07/16/2026
Copied from a respected fellow breeder!
I get at least 10 messages a week asking if my puppies are AKC registered, so I figured I’d clear up a common misconception.
An AKC registration doesn’t automatically make a dog high quality any more than putting a Ferrari emblem on a Honda makes it a Ferrari. 😆 AKC registration simply documents a dog’s pedigree, but it doesn’t automatically tell you whether that dog has been health tested, has an excellent temperament, correct structure, or was bred ethically. While AKC does have DNA programs for certain situations like dual sired or accepted imports, DNA testing is not required to register most litters. That means it’s possible for someone to falsely identify a sire and dam on paperwork without DNA parentage verification. That’s why choosing an honest, ethical breeder is so important. Personally, I believe that if DNA parentage verification and strict breed standards were required for every registered dog, a lot of registrations would be pulled. 🥴
One of the main reasons many of my dogs aren’t AKC is because they come from imported bloodlines with pedigrees from registries that AKC doesn’t recognize for registration. For me, preserving bloodlines, health, structure, and temperament will always be more important than chasing a particular registration.
Instead of asking, “Are they AKC?” I’d encourage buyers to ask, “Are the parents health tested? Have they been seen by a licensed veterinarian? How are the puppies socialized? What are the parents’ temperaments like? Does the breeder stand behind their puppies with a health guarantee?” Those answers will tell you far more about the quality of a breeder and a puppy than a registration certificate ever will.
This isn’t meant as disrespect to breeders who register with AKC. My point is simple a great breeder is proven by the dogs they produce, not the logo printed on a certificate. 🐾
