How to Register a Dog for Stud Service

Potential dog owners who look for pedigree or champion dogs choose their puppies carefully. They use local breed clubs associated with the American Kennel Club (AKC) to help them find puppies with pedigrees and often, championship lineage. Dog owners who wish to register their dogs as studs must follow the AKC's specific guidelines to ensure that the resulting puppies receive formal AKC registration. In addition, owners of potential stud dogs should be aware of all responsibilities that they hold for the puppies.

Things You'll Need

  • Internet access
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Instructions

    • 1

      Make sure that the stud dog has a listing with the American Kennel Club. The AKC is the responsible body in America for maintaining all records for pedigreed dogs, including information about the dog's lineage. Dogs lacking a pedigree are not in demand as studs.

    • 2

      Check with the dog's veterinary surgeon, the breed club and the dog's breeder to ascertain whether there are any existing inherited conditions in the dog's lineage. The AKC advises that a stud dog undergo testing for hip dysplasia and any eye conditions before breeding.

    • 3

      Contact the local breed club of the dog's breed. If the dog qualifies as a stud dog for that breed, it must have come from a recognized kennel associated with that association. Each breed maintains its own breed club that runs recognized shows and trials for that breed (see Resources for contact information for all recognized breed clubs for various breeds).

    • 4

      Check that no breeding restrictions exist on the stud dog. If any such restrictions or endorsements exist on the dog's breed club records, it cannot serve as a pedigree stud until the AKC removes these restrictions. Confirm in writing that the breed club removed the restrictions before the dog is mated.

    • 5

      Follow the instructions of the appropriate breed club to register or offer the dog for stud service. The owner of the bitch will contact the owner of the dog (or vice versa) to proceed with the stud service. It is the responsibility of these owners to ensure that both parties adhere to all AKC and breed club regulations. The owners negotiate the stud fee among themselves.

    • 6

      Arrange insurance for any puppies who prove to be unhealthy. Many states mandate this insurance under a "puppy lemon" law. The owners of the stud dog and bitch must arrange this together.

    • 7

      Ensure that the contract with the bitch's owner specifies all responsibilities of the stud dog's owner, including necessary medical care for the bitch or puppies.