When it comes to bringing a new furry friend into your life, many people prioritize puppy AKC registration as a top concern. While it's true that registering your puppy can provide certain benefits, such as proof of pedigree and eligibility for certain competitions, it's important to remember that health should always be the primary focus. In this article, we will explore why we believe health should take precedence over puppy registration.
The overall health of your pet directly impacts their overall well-being and quality of life. By prioritizing holistic health over AKC registration, you can shift your focus to choosing a puppy from a reputable breeder who prioritizes the health and well-being of their dogs. This means selecting a breeder who provides holistic care for optimal puppy growth and development, provides health screenings for parent dogs, and ensures that the puppies are raised in a clean and safe environment. By doing so, you can increase the chances of your furry friends living long, happy, and healthy lives.
One of the most significant advantages of prioritizing health is the ability to minimize the risk of genetic disease. Unfortunately, AKC registration does not prevent the continual spread of genetic disorders. We have experienced this first-hand. We once purchased an AKC-registered dog whose pedigree looked impeccable, his coloring was gorgeous, and he seemed very healthy. We actually purchased him with the intention of breeding him, but when we had him genetically-tested, we discovered he carried a known and serious genetic disorder, so we could not ethically breed him. He was purchased from a breeder whose focus was clearly on AKC registration and appearance rather than health. Thankfully, because we screen our parent dogs, we discovered this problem and were able to make good breeding decisions to help keep our puppies genetically-healthy! Reputable breeders invest time and effort into breeding practices that aim to reduce the occurrence of hereditary diseases within their bloodlines. By choosing a breeder who prioritizes health, you can significantly decrease the chances of your puppies inheriting genetic disorders that could lead to a lifetime of health issues and costly veterinary bills.
Unfortunately, AKC registration does not prevent unethical breeding practices. Puppy mills and backyard breeders often prioritize puppy registration and profit over the health and well-being of the animals they breed. We've seen AKC pedigrees where inbreeding was extremely rampant, creating many generations of dogs with very high COIs (Coefficient of Inbreeding) , which inevitably leads to the proliferation of genetic problems in the dog population. Not only that, but it increases the risk of health problems that will drastically decrease the quality of life of many of the offspring of these dogs. When your primary concern is registration, you may end up unknowingly supporting unethical breeders. When - by contrast - you prioritize health over registration status, you can actively combat these unethical practices. By refusing to support these practices and instead choosing breeders who prioritize health, you send a clear message that the welfare of the animals should always come first.
Prioritizing health over registration encourages responsible pet ownership. When a breeder prioritizes health, they will provide education and support to help their buyers prioritize their puppy's health as well. Therefore, as a pet owner, you are more likely to invest time and resources into proper holistic care for your puppy: good nutrition, appropriate exercise, emotional support, behavioral training, etc. Responsible pet ownership and ongoing education in holistic care not only benefits the individual pets but also contributes to a healthier and happier pet population as a whole.
When you prioritize health, you create a solid foundation for a strong bond with your pets. By ensuring their physical and mental well-being, you can establish trust, loyalty, and a deep connection. This bond goes beyond registration papers and becomes a lifelong relationship built on love, care, and mutual understanding. This is far more important than AKC registration.
While puppy registration may have its merits (ie: for show dogs, for example), it is crucial to remember that health should always be the top priority when bringing a new puppy into your life. By focusing on health, you can ensure a long and happy life for your fur-baby, prevent genetic disorders, reduce the demand for unethical breeding practices, promote responsible ownership, and build stronger bonds. So, shifting your focus from registration to health can help create a world where more pets thrive and flourish.
Yes and no! Some of our parent dogs are registered and some of them are not. Because our focus in on superior health, we do not discriminate against a dog because it is not registered. If it is genetically-clear and healthy, and if breeding that dog to specific other dogs can improve the genetics of dogs in general, we will consider using that dog for breeding. That is clearly the ethically-superior choice from a breeding standpoint. Another reason we do not concern ourselves with registration is that our puppies are sold as pets. We do not breed for show dogs or breeding dogs. We breed for superior family pets! As such, we do not provide registration with the puppies we sell.
Learn more about our many Puppy-Rearing Methods , What’s Included with each of our puppies, and our Breeding Approach that focuses on genetic health and vitality.
To inquire about our puppies for sale , please toss us a question here . We'll be sure fetch!
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