As Breed Referral Coordinator for the Northeast, I field inquiries from people looking for a Bloodhound. Some want a show dog or breeding stock, some want a
working hound for law enforcement or search and rescue, but most want a healthy and good tempered family pet. I always suggest they consider adopting a hound who needs to be re-homed and consider an adult instead of a puppy.
Many who inquire do not really know much about the breed, and I answer their questions and encourage them to go to shows or contact Bloodhound owners in their area. My list of responsible breeders consists of American Bloodhound Club members in the Northeast (plus a few other likely prospects farther afield), all of whom have signed a Code of Ethics. This Code could be stronger, but it does provide some protection for puppy buyers and promote the welfare of the breed.
I have 18 names on my list, and only a few have puppies right now. So the prospective Bloodhound owners get frustrated and go online using Google or following
up an advertisement; they find dozens of websites with Bloodhound puppies for sale at all kinds of prices with all sorts of claims.
Are these puppies AKC registered? Many are. In 2011, the AKC registered 777 Bloodhound litters consisting of 2034 dogs. And these are the lowest numbers in the past ten years, the highest being 2007 with 1164 litters and 3324 dogs. Who are these breeders? I don’t know them and I have been active in the breed for 35 years. They are outside the radar of our parent club.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is the most prestigious and active registry but by no means the only one. There are two comparable registries in North America, the United Kennel Club (UKC) and the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC). These three clubs promote the health and welfare of purebred dogs, hold shows and trials with approved judges, and maintain a meaningful registration program.
When you get away from the Big Three, it’s a jungle! Here are a few of the other registries: APR (America’s Pet Registry), ACA (American Canine Association), UKCI (Universal Kennel Club International), DRA (Dog Registry of America), APR (American Purebred Registry), CKC (Continental Kennel Club), USKC (United States Kennel Club). Note that the names are crafted to confuse with the major registries. With these registries, the chances increase dramatically that your pup will be bred by an irresponsible breeder. Some registries require only a signature to register a dog. Some require a picture of your dog: some ask only that you submit an online registration form.
It is important to understand what a registry–any registry–is and what it is not. At best it is evidence that a registered puppy was born to registered parents. The best registries list the breeders and at least one stud owner, and make available a pedigree showing several generations. However, registries do not guarantee quality or temperament or health although the AKC includes some health information in its pedigrees. No one from a registry examines the puppies or their parents.
Bottom line: how should you proceed to shop for a puppy? Choose a breeder who has a commitment to a parent or regional breed club. Stick to the Big Three registries. Be patient, do your homework, ask lots of questions, and caveat emptor!
Anne L. Legge, annelegge@comcast.net, 540-327-426