AKC Breeders

AKC Breeders If you’re shopping for a purebred dog, you’ve probably come across the term AKC Breeders.

The American Kennel Club is the primary registry of purebred dogs in the United States.

Many people use their affiliation with the American Kennel Club as a selling point. Just do a search on the internet for a purebred dog and you’ll quickly see what we’re talking about. We're asking you to be careful, because registration is not necessarily a reflection of quality.

Read on and we’ll tell you why.

AKC Breeders

By definition, this is a person who breeds dogs under AKC guidelines. The breeder is the owner of the dam on the date of a mating that results in a litter. A reputable breeder would be a member of the AKC.

Click here for more information about ethical dog breeders.

Registration

AKC registration does not guarantee the quality of a dog. Nor does registration indicate that health screening was done. Registration simply means that the pups’ parents were registered as a recognized breed.

Here’s a very simple breakdown of the registration process:

1. For a litter to be eligible, the Dam & Sire must be individually AKC registered.
2. The breeder registers the litter (who must be whelped in the U.S.) with the AKC.
3. AKC sends the breeder individual registration applications for each puppy in the litter.
4. Once purchased, the buyer completes the application process and receives an AKC Registration Certificate.

There are processing fees involved and the turn time is usually about 3 weeks. By registering, you are creating a permanent record of your dog’s place in breed history.

Why Register?

There are two primary reasons for registering with the AKC.

1. Eligibility to Participate in AKC-Sponsored Events
2. You Want to Breed Your Dog

The Controversy

The AKC is a non-profit that maintains a purebred dog registry, sanctions dog events, and promotes responsible dog ownership. They state on their website that they "cannot guarantee the quality of health of dogs in its registry". And that they "reserve the right to refuse or to rescind the registration of any dog for cause".

The AKC has no health standards for breeding. Therefore it’s up to the breeder to complete all necessary health testing. The AKC relies on breeders to provide complete and accurate information, which is basically the honor system.

Unfortunately there are shady people out there that manipulate the system. Puppy producers think that by marketing their products as AKC Registered they’ll make more money. Be cautious and remember that not all AKC breeders are producing top quality dogs.

What are the red flags of a backyard breeder? Click here to find out!

"Papers"

A pedigree certificate simply lists names of your dog’s parents, grandparents, and so forth. Like a family tree. They typically go back 3-4 generations. AKC registration doesn’t mean that the puppy’s parents were checked for health problems. Nor does it indicate that a puppy was raised properly. And it certainly doesn’t guarantee a healthy dog with a good temperament.

Some believe that unless you plan on showing or breeding your dog, having papers isn’t really necessary. If you’re getting a dog from a pound or rescue, then yes, we’d agree with that.

However, if you are getting a puppy from a weimaraner breeder, we’d advise you that papers are important. Good AKC breeders often use the pedigree to plan their litters.

Responsible weimaraners breeders have extensive knowledge about the parentage of their dogs and they put a lot of effort into the accuracy of their records.

AKC Breeders to Weimaraner Breeders

AKC Breeders to Weimaraner Puppies