The time has come — you’re ready to buy a dog. If you’ve been researching different breeds, you’ve probably come across a dog breed registry organization called the American Kennel Club (AKC). You know, the folks that put on that big dog show on Thanksgiving. While the AKC is best known as the authority on purebred dog breeds in the United States, it does so much more. Did you know that the AKC Pet Marketplace is the place to find every dog breed?
At an online pet marketplace, you can browse profiles of pets and buy directly from a breeder. We’re going to explore AKC— the purebred registry and pet listing website. Our article will help you learn more about the pet listing website and decide if it’s the right place for you to buy a lovable dog.
Background and History
The American Kennel Club (AKC for short) was founded in 1884 in New York City. They were established to have an official dog breed registry. The registry started off with 13 recognized dog breeds in 1884. Today, the AKC recognizes 200 dog breeds all over the world. They also provide sporting event information if you are interested in following dog showcase events or entering your dog in shows.
Later on, they expanded to providing a marketplace on their website where you can buy purebred dog breeds from breeders. You can browse hundreds of dog profiles. Breeders all over the country post on the AKC so that these puppies or adult dogs can find a loving home. Lastly, they have educational resources available on their website that you can peruse so you can learn about the 200 recognized dog breeds.
Special Features
The AKC has special features on their website. Some of them are on the general website and others are embedded when you’re perusing through the dog profiles. Let’s take a look at what they are.
- They have a dog sporting event feature where you can find events in your local area (or state-wide/nationally) to enter your dog if you’d like your dog to be showcased.
- They have a club and group tab where you can join a local club and get together for events.
- You have the ability to register your dog with the American Kennel Club and access its Canine Care package.
- They set up the AKC Canine Health Foundation to fund pet health research.
- You can browse hundreds upon hundreds of dog profiles and filter the search based on dog breed, dog name, or more.
- You can also compare dog breeds and you can find the one that best suits your lifestyle.
- Lastly, one of the best special features the AKC website offers is educational resources or other services (like dog training and grooming).
Safeguards Against Scams
As the official purebred registry in the United States, the American Kennel Club strives for animal welfare and humane treatment of dogs. The AKC provides several safeguards to deter fraudulent breeders or puppy mills. It’s important to note that despite its stellar reputation and best efforts, there are still scammers on the AKC Marketplace.
- The American Kennel Club conducts thousands of kennel inspections every year so they can make sure every breeder on their website is reputable, legitimate, and responsible.
- They also list puppies that are 100% registered with AKC-registerable litters.
- The AKC has an option to report details of a scam or anything suspicious, where they will act accordingly.
- They have a myriad of policies and regulations that breeders must meet so they can be listed on the AKC website.
Four Tips On How To Avoid Scams
- Research reviews from the breeders you are interested in.
- Meet the breeder and puppy in person (or via video)
- Ask questions to determine if the breeder is legit and the puppy is healthy.
- Always ask for documentation and make sure the words “American Kennel Club” and the logo is clearly visible on the paperwork.
Pros and Cons
Every online pet marketplace has pros and cons. Some have more pros than others. When it comes to the AKC, the reviews are quite good. Let’s look at the pros and cons of the AKC you might think are useful.
Pros
- The AKC website offers educational resources and other services (like dog training and grooming).
- They have an AKC pet insurance option so that you don’t ever worry about your pet’s health.
- Browsing dog profiles is easy — you can filter each search by dog breed, age, gender and more.
- They have safeguards against scammers in place so you can be reasonably protected from those fraudsters, including thousands of kennel inspections every year.
- They set up a canine foundation that is determined to research pet health, a wonderful benefit to avoid those diseases dogs may get in older age.
Cons
- The American Kennel Club only has purebred dogs.
- Scammers still pop up despite safeguards to prevent fraud.
Wrap Up
The American Kennel Club is a reputable purebred registry but also a well-regarded online pet marketplace. The AKC has many dog profiles to check out, and it’s all seamless and easy to use. There are also other services available on the website including training services, educational resources, and grooming services.
Furthermore, the AKC provides you with safeguards so you are safe from scammers and puppy mills. These reasons make the AKC one of the best online pet listing websites on the internet.
Many of the breeders on the AKC Pet Marketplace may be located far from your home. Save yourself the hassle of traveling to pick up your newest family member. Trust the pet transporters on CitizenShipper to handle the job. Book a compassionate, caring transport expert today!