registry and breeding?

[grumpylilmoose]

I was recently asked if I was going to stud Connor out when he was full grown, and its been weighing on my mind ever since...

Can one be a great breeder and yet have all unregistered dogs?

In my understanding I can buy an unhealthy inbred dog from a puppy mill, he could even be AKC or CKC so really what value does that hold?

I could even say that a boxer / beagle mix was a purebred dog with akc paperwork!

I really hope this does not step on anyone's toes, as I doubt I'd ever breed Connor

[missjenneygirl]

In my opinion, you can not be a great (quality) breeder, breeding unregistered dogs.
It all works hand in hand.To be a great breeder, you need to put your stock out there, to be evaluated by unbiased knowledgeable people (judges) who have studied the AKC written standard. That would be at an AKC sanctioned dog show.

Written by the parent club, the "Standard" is the written word that describes the litteral and essence of a shetland sheepdog. Otherwise, you could be breeding poodles, and saying they are shelties. There is always a bench-mark for what you are trying to achieve. Having registered dogs, puts your dog in the AKC archives, and the pedigree is unchallanged.

Genetics and health testing results are available be used in making the decisions, that we as breeders need to produce healthy shetland sheepdogs. Dogs that are as close to the written standard as we can achieve. Breeding AKC registered, and evaluated stock, keeps the sheltie looking like a sheltie....that over time, the breed has not diluted to a blur of what the parent club envisioned.

Breeding unregistered shelties is just making dogs, to make dogs.

[ClantyreSheltie]

Originally Posted by grumpylilmoose

In my understanding I can buy an unhealthy inbred dog from a puppy mill, he could even be AKC or CKC so really what value does that hold?

I could even say that a boxer / beagle mix was a purebred dog with akc paperwork!

So first, let's clear some things up. Very rarely are dogs that come from commercial breeders inbred. I'm not sure how that idea started, but I can produce our Amish "puppy mill" rescue dogs pedigree, and his coefficient of inbreeding is significantly lower than my own dogs. Before breeding anything, you should have a good understanding of what a coefficient of inbreeding is, and how it affects the health of your dogs. This ties into knowing what is behind your dogs, so you can better predict what your dog will produce.

No, you can not register a mix with AKC. I'm sure there are people that do, but please read the Secretary Page that AKC publishes every month to see how many people they sanction, and how many litters and dogs they cancel registration on.

If your first inclination is about how to get around the AKC to register dogs, then this is probably not the right hobby for you.

Just enjoy your dog, and have fun.

[ClantyreSheltie]

Originally Posted by grumpylilmoose

In my understanding I can buy an unhealthy inbred dog from a puppy mill, he could even be AKC or CKC so really what value does that hold?

One more thing, AKC is a registry. Just like the DMV is a registry. It doesn't promise that all dogs are healthy, just like the DMV doesn't promise all drivers are competent.

All the AKC papers say is that there is a traceable lineage of registered dogs. Purebred does not equal wellbred.

[Emmasmom]

I was asked a similar question when I got Natalie - was I going to be breeding the girls? I said no. I have too much respect for the breeders out there who do their homework, agonize over every litter to make sure they are as sound and healthy as possible, spend time and money testing for congenital diseases and conditions to even consider breeding without having a mentor to teach me the way.

In answer to your question about being a great breeder, and having unregistered dogs, this is highly likely. It is unfortunate we only hear about the bad breeders.

[Lightplum]

Can one be a great breeder and yet have all unregistered dogs?

NO, good breeders, breeders who have ethics and abide by the parent club standard do not have unregistered dogs that they are breeding. It defeats the purpose and goal of ethical breeding. Registering dogs provides a "paper trail" for our dogs and lineage to track for future generations so its important to keep it accurate!

In my understanding I can buy an unhealthy inbred dog from a puppy mill, he could even be AKC or CKC so really what value does that hold?

again either registered with the AKC (American Kennel Club) or CKC (Canadian Kennel Club) does not hold a monetary value its a paper trail and documentation proving who your dog has as ancestors...in all actuality to 90% of "pet" owners they could care less about who the sire and dam are and grandsire/dam...where as for breeders using the "tool" of the pedigree to build upon and plan future breedings.

I could even say that a boxer / beagle mix was a purebred dog with akc paperwork!

Any pedigree is only as good as the integrity of the breeder who registers the pups. Once a breeder has falsified one registration, there is always doubt about every dog registered by that breeder. Again though you could claim anything..but if the AKC finds out about it you will be suspended from registering any dogs and the previous dogs that you did register will be null and void. And it does happen....

[Chris]

Originally Posted by ClantyreSheltie

One more thing, AKC is a registry. Just like the DMV is a registry. It doesn't promise that all dogs are healthy, just like the DMV doesn't promise all drivers are competent.

All the AKC papers say is that there is a traceable lineage of registered dogs. Purebred does not equal wellbred.

Well said, Rachael!

[grumpylilmoose]

Connor will be getting fixed at around a year or two once he has his hormones straightened out, and as stated I highly doubt I'd breed him as he probably hasn't got enough to add to the gene pool.

I was also curious as to the importance of AKC and the other registries when I heard so many horror stories.