Once accepted for membership, Accredited Breeders may use the scheme literature and, if they use the Puppy Sales Register (PSR), their litters will be highlighted to show that an Accredited Breeder has posted them.  Listings on the PSR are free of charge for Accredited Breeders.  Additionally, Accredited Breeders who register more than four litters per year will still have access to the Kennel Club Find a Puppy service. Accredited Breeders will also have prioritised access to supplementary information and advice from the Kennel Club Health and Breeder Services Department.

Puppy Sales Wallets

Accredited Breeders must use a Puppy Sales Wallet for each puppy going to a new owner. The Puppy Sales Wallet is designed to contain the following:

• Accredited Breeder’s contact details
• Breed Club contact details
• A copy of the contract of sale and written explanation of any endorsements
• A new owner questionnaire
• Written advice on socialisation, training, feeding, exercise, worming regime, immunization measures as well as copies of any health or other relevant certificates

Puppy Sales Wallets can now be purchased from the Kennel Club Online Shop here 

I am already a responsible breeder so why should I consider joining the scheme?

It is certainly true that many responsible breeders already fulfil the scheme’s requirements. However, it is imperative that all of these responsible breeders come together through the KCABS, so that the puppy buying public can see clearly which breeders have declared that they will follow good practice. It is by doing this that breeders and the Kennel Club can work together to force irresponsible breeders, or puppy farmers, out of business as they will no longer be able trade on people's ignorance.

There are various accolades within the scheme, to reward those more experienced breeders, who set exemplary standards to which others can aspire. The Kennel Club already has some very high profile breeders in the scheme, who are helping to lead the way.

If I were to consider joining the scheme; what is in it for me?

There are many personal benefits to joining the scheme. To reward those breeders who are part of the scheme the Kennel Club will add their litters free of charge to the Find a Puppy website. Additionally, members of the public, who are looking for a puppy on the website, will see the KCAB badge next to their litters to assist them in making a responsible buying decision.

Other benefits include being able to use the scheme literature for their litters; prioritised access to information and advice from the Kennel Club’s Health and Breeder Services department and the receipt of puppy sales wallets, which hold all of the essential information that members are required to pass on to puppy buyers.

In the wider view, it proved members with the knowledge that they are helping puppy buyers to identify responsible breeders, who are dedicated to ensuring that their puppies lead long, healthy and happy lives.

But I breed my dogs very infrequently and often only sell them on to friends and family, so don’t consider myself to be a ‘breeder’ - surely the scheme is not for me?

The majority of people who register their dogs with the Kennel Club do not breed large numbers of litters. 75 percent of those who register with the KC breed only one litter per year, or less. However, we need all breeders, large or small, to be part of the scheme – even if you only ever sell one or two puppies outside of your family in a lifetime. It would be too easy for an irresponsible breeder or puppy farmer to use the excuse that they breed infrequently and so don’t need to be part of the scheme in order to force a sale – but if all of those people who are genuinely in this position sign up then the excuse will not be applicable and disingenuous breeders will no longer be able to trade.

Do you have had to have bred for many years before you can become an Accredited Breeder?

Many Accredited Breeders have a wealth of experience and will have bred for many years, and we do require breeders to have bred at least one litter prior to acceptance. The "Experience Accolade" denotes those breeders who have bred more that 5 litters.  However, the scheme is open to any breeder, regardless of experience, providing they subscribe to and abide by good breeding practice and fulfil the health testing requirements that are essential to membership. It would be wrong to deny membership to those who want to breed in a responsible way from day one.

Will a lower maintenance fee be agreed for breeders who are members of the KCABS who do not produce a litter each year, to encourage membership?

The Kennel Club understands that some people breed very infrequently and our payment scheme makes allowance for this. Currently, the Accredited Breeder Scheme costs £15.00 to join. After that initial payment it costs £10.00 a year to renew your membership, so those people who breed infrequently defer their renewal, while remaining signed up to the scheme, if they think they will not breed in a particular year. They can renew later, when they plan to breed again, still at a cost of £10.00.

Does the Kennel Club profit from the scheme, i.e. does the administration of the scheme cost more than is collected from Accredited Breeders?

The Accredited Breeder Scheme exists to improve the health and welfare of dogs; it is certainly not a way for the Kennel Club to make money. The money that the Kennel Club receives goes back into the print, marketing and administration costs of running the scheme. Further developments, such as the implementation of a network of regional advisors and our call to make the standards of the scheme mandatory for all breeders by law, means that the Kennel Club is continually investing in developing the scheme further.

I carry out other health and breed tests beyond those required by membership of the KCABS. How are the public able to differentiate between different breeders with different priorities? 

The Accredited Breeder Accolades give buyers information about where the breeders’ priorities lie. For example the ‘Stud Book Accolade’ indicates that the breeder has enjoyed some show ring success and is clearly breeding dogs that have a level of quality and are typical of the breed. Additionally, every Accredited Breeder is required to complete a ‘Statement of Experience’ which is made available to people requesting information. This provides an ideal opportunity to inform the public about additional health tests that they carry out and indeed any other information about themselves which is relevant and which would help a potential puppy buyer find the right breeder.

Will there be improvement courses for Breeders, where their attendance will be reflected in their membership of the Accredited Breeder Scheme?

We feel it is important to provide as much information about the breeders as possible and this was why the experience accolade was introduced, for those breeders who have bred more than 5 litters. However, the KCAB accolades are designed to reward those breeders who are following exemplary standards and the Kennel Club is continually reviewing these accolades to make them as relevant as possible.

For example, the Kennel Club currently holds two Breeders symposiums each year, which provide an excellent educational forum and which are open to all breeders. It is based upon the success of these symposia that the Kennel Club is currently considering a symposium specifically for members of the ABS.

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