MAS and the Royal Kennel Club

What an exciting time in our breed, after 15 years we finally have RKC breed recognition with the breed listed in the Pastoral Group on the Imported Register. On this page we will explain the process going forward.

My dog has AKC papers, how do I register with RKC?

Providing your dog was born in the UK prior to 01/07/2026 you will be able to switch your dog to the RKC breed register by completing "Form 9", attaching your AKC owner certificate, an AKC 3 generation pedigree as well as a statement from your breeder.

https://www.royalkennelclub.com/media/w0wbr1lq/rkc_form_9_oct25_print.pdf

Please note: Once BOTH parents of any dog have been registered on the RKC breed register you will no longer be able to use an AKC pedigree to switch a dog to the RKC breed register and the breeder would be required to back-register the litter using "Form 1".

I imported my MAS to the UK from abroad, how do I register with RKC?

You will need an export pedigree from an RKC recognised registry in your own name with a UK address.

Complete "Form 4".

https://www.royalkennelclub.com/shop/registrations/form-4-registration-of-an-imported-dog/

I am a breeder and want to register my new litter with RKC, which form do I need to complete?

Providing both parents have been registered with the RKC breed register you will be able to complete "Form 1" to register your new litter: https://www.royalkennelclub.com/shop/registrations/form-1-litter-registration/

I bred a litter prior to 01/07/2026, can I back-register with RKC?

Yes, you can back-register any litter born in the UK with RKC providing both parents are on the RKC breed register or the stud dog used has a foreign registry recognised by RKC.

My dog has a breeding restriction on the AKC certificate, can I still register with RKC?

Yes you can. Any dog with an endorsement on their AKC certificate (limited registration) will also have a non-breeding endorsement on their RKC pedigree. Ask your breeder if you are unsure. Your contract with your breeder is still legally valid.

I bred a litter prior to 01/07/2026 and want to back-register a dog/litter with RKC with a breeding restriction, can I add the endorsement even though I am no longer in possession of the dog which is a requirement by RKC to add endorsements?

Yes you can, providing you have a signed purchase contract from the point of sale confirming the endorsement status.

My dog is registered on the Activity Register, can I switch the pedigree to the RKC Breed Register?

Yes, however this only applies providing BOTH of your dogs parents have already been registered on the RKC breed register. In which case you will need a statment from your breeder to approve the conversion, complete Form 9 and request for your Activity Register to be cancelled.

I have frozen semen stored, what do I need to do should I want to use that semen in future?

RKC will honour AKC pedigrees on any stud dogs where semen is stored, however we would recommend registering those stud dogs on the RKC breed register anyway to avoid issues down the line.

I am a breeder, am I required to register dogs I sold prior to 01/07/2026 with RKC?

No, you are under no legal obligation to register any previously sold dogs with RKC, providing no such promise was made in your puppy sales contract.

What will it cost?

It depends entirely on your current AKC registration status and your contract with your breeder. You may need an export or certified pedigree from the AKC plus the RKC registration fee - plus any costs your breeder has to undertake to assist you, which would be your responsibility. At minimum around £50 but could be more depending on individual circumstances.