Giving all purebred dogs a chance to compete
The AKC, PAL and You
Many people have discovered the fun of teaming up with their dogs and competing in AKC Events. But, not all of those wonderful canine athletes that you see at these events are registered with the AKC. Some might be enrolled in the AKC’s Purebred Alternative Listing (PAL), a program that allows unregistered dogs of registrable breeds to compete in AKC Performance and Companion Events, as well as specific breeds in the FSS® Program that are eligible for Companion Events.
If you have a purebred dog that cannot be registered with the AKC and have a desire to see what your dog can do in real competition, a PAL number is your ticket to the world of AKC events and clubs!
The program that provides purebred dogs a second chance.
There are various reasons why a purebred dog might not be eligible for registration. The dog may be the product of an unregistered litter, or have unregistered parents. The dog’s papers may have been withheld by its breeder or lost by its owner. Sometimes, it is the dog itself that was “lost.” There are dogs enrolled in the PAL program after they have been rescued by new owners from shelters or purebred rescue groups. The PAL program allows the dog and owner a second chance at discovering the rewards of participating in AKC events.
All PAL dogs will receive.
- An Official Certificate that permanently records your dog’s name and place in history, and honors your participation in the PAL Program.
- One-year subscription to AKC Family Dog magazine which is published bimonthly and provides information for all dogs on Training and Behavior, Nutrition and Health, Good Grooming and Dogsport 101.
- Complimentary visit with a veterinarian in the AKC Veterinary Network.
- 30 Days of Pet Insurance Coverage for eligible veterinarian expenses.
What AKC events may a PAL dog participate in?
The Purebred Alternative Listing (PAL) program is designed to allow dogs to participate in AKC Companion and Performance Events. The AKC Events that a PAL dog can participate in are:
- Agility Trials (All Breeds)
- Canine Good Citizen (All Breeds)
- Coursing Ability (All Breeds)
- Earthdog Trials (Small Terriers and Dachshunds – eligible breeds)
- Farm Dog (All Breeds)
- Fast Cat (All Breeds)
- Fit Dog (All Breeds)
- Herding Tests and Trials (Herding Breeds and eligible breeds)
- Hunt Tests (Retriever Test-eligible breeds, Pointing Test – eligible breeds, Spaniel Test – eligible breeds)
- Junior Showmanship (All Breeds)
- Lure Coursing (Sighthounds – eligible breeds)
- Obedience Trials (All Breeds)
- Rally Trials (All Breeds)
- Scentwork (All Breeds)
- Title Recognition Program (All Breeds)
- Therapy Dog (All Breeds)
- Tracking Tests (All Breeds)
- Trick Dog (All Breeds)
- Temperament Test (All Breeds)
Once enrolled in the PAL program, entering AKC events is as easy as with a registrable dog. The only difference is that instead of an AKC registration number, you would list the dog’s PAL number on the Entry form.
How can you apply for a PAL number?
Applications for enrollment into the Purebred Alternative Listing can be downloaded or obtained by emailing PAL@akc.org. When requesting a form via email please include your name and current mailing address. Remember, PAL numbers can only be issued to AKC registrable breeds or FSS eligible breeds.
The following must be submitted with a completed PAL application:
- Two recent and clear color photographs of the dog – photo guidelines;
- Must be in PDF (or) JPEG format
- One full front view showing the facial characteristics of the dog;
- One view showing the full side profile of the dog standing on a flat surface (not grass).
(ALL PHOTOS SHOULD BE TAKEN AT EYE LEVEL IN A STANDING POSITION, INCLUDE THE WHOLE DOG IN THE PHOTO. DO NOT SHOOT DOWN ON THE DOG.)
- A non-refundable $35.00 application fee. If application is not approved it will automatically be converted to Canine Partner.
- Dogs must be at least 6 months old
- Dogs are required to be spayed/neutered. ***Proof is required***
- Name choices are limited to (36) characters. Spaces between words, apostrophes, and hyphens are counted.
- All Letters in a dog’s name are limited to the standard English alphabet. Diacritical markings (accent grave, accent acute, umlaut, etc) are not printed on the PAL certificate in the dog’s name.
- A Registered Kennel Name cannot be included in a dog’s name unless its use is authorized by the owner of the name.
- Roman numerals must not be included as the end of the dog’s name. The AKC reserves the right to assign roman numerals for identification purposes.
- Words and phrases that may not be included in a dog’s name:
- Champion, champ, sieger or any other AKC title or show term, either spelled out or abbreviated
- Obscenities and words derogatory to any race, creed or nationality or transliterations of such words
- Kennel(s), male, stud, sire, bitch, dam and female
- There are no restrictions on arabic (1, 2, 3), cardinal (one, two, three) and ordinal (first, second, third) numbers that are spelled out.
Once compiled, the completed PAL application along with the items listed above should be emailed to PAL@akc.org or mailed to:
The American Kennel Club/PAL
PO Box 900059
Raleigh, NC 27675-9059
Enrollment in the Purebred Alternative Listing program is not to be construed as an alternative form of registration, but rather, as a listing so that dogs who are ineligible for AKC registration may participate in AKC Companion and Performance Events. A PAL may be cancelled for cause.
For more information or questions about the PAL program contact PAL@akc.org.