Most reputable breeders in the UK will register their puppies with the UK Kennel Club; unfortunately, the same applies to the majority of less than reputable breeders!

Many people believe that Kennel Club Registration gives a guarantee that a puppy has come from a reputable breeder and will grow into a healthy, happy example of its breed. Sadly, this is not the case.

Unfortunately, a significant majority of puppies that are not registered with the Kennel Club are not able to be registered due to several factors which generally relate to welfare e.g. the mother is too young, too old, has already whelped six litters or perhaps one or both parents have ‘endorsements’ placed on their own registration papers.

However, some otherwise perfectly reputable breeders may CHOOSE not to register their puppies with the UK Kennel Club. For example, some reputable breeders will not register "pet" puppies and will only register puppies they are keeping for themselves and those going to 'show' homes.

The fact that a puppy is not registered with the Kennel Club does not automatically imply that the pup's breeder is not reputable. What is important is the reason why the pup is not registered. If you are considering buying a non KC registered puppy you should be asking questions.

In the case of a reputable breeder, the reason given should be honest and accurate, and be for reasons that are not related to the pup's mother’s welfare, e.g. breeding from a mother that is too young/too old or from a mother that has already had six or more litters etc.

The Kennel Club will register any litter of puppies (this includes puppies from commercial breeders, "puppy farmers" and those sold in pet shops!) as long as both parents are KC registered and provided that:

The bitch has not already whelped six litters, or
The bitch was not under a year old at the date of mating, or
The bitch has not already reached the age of eight years at the date of whelping
The litter is not from a mother/son, father/daughter or full brother/sister mating

More recently, there has been a trend for some types of breeder to move away from Kennel Club registration; as a result, two commercial private companies have developed alternative registries. However, the fact still remains that in the UK the only ‘official’ and universally recognised registering body is that of the Kennel Club.

Kennel Club Registration documents for puppies bought directly from the breeder look like this:

Front & Rear

If you are buying your puppy from a Kennel Club Accredited Breeder the Registration Document looks like this:

Front & Rear

If a breeder states or advertises that they are an Accredited Breeder, the style of the registration documents for your puppy will confirm the breeders membership. Sadly, some less than scrupulous breeders are advertising themselves as Accredited Breeders when they are either not members or are suspended members.

If your puppy is KC registered, ensure these documents are given to you at the time of collecting your puppy. If for a valid reason (postal delay, KC error on documents etc.) the documents are not available, ensure you have a Contract of Sale, which states that the puppy IS Kennel Club registered and that the documents WILL be forwarded onto you as soon as they are available. Be very wary of a breeder who tells you (verbally) that the documents will forwarded later (often these never arrive!). Ask if the registration papers have been 'endorsed', if so ask the breeder to explain this to you and ensure mention of any terms relating to the restrictions is mentioned in the puppy's sales contract.

Once you have transferred a puppy into your name you will receive a new Kennel Club Registration Document for you puppy which looks like this:

Owner Registration Document

Puppies (litters) can only be registered with the Kennel Club by the breeder of the litter. Individual puppy/dog owners cannot register a puppy/dog they have purchased with the Kennel Club.

For a breeder to register a litter, they need to complete the 'green form' - KC Form (Form 1) supplied to them by either the owner of the stud dog they have used or available from the Kennel Club. The form needs to be signed by both the owner of the stud dog and the owner of the litter's mother.

Litter Registration Application Form

In the UK, there is ONE official pedigree registration organisation and this is operated by the Kennel Club. The Kennel Club was established in 1873. The Kennel Club was not established to make a profit (it is not a commercial organisation), the money it receives from litter registrations and other sources of revenue is used for the benefit of all dogs via The Kennel Club Charitable Trust.

The registration of puppies is a lucrative exercise and in recent years, two commercial organisations have established alternative registration systems.

The Dog Lovers Registration Club Ltd (DLRC)
Pedigree Pets Registration Club Ltd (PPRC)

The DLRC sells itself as a "NO NONSENSE" registration club, who does not believe in too much "red tape" and state "The fact that we can supply you with these documents enhances the sale of your puppies" Source: DLRC website 2008.

The Pedigree Pets Registration Club website states "Increase sales and profits add value to your sales with professional documents." "Competitive Registration Fees means more profit for you the breeder!" Source: PPRC website 2008.

Unlike the UK Kennel Club, details submitted to these organisations are not cross-referenced with The Kennel Club database, and as such, they rely only on the information supplied by the applicant (the breeder/owner) as part of the registration process. It would therefore be possible, if desired, for a breeder to register a litter or a puppy as purebred when perhaps the pup/dog's ancestry is unknown.

Reputable breeders in the UK still maintain that KC registration is the correct form of registration and they do NOT register their puppies with alternative registries.

It is important to note the following:

Puppies registered with any organisation apart from the Kennel Club are not recognised by the Kennel Club
Puppies/dogs registered with alternative organisations cannot be subsequently registered with The Kennel Club by the new owner
Only Kennel Club Registered dogs are eligible to compete at Kennel Club events (shows, trials etc.)
The offspring of dogs registered by alternative registries cannot be registered with the Kennel Club (unless both parents are already KC registered - if they are already KC registered what is the benefit of registering dogs with more than one organisation?)
Breeder's registering their puppies with the Kennel Club are bound by the KC Code of Ethics which amongst other things covers welfare of the mother and puppies, THIS Code of Ethics can be enforced.

The DLRC and PPRC both have a published Code of Ethics which they ask breeders/owners to comply with, however unlike the Kennel Club Code of Ethics, these organisations state "we cannot enforce all conditions mentioned/listed." Source" DLRC and PPRC websites.

Both organisations are acutely aware that the puppy buying public are educated towards purchasing "registered" puppies (the term "registered" is traditionally associated with puppies which are Kennel Club registered). Unfortunately, there is often confusion amongst puppy buyers regarding what "registered" rightfully means.

More recently, both the DLRC & the PPRC have updated their websites to state that their registration system applies to "pet puppies/dogs and not show dogs". That's certainly an accurate and honest statement; however, show dogs are also pet dogs first and foremost! Dog’s that are exhibited at shows are much loved companions who have a dual role and because they are KC registered, they are able to fulfil that role.

Could the DLRC and PPRC’s declaration be a subliminal way of confirming that there is a difference between ‘pet’ ONLY dogs and ‘pet’ dogs that can be exhibited and are bred from parents with a traceable lineage going back 30 or more generations?

Although many people intend their dog to be a "pet" they may in the future decide to take up some form of canine activity or breed a litter of Kennel Club registered pups, these activities are restricted if the dog is not Kennel Club registered.

The Kennel Club is not connected to either the DLRC or PPRC registration companies - they are three completely separate organisations. Two are private limited companies, which for a fee provide a service; the Kennel Club is a charitable organisation whose funds are used for the benefit of ALL dogs. DLRC or PPRC Registration is not the same as KC Registration. If you want a KC registered puppy, do not be persuaded that a DLRC or PPRC registered puppy is just the same - it is NOT!

A KC registered puppy is the nearest to a guarantee that your puppy is a purebred pedigree dog with a genuine pedigree. Puppies registered with other organisations may not be purebred and the accuracy of pedigree information may be doubtful.

If you are buying a DLRC or a PPRC registered puppy then you should be aware of the limitations of this form of registration before you purchase your puppy.