The Difference Between the American Kennel Club (A.K.C.) and  Pet Registries in the United States of America

The AKC is the oldest and most prestigious kennel club available in the United States of America.  I’m going to explain how any registry in the United States, other than the American Kennel Club, is substandard in comparison and is considered to be only a PET REGISTRY.

These PET REGISTRIES would be acceptable if they were only used for pets but the fact is they are mainly intended for use by breeders which allows for easy substandard breeding ethics. 

PET REGISTRIES ( examples: APRI- America’s Pet Registry, CKC-Continental Kennel Club, ACR-American Canine Registry, which is the newest homespun pet registry, are only three examples) claim to be “breeder friendly”.  What do these registries sacrifice to make their pet registries “breeder friendly”?  They sacrifice quality by allowing dogs with unknown pedigrees to be registered. 

A fact about the AKC is that it enforces what is called the Frequently Used Sire Program ( male dogs who produce more than 3 litters in a single year or 7 in a lifetime). These stud dogs must have a DNA profile on record with the AKC.  The AKC can and will disqualify a litter at any age and point in time if one of those puppies’ DNA anytime in the future is found to not match the recorded sire’s DNA.  Every time a DNA sample is submitted in this mandatory program, whether from a female or male dog, the DNA is compared to the DNA profile of that dog’s sire.  If the outcome shows that it is not possible that the sire listed could be the true father, then the entire litter, not just the one dog tested, loses it’s eligibility.  A sire dog can only have two such strikes on his record before being permanently disqualified from registration with the AKC along with any puppies produced in subsequent generations from the false litter(s).  This makes AKC breeders very careful that a female in heat only mates with the stud dog that they intend on registering as the sire, if not, they take the chance of losing their stud.  It’s called ACCOUNTABILITY.  There is no other registry that is this strict in the United States.  

Pet registries, on the other hand, have what is called voluntary compliance which means that a breeder is not forced to DNA any of their dogs.  It may be offered by the pet registry but it's not mandatory. 

What does voluntary compliance of DNA by pet registries mean and what is it’s ill effect on quality breeding?  It means that a breeder doesn’t have to be careful with the couplings that take place in their kennels.  If one, two or three different males were to mate with the same female in heat, all puppies produced can be registered to one male of choice by the breeder even though there could be pups in the litter from each male.  One of  the males could even be of a different breed as the female and all the pups can be registered under any male’s name even if he wasn’t the sire of the litter.  This type of breeder doesn’t need to worry if it’s ethical because they don’t have the fear of losing their prized stud dog.  Ever been in a pet store looking at those cute little puppies and saying to yourself…that really doesn’t look like a purebred?  Well, it may not be.  Without strict rules, there is lack of quality. There is no policing and that is why pet registries consider themselves to be “breeder friendly”.  No “BIG BROTHER” as they call it.  Check and see how many pet stores sell AKC puppies.  Most don’t because they usually purchase puppies from puppy mills which use “breeder friendly” pet registries.

By their lax rules and lack of DNA enforcement of any kind, pet registries may accept dogs adopted from nationwide rescue organizations, stray dogs, dogs from animal shelters and even stolen dogs to be registered in their pet registries.  Of course they wouldn’t have any knowledge of the dog’s origin.  They don’t care and don’t have to care.  They are “breeder friendly”.

Let’s follow a certain dog, stolen or rescued, through this scenario which is made a very simple process by the pet registries. CKC (Continental Kennel Club) will accept and register this dog into their pet registry with the submission of three photos of the dog (showing 3 views).  The dog must look like the breed being applied for along with two signatures (all signatures are accepted without investigation) on the application from “witnesses” pledging that the dog is of true breed.  Now, with this dog registered in the CKC (Continental Kennel Club), the breeder can submit a copy of this CKC (Continental Kennel Club) registration to the APRI (America’s Pet Registry, Inc.) and there, too, register the same dog by the fact that it was already accepted by the CKC (Continental Kennel Club). This process is called dual registry.  This very dog can go on to get such a “title” as a “champion” with the APRI or ACR.  Amazing isn’t it?   A “champion” show dog whose origin is unknown.  No need to know since they are “breeder friendly”.   How utterly outrageous! 

Any of the pet registries will accept a dog for registration that is already registered with the AKC because these pet registries use the AKC breed standards for their own standards.  They all aspire to be like the AKC, yet they don’t incorporate the strict guidelines of the AKC to ensure quality it their dogs.  Now, back to the dog in this scenario,  it can now be registered and reregistered again with any substandard pet registry that has an application available for registry.

I had a dog, that I co-owned with a friend, that I was in the process of selling.  I trustingly shipped the dog before the transaction was finalized.  The Arkansas breeder, Nancy Anderson of Long-N-Lean Dachshunds, never completed payment on the dog therefore the AKC registration that is still in our names was never transferred to her.  Fearing that Nancy Anderson never had interest in his AKC registration and had planned all along on registering him with APRI, we registered Hickory with the APRI as a preemptive strike only.  He was registered by us with APRI under the same AKC registered name.  In time, Nancy Anderson registered the dog through the CKC (Continental Kennel Club), then with the APRI just as in the scenario explained to you above.  APRI was warned for a year by us through certified letters, phone calls and emails that this individual would attempt to register our dog who is DNA profiled and is/was micro-chipped(**).  The APRI knowingly allowed Nancy Anderson to register our dog, Hickory Dickory Dock MS, under a different name, Long-N-Leans Only a Harley Will Do.  The Executive Director of the APRI sent me this email with this explanation.

“Dear Lisa Seibert:

We have checked all our records and reviewed your complaint through committee. Following the only logical policy we can in such cases, we must sustain Ms. Anderson's registration of the dog in question. Ms. Anderson submitted a valid registration certificate showing her as owner when she dual registered the dog with America's Pet Registry, Inc”…  

“Sincerely,

Garry Garner, Executive Director

America's Pet Registry, Inc.” 

APRI knows that our dog, Hickory, was first registered by us in their pet registry and they knowingly allowed him to be registered under another name by Nancy Anderson.  What a sham and what a shame.  This is why pet registries are considered substandard when used by breeders.   It’s all too easy to cheat. 

The American Kennel Club does not allow dual registry.  They will not allow the same dog to be registered under multiple names.  They do not accept dogs that are registered by pet registries.  They do not allow name changes on dogs.  They only allow dogs registered in other countries to be registered if the dog belongs to the equivalent of the AKC such as the Canadian Kennel Club which is not to be confused with the pet registry CKC (Continental Kennel Club).  The American Kennel Club registry is a “closed club” and only allows for breeders and owners who breed and own AKC dogs.  This is the best policy for the breeds.  It’s called STANDARDS.

What have I learned from this?  Never do business with any dog breeder that uses a substandard registry and that would be any registry other than the AKC.

When you are looking for a puppy, please support breeders that support the registry that holds the highest standards, The American Kennel Club.  By purchasing a puppy or dog from any other registry, you may unknowingly be supporting a puppy mill.

** Nancy Anderson boasts that she had the HomeAgain micro-chip dug out of our Hickory’s body.  The only reason an animal would do something so foul to a dog would be to avoid identification.  And she claims that he has such a wonderful home. “There ain’t no point in being ignorant unless you let it show." 
                     The tail end.