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

Registration is not, however, proof of quality. The breed registries essentially handle the paperwork for keeping records and, though they do have rules and 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 the end, in your search for a purebred dog, it is your responsibility to be very selective and verify the breeder you choose.

For those that want to breed their dogs, read & heed the below :

So, how important is the registration of a dog? That depends on what you are looking for. If your goal is to have a dog that you can compete with in the show ring and various events and, obviously, if you are a breeder, then registration papers are very important. If your goal is to simply find a good companion dog and the breed is not a major concern, then go to your local shelter or contact one of the many rescue organizations listed throughout this website. If you are, however, 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, although the registration of a dog doesn't guarantee quality, a reputable breed registry does provide the opportunity for a dog to prove his quality through competition by earning titles — those letters found in front or behind the dog's name signify titles earned. It provides you with the ability to see the chosen puppy's ancestry. It also provides a means for a responsible breeder to track the pedigree of breeding stock and make an educated decision on breeding.

Other All-Breed Registries:

The following is a list of some of the other all-breed registries in existence in North America — Caution should be exercised when dealing with a breeder who registers with any of these registries, especially when the breed is recognized by any of the major all-breed registries listed above. Many breeders use these registries because they are not able to meet the more demanding requirements of the CKC, AKC, or UKC.

Please note that some of the registries have similar or the same initials as the older and well established registries. This can cause confusion for consumers. Don't be fooled.

ACA - American Canine Association Advertises that over 3000 adult breeding canines are registered each week. Only registry endorsed by Petland. **Caters to commercial breeders.** Refers puppy seekers to pet stores.

APRI - AMERICA'S PET REGISTRY INC. Advertises free registration for commercial breeders. Non Profit 'dedicated to the preservation of the professional pet industry', dogs and cats. Founded by retailers of pets (commercial breeders and resellers).

CKC-Continental Kennel Club (do not confuse with Canadian Kennel Club!)
CKC will recognize a cross between any two purebred dogs, and will issue a registration certificate on their offspring. These crosses are not registered as purebred dogs but are registered as the offspring of purebred dogs. CKC accepts no responsibility for any inaccurate, false, or fraudulent information submitted on registration applications. They sponsor no shows or championships. They also give big fee breaks to large kennels registering lots of dogs (such as Puppy Mills). Will register dogs not registered with other recognized registries.

UKCI - Universal Kennel Club International Caters to the commercial dog industry and promises 'Complete Privacy Protection' for all breeders. Does not have a Code Of Ethics and brags about that. Does not currently impose any fines or penalties upon its members for violations of its policies, rules, regulations, guidelines, programs, restrictions and systems. * Registers* mixed breeds for breeding purposes. Will register unknown pedigree. NAPDR - North American Purebred Dog Registry Dog that does not have registration papers or proof of pedigree may be registered with NAPDR

DRA - Dog Registry of America No DNA certification, registers unregistered/unknown/mixed pedigree dogs, brags about added value for sellers and confidentiality.

APR - American Purebred Registry Will register unknown pedigree dogs/cats, does not sponsor any shows, no proof of purebred required.

UABR - United All Breed Registry Advertises free registration of adults when you register a litter. Caters to the commercial breeders. Started "Gold Label Pets" for commercial operations, and promotes retailers.

WWKC - World Wide Kennel Club Will register dogs registered with *any other* kennel club

WKC- World Kennel Club Registers ALL dogs that are *pure-bred*, which may or may not be registered with any other kennel club or those that have no previous history of their Sire or Dam.

FIC - Federation of International Canines Special bulk discount for volume breeders

ARU- Animal Registry Unlimited Guarantees they will register your pets of unknown pedigree, encourages cross breeding. Special prices for bulk.

CRCS - Canine Registration and Certification Services Caters to commercial breeders.

NKC – National Kennel Club Appears to registered unknown pedigree dogs with *inspection*.