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Buyers Rights

You as a Puppy Buyer have certain rights when you purchase a puppy.

Nearly every state operates under the UCC, the Uniform Commercial Code.

In my state, New Hampshire, they not only operate under the UCC, but have additional requirements for breeders.

i.e. "All puppies, whether planned or accidental, gift or purchase, must have:

1. a N.H. Health Certificate from a Licensed Veterinarian within 14 days of the sale and be found free of evidence of communicable disease and be found free of or given medication for internal and external parasites, including coccidia.

2. been inoculated for DA2PPV

3. be at least 8 weks old

Your state should have protective clauses for the sale of pups also, please check them out. They are there to protect you and the puppy.

The American Kennel Club (AKC) & Registration Papers

Many people purchase a puppy without papers, and are told that for an additional sum they may "buy" the papers. It is considered TOTALLY unethical to not give the papers with a pup that is eligible to have them. The American Kennel Club condemns this practice and encourages all potential buyers to go somewhere else.

A Four (4) generation pedigree should also go with every purebred puppy. These are two totally different things, a PEDIGREE is NOT a REGISTRATION. A pedigree lists the ancestors of the puppy while registration papers prove the validity of the pedigree and allows your pup to be registered. The AKC does have a "Limited Registration" option for breeders who believe a puppy is not breeding quality and want to ensure they do not reproduce. Often these pups are offered for sale as "pet" or "companion" quality at a reduced price; still delightful family members or competition dogs, just not quite meeting the breed standard to reproduce. The Limited Registration protects the breeder and the puppy from unscrupulous people looking for a "breeding deal", who promise to spay or neuter for the consideration of a lower price, but who have absolutely no intention of doing so. The Limited allows ALL activity and priveleges of the AKC EXCEPT breeding, no offspring of Limited dogs will be eligible for registration. There is an option that the breeder can exercise, if they choose, to reverse the limited, but this really was designed to protect the integrity of the breed. Check out the Limited Registration at the AKC site.

Buyers BEWARE: There are many new Registries cropping up, many to avoid the new DNA proof of Parentage now required by the AKC on male dogs. The only registry recognized by the International dog community(FCI) for registration of purebred dogs in the USA is the AKC. There are a couple of other legitimate, ethical registries, such as the United Kennel Club and the ARBA for rare breeds not yet recognized by the AKC, but the AKC is the "official" registry in the USA. Please check out our "Breed Registry Links" for the websites to these registries.