Hi All

I'm after some advice.  I have recently purchased an English Springer Spaniel puppy.  We picked him up on Friday 18th July and he was 8 weeks old on Tuesday 22nd July and .  I have not yet insured him as most insurers I looked at wouldn't insure until 8 weeks old.  I brough him from a breeder (removed) and believed that we had carried out all the correct checks etc and was confident that he knew what he was doing.  The breeder advised that the puppy had been vet checked and everything was OK.

The first weekend at home we had noticed that his front legs seemed  a little bowed.  We wondered if this was due to him having quite long claws and decided we would ask the vet when we took him for his check up and first vacinations on 23rd July 2014.  Over the weekend we noticed his legs seemed to be getting worse.

Yesterday, we took him for his first vaccinations and the vet has diagnosed him with severe Carpal Valgus (dog equivalent of Ricketts).  The pup will need corrective surgery at a cost in excess of £2,000 per leg.  As I previously mentioned he is not yet insured and as the vet advised this was a pre existing condition when we collected out pup as he was born with this defect and has not just developed it in the 5 days we have owned him insurers wouldn't pay out anyway.  Also if the pups had been vet checked the vet would have noticed this.  The pup was purchased as a working family dog and although we are all deeply attached to him already (I have 6 and 3 year old girls) and are devasted at the prospect of returning him to the breeder, we can't accomodate a dog that needs to spend his life on a restricted excercise regime.  The intention has always been for him to go to work with my husband (a landscape gardener) daily so he would not be left home alone.

I have contacted the breeder who has not been helpful at all.  He advised that the condition could not be confirmed without xrays and specialist reports which he is not prepared to pay for and says I need to do so at my expense. I said I was not prepared to pay for this if he would not confirm he would take the puppy back if it is confirmed.  The vet says that xrays are not necessary as the condition is so pronounced and has advised to return to the breeder immediately. He is also not prepared to accept the pup back or refund our money. He also denied telling me the puppies have been vet checked twice and even denied meeting us on one occasion.  (we visited the pup three times before collecting him and met him on two occasions and his wife on two) He even put the phone down on me after telling me he wasn't going to help us and now will not answer my calls. 

We are left with a puppy (that although we love dearly) is not fit for purpose and we do not have the financial capacity to spend in excess of 4K to fix when we've only had him 6 days.  the longer he stays in our home the more attached we are all (particularly my girls) are getting attached to him.  Any advice?

Sorry I'm not much help, but I would be contacting Trading Standards ASAP.
Hope this is resolved for you all soon.

Oh gosh, how sad all round. I did a bit of digging. He does not appear to be a licensed commercial breeder, nor a KC Assured Breeder, and he is no longer listed on ChampDogs from what I can see. As such you have less come back as for most breeders (not licensed -and let's face it, the majority of licensed breeders are commercial and the majority of normal responsible breeders have no need to be licensed as they do not breed frequently enough) -it is a case of "caveat emptor" in the eyes of the law -buyer beware. I.e. it is up to the buyer to ensure they are buying a healthy pup. I'm surprised you didn't get free puppy insurance as both PetPlan and the KC do them -but as you explain, it would not have made a difference.

The question is whether this is something the breeder could have prevented -and I'd think not. And did he KNOW about it when selling the pup? There is also nothing in law to say he has to have the pup back. On the other hand, he's sold you a pup not fit for purpose and you may be able to take him to court for this. I would advice you give Trevor Cooper the Dog Law solicitor a call on his advice line (pay line) as he will be the one person best to advice you. http://www.doglaw.co.uk

Also see this page of his website, does not sound good for you I'm afraid unless he knew there was a problem: http://www.doglaw.co.uk/contract.php

What sort of food was he raised on think i would change his diet and try splints before doing something as drastic as operating

Iv PM'd you x

The affix given has a fb page that states the owner is a gundog owner and trainer so maybe selling puppies is part of his business in which case you may have some rights as per the second link that Goldmali put up.

Legally it sounds like there may not be much you can do. Morrally he should take the pup back and refund your money. My puppy contract says the owners must take the puppy to the vet within a week of purchase and that if a problem is found I willtake the puppy back and refund the purchase price. I dont suppose you had a contract though?

Unfortunately if the breeder wont refund and you cant afford the money for surgery then your options are limited. If you were to sign him over to the RSPCA they would probably operate on him and then rehome to someone else but unless you were on benefits I doubt they would let you have him back. Otherwise euthanasia might be aa realistic option. If you cant do the surgery then you cant let him live in pain :(

Harley if you Google that it comes up with nothing more whatsoever, just the FB page, so I doubt it.

I have found lots more info from googling - will pm you

As he also advertises both his Columer Spaniel and Springer Spaniel males as available for stud, surely he is running a business? The tax man may be interested. (currently advertising on Pets4homes - updated only 5 hours ago)

If he is registering his (or some) puppies with the KC, would they not be able to intervene and exert some pressure?

Well it isn't canine rickets, its; caused by the bones and tendons not growing in synchrony, and may be caused by either over or under nutrition, and generally appears at 6 - 12 weeks.

http://www.bing.com/search?q=carpul+valgus+causes&form=IE10TR&src=IE10TR&pc=MASBJS

It can be diagnosed by x-ray.  The breeder may well not have noticed anything wrong if it wasn't very apparent at the time of sale or vet check.

Morally at such a short time after purchase the breeder should refund, and take pup back, then they can get it treated and re-home later.

The condition isn't painful.

Hard as it may be, I think I would return this puppy and not leave without my money.  Perhaps telephone his vet and ask if they were vet checked. 

What does your contract say in relation to return of the puppy in case if a health condition picked up by your vets? I know some breeders have these points covered in them.
If you could type the wording on here that might help.

Is it possible that the poster does not have a contract and maybe not even a receipt for the puppy? She does say that at one point, the breeder denies even meeting her.

Do you have any form of receipt or contract ?
Do you have any texts or emails relating to the purchase of this dog ?

If you look at the existing stud ads the link on it to "visit breeder's website" takes you to CD and a dead end, he's not there. Googling kennel name and/or name of breeder mainly takes you to out of date or removed listings. Googling names of training business listed on FB finds zero results other than FB, which is little more than a blank page. If he's running a business, it's pretty invisible. :)

There is nothing in law to say the breeder has to have the puppy back, and there is nothing the KC can do. Loopholes like a Swizz cheese. :(

Many years ago, (approx 25 years now) my friend bought a farm GSD, the pup had rickets, generally, (in fact I would say mostly) down to a poor diet, like yourself she wanted to keep him, with a good diet his legs formed correctly and he grew to be a beautiful dog, he died aged 13 years of his heart just giving out, and never needed any treatment whatsoever for his limbs, he had good strong legs, what I'm getting at is.......

don't allow your vet to frighten the life out of you, the pup should be put on a good diet right now and wait and see if things improve, vets today, **shaking head** some just love to scaremonger as we know, (or they think we know) no different, some tend to jump to the worst conclusion and get owners to pay out thousands when not needed.

Myself, I'd probably take him back for a full refund, and look elsewhere.......just noticed the breeder says he won't refund....... if you  wish for a full refund, then you need to contact trading standards immediately and for good measure threaten court action.

But, if you are keeping him, I would give it a little time........to see if a good diet will self repair, saw a rescue programme not so long ago where a pups front legs were actually bent and turned in, they were so bad from lack of good nutrition, one vet said pts, the other said it can repair, and with a good diet and acupuncture the legs grew really strong, no need for a £2,000 surgery.

Seek a second opinion, vets will always differ.......... and don't be freaked out by the word rickets, seen for myself how a dog can fully recover.

If however, this is not going to be a happy ending, you may well need to pts if you cannot afford the treatment and then I would be at my solicitors and taking this to court.

Wishing you all the best, and sorry your joyous occassion is this......... it shouldn't be like this, you should have collected a healthy pup. :-(

Isn't taking money for a 'service' running a business, even if it is only a small business?

Advertising the 'services' of two separate stud dogs for money I would personally term a business venture and would attract tax in my opinion. He advertises the same studs on epupz. How many times do the said studs need to be used for it to become a business? They may be being used on a very regular basis, particular the springer as they are quite popular dogs.

Good breeders have no need to advertise their dogs at stud.

If you know the KC names for the stud dogs you can check them on mykc to see what they have sired that have been registered.

http://www.greatdanelady.com/articles/knuckling_over.htm

> Isn't taking money for a 'service' running a business, even if it is only a small business?

On one site I found, he claims he is a "hobby breader" [sic].

I've seen that as well....

Thank you everyone for you help, advice and kind words.  I've been in tears reading these replies. Unfortunately tonight things went from bad to worse.  We decided to go round to his house as he had failed to respond to emails. We took the pup and wanted him to see for himself. He opened the door and said "you need to take that dog and get out of here or I'll call the police" we asked him to look at the dog and he refused, I'll admit I lost my cool and called him a few choice words.  The police were already on the cup de sac (surprisingly it is actually a very nice neighbourhood!) and ended up coming over and to us before going inside to speak to "breeder" (I use the term loosely, crook is more appropriate) the police woman advised that he is happy to take it through the courts, I think he thinks we'll be put off by this but due to my job the courts do not scare me! The poor pup is in the middle of this and we are utterly devastated but we have now decided whatever the outcome we are not going to leave the puppy with that bully even if he decided we could.  He is a shot gun owner and we feel he probably would just take matters into his own hands with the pup which is not what we want.

We have contacted the vet that docked his tail and apparently carried out the vet check and they refuse to give us any information due to confidentiality.  I believe the vet is a friend of the "breeder" as he is not local and it seems unusual that someone would call a vet in from 15 miles away when there are many more local practices.

I do not have a contract or even a receipt for the pup, we paid cash - at his request.  I still have a copy of that email and intend on sending it to HMRC. I'm probably very naive and stupid but we honestly thought everything was legitimate.

I have sought legal advice who have suggested getting pup fostered whilst we sort out the issue (due to my children being extremely attached already and the longer he is here the harder it will be for them) and going to the small claims court.

However, I think we have now decided that;

We made a bad decision, We won't do it again, We probably won't see our money again, however, we will do everything possible to show the "breeder" up so will go to court. In the meantime,  We're going to do the best we can for our pup whilst we can. I have explained to the children this evening that we can't promise he will be with us for a long time and whilst we can't afford the operation or endless vet bills we are going to try and change his diet and do everything possible to see if this condition can be improved.  BUT, if it doesn't work and he's still suffering we will have to make the decision to pts, after all, how happy is a springer that can't spring?? But it will be our decision to do that when we have no other option. 

Thanks again all x

Good breeders have no need to advertise their dogs at stud.

Exactly, but how many do still have two dogs (or more) available if the right bitch's owner comes along enquiring? An awful lot of breeders. It doesn't make them all businesses.

We have contacted the vet that docked his tail and apparently carried out the vet check and they refuse to give us any information due to confidentiality.  I believe the vet is a friend of the "breeder" as he is not local and it seems unusual that someone would call a vet in from 15 miles away when there are many more local practices.

That part is easy to explain -it's probably the nearest vet willing to dock. The great majority will refuse, so breeders of breeds that legally can be docked by a vet will have to travel.

Apart from that though -what an awful, awful person. :( I wish you all the best of luck! Please do give Trevor Cooper a call, there really is no dog solicitor better able to advice than he is.

How heartbreaking for you :(
I wish you all the best for a successful outcome.

It might be worth noting that *most* reputable breeders also offer insurance that covers the puppy for the first few weeks in its new home. While that wouldn't include any congenital disorders, it does raise a red flag to me, especially as he wanted cash - he seems to not want any kind of paper trail for some reason.

> We have contacted the vet that docked his tail and apparently carried out the vet check and they refuse to give us any information due to confidentiality.  I believe the vet is a friend of the "breeder" as he is not local and it seems unusual that someone would call a vet in from 15 miles away when there are many more local practices.

I believe (may be wrong) that not all vets will dock, so he may have had to travel to find one that would, in accordance with the docking laws.
Edit - snap Goldmali!

Goldmali: I agree that good breeders who allow their dogs to be used at stud to approved bitches are not businesses.

But someone who actively advertises their male dogs for stud (can't remember seeing anything about to approved bitches only) is running a business. They are doing it purely for the money and nothing else. That is business.

If someone say is on jobseekers and can't get a job, decided to get a bucket, ladder and shammy leather and then offers to do windows for money - they are running a business albeit a small one. They have to declare to DWP and the tax man that they are earning.

Oh he also told the police woman there was nothing in advert to say they were healthy puppies! To which she replied but surely you wouldn't be selling unhealthy pups? That's an idiotic rhkng to
Say! Personally, I think this litter has paid for his all inclusive holiday abroad for two weeks in the school holidays and he's about ready to go away so has no intention of repaying for a pup or taking him back! I hope h chokes on his sangria! Also as a "family man" why would he inflict unnesecary heartache on my kids? I believe he knew very well what was going on. My blood is boiling!

> Personally, I think this litter has paid for his all inclusive holiday abroad for two weeks in the school holidays and he's about ready to go away so has no intention of repaying for a pup or taking him back!

I really feel for you. It's a horrible thing to say, but there are a lot of people out there using puppies to pay for holidays, washing machines, new cars etc. Sometimes the tax man is interested in the undisclosed income.... and lack of any paperwork, receipts, insurance etc. does make me wonder if he had a hidden agenda ;)

I'm sorry you've had such a bad experience buying your puppy, he sounds exactly the type of breeder who should be outlawed, and gives good breeders bad names.

I do think you should take your puppy for a second opinion to a different vet practice, it may be the vet misdiagnosed, and if that's the case you may be able to help him without an operation costing such a vast amount of money.

I wish you a happy outcome to this dreadful situation.

Firstly my advice would be get onto Trading Standards and take him through the courts. And sadly yes, there are breeders that supplement their income breeding puppies. I was told by a Golden Retriever breeder (who purports to be doing lots for rescue) to 'get your bitch into whelp as what do you think is paying for this house extension' needless to say I never went near her home again.

I am so sorry to hear what you're going through but please keep telling your story to all that will listen.  Puppy buyers need to be aware of how to buy a puppy from a caring breeder, how they will be expected to sign contracts and have lifetime support etc. 
This is so hard to get across to people - I hope the pup isn't in pain - must be so hard for you all

I have seen that this condition is curable but at a cost as you say.  In your dog it has shown early.  This could be a good thing.  It might not have shown until about 7 months or more. My question is if it had not shown until then what would you have done?

Morally at such a short time after purchase the breeder should refund, and take pup back, then they can get it treated and re-home later.

The condition isn't painful.

The first I totally agree with - and most breeders value their REPUTATION which you might work on!!  

As for not painful - it may not be right now, but unless the condition is corrected, ie surgery or splinting (and who wants to do that, either, to an 8 week old puppy!) it could well lead to arthritis later on, if nothing else.

For my two bits, unless you have something in a Sales Contract re taking the puppy back (and ALL good breeders include a take back clause which is usually 'for the lifetime of the dog') you are into a Buyer Beware situation.   Long nails - strike one!   Check out the food too - I'm dead against all this 'more is better' that some manufacturers seem to promote.   Especially with the protein level.   Too much and you get 'too fast'.   I don't feed anything higher than 26% protein .... for medium to big sized dogs.

Responsible breeders will take back/refund/replace the puppies they breed if something like this is found and so soon after purchase.   BYBs DON'T CARE.   I hope you can sort this out!

Just curious, do you know what the breeder weaned him onto and what he was being fed when you got him? re changing his diet, have you considered raw? x

> xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> I believe the vet is a friend of the "breeder" as he is not local and it seems unusual that someone would call a vet in from 15 miles away when there are many more local practices.

I use a vet who is 30 miles away from where I live although there are at least 5 different practices much closer.

I'm so sorry you are going through so much heartbreak. Stick to your guns and follow your threats through.  Take care not to malign the breeder though while you do this.

You need to be very careful what you say as unfortunately you need to prove he is guilty not the other way around. You do have some things on your side though. Take screen shots of the dogs he advertises for stud, check your sent mail to print and save what you sent to him and his replies. Try to make sure his ip address is on his responses to prove emails were sent from his address if possible. The puppy plan advises that puppies should not be rehomed before 8 weeks old. If you have any pictures of the pup which prove you had him before this by date, it may also help. By getting a second opinion from another vet or even from the one who docked will also show your commitment to the pup's wellbring.

I'm not saying these things prove anything but gathering together as much info as you can, can only help right? Please keep updating this thread as I'm sure someone else may find it useful and be grateful for the information.  Good luck.

It does seem that splinting is now considered to make things worse and nutrition is the key, to slow down the growth rate, allowing the bones and tendons to catch up with each other, and gentle exercise.

>The puppy plan advises that puppies should not be rehomed before 8 weeks old.

I would not say that in this case homing age has any relevance.  It is only commercial breeders (those required to register with the council) that are not supposed to sell pups to new owners before 8 weeks, though they can sell them to a retailer before this age (talk about encourage trade in pups).

Many people (talking decent breeders) home puppies before 8 weeks old, our breed club advices not before 7 weeks, in practice pups will leave a few days before 8 weeks for weekend collection, but often later as most breeders prefer to spread leaving times, to fit in with new owners timetables, and of course it's a lot to deal with more than two new owners on collection day, with all the paperwork etc.

The guide dogs for the blind home theirs to Puppy Walkers at 6 weeks.

Dog trainers/behaviourists actually believe the ideal homing age is 49 days (7 weeks) as at that point pup will have had sufficient time to learn to be a dog, but not quite reached the first fear stage at around 8 weeks.  See Before and After You Get your Puppy by Ian Dunbar.

Also http://www.raisingspot.com/adopting/find-puppy-seven-weeks

" Ideally, the age to bring home a puppy is when he's between seven and twelve weeks old. ..."

Not condoning the attitiude of the breeder at all, but when we lived in Pembrokeshire many of the working springers had 'Queen Anne Legs', which was fairly common.    Whilst obviously a conformation fault, they seemed to work for years with no problems.     It was said that the conformation (?) helped the dog to hunt underneath heavy cover more easily.

Have a look at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2905020/      The important bit says 

'What is clear is that the prognosis for these puppies is almost always very good. Nearly all will return to normal, regardless of treatment (or lack of same) within 4 wk; most are resolved in the first 2 wk (1). The rare exception seems to be in cases characterized by severe carpal hyperextension alone. While most of these cases will return to good function without major treatment, their course may be longer and they may not resolve completely.'

I'm wondering if that is what this is?

Jo

I really feel for you, your family and the puppy. But maybe the puppy isn't as bad as the first vet described. I would definitely see another vet. I'm not saying it is right but I have seen quite a few working spaniels (and other breeds) with what looks like bowed legs. It doesn't always show up when they are very young. He may go on to lead a perfectly happy life without operating, probably he will develop arthritis, but that would also occur if he had the operation. I don't think breeders deliberately breed badly but sometimes things happen that are unexpected.

The description regarding nutrition and closing of growth plates and bones growing at different rates is one I have heard before, so that sounds the way to go to me.

I think the way the breeder has behaved is dreadful and there is no excuse for that but if you pursue this it will definitely lead to a whole lot more heartache.

I have a dog with a bowed front, it did not become noticeable until he was about 9 weeks. He has developed very flat feet and his toe nails do not wear down, so need to be trimmed regularly. The breeder did not breed him like this on purpose and I did not dream of taking him back to the breeder. But to give you hope, he is now 10 years old and perfectly well. If he starts to suffer, I will do all I can for him, but he has lived a very happy life so far, the only thing I didn't do with him (that I intended to do) was agility, because I didn't think it would be good for him to keep landing from jumps on his weak front.

Good luck and look positively forward and enjoy your puppy if you decide to keep him.

>I think the way the breeder has behaved is dreadful and there is no excuse for that but if you pursue this it will definitely lead to a whole lot more heartache.

Having read through all posts I'm inclined to agree.  Constant worry is very wearing.  If you are able to draw a line under these things, it's often less torment.

Such a sad story. Unfortunately unless this is a licenced breeder this is a case of 'buyer beware'

Unless the seller sells dogs in the course of a business, then the principle of caveat emptor applies. This means 'let the buyer beware' ie. it is up to the buyer to satisfy themselves at the time of purchase that the dog is acceptable, and if it turns out to have defects they are unlikely to have any remedy. The situation is different if:-
1.The seller expressly stated things about the dog which were not true, or
2.If the seller sells dogs in the course of a business

If either of these situations apply, then the buyer may be able to take proceedings for their losses and/or may return the dog and demand a refund.

The above is from Trevor Cooper's Dog Law website.

I also wanted to mention that although taking the pup back to the breeder may seem to be the answer, there is in my mind no question what would happen to him if he ended up with the breeder. In your heart is this really the outcome that you would wish for?

I really hope that the vet has misdiagnosed and he goes on to live a happy, healthy life.

It does seem that from what we have found out about the condition that it does resolve, and that the Vet has needlessly put the frighteners on the situation.

doesn't absolve the breeder from their awful behaviour, but it does seem that eventually in even a month or so the puppy should be OK, with little to no treatment other than sensible diet.

I do wonder if the 'breeder' was one who thought that adding extra calcium to the diet was a good idea (it is not, but is something breeders used to think was a good idea) and this is the reason the condition has occurred due to nutritional imbalance.

What a horrible situation for you and your family. Thinking about the puppy, I agree with those who suggested a second opinion or perhaps a referral to a specialist orthopaedic vet if you can afford it to get a clear picture of what your are dealing with. If your vet isnt helpful with that I am sure between us we can suggest on or two.
I would also research as much about it as possible and get him on the best diet you can to help. Personally that would be raw but I appreciate that isnt for everyone. I would look for a grain free kibble if that is what you prefer.
I don't know if supplementation is best or not and how much exercise a pup with this condition should have again specialist advise if possible. I appreciate that comes a t a price which may not be possible.
From the quick reading I have done although you would have expected to have a healthy pup when you bought him it does seem all is not lost th econdition does not always end badly in fact mostly the dog lives comfortably until old age. As he is pet dog and not working that will be in his favour.
I would go ahead and get him insured asap at least to cover anything else. A lifetime policy something like pet plan
good luck I hope you get some solutions

Can I suggest vetsmedicover for insurance as some plans will exclude his legs from the policy but vm will cover existing problrms if they aren't claimed on for a certain number of years. I think.

good idea gsdowner so do pet plan after two years but as in my Bentley who broke his leg they have excluded for life when I changed to them. so it does vary but worth finding out

The sale of puppies is covered under the "Sale of Goods Act" so if not fit for purpose, you are entitled to your money back. Not that this will make you feel any better, so sorry that this has happened.
Also anyone taking money for anything supplied is running a business......simples

>Also anyone taking money for anything supplied is running a business......simples

Actually that is not strictly true, private sales (which most puppy sales, when the breeder is not counted as running a  business) are not covered in the same way, and as previously said 'Caveat Emptor' applies.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/consumer-rights-refunds-exchange

"The rules change with private sellers
If you're buying second-hand goods from a private seller (someone who doesn't sell goods for all or part of their living), your rights are nowhere near as strong as when buying from a shop.

The only protection is that it's correctly described and the owner has the right to sell it. Here, it really is a case of caveat emptor or "let the buyer beware".

http://whatconsumer.co.uk/i-bought-it-from-a-bloke-down-the-pub/
"
I bought it from a bloke down the pub

As mentioned in 'How long should it last?', the statutory term of satisfactory quality only applies if you have bought something from a commercial entity - a supplier or retailer who is acting 'in the course of a business'. In this respect, your rights under Sale of Goods apply even if the item you have bought is second-hand, as long as you buy it from a registered trader or retailer. If you buy something from a private seller, you don't have the benefit of this protection and must employ 'buyer beware'. For this reason, take good care when buying a second hand car from a private seller."

So if the seller says nowt or little about the goods and you buy it, then that's it. Even if it's shoddy, you weren't mis-sold, so have no comeback. Though if they lie to you - you do.

The sale of puppies is covered under the "Sale of Goods Act" so if not fit for purpose, you are entitled to your money back.

No, not unless the person is a licensed breeder -which in this case they are not, or if they deliberately have made false claims about the pups, i.e. knew of the problem and lied about it not existing. Otherwise it is entirely up to the buyer to make sure the pup was what they wanted when the seller is a private individual.

Also anyone taking money for anything supplied is running a business......simples

No, incorrect again.

Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999, Breeding of Dogs Act 1991 and Breeding of Dogs Act 1973

The Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999, which amended and extended the provisions of the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973 and the Breeding of Dogs Act 1991, already provides protection for dogs used in breeding establishments.

Under this legislation, any person who keeps a breeding establishment for dogs at any premises and carries on at those premises a business of breeding dogs for sale must obtain a licence from the local council. Those people who are not in the business of breeding dogs for sale, so called "hobby breeders", and produce less than 5 litters in any period of 12 months do not need a licence.
https://www.gov.uk/animal-welfare-legislation-protecting-pets