Registration endorsements are mainly used by breeders to protect breeding lines and for welfare protection. They're used to avoid breeding where there could be hereditary health issues and if onward breeding is not advisable. It is an important tool for breeders and an aid to responsible breeding.
What type of endorsements are there?
Currently, we accept two types of endorsements:
- Progeny not eligible for registration (R) - this means that any puppies bred from an endorsed dog can’t be registered with us unless the endorsement is lifted
- Export pedigree not allowed (X) – this means that we won’t provide the pedigree required for export and registration at an overseas kennel registry, unless the endorsement is lifted
We record all endorsements on a dog’s registration record on our database. Before we register any puppies or issue an export pedigree, we automatically check that there are no endorsements placed.
These endorsements can’t prevent a dog from being bred from or from being sent abroad, but they do stop any litters being registered with us or an export pedigree from being issued. An export pedigree is usually needed for a dog to be registered with an overseas kennel club.
Why are Kennel Club endorsements placed?
Breeders will have their own reasons for placing endorsements, but may place them for health or welfare reasons or to help maintain a particular line. Breeders may decide to place an endorsement on any of the puppies they’ve bred to:
- Reduce the risk of certain inherited health conditions being passed on to future generations
- Ensure that any puppies that are bred from are appropriately health screened
- Have a say in whether any future mates are appropriate
- Prevent the dog from moving to another country with poor animal welfare standards
How to place an endorsement
If you want to endorse a puppy that you have bred, you can do this at the same time that you register the puppy.
If you’ve placed an endorsement on any of the puppies that you will not be keeping, you must use our endorsement notice form template. The puppy buyer must sign the form to show that they know that an endorsement has been placed on the registration record for their puppy. From 1 January 2023 we only accept completed copies of this signed notice form as proof of a placed endorsement. It’s important that you keep a copy of this signed form for your records in case you need it as proof that the puppy buyer has signed it.
As well as using this form, breeders must state in their puppy sales contract that an endorsement has been placed and should describe the conditions that have to be met for it to be removed (if there are any). Any dispute around the conditions of lifting an endorsement would ultimately be for a court to resolve, as is currently the case.
Find our endorsement notice form template.
Can I place an endorsement on individual puppies?
Yes, you don’t need to endorse every puppy in a litter. Many breeders may endorse every puppy as they are not sure at the time of litter registration who is having which puppy, but, if you wish to, then you can choose which puppies you’d like to endorse.
How can I check if an endorsement has been placed on my dog?
If your dog’s breeder has placed an endorsement on their registration records, then you should have signed a document saying so. If you’re unsure if an endorsement has been placed on your dog, you can check in your online account.
Access your dog’s online details.
How can an endorsement be removed from a dog’s registration record?
The person/s who placed the endorsement can apply to remove an endorsement by uploading a letter via our website, or they can send a signed letter by post to our Aylesbury registration office asking for the endorsement to be removed. All endorsers must sign this letter. An acknowledgement will be sent to them to confirm that the endorsement has been removed. It is then the responsibility of the endorser to tell the owner of the dog that this has been carried out.
Owners who would like an endorsement removed from their dog will need to communicate with the person who placed the endorsement; in most cases this will be the breeder.
Do you charge to have an endorsement lifted?
No, we don’t charge to lift an endorsement.
What should I do if the person placing the endorsement will not remove it?
It’s important that you talk to the person who placed the endorsement to ask if they could lift it. Unfortunately, if the endorsement has been placed correctly as per our rules and regulations then there is nothing that we can do.
We are often asked to get involved in disputes between breeders and owners, especially if there are conflicting views on whether the breeder advised the purchaser of an endorsement at the time. Unfortunately, we cannot comment on the contents of a private contract, especially relating to whether any terms described in it have been met or not, but we can only look at whether the endorsement has been placed in line with our rules and regulations.
What if I didn’t sign an endorsement notice form and it was in my contract instead?
Currently, to reduce challenges and disputes over whether endorsements should be lifted or not, we ask that endorsements be placed using our endorsement notice form template. As of 1 January 2023, we will only accept this form to place an endorsement. Any other methods used to place an endorsement will not be accepted.
If an endorsement was placed before 1 May 2022, then we would generally propose to maintain the endorsement, providing that:
- A private contract, signed by the new owner, was used to acknowledge that they were informed that an endorsement was placed. This should contain The Kennel Club registered name of the dog
- This contract was signed and dated by the new owner, before or at the date of sale showing that they have been informed of the endorsement
- Even if the breeder chooses not to draw up a full contract, there must still be a document stating that an endorsement has been placed and this must be signed by the purchaser
If the new owner believes that the endorsement has not been placed in accordance with our rules and regulations, and they are unable to reach an agreement regarding the removal with the person who placed them, the owner of the dog can apply in writing to us to request the removal of the endorsement. Please note that you must be the registered owner of the dog to raise an objection.
Who should I contact if I wish to make an official appeal?
If you wish to appeal on the grounds that the endorsement has not been correctly placed, then please contact
Health and Breeder Services (The Kennel Club) .Endorsement rules
Regulation B12. Endorsements.
- General. The registered owner of a dog may apply to place one or more endorsements on a dog’s records and to have the registration certificate annotated accordingly. The endorsements which may be placed are as follows:
(1) Progeny not eligible for registration.
(2) Not eligible for issue of an export pedigree.
- Conditions. The following conditions shall apply to the placing and removal of endorsements.
(1) When a dog whose registration is endorsed is transferred to new ownership, the endorsement(s) will be maintained. However, the person who placed the endorsement(s) must bring the attention of the endorsement to the new registered owner(s) and obtain written and signed confirmation from the new owner(s), or an agent or authorised representative of a new owner(s), at or before the date on which the dog is physically transferred, that the new owner(s) is aware of the endorsement(s), regardless of whether or not the endorsed registration certificate is available. If requested, the person(s) who placed the endorsement(s) must be able to produce a copy of such confirmation. The confirmation notice must be in the pro forma template as prescribed by The Kennel Club from time to time.
(2) If an acknowledgement, signed at the date of transfer by the new owner, is not obtained, in the form as prescribed by The Kennel Club from time to time then the endorsement may be lifted on application of the new registered owner.
(3) Any endorsement may otherwise only be lifted with permission in writing of the endorser or of a person with the due authority from the endorser (in the event the endorser cannot give permission due to death or incapacity) or by The Kennel Club in appropriate circumstances.
(4) Regulations B12.b.(1), (2) and (3) only apply where the registered owner who originally placed an endorsement on a dog's record, transfers the dog to a new ownership. If subsequent transfers take place, the endorsement becomes a matter between the parties involved. In such cases the registered owner placing the endorsement shall not be responsible if notification of the endorsement is not given to any new owner, and may exercise his right to decide whether the endorsement be maintained or removed subject to (5) below.
(5) The Kennel Club Board reserves the right to impose, remove or maintain any endorsement. In particular The Kennel Club Board reserves the right to impose an additional endorsement ‘not eligible for entry in any event held under Kennel Club Rules and Reg