Can U Register A Purebred Dog That Has Unregistered Parents

Question and answers on whether or not registering a pup is necessary

By Dave Duffey

How important is gun domestic dog registry to this pair?

Question: I have a purebred springer spaniel pup, but I was told I can't "register" him considering his mother wasn't registered. He's smart and is learning well and with some training should make a good hunting dog. Just I'1000 wondering if it will be a waste matter of fourth dimension to train him since I can't go the papers on him. Did I make a mistake paying only $85 for him when all the other ads I saw wanted $350 to $600 for a puppy. (Iowa)

Answer: I'thousand assuming you are a hunter who appreciates a skillful gun dogÃ‚€¦not somebody who is "into" dogs in one way or some other as a means of making a living. If y'all were, you lot wouldn't accept asked this question. For pros and semi-pros, registration of their dogs has become a must, although some minor canine business is transacted with unregistered dogs.

For about hunters, however, registration with a major registry is an unneeded expense unless (for whatever reason) they plan to brood, or compete in trials, tests and shows sanctioned by the registries. While a case tin be made for mixed-breed dogs I'thou not advocating "mongrelization" any more than than I'thou trashing the major dog registries in the world--although some seem to have strayed from the original goal of improving diverse breeds through selective convenance practices.

Pure breeding is important, especially when it's a matter of prestige. More than people volition exist impressed when you lot brag "he's purebred" than if you tin can say he's "registered," except pros who know that dogs with registered ancestors bring higher prices than those from perhaps every bit pure parents (sire and dam of the aforementioned brood). Only registered dogs are eligible to compete for ribbons, honors, coin and other accoutrements sought by some owners of purebred, registered canines.

Just in case in that location is any confusion, let'south put often misunderstood breeder terminologies into understandable context: Pedigree: If you know the dog'due south sire and dam (pa or ma) you've got a showtime on a recordable full-blooded. All dogs accept a full-blooded--that listing of ancestors telling who begot whom.

Purebred: A puppy tin can be called purebred equally long as its sire and dam were representatives of the same breed of dog. But without a pedigree at that place is no fashion of knowing for how many generations this purity existed. In the by in that location were, and still are, a few individual breeders who honestly kept their ain records and maintained lines as pure as those in the public registries.

Registered: Ideally, dogs are registered with an bureau (The American Kennel Guild, The United Kennel Club and The Field Dog Studbook are the major registries), and contests are conducted under their auspices in an effort to preserve and improve the various breeds of purebred dogs. Practically, they serve as referees or policemen in social club to maintain a semblance of social club and honesty in the dog game. Anyone can claim his canis familiaris is purebred. Registration verifies those claims.

And then, while registration is vital equally far as many canis familiaris owners are concerned, y'all and the large numbers of sportsmen who hunt with their dogs do not necessarily brand a fault but get a bargain out of either a pup or trained dog "without papers" at a steeply discounted cost.

Before serious breeders protest this outrageous advice, it doesn't ignore an added risk taken past hunters who buy from "backyard breeders" or other sportsmen who have their dogs produce an occasional planned or accidental litter. Superlative flight, conscientious breeders take their own market niche. Those sportsmen really into dogs desire the best and are willing to pay for it.

I'grand telling information technology like information technology is because there are a lot of squeamish guys out in that location who would like a good dog but only tin can't afford the high tariff. More importantly, there are "puppy mills" which get the same high price for trash that scrupulous breeders do. Mass-breeder dogs are registered...expensive pups far inferior to purebred but unregistered discount bargains. For more on coin and allied questions bank check out the next few questions and answers.

Practice I practise what I preach? I have in the past and have done so but recently; specially with "depression-marketplace" breeds and since I'm no longer breeding and competing equally either amateur or pro. Even pro trainers, who couldn't make a living were it non for owners to whom papers and registration are marks of prestige, can pick up an actress cadet or two utilizing an sometime business practice--buy low and sell high by picking up purebred deal pups, putting the preparation on them and selling them at a practiced profit to hunters who want a useful gun domestic dog, not some papers that go with him.

Question: What about this "punishment fee" the AKC socks u.s. with when we delay sending in an individual registration. They've hiked their fees. But with computers and all that to keep instant rails of everything, why soak me if information technology takes a while to decide whether or not the canis familiaris I bought is worth registering?

Answer: As noted in the reply to the previous question, I'thousand no longer equally concerned with AKC policies, rules and regulations as I had to exist in my youth. But if immune to take a chance a guess, what you're talking almost has something to practise with money.

A similar penalty billing came my way a few years back, and I wrote the American Kennel Guild requesting an explanation "considering there are two sides, possibly three (yours, mine and the truth) to every story. I certainly would be interested in hearing what the AKC's reasons, answers or arguments are regarding my concernsÃ‚€¦" Afterward well over two years, in that location has been no acknowledgement of my complaint but several inquiries similar to yours and mine have hit my desk. And then let'due south excerpt from my letter, giving other AKC patrons a "heads-up" and saving lot of paperwork.

"Your organization cashed my check in the amount of $eight and then sent me an explanatory letter dunning me for a $xxx penalty fee (the dog's to-exist-registered name was misspelled). Thanks, simply no thanks. Please reimburse me as before long as possible."

It was questionable whether the registration of a spayed Labrador bowwow out of ii wedded Labradors of no item stardom was worth $viii. Information technology certainly was non worth $38.

It must have occurred to AKC officialdom that by "rushing" registration information technology could increase the numbers of individual registrations received and economize in the registration process by setting a borderline. This bulks upwardly the bottom line--peradventure a matter of business organisation policy. It likewise demonstrates a disregard nearly the purpose for which studbooks and registries exist, an out-of-touch ignorance of the realities of serious canis familiaris breeding and a deep distrust of a membership the AKC is supposedly dedicated to serving and guiding.

Registries exist, ostensibly, for breed betterment, through intelligent and controlled breeding of purebred stock. Accrued profits from the concern are desirable, but the goal is the promulgation of amend-bred, meliorate-performing dogs. This "penalty" for delayed registration is an instance of the AKC'south all-likewise-frequent emphasis on the bottom line.

The AKC is bound to penalize serious breeders among its members who "hold back" on registrations until they can ascertain whether the dogs they register for breeding or for auction are representative and worth enrolling in a plan of breed betterment. Information technology appears that, rather than respect and trust serious breeders laboring nether the apparent delusion that registered animals should represent the most desirable breed qualities, devoting AKC efforts to sheer-numbers registration encourages breeders and buyers to whorl the dice on everything that is whelped.

I'm certain that you lot could not, in conscience, tell any owner of an altered dog or bitch that registration of such an fauna is worth anything. Which also leads to domestic dog buyers asking the rhetorical question, "Since I'm not going to use my dog for breeding and am non interested in competitive events, should I pay a fee to register him (or her)?"

After all, a registry exists to supervise and promote the product of top-quality dogs. More power to the AKC if it can convince dog buyers that registration of any eligible canis familiaris is a marking of distinction in which great pride can exist taken or offering the possibility that any puppy purchased may become a champion.

Simply when you oppose some of the basic tenets of successful dog breeding, careful choice and sensible--even ruthless--culling by penalizing your members who expect back up and guidance from their registry every bit they adhere to its avowed purposes, you are violating good religion and talking out of both sides of your mouth.

Question: I wait forward every month to your department in GUN Domestic dog, but the reason I am writing now is in regard to an article you wrote in the April/May 1997 issue titled "Brownie and Curly Revisited." I had just purchased my American water spaniel in October, 1996 and was very excited to run into you write an article on such a rare brood. I later learned y'all were a long-time owner and promoter of the brood.

As a outset-time retriever owner I joined a hunting retriever lodge, and after participating in several training days I was immediately hooked on the game and began to run my AWS throughout the southeast U.S. in Hunting Retriever Guild sponsored events.

Your article inspired me to participate in these events, which ultimately led my dog to becoming the first AWS to earn a "Hunting Retriever" championship. At this writing I'm ane pass away from as well earning the new "Upland" title before moving into the "Finished" category. So, I'd similar to thank you again, and my plans are to purchase ii additional American water spaniels to continue running in HRC/UKC events. (Florida)

Reply: And so much mail deals with puzzling negative stuff that it'due south a pleasure every now and and so to include 1 of you "mean solar day-makers" who don't really enquire for an answer.

Yous've hooked upwards with a good outfit for hunters interested in gun dogs if the United Kennel Club's Hunting Retriever Club testing hasn't regressed too much since its formative years back in the 1980s.

While I didn't pour any foundations, I helped build the basement when Omar Driskell, Andy Johnson and Neb Tarrant were doing the groundwork, writing for the UKC publication and serving as a guess during the time it was difficult to detect arbiters broadly experienced in both hunting and field trials.

From my final in-the-field contacts with the hunting retriever testing and following others' accounts of this "by and for hunters" retriever movement, it seems it has succumbed to some extent to the inevitable and become more "field trially" equally far as preparation and testing goes. But it was the offset organized effort to offer hunters an opportunity to train and test for something closer to actual hunting requirements than the high-powered conventional retriever trials and win recognition for their dogs. From the start, it offered whatever breed the opportunity to demonstrate that individual dogs can be good retrievers fifty-fifty if not officially classed every bit 1 of the retriever breeds. The Northward American Hunting Retriever Association and the AKC hunt tests for retrievers were sequential offshoots of the UKC/HRC.

Every bit you may take discovered as y'all've become deeply involved with your favorite brood, your good opinion of me is non shared by a number of other American Water Spaniel fanciers. Some took offense to the commodity you said inspired you.

While my mail ran well-nigh 4 to 1 on the side of "right on" and "a needed wake-up call," some friends and defenders also advised that the Cyberspace was clogged with attacks by brood-club officers. I managed to survive while maintaining my lifelong respect for the niggling brown spaniels, if not for some of their onetime supporters. It seems logical that the AWS organization would affiliate with the UKC, which in 1920 was the offset registry to recognize the breed and provides an avenue for owners to field examination their dogs' ability under the sane standards other breeds in their class must meet. The smaller of the 2 AWS organizations, the American H2o Spaniel Field Association, has been making overtures to the UKC and, by the time you read this, may accept something going for the breed's do good.

Meanwhile, the larger American Water Spaniel Club, an official affiliate of the AKC, continues to turn down to "classify" the brood as either a spaniel or a retriever, thereby making it ineligible to run in AKC chase tests or field trials which are restricted to flushing or fetching "specialists." Calling, its breed "unclassified" and inferring that their unique talents put Americans at a different level than the other spaniels and retrievers, ASWC movers and shakers invent their own standards and testing procedures.

The AM1'southward attitude toward such shenanigans is as puzzling every bit the ASWC is casuistic. The backbone of the ASWC is conformation shows, non field trials or tests, and the AKC has already designated the breed equally a spaniel--not simply by official proper name but by putting information technology in the sporting grouping and classifying information technology as a spaniel for testify purposes. To exist logical, since the "show element" in the AWSC contravenes the wishes of the "field element" in their efforts to promote the hunting qualities of the breed, the AKC should be petitioned to put Americans in the miscellaneous class for show competition.

Meanwhile, with the two internal groups at loggerheads, a capable and useful gun dog breed (one of the few of U.S. origin) remains obscure and its public prototype deteriorates. Testify entries are comparatively small, and it's rare for an AWS to attain a grouping win afterward besting a small handful of its ain kind for all-time of brood. Because of resistance to classification condition and installing a weak substitute for AKC field-testing procedures, field dogs are nearly unknown and their abilities sorely unappreciated by the public. The AKC has evolved into the world's largest combination canis familiaris service and governing trunk with a responsibleness to

all its affiliates large or pocket-sized. If the push-and-pull foolish strife were going on in Labrador or gilded-retriever parent clubs, the AKC would have hopped in long ago to provide guidance. As the two most popular breeds in the U.South., Labs and goldens stand for big money. Orphan breeds similar American water spaniels do non. Thus, it might be ended that the AKC isn't prepared to crave adjustments. For hunters and field canis familiaris American owners like yourself, be thankful that other organizations offering you a take a chance to run across how your fine piffling gun dogs stack upwards in relation to other breeds afield.