How to Check My Dog's AKC Registration

To check your dog's American Kennel Club registration status, you must contact the AKC. However, depending on the issue you're experiencing, you must receive, fill out and submit the correct paperwork. You can download the appropriate forms from the AKC website. After sending in any paperwork, the AKC requests that you wait at least 10 business days after submission either via online or regular mail before contacting them for a status update.

The breeder of your purebred dog should register the litter with the AKC. When you purchase your puppy, the seller or breeder should give you an individual AKC application for registration. The breeder fills out the bulk of the information on the application. This includes the dog's gender, colors and markings, names and addresses of owner or co-owners and the litter owners' signatures. You fill out the dog's name, and all owners must sign the application. You can complete the application on paper and send it to the AKC or register your dog online. Either way, you must pay all applicable fees. Approximately three weeks after registration, you should receive the AKC registration certificate.

When you send in an application, the AKC sends you a tracking number, similar to an order number for commercial purchases. You'll also receive a customer reply form with a personal identification number. Any online customer form includes that tracking number, along with your name and the dog's name and pertinent information, including his registration number. For any AKC online inquiries, you must include that information.

Once you're enrolled in the AKC system with an online PIN, you can check the status of your dog's registration online. You must enter your email address and your dog's AKC registration number. AKC registration numbers are composed of two letter and eight digits. You can opt for a quick search with just the registration number. If you've received an AKC customer reply form, you might resolve any registration or application issues via the online format.

If you've lost your dog's registration papers, the AKC requires you to contact the breeder and ask her to fill out a duplicate dog registration form. According to AKC regulations, only the litter owner can make the actual request for the duplicate dog registration form. Once the AKC receives the duplicate registration form, it sends a new registration form to the litter owner, who then fills it out and sends you another individual registration form. You then repeat the basic dog registration process.