United Kennel Club … Who We Are . . .

Established in 1898, the United Kennel Club is the largest all-breed performance-dog registry in the world, registering dogs from all 50 states and 25 foreign countries. More than 60 percent of its 13,000 annually licensed events are tests of hunting ability, training and instinct. UKC prides itself on its family-oriented, friendly, educational events. The UKC has supported the "Total Dog" philosophy through its events and programs for over a century. As a departure from registries that place emphasis on a dog’s looks, UKC events are designed for dogs that look and perform equally well. Our mission is to be the world's best registry of purebred dogs, to offer our customers the most efficient and creative services possible, to use our data to help our customers breed the best dogs in the world and to create a wide spectrum of performance and conformation events in which those dogs can prove their instincts and heritage. The programs at UKC include Obedience Trials, Agility Trials, Weight Pull Events, Terrier Races, Dock Jumping Events, Total Junior Program, Dog Sports (including Family Obedience), Coonhound Field Trials, Water Races, Nite Hunts and Bench Shows, Hunt Tests for retrieving breeds, Pointing Dog Events, Beagle Events (including Hunts and Bench Shows, and Cur and Feist Squirrel and Coon Events and Bench Shows. Rounding out the 'Total Dog' package, UKC Conformation Events are among our largest growing events. UKC dog shows are family events designed by and for the breeder-owner-handler. Professional Handlers are not eligible to exhibit dogs for others at UKC Conformation Events. At UKC dog shows, the emphasis is on the DOG, not the SHOW. Part of our mission is to have events where all dogs can compete. In addition to our purebred dog registry, United Kennel Club offers a Limited Privilege program. The Limited Privilege is open to all dogs that are spayed/neutered. This includes mixed breed dogs, purebred dogs of unknown pedigree, and purebred dogs with disqualifying faults as described in the UKC breed standards. The programs open to Limited Privilege dogs are Obedience Trials, Weight Pulls, Agility Trials, Total Junior Program and Dog Sports (including Family Obedience). It is our firm belief that the right balance between performance and conformation results in healthier happier dogs for everyone. We are proud that we share that same philosophy with our growing number of dedicated participants. Essentially, the UKC world of dogs is a working world. That's the way it was developed over a century ago, and that's the way it remains today.

The President of UKC is Wayne R. Cavanaugh, a third-generation dog fancier. His grandfather bred Kerry Blue Terriers, and his father bred English Setters and Beagles. Mr. Cavanaugh has bred show and field titled English Setters, English Pointers and Beagles. He has judged dog events in America, Ireland and Mexico. He has appeared on behalf of dogs on every major television network in both America and the United Kingdom and has served as co-host of the Animal Planet National Dog Championship television series. He is the co-host of Crufts, the world’s largest dog show, from Birmingham, England for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Mr. Cavanaugh has served as a consultant to the Irish Kennel Club, and has been a presenter at the World Congress of Kennel Clubs in Hamilton, Bermuda and Dublin, Ireland. Wayne has appeared as the host of television programs and dog event competitions for many networks including Fox, ESPN and the Outdoor Life Network. He has served as Executive Producer, Writer, Producer and Technical Consultant for the Breed All About television series on Animal Planet. He has appeared on The Today Show, CBS This Morning, Good Morning America, CNN, Fox News, FX’s Pet Department, Fox Pet News, Discovery’s Petsburg, and ABC, CBS and NBC News in New York to discuss dog related topics. He has written extensively for dog magazines and is a frequent guest of radio talk shows on a full spectrum of dog-related topics. Wayne has lectured at most of America’s veterinary schools, and has served on various canine issue committees with the American Veterinary Medical Association, the National Pet Council and the California American Veterinary Medical Association. He served as a Charter Member of the Board of Directors of the Canine Health Foundation. He has a B.A. degree in Literature from Stockton State College, a Technical Writing Certificate from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and course work in Financial Planning from Baruch College in New York City. In addition to his television and dog activities, he has worked for AT&T in the telecommunications industry, and in the investing business where he served most recently as Vice President of Marketing for Schaefer Cullen Capital Management in New York City. He moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1999 with his wife, two children, their English Pointers, a Beagle and a Coonhound.

The UKC Facility

The physical home for UKC, a state-of-the-art office facility utilizing the latest in office technology, is located in the south-western Michigan city of Kalamazoo. Approximately 35 miles inland from the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, the Kalamazoo/Portage area is home to approximately 100,000 residents. An educational and cultural town by definition and reputation, the area also is home to Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo College and Pfizer pharmaceutical company.
Approximately 50 employees are found working at the facility during business hours, Monday through Friday of each week. Dedicated to community service, UKC is a respected neighbor to the residents and businesses of Kalamazoo County. International acceptance of UKC's service and programs has created an ever-expanding business and has helped contribute to its immense growth.



Why UKC? What Makes Us Different?
Service. First and foremost is UKC’s dedication to serving its customers. Our most important mission in customer service is our commitment to accuracy and speedy delivery. Our turnaround time is the best in the dog world.

Our ongoing pledge is to provide individual service and accessibility to UKC through our experienced staff. This is accomplished through hundreds of daily phone calls to the office, events organized by our Dog Events and Hunting Dog Departments and traveling across the country to support our clubs and their events. We are told this is especially true with owners who have had the opportunity to compare our services with those of other registries.

Events and Activities. Our event emphasis is on the owner-handler and breeder, and their dogs. The environment is friendly, open, fun, educational and competitive. While maintaining a degree of difficulty to preserve the integrity of the degree, UKC events and titles are attainable accomplishments for the amateur trainer and handler.

UKC events are, to a great degree, devoid of the pressure and disappointment experienced in similar events provided by competitive organizations. UKC encourages the owner/handler philosophy to aid in the growth and bond between owners and their dogs. This is proven over and over in the success and growth of our events across the country.

Innovations. UKC is the first to offer the Performance Pedigree™. This pedigree gives an accurate, up-to-date count of the number of puppies produced by each dog on the pedigree as well as the various Championships earned by those puppies. It also includes the coat colors of all 14 ancestors. The Performance Pedigree is a beautiful document and is the most complete pedigree in the World.