Thursday, August 28, 2014

What does it mean if your dog is registered?

And why does it matter? It matters because there are claims made by lots of people about the quality of purebred dogs. Before you decide to buy a purebred, thinking that registration guarantees something you won't get with a mixed breed or rescue dog, watch this video. In it Dr. Karen Becker, an integrative veterinarian and Wayne Cavanaugh, president of the United Kennel Club talk about it.

Here's a synopsis from Dr. Becker:
“Registration papers, whether from the AKC, the UKC or another registry, do not guarantee the health of a dog. This is a fact too many dog owners overlook. In today’s world of puppy mills and online puppy storefronts, a ‘papered’ dog means nothing in terms of how the animal was bred, it’s health, talents, or temperament.”
If you are interested in scientific study relating to inherited canine disorders, an article was published in 2013 in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association on this subject. Entitled "Prevalence of inherited disorders among mixed-breed and purebred dogs: 27,254 cases (1995–2010)", the abstract is available here. Another interesting paper is about breed-specific inherited diseases. It comes to us from the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association and is called a "Guide to congenital and heritable disorders in dogs" (includes genetic predisposition to diseases). Here's the link.

The bottom line: before you decide to get any dog, do your homework. Get a dog based on what really matters to you and your family. 

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