A
breed registry, also known as a
stud book or
register, in
animal husbandryAnimal husbandry is the agricultural practice of breeding and raising livestock.- History :Animal husbandry has been practiced for thousands of years, since the first domestication of animals....
and the
hobbyA hobby is a regular activity or interest that is undertaken for pleasure, typically done during one's leisure time.- Etymology :A hobby horse is a wooden or wickerwork toy made to be ridden just like a real horse...
of
animal fancyAnimal fancy is a hobby involving the appreciation, promotion, or breeding of pet or domestic animals.Fancy may include ownership, showing, trialling and other competitions, breeding and judging. Hobbyists may simply collect specimens of the animal in appropriate enclosures, such as aquaria and...
, is an official list of animals within a specific
breedA breed is a group of domestic animals or plants with a homogeneous appearance, behavior, and other characteristics that distinguish it from other animals or plants of the same species. Despite the centrality of the idea of "breeds" to animal husbandry, there is no scientifically accepted...
whose parents are known. Animals are usually registered by their breeders when they are still young. The terms "stud book" and "register" are also used to refer to lists of male animals "standing at stud", that is, those animals actively breeding, as opposed to every known specimen of that breed. Such registries usually issue certificates for each recorded animal, called a
Pedigree, Pedigreed animal documentation, or most commonly, an animal's "
papers". Registration papers may consist of a simple certificate or a listing of ancestors in the animal's background, sometimes with a chart showing the lineage.
Types of registries
There are breed registries and
breed clubBreed clubs are associations or clubs with activities centered around a single, specific breed of a particular species of domesticated animal. The purpose of the association will vary with the species of animal and the goals and needs of the members of the association...
s for several species of animal, such as
dogThe domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
s,
horseThe horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
s, cows and
catThe cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
s. The
Association of Zoos and AquariumsThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums was founded in 1924 and is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and public aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation.The AZA headquarters is located in Silver...
(AZA) also maintains stud books for captive species on display ranging from aardvarks to zebras.
http://www.aza.org/studbooks/
Kennel clubA kennel club is an organization for canine affairs that concerns itself with the breeding, showing and promotion of more than one breed of dog...
s always maintain registries, either directly or through affiliated
dog breed clubA dog breed club is an association or club of fanciers of a single, specific breed of dog.Breed clubs define the breed with which the club is associated in a document called a breed standard, although there may be multiple breed clubs for the same breed, each defining the breed in a somewhat...
s. Some multi-breed clubs also maintain registries, as do non-affiliated breed clubs, and there are a few registries that are maintained by other private entities such as insurance agencies; an example of this in the United States is the
Field Dog Stud BookThe Field Dog Stud Book is the oldest purebred dog registry in the United States having started registrations in and currently maintaining records from 1874. The Field Dog Stud Book currently registers around 5,000 litters each year and has registered several million dogs...
.
Working dogA working dog refers to a canine working animal, i.e., a type of dog that is not merely a pet but learns and performs tasks to assist and/or entertain its human companions, or a breed of such origin...
organizations also maintain registries.
There are also entities which refer to themselves as registries, but which are thinly veiled marketing devices for vendors of puppies and adult dogs, as well as a means of collecting registration fees from novice dog owners unfamiliar with reputable registries and breed clubs.
http://www.canadasguidetodogs.com/breedregistries.htm Though these entities generally focus on dogs, particularly in relationship to the
puppy millA puppy mill, sometimes known as a puppy farm, is a commercial dog breeding facility that is operated with an emphasis upon profits above animal welfare and is often in substandard conditions regarding the well-being of dogs in their care...
industry, some are marketed as cat registries. At least one group claims to register wild species (held by private individuals rather than by legitimate zoological parks, which use the
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums was founded in 1924 and is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and public aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation.The AZA headquarters is located in Silver...
).
Horse breedingHorse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...
also has such problematic registries, particularly for certain
color breedA color breed is a term that refers to horses that are registered based primarily on their coat color, regardless of the horse's actual breed or breed type....
s. While many color breeds are legitimate, some "registries" are primarily a marketing tool for poor quality animals that are not accepted for registration by more mainstream organizations. Other "registries" are marketing attempts to create new horse breeds, usually by breeders using crossbreeding to create a new type, but the animals are not yet breeding "true."
Many such questionable registries are incorporated as for-profit commercial businesses, in contrast to the formal not-for-profit status of most reputable breed clubs. They may provide volume discounts for registrations by commercial dog breeders such as puppy mills. An unscrupulous registry for dogs or horses is often spotted by a policy to not require any proof of pedigree at all. In the dog world, such registries may not sponsor competitions, and thus cannot award championship points to identify the best individuals registered within a particular breed or species. In the less-organized world of
horse showA Horse show is a judged exhibition of horses and ponies. Many different horse breeds and equestrian disciplines hold competitions worldwide, from local to the international levels. Most horse shows run from one to three days, sometimes longer for major, all-breed events or national and...
s, where many different sanctioning organizations exist, some groups sponsor their own competitions, though wins at such events seldom carry much prestige in mainstream circles.
Some registers have the word "registry" in their title used in the sense of "list"; these entities are not registers in the usual sense in that they do not maintain breeding records. In the dog world, listed animals are required to be
de-sexedCastration is any action, surgical, chemical, or otherwise, by which a male loses the functions of the testicles or a female loses the functions of the ovaries.-Humans:...
. The
American Mixed Breed Obedience RegistryThe American Mixed Breed Obedience Registry is a registry for mixed-breed dogs to enable them to compete in obedience and dog agility.-History:...
is an example. Some
equestrianEquestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
organizations create a recording system for tracking the competition records of
horseThe horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
s, but, though horses of any sex may be recorded, they also do not maintain breeding or progeny records. The
United States Equestrian FederationThe United States Equestrian Federation is the national governing body for most equestrian sports in the United States. It began on January 20, 1917 as the Association of American Horse Shows, later changed in 1933 to the American Horse Shows Association...
is one organization that uses such a system.
Closed
A closed stud book is a stud book or breed registry that does not accept any outside blood. The registered animals and all subsequent offspring trace back to the
foundation stockFoundation bloodstock or foundation stock are horses that are the progenitor, or foundation, of a new horse breed or a given bloodline within a breed. The term is also used in a similar manner when discussing purebred dogs...
. This ensures that the animal is a
purebredPurebreds, also called purebreeds, are cultivated varieties or cultivars of an animal species, achieved through the process of selective breeding...
member of the breed. In horses, an example of a closed stud book is that of the
ThoroughbredThe Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
, with a stud book tracing to 1791. The
American Kennel ClubThe American Kennel Club is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. Beyond maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, an annual event which predates the official...
is an example of a
kennel clubA kennel club is an organization for canine affairs that concerns itself with the breeding, showing and promotion of more than one breed of dog...
with primarily closed books for
dogThe domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
s; it allows new breeds to develop under its Foundation Stock Service, but such dogs are not eligible for competition in AKC
conformation showConformation shows, also referred to as breed shows, are a kind of dog show in which a judge familiar with a specific dog breed evaluates individual purebred dogs for how well the dogs conform to the established breed type for their breed, as described in a breed's individual breed standard.A...
s. For the breed to move to the Miscellaneous class and then to fully recognized status, the breed's stud book must be closed.
A closed stud book allows the breed to stay very pure to its type, but limits its ability to be improved. This may put a breed at a disadvantage, especially in performance disciplines, where an animal is worth more if it is successful in competition even if it is not pure. It also limits the
gene poolIn population genetics, a gene pool is the complete set of unique alleles in a species or population.- Description :A large gene pool indicates extensive genetic diversity, which is associated with robust populations that can survive bouts of intense selection...
, which may make certain undesirable characteristics become accentuated in the breed, such as a poor conformational fault or a disease. It also, depending on original numbers and management practices, can lead to an ever increasing level of inbreeding.
Some closed stud books, particularly for certain European breeds such as the
FinnhorseThe Finnhorse or Finnish Horse is a horse breed with both riding horse and draught horse influences and characteristics, and is the only breed developed fully in Finland...
and the
TrakehnerTrakehner is a light warmblood breed of horse, originally developed at the East Prussian state stud farm in the town of Trakehnen from which the breed takes its name...
, may also have a studbook selection criteria where animals must meet either a conformation standard, a performance standard, or both.
Open
In an open stud book, animals may be registered even if their parents or earlier ancestors were not previously registered with that particular entity. Usually an open stud book has strict
studbook selectionStudbook selection is a process used in certain breeds of horses to select breeding stock. It allows a breed registry to direct the evolution of the breed towards the ideal by eliminating unhealthy or undesirable animals from the population. The removal of individuals from a population is called...
criteria that require an animal to meet a certain standard of conformation, performance or both. This allows breeders to modify breeds by including individuals who conform to the breed standard but are of outside origin. Some
horse breedHorse breed is a broad term with no clear consensus as to definition, but most commonly refers to selectively bred populations of domesticated horses, often with pedigrees recorded in a breed registry. However, the term is sometimes used in a very broad sense to define landrace animals, or...
s allow crossbreds who meet specific criteria to be registered. One example is the semi-open stud book of the
American Quarter HorseThe American Quarter Horse is an American breed of horse that excels at sprinting short distances. Its name came from its ability to outdistance other breeds of horses in races of a quarter mile or less; some individuals have been clocked at speeds up to 55 mph...
, which still accepts horses of Thoroughbred breeding, particularly via its appendix registry. Among dogs, an example of an open stud book would be the registries maintained by the
American Kennel ClubThe American Kennel Club is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. Beyond maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, an annual event which predates the official...
as its Foundation Stock Service. The SACBR uses an open stud book system to register all purebred dogs with or without ancestry.
In some cases, an open stud book may eventually become closed once the breed type is deemed to be fully set.
In some agricultural breeds, an otherwise closed registry includes a
grading up route for the incorporation of cross-bred animals. Often such incorporation is limited to females, with the progeny only being accepted as full pedigree animals after several generations of breeding to full-blood males. Such mechanisms may also allow the incorporation of purebred animals descended from unregistered stock or of uncertain parentage.
More controversial open stud books are those where there are few, if any qualifications for animals other than a single trait, such as a "
color breedA color breed is a term that refers to horses that are registered based primarily on their coat color, regardless of the horse's actual breed or breed type....
," particularly when the color is not a true-breeding characteristic. However, some breeds have a standard color or color preference that is one criterion among others used to register animals.
Appendix registries
Some open or partly open registries may permit animals who have some but not all qualifications for full registration to nonetheless be entered in a preliminary recording system often called an "appendix" registry. The most notable is that of the
American Quarter Horse AssociationThe American Quarter Horse Association , based in Amarillo, Texas, is an international organization dedicated to the preservation, improvement and record-keeping of the American Quarter Horse. The association sanctions many competitive events and maintains the official registry...
, which allows part-Thoroughbred/part-Quarter Horse foals to be recorded and shown, with full registration allowed after the horse achieves a set performance or merit standard akin to that of a merit registry. Other appendix registries are seen in certain
color breedA color breed is a term that refers to horses that are registered based primarily on their coat color, regardless of the horse's actual breed or breed type....
s of horses, such as the
AppaloosaThe Appaloosa is a horse breed best known for its colorful leopard-spotted coat pattern. There is a wide range of body types within the breed, stemming from the influence of multiple breeds of horses throughout its history. Each horse's color pattern is genetically the result of various spotting...
,
American Paint HorseThe American Paint Horse is a breed of horse that combines both the conformational characteristics of a western stock horse with a pinto spotting pattern of white and dark coat colors. Developed from a base of spotted horses with Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred bloodlines, the American Paint Horse...
, and American Cream Draft Horse, where foals with the proper pedigree for registration but do not meet the color standard for the breed, yet may still carry the necessary genetics in a minimally-expressed form, may be registered and bred to fully registered animals, with ensuing offspring eligible for registration if they meet the breed standard.
Performance or merit
Another form of open registry is a registry based on performance or conformation, called in some societies
Registry on Merit. In such registries, an eligible animal that meets certain criteria is eligible to be registered
on merit, regardless of ancestry. In some cases, even unknown or undocumented ancestry may be permitted.
The Registry on Merit or ROM may be tied to percentage of bloodline, conformation, or classification or may be based solely on performance.
In the horse world, many
WarmbloodWarmbloods are a group of middle-weight horse types and breeds, primarily originating in Europe, registered with organizations that are characterized by open studbook policy, studbook selection, and the aim of breeding for equestrian sport...
breeds require a conformation and performance standard for registration, and often allow horses of many different breeds to qualify, though documented pedigrees are usually required. Some breed registries use a form of ROM in which horses at certain shows may be sight classified. For example, at qualifying shows in
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, winning horses of stock-type breeding receive points for conformation, which are attested to by the judges and recorded in an owner's special book. The points are accumulated to eventually result in a Registry on Merit.
Registry on Merit is prevalent with
sheepdogA herding dog, also known as a stock dog or working dog, is a type of pastoral dog that either has been trained in herding or belongs to breeds developed for herding...
registries, in particular those of the
Border CollieThe Border Collie is a herding dog breed developed in the Anglo-Scottish border region for herding livestock, especially sheep. It is the most widespread of the collie breeds....
, and some other breeds with a heavy emphasis on
working abilityA working dog refers to a canine working animal, i.e., a type of dog that is not merely a pet but learns and performs tasks to assist and/or entertain its human companions, or a breed of such origin...
. In this type of ROM, the dog's conformation and ancestry generally does not matter.
Papers
Breed registries usually issue certificates for each recorded animal, called a
Pedigree, Pedigreed animal documentation, or most commonly, an animal's "
papers". Registration papers may consist of a simple certificate or a listing of ancestors in the animal's background, sometimes with a chart showing the lineage. Usually, there is space for the listing of successive owners, who must sign and date the document if the animal is gifted, leased or sold. Papers transferred upon sale of an animal may be submitted to the registry in order to update the ownership information, and in most cases, the registry will then issue a new set of papers listing the new owner as the proper owner of the horse. Genuine
papers are often identifiable as containing the registered name and number of the individual animal and its date of birth, the name of the attesting organization, with the logo if there is one, the name and signature of the registrar or other authorized person, and a corporate stamp or seal.
Documentation usually included on registration certificates or papers includes:
- name of sire (father) and dam (mother)
- names of other ancestors, to the number of generations required by the issuing organization
- In dogs, details of the litter this animal came from
- its colour and markings
- name, address and registered number of the breeder (often defined as the owner of the female at the time of the animal's conception or birth)
- name and address of the original owner who registered the foal.
Crossbreeding and backbreeding
In some registries, breeders may apply for permission to crossbreed other breeds into the line to emphasize certain traits, to keep the breed from
extinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
or to alleviate problems caused in the breed by
inbreedingInbreeding is the reproduction from the mating of two genetically related parents. Inbreeding results in increased homozygosity, which can increase the chances of offspring being affected by recessive or deleterious traits. This generally leads to a decreased fitness of a population, which is...
from a limited set of animals. A related preservation method is backbreeding, used by some equine and canine registries, in which crossbred individuals are mated back to purebreds to eliminate undesirable traits acquired through the crossbreeding.
Registered names and naming traditions
Naming rules vary according to the species and breed being registered. For example,
show horsesA Horse show is a judged exhibition of horses and ponies. Many different horse breeds and equestrian disciplines hold competitions worldwide, from local to the international levels. Most horse shows run from one to three days, sometimes longer for major, all-breed events or national and...
have a
registered name, that is, the name under which they are registered as a
purebredPurebreds, also called purebreeds, are cultivated varieties or cultivars of an animal species, achieved through the process of selective breeding...
with the appropriate breed registry, and
purebred dogsPurebred dog refers to a dog of a modern dog breed that closely resembles other dogs of the same breed, with ancestry documented in a stud book and registered with one of the major dog registries...
intended for the
sport of
conformation showConformation shows, also referred to as breed shows, are a kind of dog show in which a judge familiar with a specific dog breed evaluates individual purebred dogs for how well the dogs conform to the established breed type for their breed, as described in a breed's individual breed standard.A...
ing must be registered with the
kennel clubA kennel club is an organization for canine affairs that concerns itself with the breeding, showing and promotion of more than one breed of dog...
in which they will compete; and although there are no specific naming requirements, there are many traditions that may be observed in naming.
Along with a
registered name, these animals often also have a simpler "pet name" known as a
call name for dogs or a
stable name for horses, which is used by their owners or handlers when talking to the animal. For example, the famous
ThoroughbredThe Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
race horseHorse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
Man o' WarMan o' War, is considered one of the greatest Thoroughbred racehorses of all time. During his career just after World War I, he won 20 of 21 races and $249,465 in purses....
was known by his stable name, "Big Red." The name can be anything that the animal's owner prefers. For example, the dog that won the 2008
WestminsterThe Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is a two-day, all-breed benched conformation show that takes place at Madison Square Garden in New York City every year. The first Westminster show was held in 1877....
show (US) was named
Ch K-Run's Park Me In FirstCh. K-Run's Park Me In First, aka "Uno" is a 15" beagle from Belleville, Illinois, who won Best in Show in the 2008 Westminster Kennel Club dog show...
, with the call name of "Uno".
Dogs in the breed registry of a working dog club (particularly
herding dogA herding dog, also known as a stock dog or working dog, is a type of pastoral dog that either has been trained in herding or belongs to breeds developed for herding...
s) must usually have simple, no-nonsense monikers deemed to be “working dog names” such as “Pal,” “Blackie,” or “Ginger.” The naming rules for independent dog clubs vary but are usually similar to those of kennel clubs.
The registered name often refers directly or indirectly to the breeder of the animal. Traditionally, the
breederA breeder is a person who practices the vocation of mating carefully selected specimens of the same breed to reproduce specific, consistently replicable qualities and characteristics....
's
kennel prefix form the first part of the dog's registered name. For example, all dogs bred at the Gold Mine Kennels would have names that begin with the words
Gold Mine. Horse breeders are usually not required to do this, but often find it to be a good form of commercial promotion to include a stable name or farm initials in the horse's name. For example, Gold Mine Stables may name give all horses names with the prefix "Gold Mine," "GM," or "GMS." The
Jockey ClubThe Jockey Club is the largest commercial organisation in British horseracing. Although no longer responsible for the governance and regulation of the sport, it owns 14 of Britain's famous racecourses, including Aintree, Cheltenham and Newmarket, amongst other concerns such as the National Stud and...
, which registers
ThoroughbredThe Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
s, requires stable names to be registered, but does not require their use in animal names.
Many dog breeders name their puppies sequentially, based on litter identification: Groups of puppies may be organized as Litter A, Litter B, and so on. When this is done, the names of all the puppies in litter A start with the letter "A," then "B" for litter B and so on. Horse breeders, especially in Europe, sometimes use the first letter of the dam's name as the first letter in the name of all of her offspring. Other breeders may use the same first letter to designate all the foals born on the farm in a given year.
Some breeders create a name that incorporates or acknowledges the names of the sire, dam or other forebears. For example, the famous
cuttingCutting is an equestrian event in the western riding style where a horse and rider are judged on their ability to separate a single animal away from a cattle herd and keep it away for a short period of time.-Description:...
horse
Doc O'LenaDoc O'Lena was a Quarter Horse stallion and an outstanding cutting horse and sire of cutting horses.-Life:Doc O'Lena was foaled in 1967, the offspring of Doc Bar and Poco Lena. He is one of only two horses in the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame with both parents also inductees. He was a bay...
was by
Doc BarDoc Bar was a Quarter Horse stallion that was bred to be a racehorse, became an outstanding halter horse, and in his sire career revolutionized the cutting horse industry.-Life:...
out of
Poco LenaPoco Lena was an outstanding cutting mare, and dam of two famous Quarter horse cutting horses and stallions: Doc O'Lena and Dry Doc.-Life:Poco Lena was foaled in 1949, the daughter of Poco Bueno out of a daughter of Pretty Boy named Sheilwin...
, a daughter of
Poco BuenoPoco Bueno a brown quarter horse stallion foaled April 10, 1944. He was sired by the great Quarter horse stallion King P-234 and out of the mare Miss Taylor who was by Old Poco Bueno. Poco Bueno was named for his maternal grandsire, and the name means pretty good in Spanish...
. Some names are a little less direct; 2003
Kentucky DerbyThe Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
winner
Funny CideFunny Cide is a Thoroughbred race horse who won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes in 2003. He is the first New York-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby and the first gelding to win since Clyde Van Dusen in 1929.-Bloodlines:...
was by
Distorted HumorDistorted Humor is an American Thoroughbred racehorse and a successful sire.-Bloodline:Distorted Humor's sire is Forty Niner, 1987's Eclipse Award winning Outstanding Two-Year-Old Male Horse by the champion sire, Mr. Prospector. Distorted Humor's dam was Danzig's Beauty by Danzig. Distorted...
out of Belle's Good Cide, and the famous race horse
Native DancerNative Dancer , nicknamed the Grey Ghost, was one of the most celebrated and accomplished Thoroughbred racehorses in history, the first horse made famous through the medium of television. He was one of the best horses produced in USA after the war...
was by Polynesian out of Geisha.
Other breeders use themes. For example, a more imaginative breeder at the Gold Mine Kennels might name all the puppies of one litter after green precious stones:
Gold Mine Emerald, Gold Mine Jade, and
Gold Mine Peridot. Names for a subsequent litter might start with the adjectives describing precious stones:
Gold Mine Sparkle, Gold Mine Brilliance, and
Gold Mine Chatoyant. Breeders may be as creative or as mundane as they wish.
In order to minimize the unwieldiness that long and fancy names can bring, registries usually limit the total number of characters and sometimes number of separate words that may compose the animal’s registered name. They are often prohibited from using only punctuation or odd capitalization to create a unique name; names are often published in all capitals on registration papers. Breeders are generally not allowed to use any name that may be obscene or misleading, such as the word ‘champion’ in a name, a
trademarkA trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
, or anything that can be mistaken for the name of another
kennelA kennel is the name given to any structure or shelter for dogs. A kennel is a doghouse, run, or other small structure in which a dog is kept...
or, sometimes,
stableA stable is a building in which livestock, especially horses, are kept. It most commonly means a building that is divided into separate stalls for individual animals...
. Only after an animal has achieved a legitimate championship will some registries permit the use of the prefix
Ch. or other title before or after their registered name. Some registries may use symbols to designate the status of certain individuals. An
asteriskAn asterisk is a typographical symbol or glyph. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a star. Computer scientists and mathematicians often pronounce it as star...
* may be used to designate an animal born in another country and imported. A plus + may be used to designate a champion or an animal under special registration status.
See also
- Cat registry
A cat registry is an organisation that registers cats for exhibition and breeding purposes. A cat registry stores the pedigrees of cats, prefixes or affixes of catteries, studbooks , breed descriptions and the standards of points for those breeds; lists of judges qualified to judge at shows run...
- Cat breeding
- Dog breeding
Dog breeding is the practice of mating selected specimens with the intent to maintain or produce specific qualities and characteristics.Dogs reproduce without human interference, so their offsprings' characteristics are determined by natural selection. Domestic dogs may be intentionally bred by...
- Horse breeding
Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...
- Kennel club
A kennel club is an organization for canine affairs that concerns itself with the breeding, showing and promotion of more than one breed of dog...
- Pedigreed animal documentation
- Selective breeding
Selective breeding is the process of breeding plants and animals for particular genetic traits. Typically, strains that are selectively bred are domesticated, and the breeding is sometimes done by a professional breeder. Bred animals are known as breeds, while bred plants are known as varieties,...
- Inbreeding
Inbreeding is the reproduction from the mating of two genetically related parents. Inbreeding results in increased homozygosity, which can increase the chances of offspring being affected by recessive or deleterious traits. This generally leads to a decreased fitness of a population, which is...
- Coefficient of relationship
In population genetics, Sewall Wright's coefficient of relationship or coefficient of relatedness or relatedness or r is defined as 2 times the Coefficient of Inbreeding...
- Pet naming
External links