Branding in dogs: what it looks like, what exactly it means and how it is made

What is puppy metrics and pedigree: why these documents may be needed

The metric, or “puppy”, is one of the doggie’s very first documents. It is issued during the litter activation period. To obtain a puppy card, you will have to call a representative of the kennel club to inspect and describe the litter. He must carefully examine each puppy and draw up an examination report.

Important! You can only get this paper if the dogs have a mark.

Pedigree is an extract from the Verkhovna Rada, with the help of which you can check the full origin of the dog. This puppy card contains information about the dog’s parents. It allows you to engage in breeding dogs.

What information is included in the certificate?

The puppy card must contain the following information:

Nickname.
Breed.
Date of Birth.
Color.
Details of the baby's parents.
Brand number.
Special marks - a column in which data on breeding marriage is entered.
Breeder and owner details.
Signature of the responsible person.
Seal of the kennel club.

Read How to take a dog abroad: 3 basic documents for hassle-free travel

Where to make a certificate: SKOR or RKF (RKF)

Example of a puppy's pedigree
Most often, people register puppies at the RKF. The main distinguishing feature of this organization is that it carefully monitors the quality of puppies. RKF representatives also monitor the mating procedure.

If you need to get your metrics done quickly, you can contact SKOR. With the help of the canine union, a puppy card is issued many times faster. If the authenticity of the card is confirmed, the dog will be able to participate in exhibitions in the CIS countries.

What is a brand and why is it needed?

The puppy's mark is a tattoo consisting of two parts: an alphabetic three-digit code and a digital part. Each nursery is assigned a specific brand code, which is assigned by the RKF. And all puppies born to dogs from this kennel must be branded only with this code.

Moreover, the digital part may differ between two different nurseries - it indicates the number of puppies born. Here everyone independently chooses a digital classification that is convenient for themselves.

The brand is placed on the inside of the puppy's ear or groin. Data about the brand is entered into the puppy's records, and later into the dog's pedigree.

Registration process

The procedure for issuing a card consists of several stages:

Submitting an application for registration. To submit an application, you will have to first fill out a paper confirming that the mating was carried out after the permission of the club.
Obtaining a certificate of inspection of dogs before mating. We must also ensure that the dogs have all their vaccinations.
Carrying out examination of newborn puppies. Only non-rejected dogs can receive the card.

Important! If the above conditions are met, the club will issue a puppy registration without any problems.

What documents are needed to register a litter?

In order to register a litter, you will need:

An inspection report of puppies with the obligatory indication of the date of birth of the babies, the date of inspection, the presence or absence of rejected individuals or pets that were left for review.
Application for litter registration. The address of the nursery is indicated here, as well as the signature of the owner.
Litter cards of the puppies' parents.
Direction for mating, about which a corresponding entry must be made in the general litter registration card.

Read What is a dog’s pedigree: examples and procedure for registration

Exchange of a puppy for a pedigree

Participation in dog shows is one of the reasons for registering a pedigree.
Some dog breeders have to change the metric to the pedigree. This procedure has several features that you need to familiarize yourself with in advance.

At what age can you exchange

First you need to figure out when the RKF metric can be changed to a pedigree. This exchange can be done after the puppy reaches 15 months of age. If you carry out the exchange procedure too late, you will have to pay a fine.

Some people believe that obtaining a pedigree is not necessary. Especially if the dog will not participate in exhibitions. However, you still need to obtain this document as it contains basic information about the dog.

Exchange cost

Most often, to obtain a pedigree, it is enough to come to the RKF office and give them the metric. In this case, you can receive a new document on the same day. However, such an exchange is not carried out for free, and therefore the person will have to pay a certain amount. On average, an exchange costs 2-3 thousand rubles. If the exchange is not urgent, it will cost one and a half thousand rubles.

How to get a pedigree if there is no metric

A stamp on the ear allows you to restore the metric
. There are cases when people do not have the metric for a dog, but they also need to get a pedigree. It can only be issued if the dog has a mark on its ear. It should indicate the basic information that is usually included in the metric.

To obtain a pedigree, you need to go to a canine organization along with the mark number and submit an application for restoration. Only after this will it be possible to obtain a pedigree.

Why are they stamped?

The brand allows you to establish the “personality” of dogs before mating. First of all, it is compared with pedigree data;
At the time of purchase, the brand allows you to identify the selected puppy and avoid the fact of replacing the animal. The same applies to events (for example, exhibitions);
If the dog does not have a microchip, the brand will help you find your lost pet.

Unfortunately, in practice, the stigma does not always indicate the purebred of the pet. Fraudsters can even falsify this data. How to check a puppy for the RKF mark?

Subscribe to the newsletter and get a discount at the pet store “Lubimchik”

Thanks for subscribing!

The difference between real papers and fakes

The presence of seals and watermarks often indicates the authenticity of documents.
Some dog breeders do not know what official documents should look like. Unlike fakes, they have holograms and watermarks. Such papers must have all the appropriate signatures, as well as signs of canine organizations.

Sometimes scammers manage to forge papers so well that they cannot be distinguished from the original. Therefore, in order not to encounter deception, you need to contact only the most popular and repeatedly tested nurseries.

Establishing the authenticity of the stamp:

The first step is to compare the tattoo code with the code indicated in the puppy metric. They must match completely;
Another option is to check the puppy’s mark using the RKF database. You can personally contact the Federation or do it through the canine service. The disadvantage of this method is that the brand is entered into the RKF database only after the nursery has registered the litter. And this can take quite a long time;
Keep in mind that over time, the puppy’s mark wears off, becomes blurred and becomes difficult to recognize. This is fine. Therefore, if you see an adult dog with a fresh, clear brand, there is reason to doubt its purebred.

Official receipt of ownership of an animal

Obtaining RKF documents for a dog is regulated by the Civil Code of the Russian Federation (Article 137). In accordance with the law, the acquisition of this property right can occur in one of the possible ways:

receiving a litter from a female officially owned by a human;
buying a pet;
exchange for any item;
receiving a four-legged friend as a gift or inheritance;
taking from the street and waiting for a period specified by law.

It is worth noting that all of the above primarily applies to purebred animals, since they can be quite expensive. In some cases, it is possible to apply these methods to outbred puppies and kittens.

How are puppies branded?

The puppy is usually branded either by specialized specialists or veterinarians. This operation is trusted to be carried out by experienced people who do not necessarily have special education.
A specialist who is already well-trained can conduct a branding session quickly, practically painlessly and safely. In general, such an operation should be the prerogative of a veterinarian, but at the same time he should also be a stigmatizer.
Since such veterinary clinics are rare, canine organizations often employ people trained in this craft, and not necessarily veterinarians.
If there is a need to update a brand that is difficult to see on an animal’s body or to give the dog a tattoo (for example, the owner’s telephone number), then for this you can find out at the club or kennel who you can contact for qualified help. There are also private branding machines, information about which is abundant on dog lovers’ forums.

Preparing documents for a pet

Official family trees for four-legged friends are issued by the Russian Cynological Federation (RKF) and the Union of Cynological Organizations of Russia (SCOR). Other institutions also sometimes issue, as they claim, pedigrees and even official ones. Official - in the sense that they act officially, on behalf of their legal entity. But such a document will have no force. Essentially it's a souvenir.

The documents issued by RKF and SKOR are different and have different validity. This does not mean that one establishment is bad, another is good. The owner must clearly know his goals, what he expects to get from his “bobby” and how to bring him “into the world.” So, if your plans include competitions and prizes not only within the Russian Federation, but also abroad, and the opportunity to have offspring through any club, then you should definitely go to the RKF. It is their wards that are most valued.

But “bobbies” with SKOR papers will be able to participate in events and reproduce only through this organization.

Attention: owners of the SKOR pedigree can also be recognized in the RKF. The dog must undergo testing in the form of three exhibitions and an assessment by three experts. If they do not notice any flaws, the owner will be given a registered RKF pedigree. With it you can participate in events, compete and even receive prizes - any, except for the Champion title.

Table. Types of pedigrees and their participation in events.

Beware: fakes!

It is best to obtain evidence of the origin of the “bobby” directly from a representative. It is clear that in poultry markets or private individuals there is a high chance of getting defective offspring, even if they all claim to be purebred. It is also necessary to take into account that in Russia absolutely everything is forged, even people’s passports, let alone veterinary and canine papers. The original document contains all the necessary signatures and seals, is equipped with watermarks, a coat of arms and a hologram. Crude fakes are immediately visible; they have neither watermarks nor holograms. Such sellers rely either on complete laymen or careless owners who will not check anything. But sometimes there are more expensive fakes that even an expert cannot immediately distinguish from real ones.

Is it possible to fake a brand for a puppy?

Some swindlers, in pursuit of profit, are ready to go to great lengths, including forging the brand of puppies.

It should be remembered that the stigma of a one and a half month old puppy and an adult will vary greatly. As the animal grows older, the tattoo becomes blurred, and over the years it can be almost completely erased. If it was forged on a dog that is old enough, the brand will retain a bright and clear appearance - pay special attention to this when purchasing an animal.

A tattoo can tell more about a dog's age than anything else. The older she is, the paler her color becomes.
All clubs and nurseries have stud books or created digital databases where you can find its owner using the dog’s alphanumeric code. And ask him if this is really the same dog that belonged to him and whether it is worth making a dubious purchase.

Domestic pedigree of the dog

RKF (Russian Cynological Federation) offers the following algorithm of actions. When purchasing, do not forget to ask the seller for a puppy card of the established RKF sample. Keep in mind that when buying a dog on the market, you risk receiving some kind of piece of paper instead of an official document. But even if the card does not correspond to the sample, but belongs to one of the federations included in the RKF, feel free to go with it to the RKF, located in Moscow on Gostinichnaya Street, on the fifth floor of building No. 9. Reception is open from 10 to 19 hours on weekdays.

In the same building you can meet with a representative of the federation that issued your card. How much is a dog's pedigree worth? To obtain a regular pedigree you will have to pay from 150 to 300 rubles. You will give the completed card and at the appointed time you will come for the finished pedigree. If you live far from Moscow, you can buy a pedigree for a dog without coming to the capital. To do this, you will have to join a local club and register your pedigree through it, although such a procedure will take much more time.

It is recommended to begin the pedigree registration procedure when the puppy is 6 months old. By this time, as a rule, documents for both the parents and the litter itself have already been received by the RKF. But if you know that the documents are already there, you can start processing earlier. If any documents are missing, the puppy card is returned to the owner with the appropriate note.

Why do they put brands on puppies and dogs?

Puppies are branded so that they can be identified before breeding and compared with the data indicated in the pedigree.

Dog identification

Sometimes life situations arise when without a brand it would be quite difficult to recognize a dog. For example, using the brand code, you can easily find a specific puppy among its brothers and sisters. This is a huge plus for the buyer who has chosen this particular puppy and has already paid money for it.
A purebred dog may accidentally get lost or be stolen - and then evidence that it belongs to you will immediately become visible.

If it happens that the dog gets lost, then in your advertisements asking for its return you should not indicate its personal code, but only inform that it is available. This will help you find out whether your pet ended up in the hands of the finder, and whether the person is trying to fraudulently lure money out of you by knowing the stamp code.

However, a brand is not a panacea , and you shouldn’t delude yourself too much about the fact that a dog will be found based on it. Dog handlers are a different matter, but ordinary people are unlikely to see it at all. In addition, over the years it can become barely noticeable.
And if the owner is preparing his dog to participate in exhibitions , then the mark needs to be clear and clearly visible.

Pedigree is...

When planning to get a puppy, it is worth studying not only the characteristics of the desired breed, but also the nurseries that sell its representatives. Why nurseries with their sky-high prices? Yes, because when buying a puppy there, the owner will receive a real pedigree and will not find himself in the situation described above. It is unlikely that such an owner will have to think about how to check the dog’s pedigree in the future.

Let's start with the very concept of "pedigree". This is a document confirming the purebred of the animal. There are several types of pedigrees.

Chipping

Today, more and more often, kennel owners and dog owners not only brand, but also microchip their puppies. This procedure does not replace, but complements branding. So, a microchip is necessary if you are planning to travel with your pet to Europe, the USA and a number of other countries. In addition, it allows you to quickly identify the origin of the dog. This is especially true in the event of the loss of a pet.

It is, in fact, not easy to check a puppy’s brand from the database, in fact, to establish the authenticity of the code, and therefore the purity of the dog’s breed. Therefore, you should approach the choice of a breeder and nursery very carefully, especially if you are planning to purchase a show or breed class pet. Trust only trusted breeders who are willing to honestly and openly provide all the information you are interested in.

According to the application to the RKF

Is it possible to check the pedigree of a dog (RKF) using the brand number? We will talk about this below. Now let’s talk about such a moment as an application to the specified organization.

Attention! An application can be written only if the pet has the RKF mark, otherwise the owner will be denied consideration of his application.

The application can be submitted electronically on the official website of the RKF, but it is better to go to the organization and write it in person. Of course, this option is only suitable for residents of Moscow and the surrounding Moscow region. RKF is located at:

Moscow, st. Gostinichnaya, 9.

Documents for the dog required when purchasing it

When purchasing a dog, a purchase and sale agreement is drawn up between the future owner and the seller. A package of necessary documents is attached to it. These include:

puppy card;
veterinary passport;
pet's pedigree;
puppy inspection report;
the act of mating breeding dogs.

This video talks about how to get documents for an adult dog.

Puppy metrics (puppy card, “puppy”)

This is the main document that a puppy is required to purchase. The dog's metric contains detailed information:

puppy breed;
pet's name;
parents' nicknames;
parents' pedigrees;
color;
date of birth of the animal;
brand;
The buyer’s personal information is indicated in a special column – “puppy owner”.

In addition, you need to take into account some nuances.

The puppy's certificate must bear the seal of the kennel or club that issued the puppy.
The puppy's certificate must be issued in two copies. One of them will be in the hands of the dog’s owner, and the second will be transferred to the canine organization (RKF) to obtain a pedigree.

Pedigree of dogs

A dog's pedigree is an official document issued by the Russian Cynological Federation or a similar organization (for example, SKOR) when the puppy reaches six months of age. In RKF it can be obtained until the dog is 15 months old. The pedigree is provided on the basis of the mating certificate, the puppy inspection certificate, as well as the pedigrees of the parents.

The pedigree contains the following information:

date of birth of the pet;
nickname;
breed;
color;
information about the puppy's owner;
breeder;
information about parents up to 3-4 generations indicating nicknames, grades, diplomas.

The act of mating breeding dogs

This is a document that confirms the fact of mating of a male and female. It contains information about the mating date, the names of the dogs' owners and the mating conditions. The mating act is drawn up in triplicate with the obligatory signatures of both parties. One of them will be kept at the place of registration of mating, and the other two will be kept by the owners of breeding dogs.

The act of breeding dogs is a mandatory document; without it, it will be impossible to certify the future litter.

Puppies inspection report (certification)

Within no more than one and a half months from the date of birth of the puppy, it must be given a nickname officially registered in the organization. After this, specialists draw up an inspection report for the puppy in the form of a description of the litter on a standard form. It indicates such parameters as color, characteristics of a particular breed, physical development and diseases and behavioral characteristics.

This video talks about how much it costs to get documents for a dog and how to avoid scammers.

Veterinary passport

After purchasing a puppy, the necessary action is to visit a veterinary clinic to obtain a veterinary passport. This document will contain information about the vaccinations performed (name of the vaccine and date of vaccination). It also contains information about the pet (name, breed and age).

A veterinary passport is an international document; it is required when transporting a puppy, when participating in exhibitions or competitions. It reflects the pet’s health status and all veterinary actions in relation to it.

If you have questions regarding paperwork for a dog, ask them in the comments to this article.

It is impossible to live without documents in the twenty-first century, and not only for people, but also for dogs. For mongrel “bobbies” who do not claim a pennant or title, ordinary certificates and a veterinary passport are enough. Others are required to confirm their family tree. That is why the question of how to get documents for a dog arises sooner or later for everyone who has decided to have a four-legged friend.

Following the example of human children, a puppy must have a special metric, which, when it reaches a certain age, will be replaced with a full-fledged, “adult” document with official genealogies. The card also indicates all the features of a particular representative of the breed. If fundamental deficiencies are identified, it is necessary to make a note that the individual does not represent breeding value.

The card contains basic information about the puppy:

Attention: in addition to the data, it is important to study stamps and signatures. The card must have a stamp and the full name of the institution where it was received, as well as the data (signature with transcript) of the official.

The top and bottom of a document serve different purposes. What is above the cut line is then transferred to the Russian Cynological Federation. The bottom form remains with the owner. It is important not to lose a copy, because if the official pedigree is lost, it will only be possible to restore it using it. You will also need it when registering for the exhibition. But only until the dog turns one year and three months old - from that moment on, the “puppy” is invalid. Until this moment, it must be exchanged for a full-fledged pedigree. No one bothers you to do it later if you failed to attend to the issue in time, but being late is fraught with a fine.

Filling rules

Like any other identification document, the metric must be filled out correctly. All words are written in full, in legible printed letters. It should be remembered that as an RKF employee understands this or that word, he will then write it in the pedigree.

Actually, very little is required from the owner:

provide your passport information and address;
remember the index of your place of residence.

The latter must fit in; without the index, they won’t take the “puppy.”

Is it possible to make documents without a puppy card?

Metrica is a guarantee of a smooth receipt of an adult document in the future. Without a card, you will only be able to obtain a registered pedigree. It confirms the fact of belonging to the breed, but you can forget about exhibitions and prizes.