AKC Marketplace

AKC Marketplace Review:

The American Kennel Club has been the go-to source for all things dog-related since the late 1800s. This non-profit, not only registers pure-bred dogs, it provides information about care, feeding, training and breeding.

If you want to advertise a litter of puppies for sale, the AKC Marketplace is also a great place to find dog enthusiasts who are willing to pay top-dollar for purebreds.

Puppy mills

However, buyers should realize that selling on the AKC Marketplace means that this breeder offers purebred dogs. It does not have anything to do with whether or not this is a “high-volume” breeder — a.k.a. puppy mill. If you want to avoid puppy mills, you need to do more research and stick with breeders that you know and trust.

The AKC does offer breeder badges, which indicate whether a breeder is subject to regular health inspections and adheres to certain best practices in terms of animal care. That’s a good start.

But good breeders are also interested in the continuing welfare of their dogs. Ask prospective breeders whether they have references — dog owners, who are willing to talk about the animals they’ve purchased from this breeder in the past. A good breeder should not be averse to providing names and phone numbers of past clients.

If you’re considering a puppy purchase, make some phone calls. Be sure to ask about the dog’s health on arrival, as well as whether the dogs have congenital ailments that show up later, such as hip dysplasia.

Cost to list

AKC Marketplace allows breeders to advertise purebred litters. Costs are based on membership plans, which can be purchased monthly, annually or for a single litter.

Single-litter advertisements are $35. However, if you are a professional breeder, the monthly or annual listings are a better deal, providing unlimited listings, as well as questionnaires to pre-screen buyers. The monthly plan costs $25 to register, plus $12 per month; the annual plan is $119.

Although you can advertise more cheaply elsewhere, the AKC imprimatur provides a valuable stamp of approval for your puppies and is likely to bring serious buyers willing to pay real money for your breed.

Other services

The AKC Marketplace also has listings for dog grooming and trainers.

Annual advertising plans for groomers cost $119; quarterly plans cost $49.

If you are “Canine Good Citizen” certified — you’ve got significant experience with dog-training and have been AKC certified, you can list your training services on the AKC site for free. However, there’s a $100 application fee to get the CGC certification.

Recommendations

This is a great site to list puppies for sale. However, if you offer grooming, training, dog walking or animal boarding, your better bet is Rover. Rover allows providers of pet services to list for free, putting up a profile and your rates for any and all services you offer. If you get a client through the site, they’ll collect the fees for you and subtract a 20% – 25% commission for their marketing and collection service.

Want to try AKC Marketplace?

Here’s a direct link to the AKC Marketplace site.

Updated 1/18/2023