Your dog’s registration certificate is a rather formal looking document issued by the registering body/club of the country where you live. For example, if you are a Canadian citizen purchasing a purebred dog from a breeder anywhere in Canada, the dog will be registered with the Canadian Kennel Club. Your dog’s registration papers can be compared to a birth certificate. The same procedure applies to other countries. You can even buy a purebred dog ‘out of country ‘ and that dog will be registered in that country.

Full Registration

Typically, your registration certificate will look like this. It is printed on sturdy stock paper, and will be mailed to you from the CKC, or given to you from your breeder. When you are purchasing your purebred dog directly from a breeder in Canada, it is the responsibility of the breeder to apply to the Canadian Kennel Club for the registration papers. This is NOT the responsibility of the buyer. When a dog is advertised as purebred then he must be sold with these papers. It is incorrect and unlawful for a person to represent a dog as a purebred but not supply papers. A buyer must never be expected to pay more for a dog in order to receive registration papers. All of your dog’s information will appear on the front of the certificate, including his birthday, his parent’s information, his breeder’s information, and his current owner. On the reverse side, there is information on transferring his ownership to another person. Lengthy time lapse between purchase and arrival of registration papers should always be questioned by the buyer.

Buyer beware: The examples posted here are the only given true registration papers that are legally applied to a purebred dog. Anything else is false and misrepresentation.

Limited Registration

Some dogs are sold on Non-Breeding agreements. These dogs are still fully registered with the CKC, but they may not be used for breeding. The certificate will look nearly identical to the full registration, but they are printed in green and say ‘Non-Breeding /Non-reproduction’ across the top. This non-breeding agreement may be cancelled at any time with the mutual consent of the buyer and seller, at which time the CKC will issue a new certificate.

Foreign Registration

You may have bought your dog from a breeder outside of Canada, but he should still come with Registration Papers. These will differ from country to country, but contain the same general information as registrations issued within Canada. In the United States, the American Kennel Club issues it’s certificate as an attachment with a welcome letter, outlining the benefits of owning a Purebred dog and welcoming you to dog ownership.