“In the early part of the 1930s, UKC registered and trademarked with the United States Department of Commerce
the Purple Ribbon Pedigree. This pedigree is only offered by the United Kennel Club, Inc., and is the mark of the
United Kennel Club purebred dog. The Purple Ribbon designation is awarded to eligible dogs at birth by the
United Kennel Club and is signified in all UKC records by the letters ‘PR’ appearing before the dog’s name.
Purple Ribbon-bred dogs have six generations of known ancestors and all 14 ancestors within the last three
generations must be registered with UKC (indicated by all 14 ancestors having registration numbers). The
absence of a UKC registration number shows that there are some single-registered dogs in the pedigree and no
‘PR’ pedigree will be issued.
Breeders who wish to produce Purple Ribbon-bred puppies must either: breed Purple Ribbon-registered males to
Purple Ribbon-registered females, thereby assuring that the offspring will carry this prestigious designation; or
carefully research the pedigrees of potential sires and dams that are not Purple Ribbon bred. If an unregistered
ancestor is in the third generation of a sire or dam’s pedigree, it is possible for that sire or dam to produce a first
generation Purple Ribbon-bred litter. If one or more single-registered dogs appear in the first or second
generation of the sire or dam’s pedigree, the offspring will not be Purple Ribbon bred.
The registration certificates and pedigrees of Purple Ribbon-bred dogs bear the official ‘PR’. The ancestors of
Purple Ribbon-bred dogs can be traced for six generations and possibly more-perhaps to the foundation stock of
the breed.”