United Kennel Club (UKC) is the second largest dog registry in the United States. It recognizes more than 300 breeds of purebred dogs and registers about 250,000 dogs each year. The UKC registers more kinds of breeds than any other registry in the United States. Only the American Kennel Club (AKC) registers more dogs.
The UKC maintains ownership records and pedigrees (records of a purebred dog’s ancestors). It issues P.A.D. pedigrees, which list up to seven generations of a dog’s ancestors and their performance records. The UKC and the AKC classify some breeds of dogs differently. For example, the AKC registers a dog breed called the American Staffordshire terrier. But the UKC registers it as the American pit bull terrier.
The UKC administers dog shows that emphasize performance tests, such as hunting or obedience trials. It was the first registry to allow mixed-breed dogs to participate in its obedience trials. The UKC publishes three magazines—Bloodlines, Hunting Retriever, and Coonhound Bloodlines. The registry was founded in 1898. Its headquarters are in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
