How Can I Get Papers for My Full-Blooded Pit Bull?

If his litter was registered by his breeder, a pit bull merits registration with the American Kennel Club.
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A pit bull's owner will love him no matter his pedigree, but certain advantages are available for registered purebreds. Registered pit bulls have access to prestigious shows and events, and may merit breeding opportunities. The American Kennel Club may be the best known organization for dog registration, but it's not the only registry that provides papers for purebred pit bulls.

Determine Eligibility

Registering a purebred dog with a reputable organization such as the American Kennel Club requires determining the dog's eligibility. The AKC requires a copy of the dog's pedigree and registration application as well as any registration certificates from other registries. The dog may qualify for AKC registration if the provided pedigree shows that he is descended from AKC registered dogs and that there is no break in his lineage. A bill of sale from the dog's breeder can be submitted, according to the AKC website.

Obtain Registration Forms

Puppies purchased from reputable breeders are sometimes sent home with dog registration applications. Once this paperwork is completed, it can be submitted to the AKC with the proper fee for approval. You can complete the paperwork online on the AKC website. For dogs bought or adopted from a source other than a breeder, the AKC requires a supplemental transfer statement with the registration application.

Contact the Breeder

If a pit bull owner wants to register his dog, he'll need to be in touch with his pet's breeder. The dog registration application is to be filled out by both the litter owner and the dog's new owner. The dog's breeder, or litter owner, must include the dog's gender, markings, color, sale date and signature, as well as the registration type. The dog's new owner must sign the paper and make sure that the paper is completed before sending it to the AKC. After receiving the application, the AKC will process it and send a registration certificate to the dog's new owner. The new owner must then provide the dog's name, signatures of all owners, payment information and registration options.

Other Organizations

The AKC is not the only organization through which purebred dogs can be registered. To register a pit bull with the United Kennel Club, an owner must provide a completed application for registration after the dog is a year old. The owner must submit a copy of the dog's registration certificate with a UKC-acknowledged registry or must submit the dog's parents' registration numbers. A three-generation pedigree and color photographs detailing the dog's distinguishing marks must be submitted.

The Continental Kennel Club accepts applications from owners whose dogs are already registered with another recognized kennel club but offers the PAW registration program for dogs whose papers may have been lost. Photographs and reputable witnesses are required to vouch for a dog's eligibility for registration, according to the CKC website.

The American Dog Breeder's Association also registers dogs, provided that the dogs have purebred pedigrees going back three generations. The ADBA also requires the names of all the dogs in the pedigree, and those dogs must be registered with the ADBA.