National Kennel Clubs and Pure-breed Dog Registries

The American Kennel Club (AKC) and the United Kennel Club (UKC) are the oldest two national kennel clubs and pure-breed dog registries organized in 1884 and 1898, respectively. A third national club/registry is the National Kennel Club (NKC) organized in 1969.

It is PGAA's goal to provide dog profile and rescue information on all registered pure-bred dog breeds. We started with the AKC recognized breeds and are adding breeds from the UKC and NKC. Each profile will also include the abbreviation of the club(s) that recognize that particular breed.

Below are the current links and club statements taken from the club's web site.

AKC Mission Statement

• Maintain a registry for purebred dogs and preserve its integrity.
• Sanction dog events that promote interest in, and sustain the process of, breeding for type and function of purebred dogs.
• Take whatever actions necessary to protect and assure the continuation of the sport of purebred dogs.

AKC 's Objective:

Advance the study, breeding, exhibiting, running and maintenance of purebred dogs.

AKC's Core Values:

• The human/animal bond, which is perpetuated and supported by purpose-bred dogs for companionship, sport, work, service, etc., is valuable. Dogs bring joy and people who keep dogs as pets feel safer and live longer. All dogs are wonderful, but purpose bred or purebred dogs are more predictable in many important ways than random-bred dogs and therefore make better pets. Pet ownership is more widespread in the US today than in any other country of the world, at any time in history. More than 50% of all households have pets; 36% keep dogs, about a third of which are recognizable breeds.
• Breeding for type and function to create, preserve and improve breeds ties modern urban populations with the 12,000 year tradition of animal husbandry, now vanishing from the rest of our culture. In the last 100 years, this country, along with the rest of the Western world, has undergone what many historians call the most dramatic transformation in human history. It is a shift from a rural, agricultural society to an urban technological one. When AKC was created, more than half of all Americans lived on farms. Even at the turn of the century, 85% of all jobs were agriculturally based. Today, less than one in fifty Americans lives on a farm but more than 50% of households maintains positive contact with animals by keeping pets. Very few people have hands-on experience in animal husbandry anymore-- and that make AKC's constituents unique subject matter experts in an area that touches and matters to half of all households. AKC breeders are the experts, the preservationist, the ones who tie society to its past and support society's present need to maintain the human/animal bond.

The American Kennel Club:

• Records the parentage of over one million dogs annually, but is not itself involved in the sale of dogs and cannot therefore guarantee the health and quality of dogs in its registry.
• Sponsors more than 15,000 dog competitions each year held by licensed and member clubs. Only dog clubs may be AKC members.
• Supports and promotes the sport of purebred dogs.

With 250,000 registrations annually, the United Kennel Club is the second oldest and second largest all-breed dog registry in the United States. Founded in 1898 by Chauncey Z. Bennett, the registry has always supported the idea of the "total dog", meaning a dog that looks and performs equally well. The performance programs of U.K.C. include Conformation Shows, Obedience Trials, Agility Trials, Coonhound Field Trials, Water Races, Nite Hunts and Bench Shows, hunting tests for the retrieving breeds, beagle events including Hunts and Bench Shows, and, for Cur and Feist Squirrel and Coon Events, and Bench Shows. Essentially, the U.K.C. world of dogs is a working world. That's the way founder Chauncey Bennett designed it, and that's the way it remains today.

The mission of United Kennel Club is to be the world's best registry of purebred dogs, to offer our customers the most efficient and creative services possible, to use our data to help our customers breed the best dogs in the world and to create a wide spectrum of performance and conformation events in which those dogs can prove their instincts and heritage.

Since 1969 the National Kennel Club (NKC) has operated to help dog owners register any purebred dog. The NKC has been fair and impartial to all breeders, dog owners, and the various breeds. With the NKC rare breeds may be shown with equal status as well as the major breeds. The NKC licenses all-breed dog shows, events for Coon dogs, Beagles, Squirrel dogs, Bird dogs, Fox dogs, licensed dog kennels, show judges, and other dog related events.

General Purpose:

• To improve breeding of purebred dogs of all breeds establishing a stud file of all dogs registered with NKC, by encouragement to breeders to use only the best conformation and temperament in their breeding program.
• To promote competition in various fields of dog-oriented activities in a friendly sporting atmosphere.
• To better canine life by making owners aware of the new ideas in dog care.
• To encourage registration of all purebred dogs so that ancestry and traits both desirable and undesirable can be identified.
• To encourage dog owners to learn better methods of care, feeding, and training of dogs.
• To promote enjoyment of leisure time in association with dogs and dog activities.
• To promote conservation of our natural resources through combined efforts by dog clubs.
• By restocking game birds and animals where unwise acts have reduced their numbers below desired levels.
• Protection of animals against poachers and greedy hunters.
• Stimulate hunting for pleasure and champion points instead of hides of animals.
• Educate the public to respect and appreciate the efforts of the state game and fish commissions.

Organization:

• As the name implies, National Kennel Club is National in scope in that registrations, rules, shows, awards, etc. are uniform in all states of the United States.
• Statewide organizations will enable a closer approach to show, etc. It is anticipated that state championship shows will afford a closer look at the best dogs. State clubs will be formed from memberships of local clubs.
• Local clubs will serve to inform the membership of local news as well as state or national. Local clubs may sponsor shows and other events licenses by NKC Local clubs will operate by their own by-laws.
• A board of advisers consisting of persons knowledgeable of dogs to be appointed to serve for a period of time acceptable by both the applicant and NKC Either party may sever relationship at any time without statement of reason. Advisors to serve at the discretion of the secretary of NKC Without pay unless by written agreement.
• Rules committee to be made of persons appointed by the secretary of NKC to study rules and suggest new ones or changes in existing rules. This committee will make recommendations only, and will meet at the call of the secretary to study any suggestions from the membership.
• Any other committees deemed advisable by the secretary to be appointed for a specific purpose and length of time

Written by Ron Lueth, Pet Guardian Angels of America