Why join the KCABS?
Why responsible breeders should join the scheme
I breed my dogs infrequently, is the scheme for me?
Experience required to become an Assured Breeder
Does the Kennel Club profit from the scheme?
Assured Breeder Accolades - breeders' priorities highlighted
Will there be improvement courses for Breeders?
After membership has been accepted
Why responsible breeders should join the scheme
Although many responsible dog breeders fulfil the scheme’s requirements, the KCABS ensures that the puppy buying public know which breeders are declaring to follow good practice. 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.
To reward responsible dog 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 litters to assist them in making a responsible buying decision.
Benefits include:
- Use of scheme literature for litters
- Prioritised access to information and advice from the Kennel Club’s Health and Breeder Services department
- Puppy sales wallets, which hold all of the essential information that members are required to pass on to puppy buyers.
- Helps puppy buyers to identify responsible breeders, who are dedicated to ensuring that their puppies lead long, healthy and happy lives.
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NEW - Reproducing Breed Standards
As an added benefit to joining the Scheme Assured Breeders are now allowed to re-produce their breed(s) breed standards on their websites. To do this correctly they MUST:
- use the most up to date version of any Standard
- ensure the Standard is copyright to the Kennel Club
- ensure a link back to the Kennel Club website is placed somewhere on the Standard
I breed my dogs infrequently, is the scheme for me?
The majority of people who register their dogs with the Kennel Club do not breed large numbers of litters. 75 per cent of 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. Irresponsible breeders and puppy farmers may use the excuse that they breed infrequently and so don’t need the scheme – but if all of those people who are genuinely in this position sign up then disingenuous breeders will no longer be able to trade.
Experience required to become an Accredited Breeder
Many Assured 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 than 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.
Does the Kennel Club profit from the scheme?
The Assured 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.
Accredited Breeder Accolades - breeders' priorities highlighted
The Assured 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 that are typical of the breed.
Additionally, every Assured 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.
Will there be improvement courses for Breeders?
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 responsible dog breeders who have bred more than 5 litters. However, the KCAB accolades are designed to reward those breeders who are following exemplary standards.
The Kennel Club currently holds a Breeder Symposium each year, which provide an excellent educational forum and which is open to all breeders. Further details on the 2011 Breeder Symposium will be available here later in the year.
After membership has been accepted
Once accepted for membership, Assured Breeders may use the scheme literature and, if they use the Find a Puppy service, their litters will be highlighted to show that an Assured Breeder has posted them. Listings on the Find a Puppy Service are free of charge for Assured Breeders. Additionally, Assured Breeders who register more than four litters per year will still have access to the Kennel Club Find a Puppy service. Assured Breeders will also have prioritised access to supplementary information and advice from the Kennel Club Health and Breeder Services Department.
Assured 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:
- Assured 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
- Date page created:
- Categories:
- Accredited Breeder Scheme (ABS), Responsible Dog Breeding
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