They are important in this region, where dog kennels are plentiful in rural areas. In recent years Missouri has had the greatest number and Kansas the second-greatest number of licensed commercial breeders. There has been little incentive to change, several said. Frazer said a buyer of an expensive purebred puppy often stays silent when he discovers six months later that the dog doesn't resemble what was bought. The more dogs the American Kennel Club registers, Frazer said, the more money it earns.
Unscrupulous operators have an incentive to obtain papers fraudulently.
Of course, there are many good dog breeders, and the AKC recommends that a would-be buyer of a registered dog do a little research. The buyer should read up on the prospective breed to make sure that its size, temperament and other characteristics will blend with the buyer's family. If the buyer wants a registered dog, the buyer should demand to see the puppy's mother and preferably the father to get an idea of what the puppy eventually will look like. When the puppy is purchased, the buyer should get an American Kennel Club registration application, or at least the AKC numbers of the dog's sire and dam. Walk away if the seller promises only to deliver the papers later.