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Should I Add My Kennel to Dog Breeder Directories?

Written by Khalil
Khalil is passionate about all sorts of domesticated pets. They have written dozens of articles across the web.
Published on
Wednesday 1 July 2020
Last updated on
Tuesday 9 May 2023
should i add my kennel name to dog breeder directories
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Registering your kennel in dog breeder directories is perhaps the best decision you’ll be making for your kennel. Not only does it add credibility and authenticity to your brand, but it also helps you promote your kennel and dogs. With this, you can finally bid farewell to the thoughts of other breeders hogging on your success and ruining your reputation.

Adding your kennel to dog breeder directories allows you to name your dogs after your own kennel. Whether it’s a companion or a working dog, your dog’s official name can’t be changed unless you permit it. In this article, we’ll take you through the benefits, registration process, and even answer some of the most frequently asked questions; stick with us!

Benefits of Adding a Kennel To Dog Breeder Directories

Though you might not find an apparent benefit of adding your kennel to dog breeder directories, there are quite a few. And that’s where we’re headed next. Through a series of advantages, we’ll take you through “why” you should definitely head towards your kennels’ registration to local clubs and directories.

Litter Listings

Most buyers will head to prominent breeder directories to get their canine partners. It’s easier for them to trust a third party this way and gain access to breeders indulging in quality breeding. That’s where you can come in; the directories will post your litter listings and help you garner clients.

Listings include every piece of information necessary for a customer to make a decision. This includes your contact information, your dog breed’s information, and pictures if you’d like to include them. Most purebred registries will also ask you for a kennel inspection to make sure you’re trustworthy, which only adds to your overall value.

Credibility

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If you’re interested in actually improving your business sales, you will be needing some credibility. Whether it’s a small breeding business or the opposite, you’ll need to gain your customer’s trust and support to make your mark in the market. Adding your kennel to dog breeder directories increases your credibility. As it only shows you’re willing to show people you’re indulging in legal activities and are not part of a puppy mill.

Once you’ve registered your kennel, you can add your kennel name to your dog’s name, either as a prefix or a suffix. Whether it be dog shows or competitions, your brand is what’s represented. Say your bred dogs win the competition, that’s where you’re highlighted as well – and that’s going to impact your business sales directly.

Authenticity

Owning pets is a big decision for most families, so they’re always on the lookout for authentic breeders. Putting your kennel in publicly accessible breeder directories only proves you’re authentic. Most owners are also aware of several leading dog breeder directories, so if you register with one, you will massively boost your trust factor.

If you ever decide to go for AKC registration, you can also participate in breeding certifications. Similarly, other registries and directories also offer dog daycare certifications for you to add on to your profile. It’s a good way to show people you’re knowledgeable and authentic in the breeding techniques you follow.

Greater Reach

You can post your litter in a dog breeder directory and gather more potential customers than ever. It doesn’t get any better for a business than having a boatload of more buyers at their doorstep. Even if you’re not putting up listings in the directory, just being a part of it and showing your presence in the community adds up to improve your credibility.

Many famous directories like the AKC marketplace also allow you to post paid or marketed campaigns (or listings). This puts your litter listings way above other breeders and that’s a great advantage, especially for newer kennels. Make sure to put up complete information and be as authentic as possible to make sure you’re able to convert your views into sales.

How To Add Your Kennel To A Directory

Not sure how to proceed with adding your kennel to dog breeder directories? That’s what we will be discussing next. Through a series of steps, let’s see how you can register your kennel’s name. We’ll also give you a few pointers on how to choose a good kennel name!

Just to set things straight, we’re going to be using the American Kennel Club registration forms in this example. However, you’re free to choose a directory of your own liking and the process will most likely be the same. Let’s get to it:

online registration for kennels
Most clubs shifted to online registration.

Get the Registration Forms

Head over to the dog breeder directory and see what process they follow for registering kennels. Most likely, there’ll be an application which you’ll be filling with your personal information and your preferred breeds’ information. AKC has a ‘Registered Kennel Name’ program, for which they provide an application form.

You can find the application form here (AKC login isn’t required for a download). If you intend to follow this process with a different club, then check out their website. Most clubs have shifted to online registrations.

Understand the Prerequisites

Before we move on to filling the application, we’ll go over some of the requirements every breeder must follow. Kennel clubs or breeder directories would normally state these requirements on the same page as the application form. Most prominent registries have quite similar requirements, but to simplify, we’ll be considering AKC registration forms here.

AKC states three requirements for every applicant breeders’ registration. Here are the three AKC requirements:

  1. Be a breeder and follow AKC’s standards
  2. Have participated in events held by AKC in the past (with documentation)
  3. Meet any one of these breeding requirements:
    1. Have registered at least 5 litters in the last 5 years
    2. Have registered at least 1 litter in the last 5 years (provisional approval)
    3. Own stud dogs with over 40 registered litters in the last 10 years

Choosing a Kennel Name

This is perhaps the most important phase of your registration process. Catchy kennel names are what separate you, your kennel, and your dogs from other breeders and kennels. Before you register a name for yourself, make sure it’s unique. Check AKC or other clubs to see if someone has already taken it; otherwise, it’s all yours!

That’s one of the requirements for naming your kennel as well – it should be unique. Let’s take a look at some of the requirements which are stated by the AKC for naming your kennel (and registering it):

  1. The kennel name should only be two words and under 15 characters (with spaces)
  2. A single kennel name can only have two registered owners
  3. The kennel name should be unique to the breeder (applicant)
  4. No breeder should have used the same name in the last 10 years
  5. The kennel name shouldn’t contain derogatory phrases or keywords
  6. The applicant shouldn’t participate in dog dealerships or opening pet shops

That’s an easy list of requirements but you might find it difficult to find a name for your kennel. You can make use of dog kennel names generators or kennel names lists for inspiration. Once you’ve registered this name, your kennel name is protected and only available for you to use as a prefix or a suffix to your dogs.

choosing a kennel name
Choose a catchy kennel name!

Filling the Application Form

You’ve completed the majority of the application already. Next, simply start filling the application with your personal information and your co-applicant’s information (if any). Secondly, you’ll be entering two choices for kennel names, the registration of which is completely upon the registry. Thirdly, you’ll be entering the dog breed(s) you or your kennel is going to breed. Remember, each dog breed you’re going to register your kennel name for, you’ll have to submit a small processing fee. The pricing depends on the kennel club you’ll be choosing.

For example, if you bred Golden Retrievers and only registered your kennel name for that, you’ll be paying a total of $150 (for the AKC). Likewise, other registries will also be charging you a small fee for processing – you can check the UKC registration fees or other clubs for reference. Lastly, they require you to enter your dog’s information and the events you’ve participated in for the AKC. For the information to be legible, you should’ve owned or co-owned the dog. You will be filling these two fields:

  • AKC registration number
  • AKC registered name of the dog

That should complete your application process and you should be ready to send it away to the AKC for processing!

Adding Kennel To Dog Breeder Directories – FAQs

That’s quite a handful of knowledge right there. If you’re still confused about anything, this section is all about that. We’ll answer some of the most commonly asked ones by fellow breeders and dog lovers over the Internet.

How Do You Register a Dog Kennel?

You can register your dog kennel by adding your kennel in dog breeder directories. For this, you’ll be picking a unique, catchy, and meaningful name for your kennel and will submit it to the registry. After processing, you can name your dogs with the name you’ve registered without the worries of someone else copying it.

The registration process only requires you to fill a simple application and provide the registry with your information. Once you’ve gone through this, you assure the registry that the dogs you breed are purebred as you’ll be providing legal documents. This also helps build trust with your buyers and potential clients. We often receive questions on how to register a kennel name with the UKC. The process is usually the same if you’ve ever registered with your local club; fill the application, pay the fee, submit the forms. If your name is valid and everything is in order, your name will register in the upcoming days.

Now there’s another question that arises: how to UKC register a dog without papers? Fortunately, the UKC has a separate section called the ‘Performance Listing‘ for dogs which are either not purebred or don’t comply with their regular registration schemes.

How Do You Name a Dog Kennel?

Naming your dog kennel is perhaps the most important decision for your kennel. It should be short, catchy, unique, meaningful, and truly memorable, all at once. You can either use your own imagination, take inspiration from other kennel names, use dog kennel name generators, or simply browse the web.

Adding your kennel to dog breeder directories will require you to comply with their naming schemes. Most directories only allow a two-word, 15 character limit for your names. Luckily, many dog breeder websites already cater to this and suggest many names – with a little mix and match, you’ll be ready!

breeder sites suggest kennel names
Look for sites that have kennel name suggestions!

Do Breeders Have to be Registered?

Breeders can operate without registration or licenses if they don’t intend to sell their puppies or litters. Conversely, the breeder should register with a local club and own a valid license to breed and sell in many countries. This helps promote proper breeding standards and compliance to the code of best practices.

Registration allows the local clubs to get access to the club for regular checkups and assessments. Again, this ensures trust in your clients and shows your passion for the work. Adding your kennel to dog breeder directories will also ensure no other breeder can misuse your name and reputation in the future.

Hopefully we have inspired you to consider registering your kennel to dog breed directories. Now you know how to do so, the main thing left to do is choose a name!

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