crop. To clip off the top of a puppy's ears to make them stand erect; illegal in some countries.

dock. To shorten a puppy's tail by cutting off a portion.

dog. Strictly speaking, a male canine.

feathering. Long fringes of hair on the ears, legs, and tail of some dogs.

kennel. A place where dogs are bred and boarded.

license. Permission by a government agency enabling anyone to keep a dog; usually requires a fee.

mongrel. A dog whose parents were not of the same breed.

mutt. Another name for a mongrel.

pedigree. A listing of the names of a dog's recent ancestors.

purebred. A dog whose parents and other ancestors were all of the same breed.

registration papers. Proof that the names of a purebred and its parents are on record at a dog registry, such as the American Kennel Club (AKC).