Some breeders sell their dogs with registration rights, through either full or limited registration. Registration refers to a national dog registry like the American Kennel Club (AKC). If you’re not a breeder or aren’t planning to show your dog, you typically don’t need full registration.

A puppy sold with full registration rights can usually enter a dog show and may have full breeding rights. A puppy sold with limited registration usually doesn’t have breeding rights. If a puppy sold under limited registration produces a litter, that litter isn’t eligible for registration. A puppy with limited registration rights cannot be shown, but they can still participate in a number of other competitive activities (e.g., field trials, agility, etc.). Most puppies sold as pets have limited registration and don’t have breeding rights.

Keep in mind that most breeders do not sell breeding rights to inexperienced breeders.