Is there any way of finding out if a stud dog is endorsed before I contact owners?

You would ask to see his registration papers - then you would know.

If you knew his breeder then ask them.

Dogs are not normally offered at stud if endorsed as the pups can't be KC registered.

> You would ask to see his registration papers - then you would know

Not neccessarily.. The registration papers of my boy still have the endorsements on.. I lifted the endorsements 3 years ago, but never sent his paperwork to be changed.. however, I do have the written confirmation from the KC that endorsements have been lifted

1. If the owner of the dog is also the breeder, she would either have reg papers showing no restrictions OR KC letter confirming restrictions lifted
2. If the owner of the dog is not the breeder (only the breeder will get a letter of confirmation) then ask to see a photocopy of the breeders letter

When I have agreed to lift restrictions on any dogs I have bred by myself, I have sent a copy to the owner.

Edited:  just re-read, and OP asks to find out about restrictions before contacting owner.. Would it not just be simpler asking the owner?

i lifted restriction on a bitch i bred but never got a letter from kc nor did the new owner of the bitch to confirm the lifting or the restriction but i do know that a litter has been registered since i lifted them. we had to call the kc to confirm that they had been lifted.

The person who placed the endorsement will receive an letter, but stupidly not the owner, so the owner only has the word of the endorser that they have lifted it (other than contacting the kennel club).

This could and has caused problems misunderstandings.  I know of a stud dog owners who on trying to register a litter was told the endorsements were still in place!!!  Turns out the breeder had written by email to the Kennel club asking endorsemetnst to be lifted, had not had a reply so assumed it was OK, the KC insist on having it in writing.

I have suggested to the Kennel club that really the owner needs to be informed, to prevent issues and for their own peace of mind, and as in this case to show prospective bitch owners/puppy buyers..

If you know his registered name you could contact the KC.

Thanks for the advice everyone. It's great to get a few peoples opinions.

>The registration papers of my boy still have the endorsements on.. I lifted the endorsements 3 years ago, but never sent his paperwork to be changed.. however, I do have the written confirmation from the KC that endorsements have been lifted

Whoops!  Yes, you're right.  I put restrictions on all pups, even those I keep.  When I lifted restrictions on a bitch to have a litter from her, I didn't send the paperwork to be changed either.  But had no problem registering her litter.  I forgot about that.  (embarassed smiley!)

I know of a lady who endorses all of her dogs in her kennel and only lifts when registering a litter then re- applies restrictions, I asked her why once she said it was just in- case she were to have an accident and her dogs had to be re homed it stopped people breeding them willy nilly as she had spent many years developing her line.

Didn't know you could re-apply the restrictions

I didn't know either until she said, but I suppose its because she is both owner and breeder of said dogs

You don't have to be a dogs breeder just it's registered owner and it has to be in your physical possession when the endorsements are applied.

For example I could buy a bitch, breed from him/her after the breeder had removed endorsements, decide to re-home him/her whilst still entire and apply endorsements. 

It may be that I might lift them it conditions of sale were met, or simply didn't want him/her bred from again, perhaps she had a C section or was a poor mother, or produced pups with a  fault I didn't want passed on etc.