American Kennel Club Alternatives for Dog Sports
By Tania, Co-Founder of Happy Dog League Published November 11, 2026
The American Kennel Club isn’t the only place to compete with your dog. The United Kennel Club (UKC) also runs a full range of sports, and most sports have their own independent organizations too: UKI, USDAA, CPE and NADAC in agility, NACSW and USCSS in scent work, NADD and DockDogs in dock diving, the Barn Hunt Association, and many more for rally, herding, flyball, disc dog and tricks. Most of them welcome mixed breeds.
Each one has its own rules, scoring and feel, and none is better or worse. They’re simply different options, and plenty of handlers compete in more than one. Below you’ll find them by sport, with what each runs and who can enter, so you can see what’s out there for your dog.
All-Breed Registries That Run Dog Sports
AKC and UKC are the two US all-breed registries that run a full range of dog sports, from agility and obedience to scent work and coursing, and both take mixed breeds in their performance events.
| Organization | What it runs | Who can enter |
|---|---|---|
| AKC (American Kennel Club) | Agility, obedience, rally, scent work, Fast CAT, coursing, tracking, herding, tricks, conformation and more | Registered purebreds, plus mixed breeds and other dogs through Canine Partners, which asks that the dog be spayed or neutered before it competes |
| UKC (United Kennel Club) | Agility, obedience, rally, nosework, dock jumping, lure and precision coursing, weight pull, conformation and more | Registered purebreds in every event, and mixed breeds and unregistered dogs in performance events through a Performance Listing |
Other All-Breed Registries
Several other US registries register dogs of many breeds. They focus on registration and, for some, conformation shows, rather than sports like agility or rally.
| Organization | What it runs | Who can enter |
|---|---|---|
| ACA (American Canine Association) | Registration, plus sanctioned conformation shows and obedience, hunting, Schutzhund and French Ring trials | Purebreds with three or more generations of lineage |
| IABCA (International All Breed Canine Association) | Conformation shows for international titles | Breeds recognized by AKC, UKC and other kennel clubs, already registered with one of them |
| APRI (America’s Pet Registry) | Registration and conformation shows | Purebreds |
| Continental Kennel Club | Registration | Purebreds, mixed breeds and designer breeds |
Breed Clubs Open to All Dogs
ASCA is the club for one breed, the Australian Shepherd, but it opens most of its performance events to other breeds and mixes.
| Organization | What it runs | Who can enter |
|---|---|---|
| ASCA (Australian Shepherd Club of America) | Agility, obedience, rally, tracking, scent detection, dock jumping and stockdog (herding) | Aussies, plus other breeds and mixes in its performance events; other breeds need a QTracker number to earn titles |
Dog Agility Organizations
Agility has the most organizations to choose from. Every one uses jumps, tunnels and weaves, but the classes, the courses and the way titles are counted differ, so each one feels a little different.
| Organization | What it runs | Who can enter |
|---|---|---|
| AKC | Agility, including Time 2 Beat, FAST and Premier | Purebreds, and mixed breeds through Canine Partners |
| AKC ISC (International Sweepstakes Class) | International-style courses under rules based on the FCI’s, with no titles; dogs are placed on faults, then time | Any AKC dog, at any of its three levels |
| UKC | Agility | All dogs, mixed breeds through a Performance Listing; at least 15 months old |
| UKI (UK Agility International) | Agility, including Speedstakes | Any dog, pedigree or mixed; dog and owner both register with UKI; 18 months (15 for Nursery and Speedstakes) |
| USDAA (United States Dog Agility Association) | Agility, with Championship, Performance, Veterans and Intro programs; it also picks the US team for the IFCS world championships | Any dog, purebred or mixed, registered with USDAA; 15 to 18 months depending on the program |
| CPE (Canine Performance Events) | Agility, plus Canine Scent Sport and SpeedWay | Purebreds and mixed breeds with a CPE ID; 15 months for agility |
| NADAC (North American Dog Agility Council) | Agility only, with courses known for flow and distance between obstacles | Purebreds and mixed breeds registered with NADAC; 18 months (15 at Intro) |
| ASCA | Agility | Purebreds and mixed breeds; other breeds need a QTracker number to earn titles; 18 months for qualifying scores |
| TDAA (Teacup Dogs Agility Association) | Agility for small dogs, with obstacles scaled down and jumps from 2 to 16 inches | Any breed or mix 20 inches or under at the withers, registered with TDAA; from 12 months |
Obedience and Rally Organizations
Besides AKC, UKC and ASCA, several organizations run obedience and rally of their own, and some let you trial by video from home.
| Organization | What it runs | Who can enter |
|---|---|---|
| AKC | Obedience and rally, plus Rally Virtual by video | Purebreds, and mixed breeds through Canine Partners; Rally Virtual from 6 months |
| UKC | Obedience and rally obedience | All dogs, mixed breeds through a Performance Listing |
| ASCA | Obedience and rally | Aussies, and other breeds with a QTracker number; from 6 months in rally |
| WCRL (World Cynosport Rally Limited) | Rally | All dogs, purebred and mixed, registered with WCRL or USDAA (one registration works for both); classes from 6 months |
| CDSP (Companion Dog Sports Program) | Obedience, which it calls a fun style of obedience, where every dog starts at the first levels | Any breed or mix, including dogs with disabilities that aren’t in pain, with a CDSP number; from 6 months |
| C-WAGS | Obedience, rally, games and scent, at trials or by video | All dogs, including rescues and mixed breeds, registered with C-WAGS; 6 months (1 year for classes with jumps) |
| Cyber Rally-O | Rally by video only, the first video venue for rally obedience | All teams, including senior dogs and handlers or dogs with disabilities |
Scent Work and Nose Work Organizations
Scent work is open to dogs of every size and build, and almost every organization below welcomes mixed breeds. Some run container and vehicle searches, and others lean toward working-style hunts.
| Organization | What it runs | Who can enter |
|---|---|---|
| AKC | Scent Work | All dogs, purebred and mixed, with an AKC number; from 6 months |
| NACSW (National Association of Canine Scent Work) | K9 Nose Work trials, Odor Recognition Tests and Skills Challenges | All dogs; dog registered and handler a member; trials from 1 year, ORTs from 6 months |
| UKC | Nosework | All dogs, mixed breeds through a Performance Listing; built so dogs of any physical structure can take part |
| USCSS (United States Canine Scent Sports) | Scent work in four element classes plus games classes | All dogs over 6 months; free lifetime handler membership and a one-time dog registration |
| CPE | Canine Scent Sport | Purebreds and mixed breeds with a CPE ID; from 6 months |
| ASCA | Scent Detection, Novice through Champion | Purebreds and mixed breeds over 6 months; a QTracker number to earn titles |
| C-WAGS | Scent Detective, Ranger and Dasher series | Dogs registered with C-WAGS, from 6 months |
| PSD (Performance Scent Dogs) | Scent detection trials and titles | All breeds and mixed breeds; register to earn titles |
| NASDA (North American Sport Dog Association) | Working-style scent trials such as shed hunting, plus online titles for lost item recovery | Purebreds, mixed breeds and companion dogs |
Dock Diving Organizations
AKC doesn’t run dock diving itself, but it recognizes NADD titles, so a NADD title can show on your dog’s AKC record.
| Organization | What it runs | Who can enter |
|---|---|---|
| NADD (North America Diving Dogs) | Dock diving | All dogs, breed or mixed, altered or not, with a NADD registration (Try-It splashes don’t need one) |
| DockDogs | Big Air, Extreme Vertical, Speed Retrieve, Dueling Dogs and Iron Dog | All breeds, including mixed breeds; from 6 months; yearly membership to compete for rankings |
| UKC | Dock jumping | All dogs, mixed breeds through a Performance Listing |
| UAD (Ultimate Air Dogs) | Dock jumping events, Divisional Finals and titles | All breeds, mix or purebred; no registration with another organization needed |
| IDS (International Dog Sports) | Dock diving for distance, fetch and speed, plus disc and lure events | Dogs with an IDS registration number |
| ASCA | Dock jumping: Launch (distance) and Fetch It | Purebreds and mixed breeds over 6 months |
| UDD (United Dock Diving) | Long Jump, High Jump, Hang Time and Speed Jump, run by a group of facilities | See its website |
| D3 (Dogs Diving for Dollars) | A California dock diving series that tracks titles | Any dog of any breed, size or mix, from 6 months |
Lure Coursing and Racing Organizations
| Organization | What it runs | Who can enter |
|---|---|---|
| AKC | Fast CAT (a timed 100-yard dash) and Coursing Ability Tests | All dogs, purebred or mixed, at least 12 months old with an AKC number |
| UKC | Lure coursing, Coursing Aptitude Tests and Precision Coursing | Lure coursing is for sighthounds; aptitude tests and Precision Coursing are open to all dogs |
| ASFA (American Sighthound Field Association) | Lure coursing trials, plus an instinct program for other breeds | Trials for 17 sighthound breeds; the instinct program is open to other breeds and mixes from 12 months |
| CPE | SpeedWay, a speed division with hoops, tunnels and barrels, including Drag Race, a timed straight run behind a lure over 50 or 100 yards | Purebreds and mixed breeds with a CPE ID; from 12 months |
| NOTRA (National Oval Track Racing Association) | Oval track racing | Whippets and other sighthound breeds |
| LGRA (Large Gazehound Racing Association) | 200-yard straight racing, held through sighthound breed clubs | Sighthounds |
Herding Organizations
| Organization | What it runs | Who can enter |
|---|---|---|
| AKC | Herding tests and trials | About 45 listed herding breeds; 9 months for trials, 6 for instinct tests |
| AHBA (American Herding Breed Association) | Herding trials and the Junior Herding Dog program | All dogs from 9 months |
| ASCA | Stockdog trials | Herding breeds and herding crosses |
| USBCHA (United States Border Collie Handlers Association) | Sheepdog and cattledog trials with national finals | Built around working Border Collies |
Barn Hunt and Rat Sports
| Organization | What it runs | Who can enter |
|---|---|---|
| Barn Hunt Association | Barn Hunt; AKC and UKC can list its titles | Any dog of any size, breed or mix that fits through an 18-inch tunnel of bales; register before a licensed trial |
| Happy Ratters | An urban rat-search sport with 15 games | All breeds and mixed breeds, including deaf, blind, three-legged and wheelchair dogs; from 6 months |
Flyball Organizations
| Organization | What it runs | Who can enter |
|---|---|---|
| NAFA (North American Flyball Association) | Flyball | All dogs, including mixed breeds, with a racing number |
| U-FLI (United Flyball League International) | Flyball | Any breed, mix or size |
Disc Dog Organizations
| Organization | What it runs | Who can enter |
|---|---|---|
| UpDog Challenge | Disc games, and games that mix agility and disc | Any breed or mix, all ages and skill levels |
| Skyhoundz | A disc dog competition series with titles and a World Championship | See its website |
| USDDN (US Disc Dog Nationals) | Disc dog competitions and world qualifiers | See its website |
| AWI (Ashley Whippet Invitationals) | Toss-and-catch and freestyle competition with a World Championship | See its website |
Tricks, Treibball, Weight Pull and Tracking
| Organization | What it runs | Who can enter |
|---|---|---|
| AKC Trick Dog | Trick titles from Novice to Elite Performer, in person or by video | Any dog with an AKC number, including mixed breeds through Canine Partners; from 4 months |
| Do More With Your Dog! | Trick dog titles by video, up to Trick Dog Champion | Dogs of any breed; Trick Dog Champion from 6 months |
| NATE (National Association of Treibball Enthusiasts) | Treibball trials and video titles | Dogs and handlers at all levels |
| IWPA (International Weight Pull Association) | Weight pull, on wheels and on snow | All dogs, mixed breed or purebred |
| UKC | Weight pull | All dogs, mixed breeds through a Performance Listing |
| AKC and ASCA | Tracking tests and titles | AKC: any breed, mixed breeds through Canine Partners; ASCA: from 6 months |
Registering a Mixed Breed or Unregistered Dog
You don’t need a pedigree for most of these. AKC takes mixed breeds through Canine Partners (the dog needs to be spayed or neutered before it competes), UKC through a Performance Listing, and ASCA through a QTracker number. Most sport organizations give your dog its own number instead, like a CPE ID, a NADD registration or a USCSS dog registration, and some let you try a sport first without one.
Questions People Ask
What is the alternative to the American Kennel Club?
The United Kennel Club (UKC) is the other US all-breed registry that runs a full range of dog sports. For a single sport there are many independent organizations too, like UKI, USDAA, CPE and NADAC in agility, NACSW and USCSS in scent work, NADD and DockDogs in dock diving, and the Barn Hunt Association.
Can mixed breed dogs compete without AKC?
Yes. UKC takes mixed breeds through its Performance Listing, and UKI, USDAA, CPE, NADAC, NACSW, USCSS, NADD, DockDogs and the Barn Hunt Association are all open to mixed breeds. AKC also takes mixed breeds, through Canine Partners, as long as the dog is spayed or neutered.
Can my dog compete in more than one organization?
Yes. Each organization keeps its own titles and its own record, so a dog can be registered with several and earn titles in each. Many handlers do exactly that, picking the organizations that suit their dog and the trials near them.
Do I have to register my dog with each organization?
Usually, yes. Most give your dog its own number before it can earn titles, like a UKC Performance Listing, an ASCA QTracker number, a CPE ID or a NADD registration. Some let you try first without one, like Barn Hunt fun tests and NADD Try-It splashes.
Keep Every Organization’s Titles in One Place
When your dog competes in more than one organization, each one keeps its own record. Dog Title Tracker keeps them side by side on your dog’s profile, with AKC, UKC, UKI, CPE, ASCA, USDAA, NADAC, NADD and Barn Hunt titles each counted their own way. See every title tracker, or compare two side by side in UKC vs AKC and UKI vs AKC agility.
3 months free. Full access included. Then $5/month.
Each organization’s own website and rulebook is the official word on its rules, ages and registration, and they change from time to time, so check there before you enter. The links in the tables go to our tracker page for that organization where we have one.
Independent tracking note
Dog Title Tracker is an independent tracking tool. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or officially connected to any dog sport organization, registry, club, event provider, or governing body listed on this site.
The tracker is for personal tracking and organization. Users should always verify official points, qualifying scores, titles, awards, eligibility, and records directly with the appropriate organization.
About the Author
Tania, Co-Founder of Happy Dog League
Tania writes every article on the Dog Title Tracker blog. She started dog sports with Tucker in 2021 and now competes with Moose, a Miniature American Shepherd, in AKC, UKI, and ASCA agility. Together they also participate in Fast CAT, Barn Hunt, dock diving, and herding classes, and Rally is next on their list. Tania regularly attends seminars and workshops to keep learning about different dog sports and brings that firsthand experience to her writing and the title tracker.
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