If you are the owner of a pedigree dog, you are likely to have your dog registered with one of the official registry bodies.
Typically, which one you register your pet with depends on your position and the dog breed.
The American Kennel Club, the Canadian Kennel Club, and the United Kennel Club are three of the largest dog registries.
In terms of the registration process, the breeding criteria of each organisation, and the types of activities in which they are involved, there are variations between and of them. Here’s a little bit more about each registry of these breeds.
The Kennel Club of America (AKC)
For just certain purebred dogs who live in the United States and it was established in 1884, the AKC is a breed registry. It started when thirteen individual clubs joined forces to form a larger club.
The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, the National Dog Show, and the AKC National Championship are the key activities led by this club. The AKC is one of the world’s few kennel clubs that does not belong to the World Canine Association.
The AKC is currently the United States’ main registry and is one of the world’s few non-profit registries. To register a dog with the AKC, it is also important to register its parents of the same breed with the AKC. This club recognises 202 breeds and these are split into seven groups; sporting, hound, working, terrier, toy, herding, non-sporting, miscellaneous, and the Stock Service Program of the Foundation.
The Kennel Club in Canada (CKC)
The CKC is Canada’s primary dog registry for purebred dogs and it was founded in 1888. A variety of events, obedience trials, agility tests and conformation shows are also held in addition to maintaining the breed registry.
The rules for registration at this club state that the dog belongs to one recognised breed. Both dogs participating in conformation shows are expected to be registered with the CKC. In compliance with the Animal Pedigree Act, it is only possible to register each breed with the breed registry. Any breed which is not specified in the CKC must therefore be registered with either the Working Canine Association of Canada or the Canadian Federation.
The Kennel Club United
As it was founded in 1898, the UKC is the second oldest kennel club in the United States. It is often claimed that it is the world’s largest dog registry. Not only does it have dogs registered in all 50 states of the United States, but it also has dogs registered abroad in 25 other countries.
The UKC has a ‘Total Dog’ ethos, which means it is similarly about appearance and performance, unlike other breed registries that mainly concentrate on the dog’s appearance. The United Kennel Club is proud of being a family-oriented community and offering educational activities. THE UKC conducts a number of annual activities both in the United States and in the other UKC registered countries.
The key distinctions between the registries of the breed
The major difference between the three registers of breeds is that the AKC and the CKC are only for dogs from one country, while the UKC is a worldwide registry of breeds. The second major difference is the manner in which dogs are classified. While the CKC acts in accordance with the Animal Pedigree Act, both the AKC and the UKC have set their own standards for breeds. The registration process is a further distinction.
Registration with the AKC depends on the dog’s parentage, while registration with the CKC depends on whether the breed is registered with the dog or with another organisation of the Canadian breed. On the other hand, the UKC registers all breeds of dogs and also has a Shelter and Mixed Breed Dogs Success Listing Scheme.
It is also important to note that of one of these organisations has several similarities. The health and well-being of the dogs are of utmost importance to all the breed registers. They also have a common aim, which is to monitor the ancestry of dogs so that fair breeding decisions can be made during the breeding process to preserve the standards of the breed and optimise health.
