A pedigree dog is the offspring of a dam and sire of the same breed, which is eligible for registration with a recognised club or society that maintain a register for dogs of that description.

With over 200 pedigree dog breeds to choose from you will of course want to ensure that you take the necessary time to choose the right breed for you, whatever your circumstances happen to be.

All pedigree dogs carry a breed standard – a picture in words that describes each breed of pedigree dog - for their likely character and health needs.  Consider what job your intended breed was designed to do, and whether you can cope with the innate behaviour that will accompany it.

Advantages of pedigree dogs podcast (MP3)

The Kennel Club campaign to promote further health improvements across the breeds is 'Fit for Function: Fit for Life!’. The Kennel Club is deeply concerned by the trend towards over-exaggeration in some breeds, whether these excesses relate to coat volume, obesity, over-angulation, shortness of muzzle, eye formation or excess skin.  All dogs should be fit for purpose.  Even if that purpose is solely to be a pet, all should be able to see, breathe, and walk freely.

Breeding and background are hugely important so time spent researching, choosing and sourcing the right dog will save you time, money and tears in the long run.

Pedigree Dog Breeds

All pedigree breeds are divided into seven Breed Groups:

• Hound Group
• Gundog Group
• Terrier Group
• Utility Group
• Working Group
• Pastoral Group
• Toy Group

You can also find out more about many of the 210 different pedigree dogs registered by the Kennel Club at Discover Dogs. This annual event showcases nearly every dog breed and is the perfect way to find out which dog breed would be right for you.

Vulnerable Native Breeds

The Kennel Club is particularly concerned with protecting some breeds of dog which are of British origin and are considered to be vulnerable i.e. those whose numbers are declining and whose status within the world of dogs has diminished over a number of years.

Crossbreeds

In addition to the pedigree dogs there are also Crossbreeds to consider. These dogs often display a mixture of their ancestors traits. So it is important to take this into account. If you know the mix of breeds this may help but otherwise find out what you can about the parents.

Find a Breed

The Kennel Club understands that finding your perfect companion isn’t always easy. So we’ve developed the Find a Breed service to help you. Simply click on the button on the left and answer all the questions. You can click ‘get results’ at any point, but your selection will be more accurate if you answer all the questions.

N.B The Kennel Club, makes no warranty as to whether any of the breeds you select via Find a Breed are suitable for you. The Find a Breed application is only intended as a basic guide to help you choose a breed to fit your lifestyle and we would strongly recommend that you contact the relevant Breed Clubs to find out more about your chosen breed (s) prior to purchasing a new pedigree puppy. 

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Choosing the right dog 

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