What is the difference ( humour me please :) ) between a pedigree dog and a Pure bred dog and are only KC REG Dogs classed as pedigree?

Hi Mattie,
A pedigree dog is one who's ancestors can be traced back for generations, all ancestors being the same breed. A pedigree is a piece of paper, no more, no less. A pure bred dog is also one who's ancestors are all the same breed. So in that respect the two are no different. You can have a pedigree dog, ( a dog with a pedigree ) without it being KC registered. It's just that you can not prove anything, KC registration is our nearest thing to a gaurantee, that a dog is what it's meant to be. However it all relies upon the truth of the information provided by breeders.
Dawn R.

The first thing to understand is that a pedigree is only a list of ancestors, whether for a dog, cat, horse, person or whatever.
(Technically the individuals in that pedigree do not need to be of the same breed as each other - they just have to be recorded.)
However, it's usually taken to mean the written record of the ancestors of a purebred animal.

Any clearer, or have I just muddied the water?
:)

Well.... if you have a fun show for example is it true that if the event isnt KC licenced then you cannot stipulate pedigree classes If the answer is yes then can you call the classes pure bred classes and go on with the show or do you have to cancel the classes

I would guess that if the event is not licenced by the Kennel Club, then you could call the classes anything you like and have classes for 'pedigree dogs if you want to. However the fact is, that the exhibitors run the theoretical risk of diciplinary action by the Kennel Club if they participate in BOTH licenced and unlicenced events. Of course it would take somebody to report this, but I would not like to risk it myself.
Dawn R.

There is no such thing as a "pedigree dog" it should be a "dog with a pedigree" - it's just a term we have adopted to mean a pure bred dog. A pedigree is the ancestry of the dog - often put to paper and a requirement if the dog is to be KC reg'd. All dogs have ancestories - but the cross breeds and mongrels usually cannot be tracked and so a pedigree cannot be produced:D

I guess you could have a problem though in how does someone "prove" they have a pedigree. Would you accept for example a dog with a handwritten note of it's pedigree or pehaps worse still a DLR registration? I would have thought calling it a "pure bred" class would be safer - but still open to abuse. Oh the joys of fun events:D

Pam n the boys

Just to give you a different slant on the question you asked.

In Canada a dog may be on a Pedigree a number of times where the same name flips back and forth in the same breed as long as your arm but it is not considered Purebred unless it is registered with the CANADIAN KENNEL CLUB as per the Pedigreed Livestock Act which is a statute of our Federal Government.

So lets take an example of my breed, Wire Haired Fox Terrier:

You may buy a pup from a breeder who gives you a 5-generation pedigree
They tell you the pup is purebred
The breeder states that many of the ancestors were Best in Show and Best in Group Winners
They don't give you any paperwork to indicate the puppy is purebred or give you information that paperwork has been submitted for Individual Registration.

All that the breeder has said holds no weight to prove his status as Purebred until the breeder submits the registration documents to set this Puppy's Individual Status at the Canadian Club therefore proving the puppy to be a Purebred as per the Pedigreed Livestock Act.

Margaret :) Canada

I find this very interesting ..I always assumed that Pedigree and Purebred were one and the same ...except that one was the UK term and one the US term

Melody :)