Does Kennel Club Pedigree Registration Ensure Health Testing?

Buying a pedigree puppy is a significant investment, both financially and emotionally. Naturally, anyone considering this should want to ensure their new companion is healthy and well-bred. However, it’s important to understand what Kennel Club pedigree registration actually means – and what it doesn’t guarantee.

In the UK, many pedigree dog breeds have hereditary predispositions to certain inherited health problems and conformational issues. Awareness of these breed-specific risks is crucial to make informed decisions when buying a puppy and to encourage safer, healthier breeding practices.

Health screening and DNA testing are available for many of these inherited conditions, helping breeders identify potential health problems within parent dogs before mating. Responsible breeders will perform these tests diligently and transparently, sharing results with prospective buyers to provide confidence in the health background of their pups.

Unfortunately, not every breeder shares this commitment. Some avoid health testing due to cost concerns or fear that a poor result may reduce sale value, placing the responsibility firmly on buyers to ask pertinent questions and demand evidence of health checks.

While many assume that Kennel Club registration automatically means a puppy’s parents have been health tested, this is not the case. The Kennel Club’s registration primarily confirms pedigree status and ancestry, but it doesn’t enforce mandatory health testing across all breeds and breeders.

What Does Kennel Club Pedigree Registration Require?

To register a puppy as a Kennel Club pedigree, these conditions must be met:

• The puppy’s parents are both registered pedigrees of the same breed.
• The puppy is eligible for registration without endorsements that prevent it.
• The breeder submits the puppy’s details to The Kennel Club for registration.

However, this registration only confirms the puppy’s purebred status. It does not provide any assurance about the health or quality of the puppy or its parents. Some puppies, despite having pedigree parents, may not be eligible for registration due to breeder or Kennel Club imposed endorsements, often related to health or breeding concerns.

The Kennel Club places restrictions to protect breed health, such as disallowing the registration of litters from very young or older dams, excessive breeding frequency, or certain colour genetics like the merle gene, which can cause sensory issues.

Does Kennel Club Registration Mean Health Testing Was Done?

As noted, pedigree registration alone does not guarantee that health tests have been performed on the puppy or its parents. Health testing is recommended but not mandatory for most breeders and breeds. Some breed clubs mandate health tests for their own registration, but these rules are separate from Kennel Club litter registration.

Category Three Breeds and Health Testing Recommendations

The Kennel Club classifies some breeds as Category Three, those with the most significant hereditary health concerns. For these breeds, health testing of parents before breeding is strongly advised to improve breed health.

However, even in these cases, testing is not compulsory for all breeders. Buyers of Category Three breed puppies, such as pugs or German shepherds, should proactively ask breeders about health test results before purchase.

The Assured Breeder Scheme and Mandatory Health Tests

Breeders who are part of The Kennel Club’s Assured Breeder Scheme must undertake mandatory health tests on their breeding dogs for certain breeds to maintain their status in the scheme.

If you buy a puppy from an Assured Breeder, there is greater reassurance that essential breed-specific health screenings have been carried out on the parents before mating. This is particularly important for breeds prone to inherited conditions.

Nevertheless, while mandatory tests are required, there are also recommended tests within the scheme that remain optional. As a buyer, you should clarify which health tests have been completed and request documentation rather than assuming all relevant tests are done.

How to Choose and Buy a Healthy Pedigree Puppy

Remember that Kennel Club registration does not replace thorough vetting of a breeder’s health testing record. If puppies are offered as pedigrees but are not registered, or have endorsements preventing registration, this may signal potential issues worth investigating further.

Always discuss health testing with the breeder, ask for proof of tests performed on the parents, and educate yourself about breed-specific health conditions. This approach helps you contribute to responsible breeding practices and increases your chances of bringing home a healthy, happy puppy.