The United Kennel Club (UKC) is a dog breed registry and performance sports organization based in the United States. It was founded in 1898 with the mission to provide a registry for purebred dogs that did not have a registry of their own, such as the American Pit Bull Terrier and the Treeing Walker Coonhound.
The United Kennel Club (UKC) recognized the Biewer Terrier on January 1, 2016, as a new breed and was placed in the Companion Dog Group. Since then, Biewer Terriers have been eligible to participate in UKC-sanctioned events, including conformation shows, obedience trials, and agility trials.
When we started breeding Biewer Terriers, the breed was not yet accepted by the American Kennel Club. Therefore we showed our Biewers in the United Kennel Club circuit to begin with,
Today, the United Kennel Club registers over 300 breeds of dogs and sponsors various dog events, including conformation shows, obedience trials, agility trials, and hunting tests. The organization also promotes the responsible ownership and breeding of purebred dogs.
In addition to its activities in the United States, the UKC also has an international presence, with affiliated organizations in several other countries.
Pros of UKC:
- Greater breed diversity: The UKC registers over 300 breeds, including rare and uncommon breeds that may not be recognized by other organizations like the AKC.
- More inclusive: The United Kennel Club allows mixed-breed dogs to participate in certain events, such as obedience and rally trials.
- Performance-focused: The United Kennel Club emphasizes performance events such as agility and hunting trials, which may appeal to owners who are more interested in these activities than traditional conformation shows.
- Easier registration process: Some breeders and owners find the UKC’s registration process to be more straightforward and less complicated than the AKC’s.
Cons of UKC:
- Lower prestige: The United Kennel Club is generally considered to be a smaller and less prestigious organization than the AKC.
- Less influence: The UKC may have less influence over breed standards and the direction of the dog world than the AKC, which is a larger and more established organization.
- Fewer resources: The United Kennel Club may have fewer resources available to support its members and events than the AKC, which has a larger membership base and more financial resources.