To register a litter of puppies with the American Kennel Club (AKC), certain requirements must be met: both the sire (father) and dam (mother) must be AKC registered and of the same breed; and the litter must be born in the United States or its territories (Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Marianna Islands).
AKC litter registration requires the litter owner to complete an AKC Litter Registration Application, available online or by mail. The application requests basic information such as the date of birth, the number of male and female puppies, and the names and registration numbers of the sire and dam. The application must be signed by all owners and co-owners of the dam and one owner of the sire. Failure to properly complete the application will result in delayed processing. Processing fees are non-refundable and all fees are subject to change without notice.
Upon completion, the application should be submitted to the AKC along with the appropriate fee. The AKC will then send the litter owner a “litter kit.” This kit will include an individual registration application for each puppy in the litter, as well as a record-keeping form. Litter owners should carefully check the kit for errors before handing over paperwork to puppy buyers.
Each individual or corporation owning, breeding or selling AKC registrable dogs must maintain accurate, up-to-date records of all transactions involving these dogs. There must be no question as to the identity of any dog or to the parentage of a specific dog or litter. You can register a litter online or mail the completed application to: The American Kennel Club, P.O. Box 900052, Raleigh, NC 27675-9052.
You must register the litter before registering individual puppies from that litter. Registration options vary depending on whether you own the sire, the dam, or both.
The AKC recommends standard practices for those who routinely have multiple dogs or litters of puppies on their premises, including: permanent identification for each dog, by tattoo, microchip, marking or tagging; isolation of bitches in season; and separate housing for litters whelped near the same date.
The AKC requires the owner of an AKC-registered dog to maintain the following information about the dog: Breed; Name and registration number (or litter number if not yet registered); Sex, color and markings; Date of birth; Names and numbers of the sire and dam; Name of the breeder; Name and address of the person from whom you directly acquired the dog; Date of acquisition; and Dates and duration of any leases, if any.
The owner of a bred dog must record: Date and place of mating; Names of persons handling the mating; Name and registration number of the dog to which it was bred; and Name and address of its owner.
The owner of a litter of puppies must record: Date of birth; Number of puppies whelped by sex and by color and markings; Litter registration number; Date of sale, gift or death of each puppy described; Name and address of the person acquiring each puppy described; Type of papers and date furnished; and Name and registration number of each puppy registered by the breeder. Failure to comply with proper record-keeping procedures can result in penalties, including suspension of AKC privileges. See the AKC’s Procedures for Registration Matters for complete information.
