diff --git a/client/src/components/DogForm.jsx b/client/src/components/DogForm.jsx
index 24b6f24..34a2b20 100644
--- a/client/src/components/DogForm.jsx
+++ b/client/src/components/DogForm.jsx
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import { useState, useEffect } from 'react'
-import { X, Award } from 'lucide-react'
+import { X, Award, ExternalLink } from 'lucide-react'
 import axios from 'axios'
 
-function DogForm({ dog, onClose, onSave }) {
+function DogForm({ dog, onClose, onSave, isExternal = false }) {
   const [formData, setFormData] = useState({
     name: '',
     registration_number: '',
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ function DogForm({ dog, onClose, onSave }) {
     dam_id: null,
     litter_id: null,
     is_champion: false,
+    is_external: isExternal ? 1 : 0,
   })
   const [dogs, setDogs] = useState([])
   const [litters, setLitters] = useState([])
@@ -24,9 +25,14 @@ function DogForm({ dog, onClose, onSave }) {
   const [useManualParents, setUseManualParents] = useState(true)
   const [littersAvailable, setLittersAvailable] = useState(false)
 
+  // Derive effective external state (editing an existing external dog or explicitly flagged)
+  const effectiveExternal = isExternal || (dog && dog.is_external)
+
   useEffect(() => {
-    fetchDogs()
-    fetchLitters()
+    if (!effectiveExternal) {
+      fetchDogs()
+      fetchLitters()
+    }
     if (dog) {
       setFormData({
         name: dog.name || '',
@@ -41,6 +47,7 @@ function DogForm({ dog, onClose, onSave }) {
         dam_id: dog.dam?.id || null,
         litter_id: dog.litter_id || null,
         is_champion: !!dog.is_champion,
+        is_external: dog.is_external ?? (isExternal ? 1 : 0),
       })
       setUseManualParents(!dog.litter_id)
     }
@@ -104,9 +111,10 @@ function DogForm({ dog, onClose, onSave }) {
       const submitData = {
         ...formData,
         is_champion: formData.is_champion ? 1 : 0,
-        sire_id: formData.sire_id || null,
-        dam_id: formData.dam_id || null,
-        litter_id: useManualParents ? null : (formData.litter_id || null),
+        is_external: effectiveExternal ? 1 : 0,
+        sire_id: effectiveExternal ? null : (formData.sire_id || null),
+        dam_id: effectiveExternal ? null : (formData.dam_id || null),
+        litter_id: (effectiveExternal || useManualParents) ? null : (formData.litter_id || null),
         registration_number: formData.registration_number || null,
         birth_date: formData.birth_date || null,
         color: formData.color || null,
@@ -133,10 +141,31 @@ function DogForm({ dog, onClose, onSave }) {
     <div className="modal-overlay" onClick={onClose}>
       <div className="modal-content" onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}>
         <div className="modal-header">
-          <h2>{dog ? 'Edit Dog' : 'Add New Dog'}</h2>
+          <h2>
+            {effectiveExternal && <ExternalLink size={18} style={{ marginRight: '0.4rem', verticalAlign: 'middle', color: 'var(--text-muted)' }} />}
+            {dog ? 'Edit Dog' : effectiveExternal ? 'Add External Dog' : 'Add New Dog'}
+          </h2>
           <button className="btn-icon" onClick={onClose}><X size={24} /></button>
         </div>
 
+        {effectiveExternal && (
+          <div style={{
+            margin: '0 0 1rem',
+            padding: '0.6rem 1rem',
+            background: 'rgba(99,102,241,0.08)',
+            border: '1px solid rgba(99,102,241,0.25)',
+            borderRadius: 'var(--radius)',
+            fontSize: '0.875rem',
+            color: 'var(--text-secondary)',
+            display: 'flex',
+            alignItems: 'center',
+            gap: '0.5rem',
+          }}>
+            <ExternalLink size={14} />
+            External dog — not part of your kennel roster. Litter and parent fields are not applicable.
+          </div>
+        )}
+
         <form onSubmit={handleSubmit} className="modal-body">
           {error && <div className="error">{error}</div>}
 
@@ -221,69 +250,71 @@ function DogForm({ dog, onClose, onSave }) {
             </div>
           </div>
 
-          {/* Parent Section */}
-          <div style={{
-            marginTop: '1.5rem', padding: '1rem',
-            background: 'rgba(194, 134, 42, 0.04)',
-            borderRadius: '8px',
-            border: '1px solid rgba(194, 134, 42, 0.15)'
-          }}>
-            <label className="label" style={{ marginBottom: '0.75rem', display: 'block', fontWeight: '600' }}>Parent Information</label>
+          {/* Parent Section — hidden for external dogs */}
+          {!effectiveExternal && (
+            <div style={{
+              marginTop: '1.5rem', padding: '1rem',
+              background: 'rgba(194, 134, 42, 0.04)',
+              borderRadius: '8px',
+              border: '1px solid rgba(194, 134, 42, 0.15)'
+            }}>
+              <label className="label" style={{ marginBottom: '0.75rem', display: 'block', fontWeight: '600' }}>Parent Information</label>
 
-            {littersAvailable && (
-              <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: '1.5rem', marginBottom: '1rem', flexWrap: 'wrap' }}>
-                <label style={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: '0.5rem', cursor: 'pointer', fontSize: '0.95rem' }}>
-                  <input type="radio" name="parentMode" checked={!useManualParents}
-                    onChange={() => setUseManualParents(false)} style={{ width: '16px', height: '16px' }} />
-                  <span>Link to Litter</span>
-                </label>
-                <label style={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: '0.5rem', cursor: 'pointer', fontSize: '0.95rem' }}>
-                  <input type="radio" name="parentMode" checked={useManualParents}
-                    onChange={() => setUseManualParents(true)} style={{ width: '16px', height: '16px' }} />
-                  <span>Manual Parent Selection</span>
-                </label>
-              </div>
-            )}
+              {littersAvailable && (
+                <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: '1.5rem', marginBottom: '1rem', flexWrap: 'wrap' }}>
+                  <label style={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: '0.5rem', cursor: 'pointer', fontSize: '0.95rem' }}>
+                    <input type="radio" name="parentMode" checked={!useManualParents}
+                      onChange={() => setUseManualParents(false)} style={{ width: '16px', height: '16px' }} />
+                    <span>Link to Litter</span>
+                  </label>
+                  <label style={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: '0.5rem', cursor: 'pointer', fontSize: '0.95rem' }}>
+                    <input type="radio" name="parentMode" checked={useManualParents}
+                      onChange={() => setUseManualParents(true)} style={{ width: '16px', height: '16px' }} />
+                    <span>Manual Parent Selection</span>
+                  </label>
+                </div>
+              )}
 
-            {!useManualParents && littersAvailable ? (
-              <div className="form-group" style={{ marginTop: '0.5rem' }}>
-                <label className="label">Select Litter</label>
-                <select name="litter_id" className="input"
-                  value={formData.litter_id || ''} onChange={handleChange}>
-                  <option value="">No Litter</option>
-                  {litters.map(l => (
-                    <option key={l.id} value={l.id}>
-                      {l.sire_name} x {l.dam_name} - {new Date(l.breeding_date).toLocaleDateString()}
-                    </option>
-                  ))}
-                </select>
-                {formData.litter_id && (
-                  <div style={{ marginTop: '0.5rem', fontSize: '0.875rem', color: 'var(--primary)', fontStyle: 'italic' }}>
-                    ✓ Parents will be automatically set from the selected litter
+              {!useManualParents && littersAvailable ? (
+                <div className="form-group" style={{ marginTop: '0.5rem' }}>
+                  <label className="label">Select Litter</label>
+                  <select name="litter_id" className="input"
+                    value={formData.litter_id || ''} onChange={handleChange}>
+                    <option value="">No Litter</option>
+                    {litters.map(l => (
+                      <option key={l.id} value={l.id}>
+                        {l.sire_name} x {l.dam_name} - {new Date(l.breeding_date).toLocaleDateString()}
+                      </option>
+                    ))}
+                  </select>
+                  {formData.litter_id && (
+                    <div style={{ marginTop: '0.5rem', fontSize: '0.875rem', color: 'var(--primary)', fontStyle: 'italic' }}>
+                      ✓ Parents will be automatically set from the selected litter
+                    </div>
+                  )}
+                </div>
+              ) : (
+                <div className="form-grid" style={{ marginTop: '0.5rem' }}>
+                  <div className="form-group">
+                    <label className="label">Sire (Father)</label>
+                    <select name="sire_id" className="input"
+                      value={formData.sire_id || ''} onChange={handleChange}>
+                      <option value="">Unknown</option>
+                      {males.map(d => <option key={d.id} value={d.id}>{d.name}{d.is_champion ? ' ✪' : ''}</option>)}
+                    </select>
+                  </div>
+                  <div className="form-group">
+                    <label className="label">Dam (Mother)</label>
+                    <select name="dam_id" className="input"
+                      value={formData.dam_id || ''} onChange={handleChange}>
+                      <option value="">Unknown</option>
+                      {females.map(d => <option key={d.id} value={d.id}>{d.name}{d.is_champion ? ' ✪' : ''}</option>)}
+                    </select>
                   </div>
-                )}
-              </div>
-            ) : (
-              <div className="form-grid" style={{ marginTop: '0.5rem' }}>
-                <div className="form-group">
-                  <label className="label">Sire (Father)</label>
-                  <select name="sire_id" className="input"
-                    value={formData.sire_id || ''} onChange={handleChange}>
-                    <option value="">Unknown</option>
-                    {males.map(d => <option key={d.id} value={d.id}>{d.name}{d.is_champion ? ' ✪' : ''}</option>)}
-                  </select>
                 </div>
-                <div className="form-group">
-                  <label className="label">Dam (Mother)</label>
-                  <select name="dam_id" className="input"
-                    value={formData.dam_id || ''} onChange={handleChange}>
-                    <option value="">Unknown</option>
-                    {females.map(d => <option key={d.id} value={d.id}>{d.name}{d.is_champion ? ' ✪' : ''}</option>)}
-                  </select>
-                </div>
-              </div>
-            )}
-          </div>
+              )}
+            </div>
+          )}
 
           <div className="form-group" style={{ marginTop: '1rem' }}>
             <label className="label">Notes</label>
@@ -294,7 +325,7 @@ function DogForm({ dog, onClose, onSave }) {
           <div className="modal-footer">
             <button type="button" className="btn btn-secondary" onClick={onClose} disabled={loading}>Cancel</button>
             <button type="submit" className="btn btn-primary" disabled={loading}>
-              {loading ? 'Saving...' : dog ? 'Update Dog' : 'Add Dog'}
+              {loading ? 'Saving...' : dog ? 'Update Dog' : effectiveExternal ? 'Add External Dog' : 'Add Dog'}
             </button>
           </div>
         </form>