Registered Puppies and Registered Breeders
A breeders dogs should first and foremost be pets and companions
What does Kennel Club Registered mean?
Dogs or puppies are often described as "Registered,
"KC registered" or "Kennel Club Registered" and
such registration is sometimes taken to indicate an assurance of quality
or high high breeding standards. However registration alone means no
such thing. Any dog or bitch is entitled to be registered with The Kennel
Club if both its' parents were so registered and provided that both
parents were of the same breed. So that whilst Kennel Club Registration
may be taken as documentary evidence that a dog is pure bred (i.e. both
parents were officially of the same breed) it grantees nothing in terms
of conformation, temperament, health, type or good breeding. Indeed
most puppy farmers and pet shops will provide KC (Kennel Club) Registration
for puppies they are selling wholesale (although the validity may be
at best doubtful) and sadly The Kennel Club is willing to accept such
registrations in return for the registration fee.
The Kennel Club does have some minimum requirements with regard to the
treatment of breeding bitches so that registrations will not normally
be accepted for puppies born to bitches over 8 years of age or under
12 months of age, nor will more than 6 litters be accepted for registration
from any one bitch. Until recently no more than one litter would be
registered as being born to a bitch in any 12 month period - sadly this
has now been relaxed which must be backward step in dog welfare.
If you are seeking a pure bred dog, KC Registration
will on paper at least, provide proof of breed but nothing more, the
task of finding a healthy, well adjusted, well bred and carefully reared
puppy is a matter of research, recommendation and to some extent good
luck.
Kennel Club registration is indicative
of pure bred dogs
The Working Register
In Great Britain most (but not all) canine sports
and hobbies such as Working Trials, Field Trials, Agility and Obedience
are controlled and regulated by The Kennel Club, these sports are not
breed specific and are enjoyed by pure bred, cross bred and mongrel
dogs alike. Since only Kennel Club Registered dogs are allowed to compete
in most Kennel Club licensed events The Kennel Club maintains a separate
register of non pure bred dogs, that is to say dogs who have no documentation
to prove that they are pure bred or which are clearly cross breeds or
mongrels. Any dog of any breeding can be added to the Working Register
and therefore be legally described as Kennel Club Registered even though
they are not pure bred. It is is worth checking whether puppies described
are "Kennel Club Registered" are registered on the Breed Register
or The Working Register.
Any dog of mixed parentage can be
included on the Kennel
Club Working Register and described as "KC Registered"
Other Kennel Clubs
In recent years advertisements have appeared offering alternative registration with other "kennel clubs". There is nothing illegal about setting up a register of dogs - any individual can choose to do so however there is scope for confusion where puppies are advertised as "Kennel Club Registered" and this is taken by perspective buyers to mean registered with The Kennel Club when in fact it simply means registered on an unrecognised list held by a private individual. Abuse may occur when puppies registered on these lists are produced from very young or very old bitches, where several litters a year are registered from one bitch or where breeders banned for severe misconduct from registering puppies with The Kennel Club use these lists to misleadingly advertise puppies as "Kennel Club Registered" or "Registered". It is also important to remember that since only puppies whose parents are registered with The Kennel Club are eligible for Registration on The Kennel Club Breed Register, if you breed from a dog or bitch registered on The Kennel Club Working Register or registered with an alternative "kennel club" you will not be able to register the puppies on The Kennel Club Breed Register.
Other Recognised Registers.
For some very few breeds there are separate officially recognised registers apart from The Kennel Club, one of these, the ISDS or International Sheep Dog Society is the original and largest register of Border Collies in the world. The registration criteria of the ISDS are similar to those of The Kennel Club in that puppies are entitled to be registered with the ISDS if both their parents were registered with the ISDS. Because the ISDS is principally concerned with working Border Collies, registration is also extended to "working sheepdogs" (unregistered border collie type dogs or border collies who were not registered with the ISDS as pups) who show outstanding shepherding abilities, such Registration On Merit (ROM) is very difficult to achieve and indicates exceptional working ability. All Border Collies registered with the ISDS are eligible to be registered on The Kennel Club Breed Register for Border Collies, however a border collie who is registered only with the Kennel Club is not automatically eligible for registration with the ISDS.
The ISDS provides the oldest and largest registry for Border Collies
What is a Licensed Breeder?
A Licensed Breeder or Registered Breeder is a
breeder who has been granted a license to breed dogs by their local
authority. Unfortunately local authorities vary very widely in their
diligence where animal welfare is concerned, although there are basic
Countrywide regulations these provide for a very poor minimum standard
of care and the rigour with which even these are enforced varies enormously.
Some local authorities are very strict, granting licenses to only those
breeders whose standards are exemplary whilst others license puppy farms,
pet shop sales and "backyard" breeds.
A Licensed Breeder will be inspected once or twice year, is required
to maintain proper records of their breeding bitches and of litters
they breed. The maximum number of litters that a Licensed Breeder can
breed in one year will be set by the local authority as is the number
of breeding bitches they are permitted to keep. The Law requires that
anyone who breeds more than 4 litters a year must be licensed by their
local authority, however a local authority has the discretion to require
anyone who breeds even one litter to be licensed. Most Licensed Breeders
are not "professional" breeders but breed enthusiasts who
may also be involved in showing, working or training their dogs. Unfortunately
buying a puppy from a Licensed Breeder may or may not indicate good
breeding standards it just depends upon the standards set by the local
authority.
Points to Remember
- If you are buying a pure bred puppy check that your puppy will be Kennel Club Registered.
- Ask sepcifically whether the puppy will be registered with The Kennel Club rather than an alternative list or register.
- If you are seeking a pure bred puppy check that Kennel Club registered means The Kennel Club Breed Register and not The Kennel Club Working Register.
- If you are buying a pure bred Border Collie it may be registered with the ISDS rather than the Kennel Club but should be registered with one or the other.
| Back to previous "Finding a Puppy" page | On to next "Finding a Puppy" page |
| Who Breeds Dogs | Health of the Bitch |