Limited Registration ~ is for people and dogs that are going to be pets, hunting companions, even hunt test or other AKC sanctioned event contestants. They will NOT however, be used as breeding animals.

This does not mean there is anything wrong with the dog, but because either the breeder or the owner has decided that they will not/should not produce puppies. The dog with the Limited reg. papers IS registered! The only difference is that his or her PUPS CANNOT be registered..

Full Registration ~ Full registration is for breeding stock dogs and those that are being actively shown in the bench (dog show) conformation ring. Period.If you are not a breeder, you DO NOT need full registration on your dog. The only difference between Limited and Full reg. is that with Full registration, the papers that you get are bordered in purple instead of orange, and IF your dog has pups, they can be registered with either Full or Limited registration.

Limited AKC is designed to help reputable breeders protect the breed and their breeding lines against puppy mills and backyard breeders. Not all dogs have qualities necessary for breeding. Puppies sold with use of limited registrations is a sign the breeder cares about what happens to their dogs and bloodlines. Although this is obviously not a selling point (for the pet/companion buyer wanting to breed to dog next door), it is a responsible step for the breeder to have in place. Shelters and rescue organizations are full of inferior dogs, resulting from uninformed/unscrupulous breeding.