There is a common misconception about registration papers for purebred dogs. When you decided to purchase a purebred puppy, you likely did your research to find a breed that suits your needs in terms of temperament, appearance and activity level. However, when it’s time to make arrangements for the payment and transfer of the dog from seller to buyer, you may often hear terminology like, “AKC Registered”, “Registered Purebred,” or “Papers Included”. These statements are not all the same. According to an article put out by AKC (American Kennel Club) there has seen a significant increase in the number of complaints about buyers being misled by sellers who promise them “AKC Papers.” Whether the seller deceived the buyer by claiming that an alternate registry is the same as AKC or that AKC papers would be mailed at a later date, the buyer is left frustrated and disillusioned by the puppy buying process. Many irresponsible breeders, puppy mills and pet stores try to deceive potential customers by promising that a puppy will come with “papers”. The buyer, believing that “papers “mean AKC, is later heartbroken to find that his/her dog is not eligible to be registered with the AKC. Even more disconcerting, the buyer is left uncertain about the genetic makeup of the dog, rather it is purebred or not. There are currently more than twenty canine registration organizations, offering various standards and membership criteria. Some require a dog to be purebred according to AKC Standards, meaning a dog must be bred from members of a recognized breed over many generations and others will register a dog with little or no proof of its lineage. In some cases, a buyer could make arrangements to purchase and pay full-price for what they believe to be a purebred dog, when they are in fact receiving a mixed-breed. One of the other very reputable registries is the UKC (United Kennel Club). They are very pet/owner friendly and do allow Partis and Phantom Standard Poodles to be shown. The American Kennel Club is the only not-for-profit registry for purebred dogs in the United States. The registration certificate is essentially a certificate of a dog’s identity, providing recognition and official documentation of the dog’s place in breed history. The dog’s pedigree traces its parentage back up to five generations. The only way a person is guaranteed to purchase a purebred dog, with all of the characteristics and traits of the breed, is to purchase an AKC-registerable dog. Of course there are registries in other countries that are comparable to the AKC “American Kennel Club” It is common practice and protocol for AKC to visit breeders who produce over 5 litters a year to do random DNA testing to be sure a male of a certain breed is bred to the female the breeder claims he has been bred too. AKC comes to our facility about every eighteen months. We have always gotten A rating in our AKC compliance reports.