DanBar Ranch
APRI
American Pet Registry, Inc
ACR
American Canine Registry
CKC
Continental Kennel Club
NAPDR
North American Purebred Dog Registry
NKC
National Kennel Club
UKCI
United Kennel Club International
UKC - United Kennel Club
ONLY buy pups from breeds which are UKC EXCLUSIVE. In other words, don't buy breeds that are registered by AKC.
DanBar Ranch Policy On AKC Registration
If you are in the process of buying a pup, this is important information, please read:
If you truly love dogs, and want to see them treated and housed well, bred to be healthy and sound in temperament, and want to help stop the awful practice of "puppy mills" large and small as well as the destructive practices of "backyard breeders", it is important that you understand about the different "registering" bodies.
Being as diplomatic as I can be, and not being a particular fan of the AKC (American Kennel Club) I can state without hesitation that the AKC is the only truly legitimate all-breed registering body in America.
The American Kennel Club is not a "club" per se. They do not have individual memberships. Only dog clubs can be members. The AKC does not set breed standards; it leaves that up to the official mother club of each breed. They are, for all intents and purposes, a giant file cabinet. I'll leave dog shows out of it - but when it comes to registration, the AKC is the only game in town.
THIS IS BECAUSE the AKC does kennel inspections and, most importantly, they do actually deny registration privileges to persons convicted of fraud in record keeping or who are convicted of animal cruelty or neglect.
Why this is important is explained below...
WHY DO SOME BREEDERS NOT OFFER
FULL AKC REGISTRATION?
Many breeders feel strongly that "breeding should be left to breeders" - and with that I heartily agree! Most first time breeders end up in a huge (and expensive mess) UNLESS they simply don't try at all to do it correctly.
If you are not an established breeder chances are you will not have a good selection of studs available to you; so you end up using your own dog and voila' you are a "backyard breeder"! It is also difficult to find homes if you do not have an established website... which is why so many really poor quality "breeders" end up peddling their pups on CRAIGS LIST - against the stated rules of that business.
This is the main reason reputable breeders are cautious about releasing full registration to puppy buyers.
Another reason is that not all pups SHOULD be bred - and pups which the breeder does not want bred leave with "LIMITED" registration. (THESE are the dogs which unethical "breeders" will register with the "other" registries listed above right - and why implore you not to buy dogs "registered" with those businesses.)
But, sadly, there are not so positive reasons too. Far too many breeders want to keep a "monopoly" on their dogs, and you can often tell by the prices they charge for their pups. It is not uncommon for one of these unethical Doberman breeders to charge $3000 or more for uncropped, unhealth tested puppies - pure profit for them - pure nightmare for the breed.
I've heard so called "responsible breeders" arguing how perfect and healthy their line of Dobermans are - but yet they won't let anyone else breed them. In a breed suffering from as many health issues as the Doberman I would think that anyone with healthy, good, sound dogs would feel obligated to see that these dogs are used.
I guess these people would rather see a newbie breeding their unhealth tested CRAIGS LIST Dobermans than mentor them and help them get started with good stock... I don't get it.
I sell my pups with both. Anyone not interested in breeding may pay the lower price and get the LIMITED registration. Those who I feel are serious about perhaps breeding, and want to keep the option open, will have to buy a pup I feel is "foundation quality"* and pay the price for that type of quality.
* No one can predict which dog will be truly "foundation quality" at 8 weeks of age. However, if a pup has above average structure, above average temperament, all clear DNA clearances and is a pup *I* would consider keeping for breeding, I consider them "foundation quality".
In the late 1990s, AKC began two new policies:
One, DNA analysis was required on frequently used sires (the ones siring more than a few litters) and eventually on all imported dogs and on male dogs siring litters using frozen or fresh chilled semen; and two, all kennels producing more than seven litters or 25 dogs per year had to be inspected.
Care to guess what happened next?
The vast numbers of commercial and high-volume breeders just stopped using AKC registration. And almost overnight, "basement" registries designed to trick pet buyers into thinking their pups were "registered" (with a legitimate registry) popped up to service these less than reputable breeders.
Worse, anyone convicted of animal cruelty or fraud who could no longer use AKC services just moved over to the bogus registries. These registries intentionally allow the very worse of $$$ breeders to fool the public into thinking they are selling "registered pups".
This had a massive snowball effect, because careless cash breeders generally get their "breeding stock" from less than reputable "breeders" who who do not use AKC.
And in just ten years, the number of AKC dog registrations was cut in HALF. And the trend shows no sign of slowing. If you want to help the dogs - do NOT BUY FROM ANY "BREEDER" WHO DOES NOT USE AKC REGISTRATION.* Especially watch out for "CKC" (not Canadian Kennel Club, but Continental Kennel Club) registered dogs.
*There are a few exceptions. Some performance breeds such as American pit bulls, racing greyhounds, field bred setters and some hounds are registered by their own organizations. But these are single breed registries, not multi-breed registries.
If you are buying a pup from any of the above registries, understand that you are more likely than not supporting a puppy mill, convicted animal abuser or worse. There is a REASON breeders can't register with AKC...
