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	What does AKC, CKC, UKC, Full Registration and Limited Registration all mean?

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Limited Registration:
A Limited Registration means that your puppy is registered with the kennel club, and can be shown in agility, or do therapy dog, but it cannot be bred and it's offspring cannot be registered.

Full Registration:
A Full Registration means that your puppy is registered with the kennel club and can be shown in conformation or any other show class, can be bred, and it's offspring can be registered. AKC / CKC / UKC
What does it all mean?

The oldest and most recognized all-breed registries in North America are the AKC (American Kennel Club), the CKC (Canadian Kennel Club) and the UKC (United Kennel Club) These registries exist to promote and advance the purebred dog. They approve breed standards, maintain birth records, promote responsible ownership, sponsor and sanction dog shows and performance events, maintain official records of these events and award titles.

Registration is not, however, PROOF OF QUALITY. The breed registries essentially the paperwork for the keeping records, though they do have regulations that must be followed they DO NOT police the breeders. In simple terms, a registered puppy means that he was born to registered parents. The responsible breeder's main goal in breeding is always to improve on their breed and in your search for a purebred dog, it is your responsibility to be selective and verify the breeder you choose.

So how important is a registered dog? If your goal is to show, or breed then registration papers are very important. If your goal is simply to find a companion dog go to your local shelter, If however your looking for a specific breed, a purebred dog, registration papers are still important even if you have no intentions of showing or competing with your dog. Why? because you have the ability to see the chosen puppy's ancestry. It also provides a means for a responsible breeder to track pedigree of breeding stock and make an educated decision on breeding.

In your research to finding a responsible and reputable breeder, the registry used by the breeder does play an important part. If the breed is a recognized CKC, AKC or UKC but the breeder is not registering his/her litters with the same registry be cautious and find out why! There are several reasons why a breeder would choose one of these but the vast majority of reason are not good for example being suspended from the AKC, CKC or the UKC or that the breeder refuses to abide by the code of ethics or one of many other reasons. Bottom-line is a RED FLAG must be raised as to why the breeder is not using one of these registries. In addition, even if the dog is not a recognized CKC, AKC or UKC breed you need to find a breeder who is registering his dogs with the most reputable registry-single breed or all breed.

A list of other all-breed registries are ACA, APR, APRI, ARU, CRCS, CKC (Continental Kennel Club), DRA, FIC, IPDBA, NKC, NAPDR, UABR, UKCI, WKC , WWKC. Caution should be exercised when dealing with a breeder who registers with any of these registries, many breeders use the registries because they are unable to meet the more demanding requirements of the CKC (Canadian Kennel Club), AKC or UKC.

APR - starts a pedigree file with the information sent by the owner of the unpapered dog so he may become papered. They take the owners word for it no proof is required that it is a purebred.

APRI promotes the sale of a dog through distributors and retailers (puppy mills). They offer FREE dual registration on dogs from other Registration' services to profession breeders. A "professional breeder" is one who has three or more breeding females and who regularly sells puppies in the pet market.

CKC (Continental Kennel Club) does not require a past pedigree to register a dog. They will register the offspring of any purebred dog not as purebreds but as the offspring of the purebreds under their miscellaneous section. They also provide special rates to the kennels that register 10 or more breeding stock dogs (puppy mills)

CRCS recognizes and tracks and papers dogs whose lineage DO NOT follow the standards of a breed, also considered an "all canine" registry. They register cross breeds or out of standard dogs.

DRA registers cross breeds such as cocker-poos and peke-a-poos

IPDBA may accept any new breed regardless of ancestry for Registration purposes provided it meets the criteria of being phenotypic ally different from an existing recognized breed.

NAPDR A purebred dog that does not have registration papers may be registered by sending pictures. Also NAPDR has commercial rates for breeders that have 5 or more breeding dogs (puppy mills)

UABR promotes the sale of dogs through retailers and promotes retailers as a reliable source of healthy pets. Stating on their website as factual documentation that the health of puppies purchased from retailers (puppy mills) are equal and in many ways superior to those attained from other sources (the breeder).

UKCI will Register cross breeds under special registration programs as well will register a dog for whatever reason it is not registered in the litter or either the sire/dam is not registered or perhaps registry was denied from other registries. Also extends bulk discounts to breeders.

WKC registers dog with no past history.

WWKC will register new breed (cross breed) or rare breed

I hope all this information is helpful to those buyers that are not aware of the many different registries and what each registries mission is.

Bottom-line here is to proceed with caution and know your breeder and why they opt to Register with the alternative agencies. And for those breeders that explain "its because of cost" are perhaps the ones you want to avoid for those are more often the puppy mills that are in the breed for profit (quantity not quality) not abiding to the animal care principles nor their well being, more often than not producing substandard health and quality of the breed.