Why get akc certified

Additional Resources AKC. Clubs Offering: Training Classes. Back To Resource Center. Details about this special benefit will be sent to you shortly after registration. A certificate for a complimentary first veterinary office visit. Submit your e-mail address when registering your new puppy and the AKC will e-mail you a certificate for a complimentary first veterinary office visit along with a list of participating veterinarians.

Eligibility to participate in diverse and exciting AKC events, including agility, obedience, tracking, field trials, dog shows, junior showmanship, and many others!

Your registration fee makes a difference. But investigations have repeatedly shown that one of the major players at Westminster is not what the public imagines it to be. And in recent months, two former AKC "Breeders of Merit"—who had just passed their AKC inspections—were reportedly found to be keeping dogs in dismal conditions. Simply put, the more dogs registered with the AKC, the richer the organization gets. The organization's PAC then fights many laws that would protect dogs.

If you don't understand why a group that claims to support dogs would fight legislation cracking down on puppy mills, just follow the money. The AKC says that it inspects its high-volume breeders. Registration papers and pedigrees don't tell you anything about a dog, other than its place in the chain of names. To get registration papers or a pedigree, a dog doesn't need to meet any qualifications of health, temperament, behavior, or structure.

None whatsoever. Don't be fooled. Registration papers don't suggest quality in a dog any more than they suggest quality in a car. Does buying a car with registration papers mean it won't be a clunker? Of course not. So now you know that the existence of AKC papers or a pedigree doesn't mean a dog is good quality. AKC registered puppies with pedigrees is just not a big selling point, no matter how loudly a breeder trumpets it in his classified ad.

Being purebred means a puppy has inherited the limited combination of genes that have been "fixed" in his breed's gene pool. These are genes for the particular size, type of coat, color pattern, shape of ears, and so on, that match his breed. Inheriting the genes for his breed is what makes a dog purebred.

Registration papers are a separate matter. A dog can be purebred, yet have no registration papers. It's true. A dog can have registration papers, yet not be purebred, because registration papers can be falsified. Most registries, such as the AKC, operate primarily on the honor system. They simply take the breeder's word for it that "King" and "Queen" were really the parents of Solomon. Fortunately, the AKC also offers a program where participating breeders can submit DNA samples of one or both parents to conclusively prove parentage.

If you want to be sure of who your puppy's parents are, look for breeders who participate in this program. There's only one way to find out: have his DNA tested. There's a veterinary company called Embark that will test your dog's DNA and tell you whether he's purebred. If it turns out that he's a crossbreed or mixed breed, they'll tell you that, too — and they'll tell you which breed s he is.

Details about this special benefit will be sent to you shortly after registration. A certificate for a complimentary first veterinary office visit. Submit your email address when registering your new puppy and the AKC will email you a certificate for a complimentary first veterinary office visit along with a list of participating veterinarians.

Eligibility to Participate in Dog Sports Registration opens up the world of AKC dog sports, from the wildly popular agility to lesser-known pursuits like lure coursing. Share a few contact details to get your FREE e-book.

AKC Privacy Policy. Founded in , the not-for-profit AKC is the recognized and trusted expert in breed, health, and training information for all dogs. AKC actively advocates for responsible dog ownership and is dedicated to advancing dog sports.