AKC, ACA, APRI, APR, or CKC Papers
Are No Guarantee That Your Puppy Didn't Come From a Puppy Mill


Many people feel that if a dog has “papers” then the dog is a “good” dog. AKC papers DO NOT guarantee good health or sound temperament. The American Kennel Club is simply a registry for purebred dogs. And the American Canine Association (ACA papers) has routinely issued papers to breeders convicted of animal cruelty. “Papers” increase the asking price of a dog by $300-$500 and consumers mistakenly believe that these papers ensure they are buying a puppy free of disease and without behavioral or genetic problems. Unfortunately, this is not often the case. 

A 'registered' dog, or a dog with 'papers' in no way guarantees or indicates that the dog has come from a healthy or show quality blood line.  It simply means that the name of the dog's mother and father are listed somewhere in the AKC registry.  The AKC inspects very few kennels and even fewer litters and, until recently, largely depended upon the honesty of the person completing the registration papers to provide accurate and true information to the organization in order to preserve the integrity of the AKC's 'stud book.'

AKC isn't the only club registry for dogs. There is also the ACA, APRI, APR, CKC. AKC or any registry papers only mean that the dogs parents are somewhere in a registry.   “Papers” have nothing to do with the puppies health or can indicate if the puppy did not come from a commercial breeding facility (puppy mill). 

AKC registry is a service provided by the American Kennel Club. While many people believe AKC registration means their puppies came from reputable breeders, being AKC-registered means nothing more than your puppy’s parents both had AKC papers. While there are some AKC regulations, they do not restrict puppy mills from producing AKC-registered dogs.

The fact is, many AKC-registered dogs are born in puppy mills.