understanding your dog's papers

Here are a few ads from the Internet.

We have a Blue Roan Cocker Spaniel puppy dog FOR SALE. He is now aged three mths, he has a gorgeous temperament & is of sound/solid quality. He comes with microchipping, vaccinations, worming & registration.

BEAUTIFUL AKC BLACK COCKER SPANIEL PUPPIES, TWO MALE AND TWO FEMALE, SIRE IS AN AKC REGISTERED CHAMPION AND DAM IS AKC REGISTERED, FAMILY RAISED, READY FOR NEW HOMES THE FIRST OF SEPTEMBER, NO SHIPPING

We have two female AKC registered cocker spaniel puppies for sale. The mother has a proven temperment and although these pups are well marked, their real beauty is in their personalities.

Can you tell which puppies were bred by a responsible breeder? No, you can't, however, understanding your dog's registration papers and pedigree will give you very important clues.

What do your dog's registration papers really mean? You want a Cocker Spaniel and the pet stores and breeders flood the Internet with ads and beautifully marketed websites claiming some affiliation with a registry, such as the AKC, CKC, or some lesser registry, as a seal of quality for their dogs so they can charge lots of money for them. But are you getting something special when you get a dog with registration papers?

When a dog is backed up by a good pedigree, parents that were health screened, and a caring, honest, and responsible breeder who stands behind their dogs for their lifetime, your dog's papers mean a lot! Yet, Buyers Beware: Puppy millers, backyard breeders and commercial breeders count on registration papers as a selling point, and take advantage of people's ignorance and belief that registration papers mean more than they do.

Unfortunately, I learned the hard way that a puppy with an AKC or some other registration that is purchased from a pet store, puppy miller or backyard breeder is in no way the same quality puppy as a puppy purchased from a reputable breeder, even though pet store puppies often cost so much more money because everyone in the marketing chain has to make their profit.

Snoopy's Story - This is my Snoopster. Isn't he beautiful. Look closely and study his face. This is one adored dog. Snoopy rules over our three cockers and gets more kisses in a day than most people get in a lifetime. He's everything a Dachshund should be: smart, manipulative, loving, bold, but he also can't be left alone because he'll get frightened since he's almost completely deaf, and has very damaged eyes. Snoopy needs to be in a home with someone with him 24/7, or other dogs. He has to sleep against you, kind of plugged in. If I move, he moves because he has to be sure he's never alone. He relies on his furbrothers and fursister to be his eyes and ears. His left eye is blue which he can barely see out of; he has no protective reflexes in either of his eyee; one pupil is starburst and the other irregular shaped; and his eyes are set wrong in his head. Oh, I amost forgot, Snoopy has to be burped after every meal because he takes in a lot of air trying to smell the food that he can't see in his bowl, and his chest is large since he's not true mini-Dachshund, he's a tweeney, so his stomach will get rock hard and full of gas. (You can see pictures of his eye defects and read about them at DeafDogs.org.) He was born this way because of bad breeding, and the pet store sold him with a clean bill of health. Of course my veterinarian and every other vet that has seen him recognizes it immediately just looking at him. I purchased him knowing that he wasn't perfect. Oh, surprise, surprise, Snoopy has papers that are less valuable than poop paper, and he came in-tact so I could breed him if I wanted to.

What is a registry A registry is an organization that keeps records of individual dogs and the history of entire breeds. A registry will record a dog's name, breed, color, owner, breeder, litter number, registration number, its pedigree, titles and DNA profile. Many registries also offer microchip services and registries in case your dog is lost.

"The oldest and most recognized purebred dog registries in North America are AKC (American Kennel Club) CKC (Canadian Kennel Club) and UKC (United Kennel Club). In addition, some breed clubs also have their own registries, such as Australian Shepard (ASCA). Some breeds are not recognized by the American Kennel Club. You should research the registries for these breeds and be sure that the litter is properly certified as purebred. For example, some breeds in the United States are registered by the United Kennel Club. The UKC is a well-respected registry for many rare breeds as well as those recognized by the AKC. If you are shopping for a breed not recognized by the AKC, do your homework and find out which breed registries are commonly used by respected breeders. "

Dog Registries: who’s who and who’s not
By: Jeanne Hale
reprinted with permission 3/08

Is One Registry Better than the Other? "Registries are not a guarantee of quality. Simply put, a registered puppy was born to registered parents. They rely on breeders to be honest when filling out the forms. A puppy does not have to pass any stringent tests to be registered; nor does it have to be healthy or come from healthy stock. Its temperament can encompass the worst of a breed and it still can be registered. No one from a registry examines the puppy or its parents before registration takes place.

There are many registries for dogs, and it can get pretty confusing. Puppy buyers often think they're getting something special when they're not, and they can pay a high price for it. Some registries seem to be out for a fast buck from ignorant puppy buyers and breeders. They will register dogs for breeders who have been suspended from other registries (usually for record keeping violations), or will register dogs that other registries won't (mixed breeds, unknown pedigree). Some registries will allow the registration of mixed breeds, sometimes called "new rare breeds", for breeding purposes. Puppy buyers are sometimes fooled into paying pay hundreds of dollars for a "registered" mutt. Being a registered mutt does not make a dog any different from a similar one sitting in a shelter, and it certainly won't make a mutt into a purebred. If your dog is registered with anything other than AKC, United Kennel Club or the Canadian Kennel Club, the chances of your pup being bred by an irresponsible breeder rises dramatically."

Dog Registries: who’s who and who’s not
By: Jeanne Hale
reprinted with permission 3/08

Because there are so many ways that an irresponsible or unprincipled breeder can commit fraud in registering litters (for money of course), the only weapon that a dog owner has or a registry has in verifying parentage of dogs is their DNA (females of backyard breeders, commercial kennels, puppymills, could be impregnated by many males, even males of different breeds, running loose so different puppies in the same litter can have different fathers; some unethical breeders also register litters to dogs that have died, or register puppies with other puppies registration numbers just to show that a puppy had a higher quality father). That is why having a dog that is registered AKC, CKC and UKC is safer than having a dog registered with the lesser registries, because it's parents DNA is on record and can be checked if necessary. Breeders registered with these registries are also subject to random checks by the registries. However, BUYER BEWARE here, and educate yourself about what a responsible breeder is and will provide you. Read the sections on this site and become a saavy dog consumer.

Types of Registrations Registries have different types of registrations. The first registration for a puppy would be its litter registration, which is only temporary. This litter registration is later replaced by a full or limited registration.

A full registration is used when a dog is intended to be bred (not neutered or spayed) and it's puppies will be registered too.

A limited registration is used when a dog is sold by its breeder as a pet, and not intended to be bred. The dog can be registered, but its puppies cannot be registered.

An AKC limited registration can be converted to a full registration if the breeder permits it.

Responsible breeders only sell their puppies or dogs on limited registrations, meaning that the new owner is required to spay or neuter the dog by a certain age. Responsible breeders sometimes withhold registration papers at the time of sale or transfer of a dog until the new owner gives them written confirmation from a vet that the dog was spayed or neutered, or they only sell a dog after they spay or neuter it themselves.