills") and "backyard breeders" being turned down by AKC for registration because the breeders refused to positively identify the father of the litter through a DNA test.

The commercial breeders were outraged & in a frenzy about DNA being not only available, but required to prove parentage! In Feb. 2000 the largest commercial dog breeding organization in the country voted to boycott the AKC!

Of course, they are still going to want to sell "registered" puppies with "papers", in order to more easily sell puppies purported to be "purebred" !

Puppy buyers wanting "registered" puppies with "papers".
When the "commercial breeding farms/puppy mills" and "backyard breeders" discovered that most of the buying public does not know that a "registered' puppy might not truly be AKC registered, the floodgates opened & out poured dozens of dog "registries"!!!

Some breeders claim they are boycotting AKC "because complying with this DNA requirement costs money."

There is a small one-time fee of $40, for each dog DNA tested with AKC!  That $40 pays for the test kit, the DNA lab work, the DNA certificate, & postage costs. This AKC requirement is only for dogs that are being used to produce puppies.

A responsible breeder, having collected much in the way of stud fees and/or puppies before this requirement even kicks in, should not object to having the benefit of their dog being DNA certified for such a small sum!

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

The The (United Kingdom) Kennel Club itself also began requiring inspections of large kennels, & DNA samples for all sires producing more than ten litters in a lifetime for The (United Kingdom) Kennel Club registered dogs.

As with any profession, there might even be a few less-then-ethical breeders showing in AKC sanctioned dog shows & events, for less-then-ethical reasons.

Thousands of people visit dog shows every year to perhaps receive information on purebred dogs and if puppies are available from a particular breed being showed.

BREEDER RED FLAGS article

Below are some "alternative" registries, with whom many can register a dog regardless of its parentage as long as the fee is paid. Many *register* mixed breeds and require no proof of parentage, and are promoters of the commercial breeder and puppy reseller (broker to pet stores).

Even stolen AKC registered dogs can unknowingly be registered by these other "registries".  Once registered with these "alternative" registries,  the breeder producing puppies out of this stolen dog, can begin producing puppies with "papers" ~ perhaps enhanced with copies of the dog's legitimate pedigree or listed under another's name.

Please take note that some of the registries listed below have similar or the very same initials as the older and well established registries. This can cause confusion for puppy buyers. Don't be mislead!

Be aware -These are but a FEW of the "alternative" registries out there:

ACA ~ "American Canine Association"
Advertises that over 3000 adult breeding canines are registered each week. Only registry endorsed by Petland. Caters to commercial breeders. Refers puppy seekers to pet stores.

AFDSB ~ "American Field Dog Stud Book"
Besides registry service, they have a lot of advertising of products and certain kennels. AFDSB registers sporting breeds that are NOT recognized by the AKC.
The Field Dog Stud Book "registers all breeds of dogs…records registered names, breeding background, colors, ages, sex…documents ownership…duplicates lost registration certificates…and enrolls litters. Please give us a call or E-mail us and we'll send you easy-to-fill-out registration application forms today". [quote source]

APR ~ "American Purebred Registry"
Will register unknown pedigree dogs/cats, does not sponsor any shows, no proof of purebred required.

APRI ~ "America's Pet Registry ~ Inc." also acquired AKR ~ Academic Kennel Records
Advertises free registration for commercial breeders. Non Profit "dedicated to the preservation of the professional pet industry", dogs and cats. Founded by retailers of pets (commercial breeders and resellers). You have no recourse as a buyer of a puppy bought thru them if the seller does not want you to know their contact information such as phone number, etc.

ARU- "Animal Registry Unlimited"
Guarantees they will register your pets of unknown pedigree, encourages cross breeding. Special prices for bulk.

CKC ~ "Continental Kennel Club"  ( DO NOT confuse with the true CKC ~ the  Canadian Kennel Club ! )
"Continental Kennel Club" will recognize a cross between any two purebred dogs, and will issue a registration certificate on their offspring. These crosses are not registered as purebred dogs but are registered as the offspring of purebred dogs. "CONTINENTAL KENNEL CLUB accepts registration applications and issues certificates based on the honor and integrity of the owner/breeder applicants, and CKC accepts no responsibility for any inaccurate, false, or fraudulent information submitted on registration applications". "Continental Kennel Club" sponsors no conformation shows or championships that have a dog completing against others (their website claims that the dog receives a "evaluation").
"Continental Kennel Club" also gives big fee discounts to large kennels registering lots of dogs ( such as "commercial breeding farms" ~ also known as "Puppy Mills" ). Will register dogs not registered with other recognized registries. "If other kennel club papers are not available, the dog owner must provide two witnesses who can verify the accuracy and truthfulness of the information listed on the application". [quote source]

CRCS ~ "Canine Registration and Certification Services"
Caters to commercial breeders. ~ CRCS has apparently removed/lost their website presence. Two cached pages from Google search engine.

DRA  ~ "Dog Registry of America"  Formerly named "U.S. Kennel Club"
No DNA certification, registers unregistered/unknown/mixed pedigree dogs, brags about added value for sellers and confidentiality. "Tired of registration & documentation hassles? Starting your own blood line? Lost or never had papers? Developing new breeds? Breed not recognized? DRA™ Registers all purebred dogs."  [quote source]

FIC ~ "Federation of International Canines"
Special bulk discount for volume breeders. If a purebred dog does not have any registration, they will register application for the dog, on a person's signature ~ "I (we) do hereby certify that I (we) am (are) the true owner(s) of the dog described on this application and that all information on this application is true and correct, to the best of my (our) knowledge and belief." [quote source]

IABCA ~ "International All Breed Canine Association of America" (associated with "UCI")
IABCA: "Domestic canines of unknown ancestry that are used in the development of a breed shall be permitted for registration purposes within the Foundation Registry only.  Non-domestic canines , pure species or non-domestic x non-domestic hybrids are considered non-domestic and are to be registered in IPDBA's affiliate for non-domestic canines, the International Progressive Exotic Breeders' Alliance (IPEBA), Canine Division." International Progressive Dog Breeders' Alliance (IPDBA) Article V- General Registration.

A *International Champion* title on a pedigree -  is NOT an AKC CHAMPION title! Take note how easily these "International Champion" titles are "awarded" by IABCA,  with NO competition against other dogs!. The *International Champion* titles you might sometimes see being advertised by some breeders, were obtained by that dog never having traveled outside of the United States, nor even out of state in most cases! Many owners of dogs that could not hope to win a *champion* title in a registry such as AKC, will still seek to have their dog appear to have a *champion* title of some sort.

NAPDR ~ "North American Purebred Dog Registry"
A Dog that does not have registration papers or proof of pedigree may be registered with NAPDR. "A Purebred dog that does not have registration papers may be registered with the NAPDR. If you are 100% sure of the dog's breed fill out the information you know and write UNKNOWN on the other places. If you are not 100% sure please send a side view picture with the APPLICATION." [quote source]

NKC – "National Kennel Club"
Seems to register unknown pedigree dogs with *inspection*. NKC will register dogs that meet the 7/8 purity requirement. They hold "NKC Sanctioned Events".

PCI ~ Purebred Canine International Registry Service"
If a purebred dog does not have any registration, they will register the dog after a person sends three (3) close-up color photos (front and each side view) with a completed PCI registration application. which may or may not be registered with any other kennel club or those that have no previous history of their Sire or Dam.

Update: It looks like "PCI" cannot be found on the internet, now.  Hmmmm.

SLR ~ "Silver Labrador Registry"
A group of so-called  "silver" or "silver-factored" Labrador Retriever breeders created their own registry "the only one of its kind-EVER!" What these breeders are calling a "silver" or "gray" Lab, is NOT a color recognized by respected canine Registries! 
"Silver" breeders may only register AKC Labrador Retrievers having this "silver" color, as a dilute "chocolate" if they wish to register with the American Kennel Club!

Some "silver" Labrador Retriever breeders are now advertising their dogs as "titled", or even "multi-titled". However, these "titles" are NOT in AKC or Canadian Kennel Club conformation competition ! Instead that "title' is for " CD" ( "Companion Dog" ) ~ which is merely a beginning obedience title! NOT a CH title !!!

Sometimes, one might even find a "silver" lab being toted as an "international CH" / "multinational CH "  (see above: IABCA)

You will NOT find a "silver" (registered as a dilute chocolate) Labrador Retriever titled as a AKC "CHAMPION", or Canadian Kennel Club "CHAMPION".

UABR ~ "United All Breed Registry"
Advertises free registration of adults when you register a litter. Caters to the commercial breeders.  Started "Gold Label Pets" for commercial operations, and promotes retailers.

UCI ~ "Universal Kennel Club International" (associated with "IABCA" )
Caters to the commercial dog industry and promises "Complete Privacy Protection" for all breeders. Does not have a Code Of Ethics and brags about that. Does not currently impose any fines or penalties upon its members for violations of its policies, rules, regulations, guidelines, programs, restrictions and systems. Registers "mixed" breeds for breeding purposes. Will register unknown pedigree. UKCI does not post their "Foundation Stock Registration Application" for dogs never registered/ lost registration online for you to view. If you wish to see what requirements for registry (if any) that is needed to register any dog with them ~ e-mail them and ask them for this application if you wish to view it for yourself.

WKC ~ "World Kennel Club"
Registers ALL dogs that are *pure-bred*, which may or may not be registered with any other kennel club or those that have no previous history of their Sire or Dam.

WWKC ~ "World Wide Kennel Club"
Will register dogs that are registered with *any other* kennel club.

USDA ~ "United States Department of Agriculture"
Registered puppies come from "commercial breeding farms" ~ commonly referred to as large scale "Puppy Mills". These "commercial breeding farms" sell to stores and brokers, and this is commonly where pet store owners get their puppies from.

References:

American Kennel Club

AKC Registration Certificate example:


No breeder associated with the American Kennel Club breed club & bound by a breeder’s club Code of Ethics should sell or consign a pup (or kitten) to a commercial pet store.

AKC Frequently Used Sires Requirement

The Canadian Kennel Club

The Canadian Labrador Retriever Breed Standard

The AKC Labrador Retriever Breed Standard

The (United Kingdom) Kennel Club

The (United Kingdom) Kennel Club Labrador Retriever Breed Standard

 
 * If you have bought a puppy in California ~ know your Rights ! *


These website pages designed by WDS
Copyright © 1998 ~ 2009 Wind Dreamer Labrador Retrievers ~ ALL rights reserved.  
 All photographs, graphics, & original articles are the property of Wind Dreamer
Permission must be obtained for use on other sites or for other purposes

Labrador Retrievers ~ Wind Dreamer AKC Registered puppies