Information about the requirements and benefits of the AKC Breeder of Merit program. Because Breeder of Merit is not simply a one-time recognition, breeders who want to be considered for it must apply for the program. Successful applicants can be recognized for their work with more than one breed. Breeders of Merit are recorded in [...]

Breeder of Merit Application (PDF) Use this form to apply for Breeder of Merit or for additional breeds Breeder of Merit Advanced Recognition Application (PDF) Use this form if you are currently an enrolled Breeder of Merit and wish to apply for an advanced level of Breeder of Merit Breeder of Merit Titles Report Order [...]

  Search here for breeders who have met the requirements to be a Breeder of Merit.   Breeder of Merit sponsored by Royal Canin 

Breeders of Merit participants are committed to registering 100% of the puppies in their litters. The AKC recognizes and congratulates the Breeders of Merit who have achieved 100% AKC dog registration for their litter during the month the litter was 100% completed.  BOM has achieved 100% AKC dog registration for all their AKC-registered litters (lifetime) [accordion] [accordion_panel title [...]

Breeders of Merit are entitled to several benefits. Are you taking full advantage of yours? Gifts. Breeders of Merit get an appreciation gift for each litter in which 100% of the puppies are individually registered. The current gift is a $5 credit code that can be used for online litters or mailed in registrations. Just write in [...]

The following breeders have met the requirements for the Breed and Levels recorded at the time of the application. The American Kennel Club is pleased to recognize these breeders for their contribution to the sport and maintaining the tenets of the Breeder of Merit program. (current as of  3/12/26, last updated 3/13/26) [accordion] [accordion_panel title="Platinum [...]

About the Breeder of Merit Program The AKC Breeder of Merit program celebrates breeders who go above and beyond to prioritize the health, temperament, and well-being of their puppies. This program recognizes those dedicated to maintaining breed standards and ensuring their AKC-registerable puppies find loving homes.  As a Breeder of Merit, you’ll show your [...]

Even if you don’t know Chris Flessner and her husband Bryan, chances are you’ve admired their handiwork: Their homebred “Trumpet” (GChB Flessner’s Toot My Own Horn) was the Westminster Kennel Club’s 2022 Best in Show winner, shown by professional handler Heather Buehner, who is also his co-breeder and co-owner. While this year [...]

Breeder of Merit recognition and benefits are based on the BOM’s commitment to registering their puppies and health testing the parents. Are you living up to your contract?  The agreement signed when you applied:  I hereby apply to participate in the Breeder of Merit Program. I certify by my signature that I have read [...]

As a Breeder of Merit, you have demonstrated your commitment to the AKC community, to dedication to your breed(s), and to ensuring that 100% of your puppies are individually registered with the AKC. To help you achieve your puppy registration goal, we offer multiple registration options. Which option is right for you? If you prefer [...]

Advanced Levels of Recognition will require an additional application and will also be recognized on a breed specific basis. Recognition is available to those that meet the following minimum standards: Have qualified and enrolled as a Breeder of Merit Can provide proof of Parent Club required health testing on sires/dams of litters Have met [...]

Here’s everything you’ll need prior to joining the Breeder of Merit program:  Have a history of at least 5 years involvement with AKC events  Can demonstrate a commitment to individually registering 100 percent of the puppies you’ve bred Have earned either AKC Conformation, Performance, or Companion* event titles on at least four dogs from [...]

As a Breeder of Merit, you’ll play a key role in advancing our mission and setting a strong example for breeders everywhere. We’re excited to honor breeders who prioritize puppy health, temperament, and breed standards by offering a range of exclusive, valuable benefits, including:  Monthly credits for online reports in AKC Breeder Toolkit [...]

People in the sport of dogs can wear many hats, and Bonnie Threlfall of Cary, North Carolina, has pretty much donned them all: Born into a dog-show family, she has been breeding her Edgewood English Cocker Spaniels for more than 40 years. After a decade-long stint as a professional handler in the late 1970s into the [...]

Did you know that when a puppy buyer searches on AKC Marketplace, Breeders of Merit litter listings are the first ones they see? This is because Breeders of Merit receive special AKC Marketplace benefits. These include: Free litter listings for their qualified breed(s) Priority placement in search results Breed-Specific Breeder of Merit identification Breeder [...]

Life may be a box of chocolates, but after you’ve nibbled enough bonbons, you know which flavor you like best. Over the past four decades, Nancy Edmunds of Travelers Rest, South Carolina, has owned quite a Whitman’s Sampler of purebreds, including Cocker Spaniels, Manchester Terriers, Whippets, Brussels Griffons, Poodles, and Afghan Hounds. But [...]

Harold (“Red”) Tatro III and Denise Tatro of Redglen Lakeland Terriers and Whippets value versatility in their lives as well as their dogs. In the fancy for more than a half-century, this couple from Crowley, Texas, has spanned multiple groups and events with their interests and breeding activities, from conformation to earth dog trials to [...]

  The American Kennel Club (AKC) recognizes Breeders of Merit for their dedication to breeding purebred dogs with the appearance, temperament, and abilities that are true to their breed standard and for their commitment to health screening and 100 percent puppy registration. The AKC celebrates their success in and passion for canine sports. They are the [...]

Meet Gayle Watkins, breeder of over 100 titled Golden Retrievers that have excelled in multiple sports and co-founder of Avidog International.  A Gold-level AKC Breeder of Merit, Gayle Watkins of Highlands, North Carolina, puts the “purpose” in multi-purpose dogs: Her Gaylan’s Golden Retrievers have earned more than 140 American and Canadian conformation, obedience, tracking, Rally and [...]

The AKC Breeder of Merit program was introduced in October 2010. Since that time, more than 13,000 breeders have been enrolled. The program was developed to recognize those breeders that are the foundation of our sport through their participation in various AKC events and dedication to selective breeding of healthy purpose-bred purebred dogs. The Basic Requirements Minimum [...]

The AKC Breeder of Merit program celebrates your dedication to maintaining breed standards and ensuring your AKC-registrable puppies find loving homes. Your work as a breeder is vital to upholding AKC’s mission, and you play a crucial role in preserving the legacy of your beloved breed. This is why, as a Breeder of Merit [...]

Dr. Renee Lara is that rare gem – a veterinarian who understands dog breeders. And that’s because she is one herself. Owning her own veterinary clinic in Bryan, Texas, since 1990, where she offers a full array of reproductive services, Lara is Platinum Breeder of Merit with her Ehrenvogel German Shorthaired Pointers. She purchased her foundation [...]

Reputable breeders don’t just breed in the moment: They are thinking years, even decades ahead, thoughtfully breeding dogs that are typey, healthy, and sound enough to continue to benefit the breed long after they are gone. And that philosophy of paying it forward is even more satisfying when a second generation decides to plunk [...]

Barbara Miller of Glen Head, New York, is synonymous with Norfolk Terriers. And not just those from her top-winning Max-Well Kennel. The 2007 AKC Breeder of the Year (and 2002 AKC Terrier Breeder of the Year), Miller was the president of the parent club when her breed amicably split in 1979, creating the drop-eared Norfolk Terrier and the [...]

If you're a musician, there's the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. If you're an actor, there are the Oscars. And if you're a dog breeder, the maraschino cherry atop a lifetime of hard work is to be named an American Kennel Club Breeder of the Year. After all, anyone can have a one-hit wonder [...]

The AKC Breeder of Merit program was introduced in October 2010. Since that time, almost 16,000 breeders have been enrolled. The program was developed to recognize those breeders who are the foundation of our sport through their participation in various AKC events and dedication to selective breeding of healthy purpose-bred purebred dogs. The basic requirements are Minimum [...]

Leopards don’t change their spots, and neither do reputable Dalmatian breeders. Nothing can dampen their enthusiasm for the spotted dogs that have captured their hearts, as well as their couches. Patti Strand of Portland, Ore., has bred Dalmatians with her husband Rod under their Merry-Go-Round (MGR) affix for almost half a century. A former [...]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) announced today the launch of the Breeder of Merit program, a new initiative designed to recognize AKC’s core breeders. "The Breeder of Merit program allows the American Kennel Club to celebrate our dedicated, passionate breeders who truly are the backbone of the sport and the foundation of our organization [...]