We are currently looking for a puppy and found a litter close by. After visiting the pups and putting a deposit I asked when we could pick him up, the breeder who has the pups said that they aren't registered to her as she has no kennel club membership but the lady who used to own the bitch has registered them in her name and she needs to check with her......is this normal? She also said that she wasn't bothering with the KC as she couldn't register any more litters with this bitch as she had two c-sections and so would sell the next litter without papers......my children are so excited about this puppy but I want to make sure this is all above board and normal. Thank you for reading x

er no, it's not normal, the bitch isn't owned by the person who has bred the litter... the 'breeder' doesn't need 'membership' just the registration of the bitch.. so she maybe has her on 'breeding terms'.  I don't think the c-section ruling has come in yet, but it's not against registration per se, just another c-section.  It sounds very dodgy and I would ask for your deposit back and find a KC registered, good breeder :-(

No not normal at all, did you see the bitch? There are loads of reasons why this is not ideal could be anything from a stolen dog to someone selling for a puppy farm, pick up your skirts and run away.

Anyone can register a litter of pups they have bred as long as the two parents were the same breed and registered themselves, no defiantly not right. Scam comes to mind.

> She also said that she wasn't bothering with the KC as she couldn't register any more litters with this bitch as she had two c-sections and so would sell the next litter without papers..

Not sure if this rule has been brought in yet but it one of the reasons for it is to protect bitches from being put through major surgery too many times just to produce a litter. If the breeder has so little regard for her bitches health and well being that she is prepared to flout the KC ruling and risk her bitches life just to have a litter then she is not a breeder I would buy a puppy from.

This is far from being above board and normal, I'm afraid. It's all very, very wrong.

Very few people have kennel club membership so I wouldn't expect it - but it's not in the slightest bit necessary for breeding and registering a litter. Only the breeder of a litter (the person who owns the bitch) can register the pups - it sounds as though the person currently in charge of the bitch doesn't actually have her ownership transferred into her name.

This sounds incredibly dodgy to me. Personally I'd run a mile from this litter - it can only lead to trouble, heartache and expense.

2 csec and she plans to breed her again :O , poor girl is obv not capable of self whelping and am i right in thinking any bitches produced have a higher risk of needing a csec also ? i am by no means a expert but it all smells a bit fishy to me :/

The C section ruling came live in January.  There has been some confusion over it, if a bitch has had 2 C sections then no further litters can be registered, either self whelped or C section.

Thank you all for your advice it has been really helpful. We decided to pull out of buying the pup yesterday (dispite the tears :-() we have this morning recieved a letter from the lady who has the pups and it is so nasty we can't believe it! My husband was most polite when he spoke to her and that we had decided to pull out as we were concerned that the 'owner' the lady who had registered the litter and avertised them on the kennel club would not give us a reciept for the payment nor would she give the paper work over at the time of sale. The nastiness in the letter we received has only made me certain we made the right decision. We strongly suspect the mother of these pups is not the mother they have registered her too.....it is all very sad.

You have done exactly the right thing. You could always contact the kennel club and tell them what has happened.

Absolutely the right thing, sorry the children are disappointed but they will love another puppy just as much and will have more chance of it being healthy if you find a reputable breeder next time. Good luck and a huge well done! :-)

This sort of response confirms you have does what is best, no respectable, caring breeder would behave in this way, they may be a bit put out in having to start again but they would also be pleased one of their pups had not gone to a home where it was not wanted.

Well done and I hope you find the perfect pup for your family soon.

If this breeder is advertising on the KC website I would contact them ASAP as someone else could fall into the same trap.

I think youve done the right thing.  I would be contacting the KC though and voicing your concerns about the breeder.