There are many registries of dogs in the United States. Some of these registers only the pure breed of dogs, and some register all the breeds of dogs.
The two such clubs are the American Kennel Club or AKC and the National Kennel Club or NKC. Both of them are well-recognized kennel clubs in the United States.
Key Takeaways
- AKC and NKC are both dog registry organizations in the United States.
- AKC is older and more well-known, with stricter breed standards and more events.
- NKC is a newer organization that preserves rare breeds and offers more inclusive events.
AKC vs. NKC
AKC is a registered and credible organization serving to list and sport the thoroughbred of dogs. It aims to enlighten the dog lovers and general people about the pureblooded dogs and the importance of the human and dog relationship. NKC is another dig registry in the United States which index downs the dogs of all breeds. It keeps dogs of any pedigree which isn’t genuine.
The American Kennel Club is strict in registering the pure breed of dogs, whereas the National Kennel Club is not that strict and particular in the case of registering the dogs under it.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | AKC | NKC |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | AKC is a registry in the United States that registers only pure-breed dogs. | NKC is a registry in the United States that registers all the breeds of dogs. |
| Authenticity | Dogs registered are authentic and tested. | Dogs registered are neither authentic nor tested. |
| Founded | It was founded in the year 1884. | It was founded in the year 1969. |
| Strictness | AKC is very strict in registering dogs. | NKC is not so strict in registering the dogs. |
| Ancestry | The ancestry of the dogs registered under AKC is authentic and validated. | The ancestry of the dogs registered under NKC is not authentic and validated. |
What is AKC?
AKC, or the American Kennel Club, is a registry in the United States that registers only pure-breed dogs. The dogs registered under American Kennel Club are more authentic than those registered under the National Kennel Club.
The American Kennel Club registers only the pure breed of dogs. It is extremely strict and particular about the proof of a particular dog with a certain pedigree. It was founded in the year 1884. It is the largest non-profit purebred club of dogs in the world.
The American Kennel Club registers every dog’s parents and is also registered as the authentic purebred of the AKC. According to this, the next generation will also get registered in the AKC as they are guaranteed to be purebreds, with their parents registered in the AKC.
Despite not being a member of the World Canine Organization, the AKC promotes and organizes one of the best dog shows in the United States. The annual dog show organized by the AKC since it was founded is the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
Other dog shows organized by the American Kennel Club are the National Dog Show and the Eukanuba National Championship. The main reason behind these dog shows is to make purebred dogs a companion of the family.
These shows by American Kennel Club also help promote the health of canines and also help in protecting the rights of the dogs and their owners. It also helps improve the responsibility of the owners of the dogs towards their dogs.
What is NKC?
NKC, or the National Kennel Club, is a registry in the United States that registers all breeds of dogs under it. The National Kennel Club was founded in 1969 and was named the ‘paper mill’ dog registry.
The registered dogs are not that authentic as they have no strictness while registering them. This dog club registers any dog of any pedigree. Due to this reason, the dogs registered under the NKC cannot easily enter the dog shows organized by the AKC.
The dogs registered under the National Kennel Club have not been properly tested for the authenticity of their DNA. Also, there is no such verification about the ancestry of the dog which it belongs to.
As the dogs registered under the National Kennel Club are not authentic registers any dog of any breed and are not even strict about the validation of the dog’s ancestry. The National Kennel Club needs to do a little paperwork, but still, it is not particular with the proof of the dog’s pedigree.
Main Differences Between AKC and NKC
- The American Kennel Club registers only the pure breed dogs, whereas the National Kennel Club registers all the breeds of dogs.
- The AKC was founded in the year 1884, whereas the NKC was founded in the year 1969.
- The dogs registered under the AKC are authentic and tested, whereas the dogs registered under the NKC are not authentic and tested.
- The AKC is very strict in the registration of the dogs, whereas the NKC is not very strict in the registration of the dogs.
- The ancestry of the dogs registered under the AKC is authentic and validated, whereas the ancestry of the dogs registered under the NKC is not authentic and validated.
- https://www.tierschutz.vetsuisse.unibe.ch/unibe/portal/fak_vetmedizin/c_dept_dcr-vph/e_inst_tierschutz/content/e191756/e191761/e753472/e753497/DissertationStoll_ger_eng.pdf#page=13
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1365-2052.2003.01074.x
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Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
