The Kennel Club

The Kennel Club is dedicated to canine wellbeing and registers over 250,000 pedigree dogs every year. This knowledge helps to maintain the integrity and health of pedigree breeds. There are 210 breeds of dog eligible for Kennel Club registration, which are categorised in seven groups: hounds, gundogs, terriers, utility, working, pastoral and toys

The Kennel Club does not keep general information relating to breeding from bitches as this can vary tremendously from breed to breed. However, the following information may be of some help to you when planning to breed from your bitch.

Breed Specifics
There are a number of general books on dog breeding currently available. Additionally, you will find that there are many breed specific books that contain chapters, which relate to breeding.

Before breeding from your bitch, the Kennel Club advises that you check with your veterinary surgeon, your breed club and/or your dog's breeder to find out whether there are any possible inherited conditions that may affect your breed, for which there is an available test (e.g. hip dysplasia and eye conditions). There are several health schemes currently in operation to assist in the prevention or control of some diseases (including DNA tests), and where these exist, the Kennel Club strongly recommends that both sire and dam are tested.

Details of approximate stud fees, puppy prices and more detailed information on your chosen breed may be obtained from the breeder of your dog or from the breed clubs. Becoming a member of a breed club will enable you to learn more about your breed and allow you to contact other dog owners and dog breeders.  For details visit the Breed Standards section of the website, select the breed you are interested in and the Breed Clubs for your breed will be listed at the bottom of the page, with the Club Secretary’s name and contact details.  There will also be a link to the Club’s website if it has one.

Kennel Club Registration & Regulations
Before thinking about breeding from your bitch, you should acquaint yourself with the Kennel Club Regulations on registering litters and the registration system in general. The rules and regulations can be found on the litter application form 1, but you will need to remember that the Kennel Club will not accept an application to register a litter when:

1. The dam has already whelped 4 litters (as of the 1st January 2012 the limit changed from 6 litters to 4 litters). As of this date the Kennel Club will no longer register any further litters from any bitch which our records show has already whelped 4 litters. Therefore for any litter born on or after the 1st January 2012, the system will automatically check to see how many previous litters the Kennel Club has an account of. Where the number previously recorded is 4 or more, the application will be rejected, or
2. The dam has already reached the age of 8 years at the date of whelping, (relief from this restriction may be considered normally provided an application is made prior to the mating, the proposed dam has previously whelped at least one other registered litter, and the application is supported by veterinary evidence as to the suitability of the bitch involved in the proposed whelping), or
3. The dam was under one year old at the time of mating, or
4. The offspring are the result of any mating between father and daughter, mother and son or brother and sister, save in exceptional circumstances or for scientifically proven welfare reasons, or
5. The dam has already had two litters delivered by caesarean section, save for scientifically proven welfare reasons and this only normally provided the application is made prior to the mating, or
6. The dam was not resident at a UK address at the date of whelping.

There are further Kennel Club Rules and Regulations that may prevent a litter from being registered; the full Kennel Club Rules and Regulations are contained in the Kennel Club Year Book.

You will also need to ensure that your bitch's Kennel Club registration does not carry a breeding restriction (endorsement). If there are any, you will need to discuss this further with the person from whom you obtained the bitch, as any breeding endorsement will need to be removed before registration of a litter can take place.  In most cases it will be the breeder who has placed the endorsement, and who will therefore be the person empowered to remove it.

Code of Ethics
The Kennel Club also has a Code of Ethics which all breeders that register their litters with the Kennel Club agree to adhere to.

Stud Dogs
The Kennel Club does not keep a register of stud dogs and therefore if you wish to use your dog at stud you should contact either your dog's breeder or a breed club to ensure that you find a suitable mate for your bitch. As a responsible breeder, you will need to ensure that any stud dog, which you decide to use, not only has a compatible pedigree, but has also been examined for any inherited disease to which the breed is subject. Remember that male dogs may also carry breeding restrictions, and therefore you will need to bear in mind that any breeding endorsement will have to be removed from his registration records before the litter can be registered. You are strongly advised to confirm in writing, prior to the mating, that any such endorsement has been removed.  For further information please download and read the Kennel Club ‘Thinking of using your dog at stud’ Information Guide.

Kennel Club Assured Breeder Scheme
The Kennel Club Assured Breeder Scheme promotes good breeding practice and, as a breeder, you may wish to consider joining. There are set requirements that Kennel Club Assured Breeders must agree to follow, which encourage the breeding of healthy, well-adjusted puppies. In return, Assured Breeders may use the scheme literature and logo to promote their breeding.

The Law
Under the Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999, those breeders breeding five or more litters per year may need to be licensed. However, a local authority may still classify a dog breeder as being commercial - and therefore requiring a licence - even if the person breeds fewer than five litters per year, if in the local authority's opinion that person is deemed as breeding for commercial gain.

If breeders are in any doubt as to their eligibility under the Act, the Kennel Club advises that they contact their local Environmental Health Office for further clarification. If you need to be licensed, the Kennel Club advises that you obtain a copy of the Act so that you are fully aware of its contents and your responsibilities.

Publisher:

The Kennel Club

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Responsible Dog Breeding

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