Other Breed Registries
While the AKC is the oldest and best-known U.S. registry, there are other notable breed registries as well. For example, the United Kennel Club (UKC) is the second largest all-breed registry in the country, while the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) is the primary dog registry in Canada.
Most reputable breeders show their dogs to prove the worth of their lines. Most are also members of a local breed club, and probably an all-breed or obedience club or two. Additionally, most reputable breeders are supporters of their parent club (the American Boxer Club, for boxers), as well as the goals and objectives of the American Kennel Club.
The United Kennel Club (UKC)
The UKC has 250,000 registrations annually. Founded in 1898 by Chauncey Z. Bennett, the club has a long-standing history of supporting the total dog, or the notion that a dog should look and perform equally well. The UKC offers events including conformation shows, obedience and agility trials, field trials, bench shows, and hunting tests, all aimed at giving dogs a venue for proving their instincts and heritage. A pioneer in DNA testing to verify pedigrees, that clubs code of ethics is intended to discourage retail sale of pups and to promote other pro-dog rules and guidelines.
The Canadian Kennel Club (CKC)
The CKC currently recognizes over 160 breeds. As a nonprofit organization, it is dedicated to encouraging, guiding, and advancing the interests of purebred dogs and their responsible owners in Canada, along with promoting the knowledge and the understanding of the benefits that dogs can bring to Canadian society.
A close relationship developed between the CKC and the AKC. The AKC agreed to allow dogs to be exhibited on both sides of the border without requiring registration in both national stud books. The AKC cancelled the first part of the arrangement in 1894, which stated that dogs could be shown on either side of the border without requiring registration in both national stud books, but both national clubs have maintained a close relationship.
The Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) was founded in the 1880s. With the formation of the AKC in 1884, dog shows were held under AKC rules, and purebred dogs were registered with the AKC. By 1887, it was clear that a national Canadian club was needed. The following year, a general meeting was held in London, Ontario, and the CKC was formed.
