Sometimes all it takes is logging on to our favourite social network to come across people looking for a puppy who make a point of saying they are not interested in a dog's pedigree… Regularly, if the page or group deals with pedigree dogs, endless debates break out, with decidedly aggressive tones directed at the uninformed user… But why does this happen? What is the ENCI pedigree, what is it for, and above all why is it so important? Let's find out together!
Why the pedigree of pedigree dogs matters
As we all know, there is no shortage of bad apples in this world! Faced with these kinds of requests, many dog lovers get upset — not, let's be clear, because they have anything against you personally, but because they are aware of certain dynamics in the murky underworld of the dog world. In fact, it is precisely these requests that fuel illegal breeding operations run by criminals, who profit not only from pedigree dogs but, in some cases, even steal dogs from their rightful owners for breeding purposes, and thrive on the ignorance of those people who want a pedigree dog without papers in order to save money.
For those who may not know, when news headlines report the stopping of lorries packed with pedigree puppies in pitiful conditions, they are talking about exactly these illegal breeding operations involved in the sale of puppies. It is an illegal market, fuelled by all those poorly informed people who either have no interest in a pedigree, or are only willing to spend very little on one — to the point of buying a forged one. Beyond the case just described, many other examples could be cited; some less dramatic, but all aimed at deceiving others.
What is the ENCI pedigree?
First of all, let's try to understand what a pedigree actually is… A dog's pedigree is a certificate of registration in the Studbooks issued by the ENCI (Ente Nazionale della Cinofilia Italiana). It records the dog's identifying details, its breed, its genealogy, and the personal details of the owner and/or breeder.
A dog's pedigree therefore makes it possible to know the date of birth, the parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and great-great-grandparents, and which of these was a beauty or working champion, in Italy or abroad. All of this information is then recorded in the pedigree database of the canine registry. In Italy, the canine pedigree contains less information compared to foreign ones, which include many additional details.
It is fair to say that today, the Italian pedigree, as it was conceived, does not represent a truly useful zootechnical document, since ENCI is unable to carry out all the checks necessary to verify the accuracy of the data submitted by breeders. Despite this, a dog's pedigree, when it is not the result of fraud, remains a very important document.
What is a dog's pedigree for?
First and foremost, we would like to stress that a dog's pedigree is not a certificate of nobility — meaning that a dog without one is in no way less "noble". The difference between the two — a dog with a pedigree and one without — is that the former can take part in beauty shows, dog exhibitions, and so on, while the latter will find no reputable breeder or private owner willing to use it for breeding. Even if the dog appears to be a pedigree breed by appearance alone, there is no verified guarantee that its genetic line is the correct one. It has indeed happened that breeders or unscrupulous individuals have sold dogs that appeared to be purebred to the naked eye, but which had in fact come from crosses between different breeds.
Anyone with a basic understanding of genetics knows perfectly well that a crossbreeding can produce a dog that closely resembles one of the parent breeds in appearance — but only in appearance, because in the next generation the crossbreeding between the two dogs will almost certainly become evident. A dog's pedigree is meant to act as a guarantee of selective breeding, certifying that a given puppy is, hypothetically, a German Shepherd because its parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and great-great-grandparents were or had been German Shepherds. Without this certification, a German Shepherd that appears purebred could have a Great Dane, a Collie, or some other combination of breeds — by now impossible to identify — somewhere in its ancestry.
Dog pedigree: Final thoughts
In conclusion, if you really do want to get a pedigree dog without papers, at least have the decency to avoid having it bred, as you could be in for some unpleasant surprises — since no one can guarantee that any resulting puppies will be purebred. Otherwise, if in any doubt, both for ethical reasons and for the sake of your wallet, think twice, and remember all those wonderful mixed-breed dogs that have absolutely nothing to envy in pedigree dogs.
If you have truly fallen in love with a particular breed, instead of buying a puppy from people who are untrustworthy or completely unknown to you, turn to reputable dog breeders or rescue organisations. You will find an abundance of pedigree dogs, with or without papers, that are being rehomed for a wide variety of reasons — including the difficulty of managing certain breed characteristics that initially seemed a perfect fit for the family.
