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I am going this weekend to check out puppies locally (San Diego county). They owner said the father is AKC but the mother is just APR (American Pet Registry). I'm wondering if this should be a concern for me, or if health of the puppy is more important? If the health reconrds are fine, and good record for parents, etc., should I be worried? I have one Cav already (purchased out of state), perfect health, and no AKC registration. I'm not looking for a show dog, just another pet, and really can't bring myself to spend the $1200 that most local breeders ask for Cavs with AKC papers. This puppy would come with all papers, etc., just not all AKC. Looking for advice... Thanks.

My personal personal opinion is with a breed with the health issues CKCSs can have, I would not buy from a breeder that is breeding non-AKC registerable puppies. It's not that AKC is such a wonderful organization that it really means much about the quality of the puppy, it's that the breeder is not paying enough attention to detail that it's breeding stock is not AKC registered. Purebred dogs that are being bred NEED to be meet a breed standard at bare minimum along with the numerous health clearances like OFA, CERF, etc. I know you are not interested in showing your puppy, and that's fine, but think about the other details that a breeder who's not careful about their breeding practices are skimping out on? I'm sure it's not to the betterment of the breed and therefore the puppies can/probably will have some problems. Those problems are not always noticable immediately.

I've bought a puppy from someone who doesn't have all their dogs AKC registered, but deals with other not-so-strict registries. I've spent over $4000 in medical bills alone fixing orthapedic issues that never should have happened in the first place. Add to it the constant allergies and temperament issues and it makes my "more expensive up front dog" seem cheap. HE's only been to the vet for routine visits and he's 5.
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Chelle and the rest of the crew including, but not limited to Kita and Taiko (the shiba inu wrestle maniacs), Adi (reserved and dignified tabby cat), and all 28 reptiles

Thanks for your input.

Keep in mind that both of these organizations are simply registeries. It may not mean that one is better than the other. Mostly it's just to have a piece of paper that says my dog is AKC registered or APR registered not they will ever use or need the paper but just to say they "their dog has papers" What should be the main concern is the research into the health of the dogs themselves and how many litters are being produced. For the most part it may be better to deal with reputable breeders and pay the price they are asking. Still with a little research and asking of questions and looking to see if the father and mother are on the premises you can get a pup of good quality.
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Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.
PHMax

>>I am going this weekend to check out puppies locally (San Diego county). They owner said the father is AKC but the mother is just APR (American Pet Registry). I'm wondering if this should be a concern for me, or if health of the puppy is more important? If the health reconrds are fine, and good record for parents, etc., should I be worried? I have one Cav already (purchased out of state), perfect health, and no AKC registration. I'm not looking for a show dog, just another pet, and really can't bring myself to spend the $1200 that most local breeders ask for Cavs with AKC papers. This puppy would come with all papers, etc., just not all AKC. Looking for advice... Thanks.

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The health issues with Cavaliers are very grave. Breeders registering dogs with squirrely little "kennel clubs" are doing it because they can't pass American Kennel Club's inspections of thdir breeding records and kennel operations. Be very wary of such a breeder. They're only "registering" the dog in the first place so they can inflate the price to people who don't know any better.

AKC can't guarantee health of any dog. Even healthy parents can and often do produce devastating genetic health problems in the puppies.

Do you know what health records you are looking for? It's more than whether or not the pups have had their shots and been wormed. And most of the results of careful breeding don't actually show in ANY health certifications. A responsible breeder is making much more detailed choices than that. For that kind of money, the parents should not only be AKC registered; they should be Champions.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47