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Registering Your Yorkie
Though registering your Yorkshire terrier with a pure bred dog registry is not necessary, it is extremely important! Registering your Yorkie with the AKC is a way to show support for the breed and to support the AKC's efforts in canine health research! Please read the following article for information about registering your Yorkshire terrier.
By a
wide margin, the most popular pure bred dog registry in the United
States is the American Kennel Club (AKC). Though registering with
the AKC or any other registry is not a guarantee of the quality of
your dog, registering is an important step in the continuation of
pure bred dogs.
The AKC has been registering
dogs for over 125 years. The AKC is the most popular, most trusted,
and the oldest registry in the United States. In the last few years,
other registries have started to gain in popularity. Though there is
nothing inherently "wrong" with these registries, many of them have
been dubbed "puppy mill registries." Mostly this is because their
registration practices appear to be more lax than the AKC, and they
do not yet participate in a lot of the same facets of the dog fancy
that the AKC does.
Some of the most popular of
these new registries are the American Canine Association (ACA), the
Continental Kennel Club (CKC - NOT to be confused with the
well-respected Canadian Kennel Club), America's Pet Registry, Inc
(APRI), and I'm sure there are many others.
If your breeder registers with
a registry other than the AKC, ask the breeder why they register
with a registry other than the AKC. If you don't like the answer,
then please find a different breeder. And, if you still want to be
sure, check the AKC suspension list. This is a list of all the
breeders that are unable to register with the AKC for various
reasons. If a breeder has been suspended from the AKC, then they
have to go to a different registry. Being banned from the AKC is not
good, so check the list at AKC suspension list. I am still working on it, but you can view what I have so far here: http://www.yorkiesllc.com/yorkieinfo/suspension.html. In the meantime, for some further reading, here is a great article: Suspended, not suspended? ,
What's in an AKC number?
Many people have asked, so I thought I would explain about what your Yorkie's AKC registration number means. I have included a little diagram with Catherine's (Walnut Hills Catherine of Aragon) AKC registration number as an example for you.
First, your Yorkie's AKC registration number consists of 2 letters and 8 numbers. There is a method to the number, it is not completely random. The first letter of the registration number refers to the group classification of your dog's breed. In the case of Yorkies, this is the Toy group, so all Yorkies will have AKC registration numbers that start with a "T". The next letter, I believe, is a sequential letter that has nothing to do with the dog itself but how many Yorkies have been registered in the past. The next 6 numbers are sequential, and those 6 numbers combined with the first two letters are the litter registration number. Each litter is given a litter registration, and each dog in the litter will have the same first 8 characters in their registration numbers. Finally, the last two numbers are specific to your Yorkie. The last two numbers are you dog's number in the litter. For example, Catherine has 2 sisters, so there were a total of 3 puppies in her litter. Their registration numbers are TR82387701, TR82387702, and TR82387703. Their litter number is TR823877. In years past, the AKC numbers would have a slash in them to make this obvious - Catherine's number would have looked like this: TR823877/01. But, recently, the slash has been removed.
As far as which puppy gets what number - that is completely up to the breeder. I like to give the numbers in order of males and females, usually biggest to smallest, so the biggest male would be 01 and the next biggest male 02, and so on. But, every breeder has a different way of doing it, and sometimes it is totally random, or in the order that the registration papers are given to the owners.
Here is a "diagram" explaining the AKC registration number.
What does an AKC number mean?
When a litter is born, the breeder should register the litter with the AKC. The AKC then sends the breeder Dog Registration Applications for each puppy in the litter. These applications are then given to the puppy's new owner when the puppy is transferred. The application itself does not mean the dog is registered. The new owner MUST complete the application and submit it with the appropriate fee to the AKC in order for the dog to be registered.
I will be adding more information later about how to fill out the form. But, below you can see a copy of the application form. It is not totally completed because I registered Catherine online (anyone can register their dog online with the AKC). This gives you an example of what the application looks like.
How to read your AKC registration certificate
This is another common question - what do all of these numbers mean on my Yorkie's registration certificate? I will attempt to explain that as well.
Basically, your AKC registration certificate is a snapshot of the lineage of your Yorkie. The registration certificate shows your Yorkie's registered name, AKC registration number, breed, sex, color, and date of birth. The certificate also provides the names of your dog's parents (Sire = Father, Dam = Mother) and their AKC registration numbers. Your registration certificate may also have additional information about the Sire and Dam, including the date they were entered in to the Stud Book, or AKC DNA number. The certificate will also show the breeder of your dog (the name of the person who owned or was leasing the Dam at the time your dog was born), the registered owner, and the date that the registration certificate was issued.
Here is an example of an AKC registration certificate.
What if my Yorkie isn't registered with the AKC?
If your Yorkie is not registered with the AKC and you would like for him to be, there are a number of avenues that you can take. First, you should contact your breeder. You breeder is always the first place to start.
If your Yorkie is registered with a registry other than the AKC, you can submit the information about your Yorkie to the AKC. The AKC has a new program where they will research your Yorkie's pedigree to determine if your Yorkie is eligible for AKC registration. Here is the information from the AKC:
In order to determine AKC registration eligibility, you will need to send AKC a copy of your dog's pedigree, registration application and/or registration certificate from another registry. You can also submit documentation provided by the breeder such as a contract or bill of sale. The dog may qualify for registration if the pedigree shows no break in AKC lineage and the dogs in the pedigree originate from AKC registrable stock. Should the dog be deemed registrable, AKC staff will register the dog in question for $30. All late fees will be waived.
When you submit your paperwork, please include your name and phone number. You can submit the paperwork in one of three ways:
1. Fax the information to 919-816-3770. Mark it attn: Registry Research.
2. Email images to altreg@akc.org. Place Registry Research in the subject line
3. Mail to:
Attn: Special Services
8051 Arco Corporate Drive Suite 100
Raleigh, NC 27617
In some cases, the AKC will notify applicants that the dog is eligible to be registered. In other cases, the AKC will notify the applicant that the dog has been deemed ineligible for registration. There are a number of reasons why a dog may be ineligible for AKC registration. These include:
1. A dog in the pedigree has a cancelled registration.
2. A dog in the pedigree was given limited registration.
3. There is another form of break in AKC registerable stock in the pedigree.
If you have questions at all about registration, please email or call me. I have a lot of experience with the AKC and I am always willing to help! sarah@yorkiesllc.com
Why register with the AKC?
When you register your purebred puppy with the AKC, you are supporting your breed and everything the AKC represents. Every puppy that is registered in the United States is a testament to the importance of the dog fancy in general and the importance of your puppy's breed in particular! permanently record your dog's place in breed history and support furthered efforts in research and the continued survival of purebred dogs by registering your puppy!Here is a short list of the things that YOU are supporting when you register your puppy:
Kennel Inspections- Kennel inspections ensure the integrity of the AKC registry and monitor care and conditions at kennels across the country. The AKC is the only purebred dog registry in the United States that maintains a systematic and sustained investigation and inspection effort. The AKC conducts approximately 5,000 inspections each year to ensure compliance with standards that support the health, safety, and welfare of dogs and the environments in which they live.
AKC Canine Health Foundation- The Canine Health Foundation (CHF) works to improve the quality of life for dogs and their owners by funding research projects focusing on the genetics of disease, the canine genome map, and clinical studies.
Canine Search-and-Rescue -The AKC supports professional and volunteer canine search-and-rescue (SAR) organizations throughout the United States through its national program, DOGNYSM — America's Tribute to Search and Rescue Dogs. SAR dogs came into the spotlight after the attacks on September 11, 2001. But few people are aware of how instrumental SAR dogs are in maintaining the safety and security of our communities on a daily basis. The AKC supports SAR dog organizations with grants from the AKC-CAR Canine Support and Relief Fund and promotes awareness of their vital public service. To date, DOGNYSM fundraising efforts have raised more than $2.5 million for the support of canine SAR organizations throughout America.
Canine Good Citizen program -The AKC Canine Good Citizen® (CGC) program is a certification program designed to reward dogs who have good manners at home and in the community. CGC is a two-part program that stresses responsible dog ownership for owners and basic good manners for dogs. Each year, the AKC certifies more than 25,000 dogs as official Canine Good Citizens®.
Public Education -The AKC works with dog club volunteers, teachers, and librarians across the country to educate children and adults about the responsibilities of dog ownership, basic dog care and training, and safety around dogs.
Government Relations - The AKC Government Relations department monitors and provides input for federal, state, and local legislation governing responsible dog ownership. Sign up for legislative alerts about dog laws that may affect you at the "Legislative Alerts" section of www.akc.org.
AKC Museum of the Dog - The AKC Museum of the Dog, in St. Louis, Missouri, maintains one of the world's largest collections of dog-related fine art and artifacts. The museum is open year-round to the public and offers many educational programs and special exhibitions.
DNA Profiling - The AKC has built the world's largest database of canine DNA profiles for the purposes of parentage verification and genetic identity. AKC uses DNA certification to ensure reliable registration records vital to the preservation and advancement of purebred dogs.
AND MUCH MORE! - To learn more about how easy it is to register and the many programs and services offered by the AKC, visit www.akc.org or call (919) 233-9767.
