There has been the perennial question about registering a dog or determining the health/prurebred status of a registered dog in either of the 3 main organizations that handle registrations within North America. Currently, there are 3 main registries: American Kennel Club (AKC), Continental Kennel Club (CKC), Canadian Kennel Club (also CKC), and the American Canine Association (ACA).
The differences between the registries are numerous and somewhat complex. Here we will try to take some of the confusion ot of the equation.
1) The AKC has been registering dogs since 1884 and is the largest by far in purebred records. They are far more selective and have a LOT MORE regulations to register a purebred dog than other organizations. To qualify as an AKC registration, you must prove purebred heritage from BOTH parents which are of THE SAME BREED.
2) The CKC (Canadian Kennel Club) has been in existence since 1888, and allows registrations of dogs which can be proven to have parents of purebred status, but not necessarily of the same breed (i.e. Schnauzer and poodle) and recognizes cross breed mixes like the Schnoodle.
3) The CKC (Continental Kennel Club) was formed in 1991 in Florida.
What all clubs determine to uphold:
1) Tracking the birth mother and father and all litters. Each pup will have a birth record and birth certificate that will shame any human records.
2) set /maintain /have a data base of breed standards (A Labrador weighs x to x, and the tip of it's ear touches the outer edge of it's eye....) against which dogs in shows are judged, and these change- years ago it was au fait to bob tails and ears, and now in many breeds this is discouraged. Clubs work to help breed out known problems by changing breed standards to improve health
3) Keep track of who had pups with who. For example,my dog's Dam (her mum) is an international grand champion (you may bow(wow) now) so if a buyer sees this, there is proof of the pup's added value as she has a winning bloodline implying strong adherence to breed standards.
NOTE: Just because of the registration status of a particular dog is official, it does NOT imply that the pup is healthy, or the breeder is ethical. Registration is only a way to ensure that a particular pup's bloodline is checked and verified to be within the stated breed standard.