[Labradorable]

How important is it to have a registered dog? My last lab wasn't registered, and she was a great dog, in both personality and health. Both her parents were, but her parents had a whoops and weren't supposed to breed (they were never a breeding pair). Her mother was an American Labrador and her father was an English Labrador. The sire escaped from his house when the dam was in heat and they got to business.

My plan is to get a CKC registered dog this time around, but I'm wondering how important it really is. The dog will be a family pet, canoeing companion and will not be used for show or anything fancy. My husband is on board with getting another lab (or else I wouldn't be looking) and will go along with anything I want, registered or not, but he doesn't think getting a registered dog is all that important providing both the sire and dam are healthy and well mannered dogs. Nothing is a guarentee, but I like the security of getting a registered dog from a GOOD breeder.

Are your dogs registed/papered?

 

[patm]

I believe in getting your dog from registered parents , and registering your dog if it is eligible. No - it won't make any difference in how good a pet, or even performance dog your dog is, if you register it or not (although if you compete in AKC stuff they need to be registered). I do believe it is important to get your dog from registered parents, because it helps promote responsiblity of breeders. We have alot of puppies around here for sale from "purebred but not registered" parents - in other words, backyard breeders. Might take wonderful care of their dogs, might be wonderful dogs and their puppies make wonderful pets - but then these puppies are bred, and then their puppies and so on. So for a particular, individual dog, maybe not neccessary - for the promotioin and well-being of the breed - important.

 

[zoezoe]

mine are rescues

 

[Labradorable]

I believe in getting your dog from registered parents , and registering your dog if it is eligible. No - it won't make any difference in how good a pet, or even performance dog your dog is, if you register it or not (although if you compete in AKC stuff they need to be registered). I do believe it is important to get your dog from registered parents, because it helps promote responsiblity of breeders. We have alot of puppies around here for sale from "purebred but not registered" parents - in other words, backyard breeders. Might take wonderful care of their dogs, might be wonderful dogs and their puppies make wonderful pets - but then these puppies are bred, and then their puppies and so on. So for a particular, individual dog, maybe not neccessary - for the promotioin and well-being of the breed - important.

That's how I feel too. My main concern is having a pup from registered parents from a responsible breeder, but I've been warned that responsible breeders will most likely be selling their pups registered and with a non-breeding contract.

 

[HersheyK's Dad]

Getting a pup from registered pair is a plus in my mind. A small extra effort the breeder took. Much more important is good certs on the hips. elbows, and eyes. Multiple grenerations back is even better. All this to just help your odds of getting a strong healthy pet.

I registered HK primarily because she became so much a part of us that it was one more step to helpprove ownership should that ever become necessary.

 

[Shane23]

Shane is registered but Clarence is not. Clarence was adopted from the pound.

 

[labby]

Are you talking CKC as in Canadian Kennel Club? Then the choice isn't yours since Canadian breeders register the puppies for you.

I register the puppies that I breed then the new owners give me a check and pick the name for the puppy. That way the papers don't get lost and I can approve somewhat, of what they named the puppy. I've had puppy owners try and cross out my kennel name or want to name the puppy something ridiculous like Airhead.

 

[Baloo317]

It's a little different in Canada, I believe if you (as a breeder) have a registerable (not a word, I know) litter then you have to register them. Hopefully someone will come by who knows a little more about that..?

I don't think whether or not the dog is registered is important. It IS important, however, to ensure that you get a pup from a reputable, ethical breeder who does all health clearances, is active in the breed and willing to help out through the life of the pup, and they always have registered pups.

However, just because a breeder has registered pups does NOT make them reputable and ethical. This forum can be a fantastic resource for finding the good breeders and weeding out the bad (as sometimes it's not all that easy) you just have to ask.

 

[Lab Dad]

All told, four rescues and one retired Show girl.

 

[patm]

Of course there are 2 separate questions being asked in this thread. The poll basically justs asks if your dog is registered or not. The question posed is does it make any difference. Everyone knows that there are a million wonderful dogs to be rescued in the USA alone. If I had the time, money and no husband, I would take as many as I could. But becuase my ability to own numbers of dogs is limited, my next pup will be from a well bred, registered litter. I think that we need to support reputable breeders also, to support the future of the breed.

 

[Labradorable]

Are you talking CKC as in Canadian Kennel Club? Then the choice isn't yours since Canadian breeders register the puppies for you.

I register the puppies that I breed then the new owners give me a check and pick the name for the puppy. That way the papers don't get lost and I can approve somewhat, of what they named the puppy. I've had puppy owners try and cross out my kennel name or want to name the puppy something ridiculous like Airhead.

I am talking CKC, yes. The choices I'm talking about isn't whether or not a breeder will register a pup for me, I mean whether or not I choose a breeder who actually registers the pups. Names are not a concern for me.

I have a pretty good list of questions to ask breeders and I hope they have questions for me as well. A breeder who doesn't have questions for me scares me a bit, because I wonder who they'd give their pups to ... perhaps someone who can't handle a lab, or afford one, etc..

I also agree health clearance is more important than registration, however the two (from what I've seen) general come hand in hand. MEANING - All the breeders I've seen that have health guarentees are registered. NOT MEANING - All registered breeders guarentee health. There's a huge difference there, I know that for sure.

 

[patm]

You're right - any reputable breeder is going to have registered litters - it almost goes without saying (I'm sure someone will come up with a case where that didn't apply), but the very basic level of a good breeder is that their dogs are registered. Health clearances are more important , but no one who takes the time, money and effort it takes to get health clearances is going to have an un-registered litter.

 

[justine]

Abbey's a mix, so she's not registered. Toby is from a reputable breeder but his owner (my friend) never got around to registering him.

 

[Snowflake]

Mine are all registered and from registered parents, etc., but for the life of me, I don't see what difference it's made. I don't show them. I don't breed them. And you don't need registration for dock diving.

I realize that in getting a puppy from a reputable breeder, the registration part comes with it. I'm certainly not against registration, but I just don't see what difference it makes (unless you want to show or breed).

I would have absolutely no problem getting a rescue dog with no papers....if I had room for another.

 

[CaliforniaLabLover]

Mine are both registered. It was important for me because I wanted to be able to participate in future events (obedience, hunt tests, rally, conformation, etc.) with my dogs.

I think breeders who register their dogs are a must if you are going the route of a breeder rather than a rescue. Even puppy millers can register their dogs (in most circumstances if purebred and with registered parents), so registration isn't proof of quality. However, I don't know of any reputable breeder who *doesn't* register their puppies or ask that they be registered by their new families.

Like Laura mentioned, I believe it is actually a rule that CKC (Canadian KC) breeders register every puppy from each litter they produce. You are very lucky, though...There are some wonderful breeders in Ontario from which to choose.

 

[Slappy McCracken]

Cooper is AKC registered, we got him from a breeder when we lived in Oklahoma. If I recall correctly, we had to register him - I think it was in the contract with the breeder.

Bev.

 

[kelli]

1 reg'd - 1 rescue

 

[BigBrownDog]

but I've been warned that responsible breeders will most likely be selling their pups registered and with a non-breeding contract.

Not sure what you mean by that. Were you expecting to be able to breed the dog?

 

[Buddysmom]

Buddy is registered. My next puppy will be from a reputable breeder. I will register him. It is import to me. I compete in AKC obedience. Yes, you could get an ILP, but why go to that trouble, if you could have registered them in the first place.

 

[FieldofDreamsMiniHorses]

Forrest is not registered but Toby can be, I've just never done it.

Lucy