Question of the Week

Rebecca Roter

Nicholson, GA 
I have AKC  registered every puppy I’ve ever bred over the past 25 under my kennel name. I choose a litter theme and send a list of suggested names to the puppies’ new homes, who are welcome to find their own themed name.  This guarantees every puppy will be AKC registered under my kennel name. Accordingly it’s a transfer of ownership when the puppies go to their homes.

Jane Harding
Chester, CT
Yes. Have done for years. That is what limited registration is for. 

Bonnie Threlfall
Cary, NC
Yes, I register everyone in the litter & everyone is microchipped before leaving here.

Iva Kimmelman
Stow, Massachusetts
I have been registering all my puppies for decades. I originally did it for the AKC, then I did it to prevent ridiculous names being put on the papers by well meaning clients. Once, years ago, they left off my registered kennel name and forgot to put anything for a name. The certificate came back Merci Isle 1. The client was furious and wanted it changed. At that time I believed AKC didn't allow changes of names so told them,  sorry, no.

Janet York
New York, NY
Yes I do and those that will not be show dogs are registered “limited.”

Diane Bilak
Kenosha, WI
Yes, I register every dog in the litter with a registration name.

Edy Dykstra-Blum
Ocala, Fl
I have registered all my puppies born myself with my registered Kennel name, so I know they are properly registered, and no one can change my kennel name. I am a proud breeder of my breed.

Barbara Miller

Old Brookville, NY
For years I register the litter followed by individual pups in the litter registered to me; with each given the name of my choosing.  Around 10 weeks of age I determine which pup I’d like to keep.  I have waiting lists of people interested in purchasing a Norfolk.  I then sign off my AKC ownership instructing the new owner to sign on and include payment to AKC. AKC at that point receives payment from me for the litter registration; payment from me for individual ownership registration and finally from the new owner(s) for the transfer of ownership into their name.   Good deal for AKC I would say. My prime reason is that from the onset I know my pups are AKC registered.

Lexa Richmond
Bedford, TX
As an AKC Breeder of Merit, I individually register my puppies to ensure that they are registered.  I also use a theme for each of my litters so I can easily track what puppies belong to what litter and who their parents are.  The last few litters from a certain part of my line have been registered with the Hunger Games theme.  Another part of my line is registered with a Witch theme, since her puppies were born right before Halloween.  The cons of doing this are companion owners don't usually understand the value of a registered name and want to register their puppy like a human being on a birth certificate.  There is a clause in my contract that says I will register the puppies with an official name but they can call the puppy whatever they want.

Beth Cloven Hernandez
Oak Park, Michigan
I register all of my puppies with my kennel name but I let the owners pick out the  name they want to use after my kennel name. I also include and register their microchip on the registration paper. I mail it in and then paperwork goes back to the owner.

Marge B. Calltharp
Hartford, Connecticut
Because I am a Breeder of Merit and that is one of the rules of that AKC program, I register each puppy.  It is easier for me because I have a theme for each litter. Breeders and exhibitors understand this procedure. Puppy buyers who just want a furry family member are more interested in the puppy’s call name. I explain that I’m a Breeder of Merit and must register each puppy. I give each new owner transfer paperwork or help them complete the form on line before they leave my house. I have had no problem with this procedure.  Most puppy buyers not interested in breeding or exhibiting do not recognize the value in fully registering the dog, therefore, is another reason I register each puppy.

Diane McClurg
Gainesville, TX
Yes. I register all my puppies; some as a full registration and some as limited registration.

This allows me to track my puppies via AKC if they are participating in any AKC events.

As a limited registration, this is for puppies are not sold as breeding stocks. 

More important to me is that all puppies are microchipped which also is entered into the AKC Registration form.

Should the pup or as an adult gets lost or stolen the owner or breeder can be notified.

Jamie Moreno
Anderson, SC
Yes for two reasons. First, it helps me keep litters organized mentally by thinking of them by the registered name I gave them. This allows me to rattle off how many were in a litter, who went to a pet home immediately, who became a CH then later on to a pet home, etc. All without needing to pull up the pedigree archives. Secondly, pet owners give terrible names! Its always some version of "the little prince/princess " or worse...Gizmo, Oreo or Suki.

Anne Barlow
Georgetown, Texas
I prepay the registration for all pups in my litters.  I have traditionally used song titles for registered names, either all from a particular artist or group, or a theme.  So they all start off with my kennel name then the song title.  Once I pick a theme, I compose a list of songs from for that litter's theme, send them to puppy buyers and let them choose the name they like.  I always reserve one or two for a pup of my own, if I choose to keep one.  Buyers all seem to like this arrangement.

Bill Shelton
Mountain Grove, Missouri
NO! We use to when we thought the “breeder of merit” program was going to be more than it turned out to be. I do admit AKC is doing slightly more today for breeders education. But it appears that Judges ed. takes complete priority. Putting the cart before the horse plainly.

Carol Horner
Bluffton, SC
Yes, I do register all puppies in a litter myself, using ONE WORD as my theme.  

For example, if the litter theme is the word KISS, each puppy’s registered name must include some form of that word, such as KISS, KISSED, KISSING, etc. 

Often I'll have a list of potential AKC names and the buyer can select one of those, but I will register the puppy with that AKC name. Some of my early puppy purchases came with a “theme”, meaning my puppy had a name that fit into the breeder’s theme.  

From an outsider’s viewpoint, I felt it could be difficult to follow the show careers of siblings in a litter, and I wanted people see the consistency in my litters.  Besides, even if a WORD theme was a common one, each breeder would use their kennel name in the registered AKC name, so no confusion. Nothing is more fun than selecting the WORD or THEME for an upcoming litter, and making a list of puppy names!  Enjoy every minute!

Bobby and Kaki Fisher
Middle Granville, New York
Yes. We give our puppy buyers a name “theme” to work with.  They can use any call name they desire, and within a specified time, they give us a “registered” name.  I submit the litter’s names/registrations  all at once.  This assures us that all pups are registered.

Arlene Grant
Sterling, Connecticut
I always register my puppies with their registered names. The buyers can call them  whatever they want but I want my kennel name on all of my puppies.

Wendy Jordan 
Lancaster, PA
I register all of my litters to help assure compliance for the AKC’s Breeder of Merit conditions.  If the puppy has a home, they pick the name as long as it’s in accordance with the litter theme.  Registering the entire litter at one time actually saves money too!

Jan Dykema
St Helena, CA
100%  I had people change the registered names of the puppies even after I gave them the papers already filled in. I use certain words for certain “lines” so I want to keep track through the names of the puppies I sell. They can call the puppy whatever they choose.