AKC versus ACA Registration

[LindaTexas]

I am in need of advice here and I am hoping you can help me...
I recently acquired my 2nd Yorkie on Sunday and once I got home with her found out that she is not AKC but is ACA. I thoroughly searched for the right breeder and so I was shocked to find this out because several of you have bought from this breeder. All of her dams and sires listed on her web page as being AKC are no longer used. I paid $1,250 for this puppy and I am very upset over this. I even visited her kennel before deciding on the puppy but was never even shown the parents. Should I be worried about this??? Please advise me...

Linda

[jencar98]

I would be upset also, no reputable breeder I'm aware of would register puppies with ACA. You paid for an AKC registered puppy, I would be on the phone with the breeder asking for an explanation.

Do you mind sharing the breeders name?

[111lily222]

Originally Posted by jencar98

I would be upset also, no reputable breeder I'm aware of would register puppies with ACA. You paid for an AKC registered puppy, I would be on the phone with the breeder asking for an explanation.

Do you mind sharing the breeders name?

I agree.

[Jennxling]

I would be upset too!!! I hope you get those AKC papers!

[LindaTexas]

This is what the breeder has replied in an email...

I'm sorry for any confusion. American Canine Association is the registration agency both she and her parents are registered through. She has full registration and her registration is not limited. I sell all of the puppies for the same amount regardless if they are UKC, AKC, ACA, or APRI. I have worked with all of the agencies for years and have, in the last two years, have been moving away from AKC since they did not back the "puppy mill" bill two years ago. I just retired my last AKC stud and purchased a young ACA male for stud service. I anticipate always having some dual registered dogs, but will eventually be completely ACA. Most of my clients prefer ACA since the registration is less expensive and they are not interested in showing.

[jencar98]

Originally Posted by LindaTexas

This is what the breeder has replied in an email...

I'm sorry for any confusion. American Canine Association is the registration agency both she and her parents are registered through. She has full registration and her registration is not limited. I sell all of the puppies for the same amount regardless if they are UKC, AKC, ACA, or APRI. I have worked with all of the agencies for years and have, in the last two years, have been moving away from AKC since they did not back the "puppy mill" bill two years ago. I just retired my last AKC stud and purchased a young ACA male for stud service. I anticipate always having some dual registered dogs, but will eventually be completely ACA. Most of my clients prefer ACA since the registration is less expensive and they are not interested in showing.

This sounds so familiar. When I purchased Ruby, the breeder's website stated their puppies were AKC registered. Having never purchased a puppy before, I was clueless and did not even check her paperwork until after getting home. I was so excited to finally have her, registration was not on my mind at all.

A week later I noticed the paperwork was ACA and by then had read about the different registries on YT. I contacted Ruby's breeder (realizing by now they were commercial breeders). Their explanation was very similar to what this breeder stated to you. They had switched to ACA because most new puppy owners don't care about which registry is used and it's cheaper to register with ACA. This was in 2006, at that time very few States had initiated puppymill legislation, so that was not a consideration given in their explanation.

While it is true AKC doesn't support much of the proposed and passed puppymill legislation, I seriously doubt ACA supported it either. I know ACA came out strongly against Oklahoma's recently passed puppymill laws. I'm sure the Texas law had most if not all, of the same components.

ACA breeders are most often commercial breeders selling to the Hunte Corp. Hunte is responsible for most all of the pets sold in pets stores. AKC has it's problems as it's focus in recent years does seem to be about revenue. But it is currently the only respected registry.

Now should you be worried? As long as she is healthy, the breeder has a reasonable health guarantee, you're not interested in showing conformation in AKC events, or breeding, and the paperwork doesn't matter to you, then no worries. Still yet, I would be livid, as I was, if you were deceived by this breeder. You paid a lot of money for an ACA registered dog. Almost as much as I did for an AKC registered dog from a respected show breeder.

If you're happy with your girl, and the above mentioned are not concerns for you....then love her and enjoy her for the pet she is meant to be.♥

[chachi]

The registry has nothing to do with the health or well being of the dog. However for how much you paid you could have gotten an AKC registered dog

[Lizzie07]

Originally Posted by LindaTexas

This is what the breeder has replied in an email...

I'm sorry for any confusion. American Canine Association is the registration agency both she and her parents are registered through. She has full registration and her registration is not limited. I sell all of the puppies for the same amount regardless if they are UKC, AKC, ACA, or APRI. I have worked with all of the agencies for years and have, in the last two years, have been moving away from AKC since they did not back the "puppy mill" bill two years ago. I just retired my last AKC stud and purchased a young ACA male for stud service. I anticipate always having some dual registered dogs, but will eventually be completely ACA. Most of my clients prefer ACA since the registration is less expensive and they are not interested in showing.

I am sorry, but buyer beware. I think you got your puppy from a puppymill.

[KazzyK810]

AKC papers alone don't mean much to me personally. There's too many unethical breeders out there & too many "AKC purebred" dogs that clearly had something else get into the mix. It's just a paper record trail. Until all dogs & pups lineage is mapped by DNA I personally wouldn't put much credence in papers alone. The quality & reputation of the breeder means more to me, personally. I want to know you breed your own pups and I want to see the parents and I want references from previous litter owners & fellow reputable breeders.

[horsnaround]

Originally Posted by chachi

The registry has nothing to do with the health or well being of the dog. However for how much you paid you could have gotten an AKC registered dog

I agree

[capt_noonie]

Originally Posted by LindaTexas

This is what the breeder has replied in an email...

I'm sorry for any confusion. American Canine Association is the registration agency both she and her parents are registered through. She has full registration and her registration is not limited. I sell all of the puppies for the same amount regardless if they are UKC, AKC, ACA, or APRI. I have worked with all of the agencies for years and have, in the last two years, have been moving away from AKC since they did not back the "puppy mill" bill two years ago. I just retired my last AKC stud and purchased a young ACA male for stud service. I anticipate always having some dual registered dogs, but will eventually be completely ACA. Most of my clients prefer ACA since the registration is less expensive and they are not interested in showing.

What does she mean by full registration? No spay/neuter contract? She purchased a ACA dog to stud out? Does not sound like a reputable breeder to me at all! At least the AKC you have to keep decent paperwork to get your dogs registered. With ACA all you need to do is send them a check! They don't even require a photo of the pet or a witness signature! APRI is one of the worst as well, I think they register mix breed dogs.

I would be pissed off if I were you. The amount you paid you could have gotten an AKC dog from a show breeder. You should post the breeder's name. You mentioned other YTers bought pups from her as well?

Also, you didn't see the parents? Could she possibly then be a broker? I think you need to call her, not just email. What does her guarantee say?

[Mardelin]

Originally Posted by capt_noonie

What does she mean by full registration? No spay/neuter contract? She purchased a ACA dog to stud out? Does not sound like a reputable breeder to me at all! At least the AKC you have to keep decent paperwork to get your dogs registered. With ACA all you need to do is send them a check! They don't even require a photo of the pet or a witness signature! APRI is one of the worst as well, I think they register mix breed dogs.

I would be pissed off if I were you. The amount you paid you could have gotten an AKC dog from a show breeder. You should post the breeder's name. You mentioned other YTers bought pups from her as well?

Also, you didn't see the parents? Could she possibly then be a broker? I think you need to call her, not just email. What does her guarantee say?

What she means is that she has full breeding rights. It is my understanding that AKC has the restraint of Limited Registration (no breeding rights). However, if one is really inclined to breed the Limited Registration would not stand in their way. What would happen then is that again you would have another breeder that would do the circle jerk explanation of why the pups are ACA Registered.

And I agree just because one has the ability to register their pups with AKC does not guarantee that you are getting a quality dog. There is much more to being a reputable breeder than what registry your dogs are registered with.

Although, there is plenty of information on YT and documentation in the YT Library on how to find a reputable breeder, usually people come to YT after the fact or choose not to listen.

[OwnedByJezebel]

I would like to know the identity of the "breeder." Yes, I'm nosy, but since this is in my neck of the woods I think it would be good to know.

[gemy]

Well my question would be, did you specifically ask her if this pup was AKC registerable? Did your contract with her state this pup was?

So my first goes to was this breeder honest with you? In your checks of this breeder, did you ask what the AKC registration names/numbers were for the breeding pair?

ACA is not a reputable registry, but that in itself would not presage that your pup will be of bad health, or configuration.

Did you ask for and check out the health tests she did on her breeding pair? Did you ask about any health problems in the line(s) your pup came from?

With only 3posts here and a join date of Apr 2011 you must have been reading a lot here to note that other members here have bought from this breeder. Did you not read all the stickies on how to assess a reputable breeder?

[sweet_tikka]

If you knew people on here have bought from her, and I'm assuming the reviews were good since you decided to buy one... why does it matter?

Will you be breeding the dog? Showing the dog? If not, then you probably paid 1200 for a healthy well bred dog that was given proper shots/vet checks [she did come with her shots right?] regardless of her registration. If you want to double check her you can have the tests redone at your vet and get a full check up.

I paid $700 for Tikka, she is 8 months old, 7lbs will probably gain a few more ounces, not registered and nor did I get to see her parents or the breeder as I bought her from a family that purchased her. $700 well spent as she came with her vet records and all her shots and tests from the family that had her and she is as healthy as a horse says my vet. All I need to do is Spay her.

I've had a friend who paid $1500 for a AKC reg. pup that only matured to 2lbs and has a TON of health issues that they have purchased insurance for her to help with the costs. Registry has nothing to do with the quality of your dog, has to do with the breeder's respect for quality.