I hope this is the right place for this thread: I was wondering if some of you would mind sharing your story of when you decided to register your own affix. Was it early on in your 'dog career' or after you'd got well underway with making up your dog? Did you contact your dog's breeder to let them know as a courtesy beforehand?

I ask because I've shown my dog(s) with some reasonable results at open and champ shows for the last year, and my lovely sons (who think I'm mad for showing dogs) have offered to pay the registration fee as a birthday present. Any advice appreciated, thank you!

I got mine for a bit of fun, i suppose when your showing its good and nice to have your own name on your dogs :) i named mine after my nieces.

I got mine when I decided to breed,I got my first choice out of 6, I like that you can look at a pedigree and link the affix with the person who bred the dog, then affix at the end let's you know who owns the dog now.

There is one breeder in my breed who would have 4-6 litters in each breed supplement, she doesn't have an affix so it is only there you the numbers she is producing because the names on the pedigree don't jump out at you. This same breeder sold 2 litters to someone in the USA, that breeder kept 2 out of each litter and sold the rest for a high price because they were from the UK.

When I decided I was going to breed - I love hearing my affix at agility shows :-) Do you mean about the affix? I spoke with my breeders about breeding and they were very supportive.  The breeder of my shep knew I wanted to breed from her if she was good enough, my collie's breeder also very supportive.  I bought my 2 shelties from the same person and she's also very supportive.  I didn't consult with them about the affix.  I think it's great that it marks my dogs out although most of the dogs I currently run aren't under my affix :-( must sort that!

I got my Affix after my 1st litter(89) but before my 2nd litter(92). I thought it was the next step to my breeding plan. I had been showing for at least 6 years before my litter & chose the affix my mother was going to apply for, way back when you had to win in a certain class, at champ shows before you were able to get an affix(roughly 20 years earlier).
I know lots who have an affix who only keep males which to my way of thinking is a bit odd & not used to its best advantage but their choice I suppose.

that's the thing, I have three dogs at the moment, two of whom are shown. I am hoping to acquire a bitch next year, but nothing is certain because I am waiting for the right bitch from certain lines, and I might never breed a litter. I know a few people with affixes who are 'dogs only'--am I jumping the gun then?

> am I jumping the gun then?

I think it is entirely up to you :)  If it will give you pleasure to have your chosen name attached to the dog you own and show, why not? 
I got mine when I started to breed by the way.  I had owned two dogs before that and did not bother but, like I say, it is entirely a personal decision whether you want to.

I got mine when I decided to breed my first litter. My bitch was 2 years old and my partner and I wanted a name that was ours. I've only bred 5 litters but it is nice to see my own affix on the pedigrees. I know people who only have males who have their own affixes, just so that people know who they are owned by.

>am I jumping the gun then?

No, if you want to have an affix then go ahead, you might not get the first name you want and it could take a while to get one you like. Just be prepared to pay for an affix you may not use for a couple of years. ;-)

> Just be prepared to pay for an affix you may not use for a couple of years. ;-)

the affix can be added to the existing dogs so it can be used. I have added mine to my existing dogs. you don't have to breed to have an affix

I didn't get one till I got a bitch to breed, kind of wish I had as my first dog won a CC and so had a SBN and couldn't have my affix added on when I did get one, but it didn't really matter. I do know people who only show dogs but have an affix, and even my Yankee who I never show has had my affix added so he's part of the family. :-)

I got my Affix purely so people could identify my dogs as mine when in the ring, and I'm so glad I did. If you are currently doing well with your dogs I would suggest you make your mind up soon as once they win their Stud Book Number an affix cannot be added.
Paula xx

I got mine just before I got my first 'show dog' Melvin. I got it because I knew what I wanted it to be, so didn't want to wait until I might breed a litter in case someone else took it (I now know that would have been unlikely). Judging by Lab people, it's not unusual to get one when you only have males.

You know what I think you should get :-D

Edited to add: even my purely pet dogs have had it on their names too, it just feels right!

> Edited to add: even my purely pet dogs have had it on their names too, it just feels right!

Thank you for adding that!
It makes me feel less mad for staying awake at night thinking about registering an affix, even though I don't have any KC reg dogs at present (but both could be put on Activity if I wanted to). They're obviously not show dogs; they'd be worse than useless at dog sports; and I'll never be able to afford to breed...(my present ones are neutered anyways) but glad someone else also likes the idea of making them part of the family in that way :)

When I was planning my first litter. Personally I don't see the point in having one for any other reason. I also don't like adding affixes to dogs that already have been shown for years and hence never did it with my foundation bitch even though I could have done as I got my affix before she got her stud book number.  Also I don't ever add my affix to the end of a name if that dog has already been bred from and therefore already exists in pedigrees -nothing more confusing than dogs that exists in pedigrees under more than one name! (One of my bitches was originally on breeding terms and had a litter before she was registered in my name.) Oh and I don't add it to pet dogs so my Cavalier and Golden haven't had it added. I see no point at all if they are never going to be shown or bred from -and the cost would feed all my dogs for a week or two! :)

I don't have a problem with affixes being added to dogs bought in (as opposed to some people in the cat fancy where it has been discussed and some people say they would never sell a kitten to somebody if they had plans to add their own prefix to the name) -but let's face it, it CAN be extremely confusing. It's not uncommon for adult dogs to be sold on and I know of many that have a PREVIOUS owner's affix on the end of the name -so all it tells you is who USED to own it.

I applied for mine when I got my first serious show dog, people tend to remember dogs names & affix's before peoples names lol

Plus it links every dog you own or bred to you so when people look at a pedigree in years to come they see "Doggy Dog 1 at Affix" or "Affix Doggy Dog 2"

There is no need to tell the breeder you are adding an affix but you can if you'd like. :)

Thanks everyone, that really helps...I think :-)! As always,  raising an issue like this ends up with responses that cover details I wouldn't have picked up on, so thank you all for sharing...maybe 2012 will be the year I finally go for it!