Registered Dogs

I wanted to mention one more aspect of adopting a puppy for X-mas (or any time): the registration.

Of course, the most well known registration a dog can have is from the American Kennel Club (AKC). Because of the AKC standards, it's very easy to talk to the breeder, the breeder of the parent dogs, etc. This allows you to get information about temperaments, health issues, and any other concerns you have or information you may want.

This is not to say that a dog has to have AKC registration to be a good dog. Some breeds, such as Catahoula Leopard Dogs are not members of the AKC but are very organized and have an excellent registry. Point being there are other registries out there that are reputable, but you should educate yourself about them instead of getting a dog solely because he has an alphabet soup after his name.

As a result of not being able to register their dogs, pet stores, puppy mills, and families have gotten together to form registries, some cleverly naming them to have the same acronym as reputable registries. Beware of people asking for money up front, people wanting to ship a dog to you, and people who will not allow you to see their facilities, usually suggesting you meet somewhere to pick up the puppy. See my post about puppy mills for more information titled "Puppies for Sale at Mudd Puppies."

"Leilah's Mom" wrote an excellent article about things to be aware of if you are looking for a registered puppy. The AKC also sent me an article full of good information. I hope you'll take a look before you get a "registered" puppy. (Links are at the bottom of this entry.)

I feel I should also mention here that although I love the dogs I have now, the best dog I ever had was a mutt. But dogs are like people in that just because they have an excellent pedigree does not mean they may not have problems. Likewise, because they are a mutt doesn't mean they will have all the best or worst traits of their breeds.

If you're wanting a specific breed, I strongly urge you to educate yourself. And, if you're just wanting a companion, I again recommend checking at your local shelter or looking into a breed specific rescue organization.

http://www.wonderpuppy.net/kc.htm
http://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=3220