Types of Dogs

Pedigree and Non-Pedigree Dogs

A key decision when choosing a dog is whether you go with a pedigree dog, with a documented ancestry certifying that it is part of a distinct breed, or a non-pedigree dog. Both varieties have advantages and disadvantages: you can research more about specific pedigree dogs below and learn about non-pedigree dogs here.

What is a Pedigree

The Irish Kennel Club is the Registration body for Pedigree Dogs, (in other words the Kennel Club keeps the lineage records of your Puppy’s Parents, Grandparents, Great Grandparents going back many generations, and when the Breeder registers a litter from Registered Parents, the IKC will then issue a Registration Certificate for each Puppy in the Litter.)

Prospective New Owners when purchasing an IKC Registered Puppy must obtain the following documents from the Breeder.

Documents

1. The Official IKC Registration Certificate for each Puppy purchased, Signed by the Breeder on the reverse side and giving the New Owners name address etc., which when signed and completed by the New Owner must be returned to the IKC with the relevant Fee to have the Pup/Dog transferred in the IKC records to the new Owner.   Prospective New Owners should note that if in the future they wish to Breed a Litter or exhibit their New Pup this transfer of ownership must have been completed and returned to the Irish Kennel Club.
2. A Pedigree Certificate min. 3 Generations for the Puppy (not photo copies of each of the Puppies Parents)
3. Full Care instructions on Diet, Vaccinations etc, to enable you to settle the Puppy

FCI Groups

Many dogs share similar characteristics across several breeds, such as terriers or retrievers. These are organised into FCI groups. You can read more about the groups that exist, and their broad characteristics, here.

Breeds

There are literally hundreds of breeds, some native to Ireland and some extremely rare. You can learn more about the most popular breeds in Ireland here.