How can I check the status of my online litter?
You can check the status of your online litter by e-mail at littersonline@akc.org.
You may also contact our Customer Service Department Monday - Friday at (919) 233-9767, 8:30 AM until 8:00 PM

What are the requirements to register a litter online?
Online litter requirements

What does this mean?
Glossary

Why must both the sire and dam be American Kennel Club registered and of the same breed?
Online registration requires both the sire and dam be American Kennel Club registered as we are unable, at this time, to verify the required paper work that would have to accompany a special litter application with a foreign sire.
When two purebred dogs of different breeds are mated the resulting litter is considered a mixed breed litter and ineligible for AKC registration.

Why must there be no ownership changes on the sire and dam from the date of mating through the date of whelp?
To maintain the proper security we are unable, at this time, to process litters produced by sires and dams that had a change of ownership during the period of mating and whelp.

Why must the litter be from a natural mating and not the result of artificial insemination?
Online registration requires that the litter be the result of a natural mating as we are unable, at this time, to verify the required paper work that would have to accompany a litter resulting from artificial insemination.

Why must the litter be from a single sire and not the result of multiple sired mating?
Online registration requires that the litter be the result of a single mating as we are unable, at this time, to verify the required paper work that would have to accompany a litter resulting from a litter produced from a mating with more than one sire.

Why must the litter be bred and whelped in the United States?
A litter whelped outside of the United States is not eligible for AKC registration.

A litter whelped in the USA by reason of a mating that took place outside the USA between an AKC registered or registrable dam and a non-AKC registered sire may be registered if the sire meets the registration requirements. A special litter application must be completed and submitted to the American Kennel Club with a legible copy of the official three-generation pedigree for the sire issued by the foreign registry in the sire's country of birth as well as a Stud Certificate issued by the registry organization in whose Stud Book the sire is registered, or an official letter from that registry organization. The organization must verify, with its official Club Seal and authorized signature, that the person signing as owner of the sire was, in fact, the recorded owner of the dog at the time of the mating and that the foreign sire was mated to the bitch named on the AKC Special Litter Registration Application form.

Why is the Certificate Issue Date being used for identification?
The Certificate Issue Date is an item of information known by the registered dog owner that is not publicly available. The AKC wanted the first Online Registration application to be simple to use and avoid additional steps for the user of supplying identifying information or opening an account.

Why aren't the other owners on a co-owned dam required to approve the application?
The AKC Board of Directors approved a policy change in July, 2003 to require only one owner of a co-owned dam to submit an application online. The owner submitting the application is required to have written permission of all the co-owners of the dam and be able to support the permission to the AKC upon request. The policy of requiring all the co-owners to sign-off on a puppy sale is still in effect. If an owner was to register a litter online without the other co-owners permission, by the time of the puppy sale the co-owners would have had to agree in order to sell the puppy, or the owner would have committed fraud by registering online, and would perpetrate additional fraud by signing all the co-owners names to the application.

Why aren't the other owners on a co-owned sire required to approve the application?
The policy of requiring only one owner signature of a co-owned sire is already in effect for paper submissions.

As a sire owner, I will often supply a copy of the registration certificate as part of my paperwork package when my dog is used to sire a litter. I am concerned that my sire's Certificate Issue Date will be known by another party who could use it illicitly.
One option would be for the sire owner to eliminate the Certificate Issue Date in the copy of the registration certificate they provide to the other party.

Checking the certifying language and then clicking on the "I Agree and Certify" button on the electronic form is equivalent to a signature on the paper form. In either case the sire owner who submits the form for a dog they do not own would be committing an illegal act.

What does the Expedited Delivery Litter Kit option provide?
Expedited litters take three to five business days for the litter owner to receive the litter kit after the litter is completed and approved by the sire owner. This service requires an additional fee of $17.

What additional online services will the AKC be offering in the future?
Currently AKC offers an Online Event Management System that allows clubs to manage its event application and judges panel online, including last minute edits to the panel.

Registration of individual dogs is also available online.

Additional registration services, expanded event services, and increased club services are planned for the future.

The American Kennel Club is always striving to provide the services and features that will allow us to provide the highest levels of customer service to our patrons. We are always open to suggestions and if you have any suggestions as to new online services or other additions to www.AKC.org, please feel free to send us an e-mail to Master@AKC.org. Your feedback and opinions are very valuable to us and we will give your suggestions all possible consideration.