Continental Kennel Club’s Past,
Present, and Future
Mission Goals:
1. To provide dog owners with quality registration services for keeping track
of the ancestry and progeny of their dogs
2. To officially sanction and sponsor a variety of canine events for its club
members and their dogs
3. To provide canine-related services and products to its club members and
their dogs
These mission goals have been CKC’s guiding principles since its inception in
1991. CKC has worked diligently to adhere to its original goals and purposes
envisioned by its first president and founder, George O. Fontenot. In this
Inside CKC column, we would like to take our club
members through some CKC history so that they can better understand its past,
present, and future.
Continental Kennel Club has accomplished many goals since its first dog
registrations were received over 14 years ago. The first registered canine was
an American Eskimo, and the first kennel to begin using CKC for registration
services was a small kennel in Picayune, Mississippi. Following those initial
registrations, CKC’s goals and objectives have been realized resulting in the
establishment of a large registry for purebred, developmental, and miscellaneous
breed dogs; the creation of a system of performance events to evaluate, train,
and award dogs of merit in various CKC competitive events; and the publication
of valuable printed and electronic media relevant to dog owners and breeders.
In addition to the major goals CKC has accomplished, the organization has
continued to offer unique services and products to its club members – such as
picture registrations and pedigrees, website advertising, value-added programs
like the Gold Club Membership Program, a new information-filled quarterly
magazine, and a large selection of educational canine books for sale. Early on,
CKC envisioned a registry organization that would be directly responsive to its
club members, and CKC has worked hard over the years to follow that vision and
to provide new services and products to its club members. All persons with at
least one dog registered with Continental Kennel Club, and who are in
good-standing, are automatically considered club members.
After several years of successful operation, CKC began to receive inquiries
from its club members expressing a desire to participate in dog shows and
events. As the membership and customer database grew, so did the requests for
these shows and events. Although CKC had sponsored several field trials for
Beagles as early as 1999, it wasn’t until the year 2000 that Continental Kennel
Club began to plan dog events for its club members on a larger scale. In 2002,
CKC created an Events Department to develop those events in conjunction with CKC
Affiliate Clubs, which co-hosted events throughout the United States. An archive
of past events can be found on the website at www.ckcusa.com. At present, CKC is sanctioning
events in the following venues: obedience, agility, tracking, weight pulling,
and personal protection. Junior Handlers can also compete in obedience, agility,
and tracking for titles of achievement.
To carry out its various goals and purposes, CKC is divided
into departments which handle the many functions within the organization. The
Records Department receives, processes, and stores all of the incoming mail.
This is the largest department, handling over 2000 pieces of mail each day.
Canine records are recorded and processed within 5 working days from the time
they are received. Mail delivery to and from the office accounts for the
majority of time it takes to get the registrations back to the members.
The Customer Service Department handles all incoming phone calls, emails, and
written requests for literature and other services. Its dedicated team of phone
operators process from 700 to 1000 calls per day. Continental Kennel Club
maintains multiple rollover 800-number lines to insure that calls get through to
our operators as quickly as possible. Work hours are from 8:00am to 5:00pm
Central Time, Monday through Friday, except on major holidays.
The Research and Publishing Department is responsible for gathering
information about recognized breeds, developing breed standards, and publishing
relevant canine information for the magazine and website. They are also
responsible for the creation of all of literature and other documents, such as
registration certificates and pedigrees. Continental Kennel Club recognizes the
wealth of canine information contained in its membership and encourages its
members to contribute to information published by CKC.
The Events Department develops rules for the various performance events,
field trials, and dog sporting activities that are offered by CKC. Titles and
Certificates of Achievement are issued to CKC dog handlers, and canine-event
results are recorded by the Events Department and posted on the website. The
Events Department is also responsible for the planning and scheduling of CKC Fun
Days, Sanctioned Events, Training Sessions, Judges Conferences, and other
sponsored events. This department conducts monthly meetings to coordinate events
with Field Representatives, to review new types of proposed events, and to
discuss ways to improve the quality and number of events offered by CKC. The
Field Representatives meet with new CKC Affiliate Club officials and plan local
events for dog enthusiasts in their area. Yearly meetings are also conducted by
the Events Department in which CKC Affiliate Club officials are given the
opportunity to review current rules for each event, vote on proposed changes,
and present them to Continental Kennel Club for approval.
There is one more department that deserves special recognition – the
Technical Services Department. The competent staff of computer and technology
personnel keeps track of all information that is received in office
headquarters. They are responsible for network administration of over 30
employees, maintenance of customer and canine databases, website hosting,
in-house phone and internet services, and all printing at CKC. To their credit,
there is only a minimal amount of computer downtime - about 2 hours per month on
average. Thanks to their hard work and dedication, CKC staff and personnel
rarely experience delays in work production.
Continental Kennel Club has been in business since 1991 and was incorporated
in 1995. As one of the largest registration organizations in the United States,
CKC is poised to reach into the dog world and provide a variety of exciting
activities for dog owners and their canines. CKC is driven by market demands of
dog owners, and will continue to seek new and innovative ways for people and
their dogs to participate in sponsored activities. CKC will also continue to
strive to make its registration processes more efficient and economical to dog
breeders. Continental Kennel Club wants all of its members to feel as though
they are part of an organization that is conscientious, responsible and
accountable to them.
CKC will continue to create and establish new affiliate clubs for individuals
to train their dogs and prepare them for CKC dog sports and activities. More
training sessions will be offered to club members so that they can be effective
in basic obedience and agility skills. Club members are encouraged to get
involved with a local CKC affiliate club so that they can meet regularly with
other dog owners and participate in these training sessions. CKC will also
continue to provide practical information to its breeders to help them produce
healthier puppies and provide them with accurate record-keeping procedures.
Continental Kennel Club supports the belief that dogs should be functioning
and performing according to all the special purposes they were created for, and
that dog owners should actively participate in developing their dog’s unique
skills. CKC will continue to give breeders and dog owners the tools needed to
develop and nurture that special bond that exists between humans and canines.
When this kind of relationship is pursued, both man and his canine friends reap
the benefits of a rewarding life together.