For those visiting this page due to recent changes in USCA registration policies to comply with WUSV regulations here is the PDF for USCA rules and regs, you can find breeding regs start on page 16. Enjoy the convoluted hoops of USCA!

For those interested in dogs from our program, here are the most common questions we get regarding registration, those these are not nearly as common as they used to be as our client base now is really only interested in AKC registration.

Question: Yes, I am wondering if your puppies are AKC registered or registered with the German registry I hear about? – Mike C.

Question: What is the charge for a puppy with full AKC registration? – Rhonda R.

Answer: There is only one FCI Recognized registry for German Shepherd Dogs in America and that is the American Kennel Club. We register all litters with the AKC and comply fully with all AKC rules for breeders. All puppies are AKC registered by us at our expense and your AKC Registration Certificate will be mailed directly to you by the AKC.

Further, the AKC offers breeders the option of placing any individual puppy on either “full” or “limited” registration. The option of placing puppies on a limited form of registration was adopted by AKC after years of request from reputable breeders for a non-breeding form of registration. While dogs with full registration have breeding rights and the right to be shown in any AKC event those dogs with limited registration cannot be shown in AKC Conformation events (they can be shown in all performance & companion events) and their progeny are not eligible for registry with the AKC. Dog registered with limited registration can have their status changed to full at the sole discretion of the breeder. Dogs on full cannot have their status changed to limited.

The full vs. limited option is frequently used by breeders for purposes not intended by the AKC. The AKC does not in any way stipulate which puppies be placed on which form of registration and makes no distinction between well bred quality puppies and poorly bred low quality puppies. Thusly, many (sadly most) poor quality dogs have full registration and many top quality dogs have limited registration. There is no difference in quality between dogs based on registration status. While many breeders choose to use registration status to encourage puppy buyers to pay more money for a puppy, there is nothing in the AKC registration status that indicates the quality of an individual dog. Breeders alone decides which puppies are placed on full and which on limited, for their own reasons. A puppy from a low quality breeder is still a low quality puppy no matter what form of registration his breeder chooses for him, conversely, a high quality puppy is high quality no matter his registration status.

We choose to use registration status in a way that mirrors the registration system employed in Germany, where dogs are not eligible for breeding until they have all recommended health testing. Many breeders, ourselves included, use limited registration in this way to safeguard our well earned reputations, kennel names, and most importantly our individual dogs. Placing all puppies on limited registration until they are OFA certified prevents much unnecessary breeding and perpetuation of health problems. It also protects our puppies and dogs from puppy mill breeders, and uneducated breeders as these types of breeders are not interested in complying with even these basic requests. Since we are not interested in placing our dogs in any situation where they are not, first and foremost, cherished companion dogs we have no desire to place dogs with this type of breeder anyway. The GSD should always be a companion dog first.

To clarify, All our puppies are placed with AKC Limited Registration, no exceptions will be made. There is never any additional charge for changing a dogs registration status from limited to full. We will only consider a change of registration status once the dog has obtained OFA certification (on hips, elbows, thyroid, and cardiac function) and obtained at least one title. Changes in registration status are made at our discretion. If we approve the change there is never any additional charge. For owners who plan to spay or neuter their dogs, registration status is not material, and we will change the status from limited to full upon receiving proof of sterilization.

Question: Are your puppies registered with Germany? I was told “good” puppies all have German papers. Kevin L.
Answer: Many people ask us about registration with the United Schutzhund Club of America (USCA or USA) or with the SV of Germany. Misinformation concerning registry options abounds. USCA offers a couple different registration options, the first being a litter registry for breeders and the second being an individual dog registry for the use of owners.

A common misunderstanding stems from questions concerning German or SV registration for dogs born (whelped) outside of Germany. Please note, no matter what any breeder tells you, that no puppy who is born in America can be registered with the SV (German) registry. Germany has no power to issue SV registration to any dog not whelped in Germany. While the SV does offer the service of printing registration documents for other countries (such as USCA) these dogs are not entered into the same registry as dogs that are born in Germany.

USCA registration documents are only recognized by the USCA and are not usable for any purpose other then entry into USCA sponsored events. While some USCA registration documents are printed by the SV (German Shepherd Clubs of Germany) they are NOT “German papers”. The USCA simply contracts with the SV to print these documents based on the SV’s data. Many people believe, partially due to misinformation provided by breeders, that USCA litter papers are the same as SV registration, this is not true. USCA litter papers are printed in the fashion of SV documents and they do contain wonderful information not available on AKC Certified Pedigrees. USCA registration documents can also be used for entry into USCA events (conformation shows and breed surveys mainly) but since this registry is not recognized by the FCI they cannot be used for entry into AKC or GSDCA-WDA events. This registration document is intended as an “addition” to AKC documents not as a sole form of registration.

Additionally, the USCA offers an individual registry for the USCA registration of individual dogs (vs. litters of puppies). ANY dog with AKC registration is eligible for USCA Individual registration (since the AKC is the FCI accepted registry for America). USCA offers two types of individual registration, one processed through the USCA office (in this form they issue a pedigree in the German style) and the latter processed through the SV office (in this form they simply stamp the registration number on your own AKC Pedigree). Individual registration also used for entry into USA breed events (conformation shows and breed surveys) but not for entry into non-USCA events. All our puppies are eligible for entry into the USCA individual registry. For those owners who desire to obtain this registration the following items are needed. An AKC Registration Certificate, AKC Certified four generation pedigree. All our puppies are tattooed, as is required for USA registration. Once the needed documents are obtained by the owner the forms needed for USCA registration can be downloaded along with instructions from the USCA website. Be prepared to wait, we have been waiting two years for the last group of papers we sent to USA.