AKC SOLICITS MEMBERS to change dog's name - Page 1

This post is IMPORTANT to all Breeders, Show Enthusiasts & Working Dog owners alike.  

I recently imported a very nice DDR Stud dog from Germany, in co-ownership with a very good breeder friend.

The dog has a known,  well respected and very prominent kennel name in Germany. 
Upon receiving email confirmation of his AKC registration and foreign ownership transfer into our names, I received an email from AKC, soliciting my option of changing the name of the dog. 

I did not ask about having the name change done, nor would I have done so,  given this option.
However...MANY will do this when AKC is pushing this onto them.  Our pups carrying our kennel name will no longer do so, at the whim of those who don't value the importance of this as pertains to pedigree researches, guarantees and contracts that were set in place within the process of us selling them our puppies that we care about so much, while looking forward to following them throughout life and enjoying the recognition that their accomplishments can bring to our kennels.
I have sent a letter to AKC requesting they cease this policy for name changes of dogs already registered and who have been given a name within the AKC registry..and other registries as well...along with my reasons for being against this practice. 

Following this,  I will attempt to post the copy of the email I received, along with the letter I sent to AKC...
Please, all of you who agree with me on this point, send a similar letter to AKC requesting this not be allowed...and then forward it on and ask for the additional support of  ANY AND ALL DOG PEOPLE  that you feel this could affect in a negative way. 
... Jean S.

 

 

Subject: Fwd: AKC Dog Name Change
Date: 11/3/2010 2:06:59 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time

To: Info@akc.org ,  breederrelations@akc.org , AKCbreeder@akc.org  

Dear AKC,

I received the email below from you, notifying me about my option of changing the name of my dog.
I did not ask for this to be done, nor do I want to change the name of my dog(s).
As a breeder, I am not comfortable with this option, and believe it should be discontinued for several reasons.

First, I along with many other breeders track and follow our pups by the names that our clients choose for our puppies, which we enter onto our contracts for guarantee purposes as well as onto the AKC litter application. This originally given name follows the pup throughout the new owners relationship with our puppies.

Our kennel name, von Schraderhaus, is always included as an integral part of the name of all pups which are produced from our kennel.
It is a symbol of pride for our kennel, and is reflected in our pups as so.
All breeders consider this to be highly important to them as well, and also use this originally given name to follow up on their pups throughout their lifetime. Working and Show Careers will reflect this originally given name, along with the kennel names of each dog's respective breeders.

By your giving the option to simply change the dog's name negates all of the hard work and years of dedication by us, your breeders; those who support AKC and it's function in the name of purebred dogs.
I believe it will be a highly confusing outcome for those of us who are looking into pedigrees, where suddenly a dog we are searching for no longer exists under the name we know them by.
In my opinion this will serve to affect pedigree research negatively for generations in the present as well as in the future.

It is stated in your bylaws that AKC operates under the guidelines of a NOT FOR PROFIT Organization. The primary function of AKC is that of pedigree documentation, verification and registration of purebred dogs.
I believe the practice of changing the originally given name of dogs is counterproductive to the overall goals and functions of AKC as was originally intended.

AKC's campaigning to clients the option to change a dog's name will be chaotic for future tracking and recognition of lineage, and appears to serve only as another source of income for AKC, without requiring a reason of serious merit to do so.

As a breeder and contributor to the future of AKC, I request that changing a dog's registered name not be allowed unless there is a pressing reason to have the name changed.

Sincerely,
Jean Schrader
Schraderhaus K9

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: info@akc.org
Sent: 11/2/2010 9:03:49 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time
Subj: AKC Dog Name Change


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Dear Jean Scharader,

Thank you for submitting your recent Certificate Transfer for:

Registration Number: DNXXXXXXXX 
Dog Name: Dino Vom Schaferliesel

We know that your dog is very important to you and so is the name of your dog. The American Kennel Club now offers you the chance to change your dog's name even after it has been transferred into your name.

You can download a copy of the Dog Name Change Authorization form here http://www.akc.org/pdfs/ADCG01.pdf.  Simply complete the form and submit it to us with the required fee. Forms can be faxed to (919) 816-4261 or submitted by mail to:

American Kennel Club
8051 Arco Corporate Drive, Suite 100
Raleigh, NC 27617-3390

Please note that all name selections must follow AKC guidelines. Click this link to view our dog name guidelines: http://www.akc.org/reg/namingofdog.cfm

For additional questions regarding the naming of your dog or if you need help completing the form, please contact AKC Customer Service at (919) 233-9767 or by email at info@akc.org.

If you wish to keep your dogs current name, please disregard this message.

Sincerely yours,
David Roberts
Assistant Vice President
Registration Services



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  On AKC's website they  list the option to change a dog's name that has already registered... Don't remember exactly what menu it is listed under, just remembered seeing that option available for a fee......So its not by invitation only.....

 To solicit the option is really pitiful....That is just wrong.....That would mean that someone's hard work for many years could all be wiped away for the price of a few dollars....How sad.....How unethical.....

This must be a recent change.  AKC has had the "change the name" option for awhile for dogs born here in the US, but they weren't allowing it for imports.  They must be desperate for the minimal cash this will bring in if they are adding imports to the list.  It's going to make them look really stupid if any of the dogs offspring, or the dog itself, shows up in an FCI country again, and it has a new name.  But AKC is swearing that Rover really is Fido.

You can go to Create your own petition online. You would get more people to sign one then write letters

I haven't looked at the name change form for quite a while, but, previously it stated that you had to have the breeders permission and signature in order to change the name. I'm on the run now and can't look it up, so maybe someone else can do that and see if has changed.
What I see that HAS changed is the solicitation for the change and that folks is pure and simple GREED by the AKC!
Debby

If the breeder has registered the dog in his kennel's name, and has shown the breeder as the original owner, the name cannot be changed without the breeder's permission. However, if the breeder does not register the dog in his name and simply transfers it to the new owner, the breeder's permission is not needed to change the name.

Therefore to protect your kennel name, first register the dog in your name and when sold, simply sign the transfer to new owner on the back of the original registration papers. Costs more to do this but it works

Therefore to protect your kennel name, first register the dog in your name and when sold, simply sign the transfer to new owner on the back of the original registration papers. Costs more to do this but it works

Which is probably the other reason AKC implemented this in the first place.  They loose a lot of potential income when puppy buyers never register their pup.  They are making a huge push to get more people to send in their registration papers, as a breeder I get letters from AKC all the time asking me to give them the contact information of all my puppy buyers so they can contact them and encourage them to register their pup.  What better way to make sure they get at least 1 registration fee on every dog born then by getting breeders to register all the pups themselves, to protect their kennel names.  Then they can get a change of ownership fee on the ones who's owners take the time to send the form in (the same ones who would have registered their pup anyway).

I received this e-mail too, however I did just change a dog's registered name so I figured that's why I got it.  It was a pup that I bred and took back with a stupid name so I changed it.  According to the paperwork you do not need the breeder's authorization unless they used an AKC registered kennel name, or they (the breeder) were the first listed/registered owner of the individual dog.  The use of "vom Wherever" is not considered a registered kennel name, so this can be changed.  It's also crazy expensive to register a kennel name with AKC.  Registered kennel names usually preceed the dog's registered name such as "Wherever's cute little doggie," you get the picture.