Whenever you plan to buy a dog from a reputable breeder, then he is obligated to offer you some legal documents which are important for the transfer of ownership. These documents include registration papers, health clearances, proof of pedigree, microchip information, vaccination records, and a contract of sale (which should contain the breeding rights and return to breeder clause).

So, what if the contract of sale comes without breeding rights, can you still breed the dog?

Technically, you can breed a dog without breeding rights but you have to face serious legal consequences and the resulting pups may not be eligible for registration with the kennel club of the parents. If you breed a dog without having breeding rights, it implies that their bloodline is no longer protected and these pups will be worth less.

Moreover, the future litter could be a mixed breed with health issues that were not originally present in the breeder’s dog.

Most people find it unethical not to hand over breeding rights to the buyers unless it is mentioned in the contract of sale. If you are new to the breeding world and you want to know the importance of breeding rights, then this article is actually for your concern.

Understanding Breeding Rights 

If you own the breeding rights of a dog, it means you have permission from the kennel club to breed your dog whenever you want. Moreover, any future pups will also get the advantage of getting registered with the club.

It is crucial to understand and hold breeding rights with you because upon selling pups to the other parties, breeders use these rights to ensure that their bloodline has developed properly and they belong to purebred ancestors. If you don’t have breeding rights, you will face a problem when you wish to breed one of the puppies in the future.

Let us take the American Kennel Club (AKC) as an example. There are two types of registrations with AKC (American Kennel Club).

1. Limited Registration

This registration does not allow you to breed the dog that you have bought. Moreover, you cannot fix or Vaccinate your canine without your seller’s permission or supervision. This type of registration is of low cost. 

2. Full Registration 

This registration costs a little more but eventually, you will get the complete charge (including breeding rights) of the dog you have purchased.

What happens if you breed a dog without breeding rights?

Generally, the legal procedures involved in getting breeding rights aren’t as challenging as you may think particularly when you are committed to following ethical breeding practices, but things may get a little sour when you have already signed a contract not to breed a dog without holding breeding rights in hand.

Breeding a dog without permission may be illegal and could result in heavy fines or other penalties like canceling of dog ownership and ineligibility to register any future pups to the kennel club, especially for AKC, coupled with other legal consequences as well.

The major issue with contracts is when they are not properly composed by lawyers; hence contain void sections in the contract and ultimately they cannot claim against their buyers upon violating the breeding laws.  

On the other hand, if the contract is drafted by proper law practitioners, then as a buyer you are bound to follow all the rules of breeding a pooch, otherwise, be ready to face serious legal punishments.

Riskier is that you will be banned from breed groups and cancellation of your largest registry in the US (American Kennel Club registration.) with a bad reputation in the breeder’s community. 

Are Breeding Rights Difficult For Buyers To Get? 

Every ethical breeder tries to protect their breeding rights from puppy mills and irresponsible breeders with the sole aim of making a profit. If you are of the right intent, you may not have much difficulty getting one for your pup.

Here are some of the reasons why breeders may make it challenging for you to acquire breeding rights.

1. Many breeders spend a lot of time and effort to build a bloodline by carefully selecting parents and performing so many health tests, which requires a lot of patience with money and research. Allowing others to breed their dogs can lower the quality of the bloodlines affecting the breeder’s reputation in the long run.

2. Some breeders may be concerned that giving out breeding rights could result in their dogs being bred excessively to make huge profits. They may prefer to maintain control over their canine’s breeding to ensure that their pooch is treated with the respect and care they deserve.

3. Responsible breeders are fully aware of their dog’s genetic health risks if any exist and can deny you the breeding rights to prevent any genetic disease or birth defects from being passed on to the next generation.

How do you get breeding rights for dogs? 

If you are buying a purebred sire or dam, you can get breeding rights from your breeder and most breeders will be willing to give that to you provided that you are without any ill intent. AKC-registered dogs tend to have a stricter policy when it comes to breeding and that’s part of what makes them well-respected in the dog registry industry.

Any dog without AKC lineage is usually not eligible for registration with AKC but as a buyer, you will have a better chance finding the best quality pups from AKC-registered litters. This is not to say that unregistered pups or pups from other registries are of poor quality. The problem here is that unscrupulous breeders can take advantage of these loopholes to breed dogs with an emphasis on their appearance and profitability.

An AKC-registered pup comes with an official AKC certificate that holds all the important information about your pooch.

This organization may have some other specific requirements that need to be met before breeding rights can be granted, such as health testing and medical records of your pooch, they may also ask for ownership certificates and pedigree papers of your canines. Once your pooch meets all these requirements and upon satisfaction, the organization may issue breeding rights.

If you want to use another person’s dog for breeding purposes, you will typically need to negotiate a breeding agreement with the dog’s owner. This agreement should outline the terms and conditions for the breeding, including any fees, responsibilities, and obligations of both parties.

Documents Required For Breeding Rights

After knowing all the breeding rights and how to get them, now it is important to ensure your breeding rights if you are planning to breed a pup. The 5 important documents for this purpose are discussed below. 

Full AKC Registration Certificate

Having a full AKC registration is worthwhile, as it ensures that your pooch is healthy and capable of breeding. A full AKC registration gives you 100% rights and freedom to breed your pooch whenever you want. 

Moreover, this registration provides proof that the dog is a purebred, and its lineage can be traced through its pedigree. This information can be valuable for breeders who want to breed and produce purebred puppies with desirable traits.

Health Clearances 

Before going to breed, you must contain your dog’s health records and certificates with you to show that your pooch is free of congenital diseases and cannot pass any genetic diseases to the next generation.

To get this important certificate your beloved canine has to undergo so many tests like genetic screening, phenotypic evolution, and other tests that focus on breed-specific defects. 

Once the veterinarian confirms your pooch’s health, the results will be sent to Canine Health Information Center, and when your pup will be enlisted as free diseases then finally you will get a CHIC number, which means your dog is free of diseases and can breed safely now.

Medical Records 

Despite health certificates, having previous medical records in hand is of great importance too. In a way, you can show the complete medical background of your pooch to potential buyers.

Through this medical history, you can ensure your dog’s health, regular check-ups, and up-to-date vaccinations. Buyers may demand these medical records before buying your pooch, so it’s always beneficial to have them in hand. 

Ownership Certificate 

If you are willing to breed your dog, then as a breeder you must carry an ownership certificate with you because a certificate of ownership provides proof that you are the legal owner of the dog. Even you can apply for this certificate under your name. 

Despite ensuring breeding rights, a certificate of ownership can help identify the dog if it is lost or stolen as it includes information about the dog’s breed, date of birth, and any identifying marks and it contains contact information of the true owner as well. 

Pedigree Papers

One of the most important documents to ensure the breeding rights of your pooch is a pedigree certificate. Through this certificate you can show genuine proof to the seller that your dog and its last three ancestries are all purebred, allowing it to be bred with other dogs of the same breed to produce litters of purebred puppies. 

Without pedigree papers, it can be difficult to prove the dog’s lineage and breeding rights.

Pedigree papers can increase the value of a dog, especially if the dog comes from a line of champions or has other desirable traits. This can be important for breeders who want to sell their puppies for a higher price.

A pedigree certificate can also provide information about the dog’s health and genetic screening, which can help breeders to avoid breeding with those dogs who have already dealt with some genetic defects or health problems.

Also Read: AKC VS CKC: The Ultimate Dog Registry Comparison Guide

How much do breeders charge For Dogs with breeding rights? 

Breeding dogs sounds like an entertaining job, but in reality, it is not that much easy as we think, it requires a lot of time, knowledge, money, and aftercare of newly born litter.

Of course, dogs holding breeding rights are more expensive than otherwise. A breeder may set the price of one small breed puppy between $1000-$2000 and for large breeds between $2000-$3000 per puppy, while smaller breeds have 1-4 puppies in a single litter and larger breeds have 5-10 puppies.

Price per puppy normally depends upon your breed type, what you are planning to do with puppies, and mainly what your geological area is.

It is estimated that breeders may earn around $8000- $20,000 from smaller breed programs and $20,000-$36,000 from larger breed programs.  

Wrap Up: What happens if you breed a dog without breeding rights?

Dog breeding is the practice of mating selected dogs to produce offspring with desirable traits, such as physical appearance, temperament, or working ability. If you wish to breed your dog then you should be ready to follow all the breeding rules and regulations. You must have breeding rights with you.

Breeding a dog without breeding rights can have legal, financial, and ethical consequences. If a dog is bred without the proper breeding rights, the resulting puppies may not be eligible for registration with the appropriate dog registry. This can significantly decrease the value of the puppies and make them more difficult to sell.

You also have to hold 5 important legal documents with you before breeding your pooch i.e. full AKC registration, health clearance, medical records, ownership papers, pedigree certificate, etc.