What is CKC's Approach to Breed Standards for Dogs?

This is the last video in the series. Today, we’re going to dive into our standards here at Continental Kennel Club.

CKC Registry

Continental Kennel Club was founded as an all-breed open registry. With that in mind from the start, CKC has recognized and registered hundreds of purebred dog breeds, as well as a number of different types and varieties of each breed in an effort to keep breeding populations as diverse and healthy as possible. With the Golden Retriever, for example, we recognize both standard and nonstandard colors. Their standard colors are gold or cream, but we also accept red gold, rose gold, mahogany, etc. In addition to this, we also register dogs from working lines, show lines, throughout the world, as well as domestic dogs. Each of these dogs, depending on their purpose and origin, may vary slightly in type, but that is to preserve genetic diversity.

Genetic Diversity

Genetic diversity refers to differences in genetic information, like having blue eyes versus brown eyes, spots versus solid coats, or a diseased gene versus a healthy gene. It plays a crucial role in the health and survival of a species overall. The more genetic diversity, or options in genetic information a species has, the healthier it will be. Unfortunately, in the quest to fit dogs into strict breed standards, much of the genetic diversity that keeps gene pools healthy gets lost. That is why CKC’s breed standards are so inclusive and intentionally written differently from other traditional standards.

Our Mission

We are making an effort to prevent the further loss of genetic diversity and encourage a larger genetic breeding pool for breeders to choose from. We don’t want to throw away helpful genetic material that occurs naturally within the breed that could ultimately save them in the long run. With a larger and healthier gene pool, this will present healthier options in structure, movement, and temperament for all dog breeds. Our primary objective is to promote a dog’s capability to have an excellent quality of life, free from the constraints of structural and confirmative extremes. Our open registry and standards allow for a constant influx of new bloodlines, pedigrees, and genetics to allow for an ever-increasing genetic variety into each breed's registry. At CKC, our love for dogs runs deep, and we take our job as stewards of the well-being of dogs seriously. 

Conclusion

We hope that these videos have helped you understand what a breed standard is and the importance and impact it can have on a breed. Thank you for following our mini-series!