What is a dog’s pedigree: examples and procedure for registration

The pedigree for a dog is represented by an official document, which is necessary to confirm the fact of thoroughbred. A special document displays all the necessary data about the dog - its origin and the origin of its closest ancestors - males and females up to the 4th generation.

An official document in the form of a pedigree for a dog allows you to confirm the fact that 3 generations of dogs participating in mating are registered in a special stud book and belong to the same breed.

A formalized pedigree for a dog allows you to avoid receiving special assessments at exhibitions confirming that it belongs to a particular breed. In addition to the puppy’s ancestors, the pedigree must indicate the details of the specific animal - the day of birth, year and month, whether it is male or female, as well as its nickname. In addition to the above data, the dog’s pedigree indicates a serial number corresponding to registration in a special stud book.

Having a number in a dog's pedigree is very important. Thanks to the puppy's number included in the official document, it is possible to trace the origin of the purebred animal without any problems, right down to the most distant ancestors, who are the initial ones in breeding the breed. There are special bases, access to which is provided through large clubs. They store all the information about dog breeds.

What is a dog's pedigree and why is it needed?

Pedigree is a document confirming the origin of a dog from purebred parents, its ancestors on both lines. Such a document is important when it comes to breeding animals and further selling puppies.

Any puppy must have standards, and the presence of a pedigree allows you to confirm the absence of any impurities in previous litters. As a rule, such dogs are bred by selecting a pair based on some characteristics that improve subsequent offspring. The higher the rank of the ancestors, the higher the cost of such puppies.

Purebred dogs take part in relevant exhibitions, contribute to the breeder’s own respect and are his pride. The dog's pedigree is an extract from previously entered information about ancestors in the VERK (All-Russian Unified Pedigree Book).

Where do dog pedigrees come from?

Born from a purebred male and female, a puppy that does not have developmental defects or deviations from breed standards is purebred. This is confirmed by an official document - a pedigree. A kind of family tree - a pedigree - does not guarantee the suitability of a particular dog for service, training, or performing assigned tasks or work. The pedigree only indicates that the puppy was obtained through the breeding line, and there are no other impurities in its “blood”.

Such an official document is necessary in order to gain access to matings, participation in specially organized exhibitions, and further registration of the dog, if the owner wishes, in a dog club of a certain breed. The confirmed origin of the puppy and its purebred allows the offspring obtained from it to be sold at a higher price, which is invariably more profitable for professional breeders.

It is worth noting that getting access to breeding even a purebred puppy with a dog that has a good pedigree is not so easy. A male or female dog that is planned to be used in the future to produce purebred offspring, in addition to its pedigree, must participate in special dog shows, taking prizes at least 2 times.

Regular breeding examinations and passing tests for disciplines appropriate for a particular breed are also mandatory. This is necessary to confirm the working and physical qualities of an individual animal. Puppies will be valued higher, their cost will be higher if the parents are of high rank.

Changes and strict compliance with breed criteria are monitored by specialists from cynological federations and clubs.

Types of pedigrees and what they look like

Each country has its own requirements when registering a pedigree for a dog. The requirements of some dictate the indication of only three generations of ancestors, others - four. All types of pedigrees differ in the content of the records. They are divided into three conditional groups:

• A - group in which all previous generations of the animal are indicated;
• B - group, which reflects information only about the parents of this puppy;
• C - registry group, which reflects information about the breed of the puppy, its name and information about the owners.

There are pedigrees that are called docked. Such a document is issued when the club has lost information about the origin of one of the parents, and there is no way to restore the pedigree. Then in the column where known information is indicated, all ancestors are listed, and in the other, the entry “No information” is entered.

In all countries, it is customary to divide pedigrees into domestic and international, which is associated with the natural rivalry of cynological organizations among themselves. Internal pedigree does not allow the breeder to take part in international competitions. If you register a dog’s pedigree with the FCI, it will be recognized by all other organizations without exception. But it also happens that documents issued by other organizations are not considered by it.

The Russian Cynological Federation (RKF) issues documents divided into the following types:

• Puppies whose parents have won the champion title in competitions or received an expert opinion on compliance with the highest requirements of the breeding standard (passed the kerung) have a red pedigree.
• A green pedigree is issued to puppies whose parents are marked as purebred producers with working qualities.
• A yellow pedigree is issued to puppies whose parents do not have working qualifications or were given an incomplete (registered) pedigree.
• A registered pedigree is assigned in cases where the club does not have records of three previous generations of dogs and it is impossible to check the dog’s pedigree.

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Russian ancestry

Pedigrees for Russian puppies can be obtained from the RKF (Russian Cynological Federation) and SCOR (Union of Cynological Organizations of Russia). Pedigrees are the first to be recognized by international organizations; dog owners can take them to exhibitions and breed pets through the mediation of any kennel clubs.

Pedigrees of SKOR require participation in exhibitions and reproduction only through this organization. Such dogs can take part in Russian competitions after passing the appropriate examination and receiving a registered pedigree, but they are not destined to receive a Champion diploma. Accordingly, the offspring of such dogs will be valued less, since there will be fewer records of ancestors in their pedigree.

You can register a pedigree for a dog in Moscow at the main office of the RKF (Russian Cynological Federation). All residents of the Russian Federation will need to contact their local kennel club, which will submit the appropriate documents by courier to register the dog’s pedigree. It should take about 3 months to receive the document.

What will the finished document look like? It will necessarily contain information about the breed, date of birth and name of the animal. Next, the color, gender, brand number, information about the breeder and owner of the dog are indicated.

The pedigree contains information about the ancestors: pedigree numbers and titles for up to 5 generations of dogs on both lines. The reverse side of the certificate contains a holographic image of the head of a Russian greyhound dog.

International pedigree

This document will be needed when traveling abroad to participate in exhibitions, breed an animal or sell it. It contains the same information as the Russian pedigree, but is filled in with letters of the Latin alphabet and is called CERTIFIED EXPORT PEDIGREE RKF.

The document number corresponds to the Russian one. On the front side there is the mark Breed not recognized by FCI (breeds not recognized by FCI), if this is the case, as well as the address and contact information of the RKF. On the reverse side is information about the dog. The document is supplied with an RKF hologram, watermarks, and then laminated.

To obtain an International Certificate, you must present a Russian pedigree. The document is issued in exchange for it, so when visiting the office in Moscow, you should prepare copies that will remain with the breeder.

Information about the dog and its owner and nickname are filled in in Latin letters. The form is certified by the signature of the animal owner. It consists of two parts, the detachable part is provided by the owner upon receipt of the finished document. Anyone can present it if they have a receipt for payment of the fee; they will only need to verify the accuracy of the entered data.

Read Why puppies are branded and how it happens

A sample Application Form for the issuance of an International Certificate can be viewed below.

Can a breeder refuse to issue documents for a puppy?

The solution to this issue remains at the discretion of the breeder. Therefore, even if the puppy is purebred, the breeder may refuse to issue documents for it.

For example, if the baby is sold cheaper and with the condition that in the future he will not participate in breeding. Or if the puppy belongs to the pet class, that is, it does not fully comply with the breed standard, or has disqualifying characteristics (for example, a Labrador has a white spot on its face or paws).

The reasons may vary. But in any case, when the breeder refuses to issue a pedigree, this is indicated in the sales contract.

How to make a dog's pedigree

It is possible to make a pedigree for a dog only on the basis of documents confirming that the parents are in a certain community, the date of mating, documented by the club’s specialists, and the metrics issued by them. Registration of a pedigree consists of several stages.

First step: registration of the puppy's records

Metrica (puppy card) - a baby’s birth certificate. It is issued when the puppies are examined by the club's breeding experts within 45-90 days from the moment of birth. It indicates the date of birth, name and gender of the puppy, color, names of parents and their pedigrees, information about the owner. These metrics must match the mark located on the ear. The document contains information about the organization that issued the metric; it is certified by the seal and signature of the specialist from the canine organization who carried out the activation of the litter.

It is very important that the metric be filled out legibly in block letters.

The puppy metric consists of two parts. The upper part of the document remains in the RKF, where the breeder applies to formalize the pedigree. The lower part should be stored. If you lose your pedigree, she will help you obtain new documents.

According to the metric, you can take part in exhibitions until the dog reaches the age of 15 months. During the show, you can give the top part of the puppy card for pedigree registration, then the bottom part can be used to register participation in the event.

Second step: exchanging metrics for pedigree

The exchange of a puppy's metric for a pedigree is carried out at the central office of the RKF (Russian Cynological Federation) through local cynological organizations when the puppy reaches the age of 6 months and no later than 15 months. It is not at all necessary to belong to it in order to submit documents, but you will have to pay for the services.

You should fill out the puppy card very carefully. All printed letters must be written legibly so that the pedigree does not have to be reissued later. The metric must indicate the owner's initials and residential address with a zip code. Without it, puppy metrics will not be accepted for exchange.

Registration of a pedigree without metrics

There are situations when there is no metric for a puppy. Obtaining a pedigree for a puppy is also possible in this case. There should be a stamp on the pet’s ear, which indicates information that coincides with that recorded in the metric. Using the stamp number, the local canine organization will restore the documents and issue a duplicate document.

Features of the design of a zero pedigree

If there is no mark and it is impossible to restore the puppy card, you can try to issue a so-called zero (register) pedigree. The process is lengthy and requires financial expenses.

It will be necessary to take part in at least 3 exhibitions, collect a package of relevant documents for them, then obtain the opinions of 3 independent experts in order to find out whether the animal meets the requirements of this breed. You can apply to the RKF for registration of a zero pedigree. It is important to know that it allows you to take part in exhibitions in the Russian Federation and receive diplomas, but the dog will not be able to receive the title of Champion.

Read What is puppy activation and why is it needed?

What information is contained in a dog's pedigree?

Pedigrees that are recognized by the FCI contain a minimum of 3 generations of ancestors. This is a kind of family tree, which confirms that the puppy’s ancestors (in three generations) belonged to the same breed.

After examination, the expert can put a stamp “not for breeding use” on the pedigree if the puppy does not meet the standard (missing teeth, incorrect bite, non-standard color, kinked tail, etc.)

Failure to meet the standard is not a death sentence for a puppy. He may be a wonderful pet, but he won't be a show star or a proud parent. But the dog should not bear signs of genetic deformity that is incompatible with health and vital functions. In case of unacceptable deviations and deformities, neither a puppy card nor a pedigree will be issued.

How much does a dog's pedigree cost?

Exact information about the price for a pedigree can be found on the official Russian Canine Federation.

As of June 1, 2022, the following prices for the production of certificates are established:

• Production of certificates for working qualities, kerkarts, certificates of passing a breeding inspection within 15 days 1,000 ₽
• Production of certificates for working qualities, kerkarts, certificates of passing a breeding inspection within 2 hours 2,000 ₽
• Production of certificates for ED dysplasia, HD dysplasia, patella, etc. within 2 months 1,000 ₽

Decoding the dog's pedigree

The dog's pedigree externally represents a field divided into 3 parts. The middle part consists of information about the dog itself: the pedigree number of the dog registered in the RKF, the number of the brand (chip) assigned to the dog in the All-Russian Book of the RKF, information about the owner who got the puppy, and the current one. If after the dog’s registration number there is a letter “P” or “R” - “Register”, then the dog is not purebred.

At the top of the form, information about paternal ancestors is indicated: nickname, color, champion regalia. At the bottom there is the same information about the mother.

There are numbers on the form. They mean the following:

• 1—the name of your dog's father.
• 2 is the name of your dog's mother.
• 3 is the nickname of the paternal grandfather.
• 4 is the nickname of the paternal grandmother.
• 5 is the nickname of the maternal grandfather.
• 6 is the nickname of the maternal grandmother.
• 7 is the nickname of the paternal grandfather's great-grandfather.
• 8 is the nickname of the paternal grandfather's great-grandmother.
• 9 is the nickname of the paternal grandmother's great-grandfather.
• 10 is the nickname of the paternal grandmother's great-grandmother.
• 11—the nickname of the maternal grandfather's great-grandfather.
• 12—the nickname of the maternal grandfather’s great-grandmother.
• 13 is the nickname of the maternal grandmother's great-grandfather.
• 14 is the cry of the great-grandmother of the maternal grandmother.

How to restore a pedigree if it has been lost

Restoring a dog’s pedigree can be important for various reasons. If all the documents were completed on time and correctly, then the easiest thing to do is contact RKF. The application must indicate the dog's name, brand number and information about the breeder. You should also attach photocopies of the owner’s passport and puppy’s registration certificate (if it is still available). If the pedigree number has been saved, you should indicate it. The local canine organization can advise you on dog branding.

If you lose your puppy's registration certificate, you should also contact the local kennel club that registered the litter. There they can issue a duplicate of the puppy's metric, which can then be exchanged at the RKF for a pedigree.

A caring owner thinks about the dog. Timely and competently received documents allow you to take part in exhibitions, carry out registered matings of purebred dogs and take an active part in the life of cynological organizations, both Russian and international.