Thinking about a puppy?
In the UK and Ireland, there are approximately 2,897 licensed dog breeders, with England representing the largest share at 81.3%. However, despite regulations, an estimated 75-80% of UK puppies still originate from unlicensed, illegal, or unknown sources, underscoring a significant welfare concern.
Featured Licensed Puppy Breeders
Browse dog breeders licensed and inspected by their local authority.
Pet Perfect Paws uk 
Blacksykes Working Dogs
Gunfield Hungarian Vizslas
Estuary Dawn - Amazing Daxies
Country Style Dachshunds
Pamaswater Scotties
Adorele Havanese & Coton de Tulear
Cabrilla Dogs Ltd
Eyredazzle
Croftside Kennels
Tamoffle Cockers and Doodles
Boshanti Tibetan Terriers
Featured Breeders in Scotland
Browse dog breeders licensed and inspected by their local authority in Scotland
Featured Breeders in Wales
Browse puppy breeders licensed and inspected by their local authority in Wales
Find out more about Licensed Breeders
Common questions and answers about regulated animal breeding in the United Kingdom.
What is a licensed breeder?
A licensed dog breeder is someone who has been granted a dog breeding licence by their local authority and is subject to inspection against the welfare and record keeping standards required by law.
Licensing does not guarantee that every breeder is perfect, but it provides an additional level of oversight. The breeder is identifiable to the council, their premises and practices can be inspected, and buyers have an escalation point if concerns arise.
What is the difference between a licensed breeder and a Kennel Club registered breeder?
They are two different things. A dog breeding licence is issued by a local authority under animal welfare legislation where the breeder meets the relevant licensing criteria.
It involves regulatory inspection and ongoing licence conditions.
Kennel Club registration relates primarily to pedigree registration and participation in Kennel Club schemes. A breeder may be Kennel Club registered without requiring a local authority breeding licence, and a licensed breeder does not have to be a Kennel Club member. Buyers should therefore check both claims separately rather than treating one as proof of the other.
How do I know if a dog breeder is genuine?
A genuine breeder should be open about who they are, where the puppies have been raised and the dogs involved in the litter. You should normally be able to visit, see the puppy with its mother, ask about health testing and veterinary care, and receive clear information about the puppy’s background.
Do not rely solely on an advert, social media profile, registration number or badge. Check information independently wherever possible. If the breeder claims to be licensed, verify the licence with the relevant local authority or through a directory using council supplied information.
How can I tell if a breeder is a puppy farm?
“Puppy farm” is not a precise legal classification and the size of a breeding establishment alone does not tell you whether welfare is poor. The more useful question is whether the dogs and puppies are being bred and kept responsibly.
Warning signs can include being unable to see where the puppy was raised, being prevented from seeing the mother, poor living conditions, unexplained numbers of litters or breeds, little knowledge of the puppy’s history, missing health information or a seller who appears more interested in completing the sale than finding a suitable home.
A commercial or licensed breeder should not automatically be described as a puppy farm simply because they breed dogs as a business.
What are the red flags when buying a puppy?
Be cautious if a seller will not let you visit where the puppy has been raised, prevents you from seeing the puppy with its mother, gives inconsistent information, cannot provide expected paperwork or avoids questions about health testing, veterinary care and the puppy’s background.
Payment should also be handled transparently. A breeder asking for a deposit is not automatically a warning sign, but buyers should make sure they know who they are paying, what the payment is for and what terms apply.
Where possible, consider using a breeder who is a member of the Licensed Breeder Network. Members can use the Digital
PawPrint to manage puppy records, invoices and transactions, helping create a clearer record between breeder and buyer. Buyers can also consider independent services such as PetProov, which are designed to provide additional checks and support around pet transactions.
Be particularly cautious if you are being pressured to pay before you have been able to verify the breeder, the puppy or the information you have been given.
News & Puppy Buying Guides
Common questions and answers about regulated animal breeding in the United Kingdom.
Aug
21
Cheltenham French Bulldog Breeder Convicted of Fraud
A Cheltenham resident has been convicted of animal welfare and fraud offences after breeding and selling French Bulldogs without a licence. The case followed reports about puppies being advertised on social media, including one puppy that was found to be seriously unwell after being sold to a member of the public. French Bulldogs advertised without […]
Aug
19
Illegal Bradford Dog Breeder Ordered to Pay £124,609
A Bradford man who operated an unlicensed Labrador breeding business for more than three years has been ordered to pay a total of £124,609.94 following proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. Steven Robson was given three months to pay the confiscation order or face a 12 month prison sentence. Labradors bred without a […]
Aug
18
North Devon Council Issues £4000 penality notice to an Unlicensed Breeder
North Devon Council has issued a £4,000 Fixed Penalty Notice to an unlicensed dog breeder and reminded anyone breeding dogs for profit to check whether they require a licence. The case demonstrates that councils can impose substantial penalties without first taking a breeder to court, while more serious cases can lead to prosecution and the […]