What does AKC/ ASCA registered mean?

The American Kennel Club (AKC) has been around since 1884. The AKC is the country's largest, oldest, most recognizable, and upmost authority on dogs, maintaining an established registry of purebred dogs and their genetic trees for over 130 years. The AKC boasts over 5,000 member clubs and organizations across the country and has the most comprehensive library of all things dog. The Australian Shepherd was added to the AKC registry in 1993. If you ask any reputable breeder, they will say that the dog is not purebred unless it is AKC-registered. Registration means that the breeder has to adhere to a set of standards in breeding their dogs. It also means that people don't just find some random dogs that look like Aussies and breed them with no attention to temperament, health, or ability. Many dogs end up in the shelter because of poor breeding, resulting in poor temperaments (aggression, anxiety, etc.), health problems, or puppies they can't sell because they don't "look purebred".

​

The Australian Shepherd Club of America (ASCA) was established in 1957 as the parent club of the breed. Currently, the ASCA is the largest breed-specific club in the United States. The ASCA is dedicated specifically to the recognition and preservation of the breed. All purebred Aussie lines came to the AKC through ASCA.  ASCA maintains the oldest registry of purebred Australian Shepherds.

​

All dogs and puppies at Ellison Australian Shepherds are or will be eligible for dual AKA and ASCA registration.

​

Are NSDR, ASDR, and CKC reputable registries?

The National Stock Dog Registry (NSDR) at one time, was a good registry for working dogs. However, it is not used much anymore.

 

The American Stock Dog Registry (ASDR), Continental Kennel Club (CKC- not to be confused with the Canadian Kennel Club), National Kennel Club (NKC), and a host of other "registries" are not considered by many, to be legitimate registries. Most of these registries came about because people acquired dogs that were not eligible for registration with the AKC or the ASCA, but wanted to breed "papered" puppies, such as puppy mills. For example, if someone obtains a dog with AKC "limited" registration, meaning it is not allowed to be bred, but the owner does so anyway, the resulting litter would not be eligible for AKC registration. Litters that come from dogs that are too young, too old, or bred too often are also ineligible for registration. This is to protect dogs from being overbred and to keep poor representations of the breed from being used as puppy making machines. In order to charge more for a litter with "papers", a breeder will seek to register the litter with groups like ASDR, CKC, and NKC. All that is needed for these registries is often a few pictures and an application fee. Sometimes, a dog can be "hardshipped" in. "Hardship" registrations mean that the breeder can not prove that the dog is purebred, so they can have a vet, any vet, sign a letter stating that the dog "looks purebred" and can then be added to their registry. This, in no way, proves that the dog is purebred. Any breeder touting only ASDR, CKC, NKC (or other unheard of registry) should be approached with caution. However, there are breeders that have dogs registered with both AKC/ASCA and ASDR. Please do your research.

​

Are your dogs genetically tested and healthy?

Both sire and dam are genetically tested through Paw Print Genetics. You can view their genetic results on the "Meet the Sire and Dam" page. Both parents also have DNA profiling on file with the Australian Shepherd Clubs of America so you can easily prove parentage of any puppy purchased from us. We do not breed multiple litters at a time, cage, or house our dogs in small, cramped spaces. These two dogs are our only dogs and live with us full-time, every day as members of our family. We carefully chose the sire and dam to compliment one another in temperament and physical traits. Both dogs are health checked by our veterinarian before any breeding is done, every time. We always wait until they are done growing and are given the green light by our vet before any breeding takes place. The health and happiness of our fur babies are our first priority. However, we breed because we appreciate how much this breed has contributed to our family's happiness. We hope that our puppies will bring the same companionship and joy to yours.

​

​

I don't want to support puppy mills. How can I make sure a breeder is not one?

Find a responsible breeder who views raising and breeding dogs the same why you do. Good dog breeders should have experience with their chosen breed of dog. They should be knowledgeable about the genetics and common health concerns associated with the dogs they breed. Are the sire and dam genetically tested? Is the breeder making sure not to breed two dogs who are carriers for the same genetic defect? Some irresponsible breeders will breed solely for profit without any concern for the pedigree, temperament, health, or history of the dog. For a good breeder, all of these things are important and he/she should be transparent about his/her dogs. The biggest sign of a puppy mill is someone who is breeding many litters of puppies at a time or someone who always has puppies available. Most responsible breeders are not set up to house more than one or two litters at the same time nor do they breed their females every single cycle. Most female dogs go into heat only once or twice per year. If the breeder always has puppies available, then he/she is most likely breeding many female dogs throughout the year and breeding them every cycle. Momma dogs need to rest and recuperate, just like humans do. If 3-4 litters are being bred at the same time on a small lot in a suburban area, how are all of these dogs being housed and what is their quality of life? Check the registration and pedigrees of the sire and dam, refer to the the question above about registration. Do they get regular vet checkups? Are they up to date on their shots?  Aussies come in only a few colors: Red Bi, Red Tri, Black Bi, Black Tri, Blue Merle, and Red Merle. If the breeder is calling the dog anything else i.e. "brown", they are not knowledgeable about the breed. Two merle Aussies should never be bred to one another because a quarter of the puppies will be born death, blind, or both. Ask to see the parents. If both parents are merle, run. If the parents are on site, this is preferable. However, some wonderful breeders also use studs for their breeding so the male is not always available. The dam should always be there until all puppies are weaned. It is illegal to rehome or sell puppies younger than 8 weeks old. It is normal for breeders not to allow people into their homes to see the puppies. This is to protect puppies from possible diseases before they are fully vaccinated. However, most are willing to do video chat or send pictures of parents, puppies, and of where the puppies are being raised.

​