Z-List
Creating  A
Z-List
Z-List










About Breeding Merle Cockers
Merle Cocker Coat Colors
Creation of a Z-List
 is a possibility to help determine what dogs that are registered with AKC are merles. 
Through the help of Patti Strand, (a Chairperson of the High Volume Breeders Committee at AKC,
co-author of the book, "The Hijacking Of The Humane Movement," published by Doral Publishing,
NAIA President, and AKC Conformation Judge) the Doberman fancy was instrumental in creating a 
Z-List regarding the issue with the white (albino) doberman and 
possible problems associated with it. 

WHAT IS A "Z" LIST?
A "Z" list is an AKC registration process that tracks colors of dogs not recognized by either the parent breed club or the AKC in a particular breed. 
 

Theoretically, a "Z" list would be a fair option to register merles as merle and not roan. All merles registered at the time the "Z" list went into effect would have a "Z" in the registration number. No need to add a color or pattern to AKC registration papers to identify them. However, the parent breed club would have to keep the statistics (which would be given by an AKC statistician twice yearly) and publish it on their web site ONLY until the first "Z" registered dog was no longer living. At that point, the "Z" list would be self-supporting and all merles would be identifiable by the "Z" registration 


Here is a mini history of what the DPCA did to implement the z-system. 
 

The first albino doberman to be AKC registered was whelped in 1976, but not registered until 1979. 

Sept. 1995-DPCA took the proposal to the AKC delegate body. 

November 1995, AKC board of directors approved a 
program to work with Parent Clubs to develop a tracking system to 
identify dogs of disqualifying colors on registration papers. 

October 1996-our z tracking system went into effect. 

  At this point the DPCA maintain the z list, 
which involves requesting twice yearly updates from one of the AKC statisticians. 
 These updates are necessary for a limited period of time due to the fact when the 
z list went into operation it wasn't done on a retroactive basis.  Only those animals 
registered after Oct. 1996 carry a z in the prefix of their registration number. 
Within a few years there will be no living animals carrying the albino gene who 
don't carry the z in their registration prefix who could possibly be 
reproducing...at that time the z tracking system will be  able to stand by itself 
without any maintenance on the part of the DPCA. 

While the Z is is appropriate, AKC STILL lists the white doberman as a color. 
AKC-#199
http://www.akc.org/breeds/doberman_pinscher/color_markings.cfm
It is not an allowed color, but it IS still listed.
So either way, ASC will still need to allow AKC to have merle as a listed pattern in order to create a Z list.