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What Are Canadian Kennel Club Registration Papers And Why Are They Important?



To be considered purebred, both parents of the puppy must be of the same breed and registered with the Canadian Kennel Club. The dam (mother) must be registered with the Club in the name of the person signing the application for registration as owner or lessee at the time of the birth of the litter and the owner of the sire (father) must sign off on the litter. It is CANADIAN LAW as stated in the ANIMAL PEDIGREE ACT that no dog may be sold in Canada as Purebred without the animal being registered with the Canadian Kennel Club (C.K.C.) CANADIAN KENNEL CLUB registration papers are your certification that your new puppy is a recognized Purebred Dog. If someone offers to sell you a purebred puppy with no CKC registration papers for a cheaper price THIS IS NO BARGAIN and you should understand why. In accordance with the By-laws, Dogs must never be sold on a "with or without papers" basis. The breeder is responsible for the submission of and payment for all registration applications. Such costs may be included in the price of the dog but under no circumstances shall the buyer be asked to submit or pay for any applications to register or transfer the ownership of a dog. The CKC charges a reasonable fee to register a litter then an additional fee to register the individual puppy and to transfer ownership of the puppy. This cost is factored into the price of the puppy however it is not so great that a breeder would sell a puppy for hundreds of dollars less then his true worth so the question is "why would a seller choose to offer a puppy without registration papers at a several hundreds of dollars off if the dog really is a Canadian Kennel Club recognised purebred dog when it costs far less then that to register him?" If you make this type of purchase you more then likely have bought from an unscrupulous person who does not mind selling you a dog under false pretext. Two possibilities are that they have been disciplined by the CKC resulting in their being suspended or disbarred from the Canadian Kennel Club or they have bred from a dog purchased on a CKC Non-Breeding Agreement so the puppies are not eligible to be registered. A Non-Breeding Agreement is a legal document, which formalizes an arrangement between the breeder and the purchaser, denying the right to breed the dog without the breeder's consent. Selling purebred dogs on a Non-Breeding Agreement is standard practice for the protection of the dog, the breeder and the breed as a whole. Many breeders will lift the agreement under contract that the dog is first health tested and proven to be a good representative of the breed likely to pass on their genes to their progeny. If the seller is willing to break this legally binding contract what other illegal or dishonourable acts are they capable of? What else might they have not been straight forward with YOU about? Did they really do the breed clubs mandated health certifications on the parents? Did they really protect the dog from being mated by the mixed breed male down the street? Is the puppy really a purebred? Are they being honest with you about the puppies health? Will they honor their health guarantee? Will they be there for you if you need them? Unscrupulous sellers are only concerned with making money. Rarely do such persons do health certifications on the parents so they have no idea what genetic time bomb may be waiting to pop up with no consideration for all the associated vet bills and emotional pain you might later encounter. After all they now have your money and won't be there for you in the future if a serious problem arises.


When deciding to purchase a purebred dog it is generally because you have done some research and found that you like the look, size, coat type, energy level, temperament and purpose of the breed. It is well worth the price of a registered purebred from a reputable breeder to ensure you get what you want, after all you will not only be responsible to this animal for next 10 to 15 years but it will live in your home and play with your children. Do you really want to bring home a ticking time bomb? Perhaps $1800. to $2600. sound like a lot of money for a pet however responsible breeders put forth a lot of time, effort and expense in order to do everything in their power to ensure their puppies are bred and raised in a manner that promotes a long and healthy life. If the price difference between the registered dog and the unregistered dog is really that great of a factor please consider waiting awhile until you have saved up a little more or consider these other possible options.

Other options could include: Searching for a breeders retired dog. Contacting the desired breed's national rescue group. Purchasing a dog from a shelter or pound.


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