Pedigrees and Registration

What is a Pedigree Pure Bred Dog?

A ‘pure bred’ dog is one whose mother and father are both of the same recognised breed. 

To be a ‘Pedigree pure bred’, both the mother and the father of the litter must be the same breed, and both must be registered with Dogs Australia or the equivalent recognised registry in another country (such as the Kennel Club in the UK, or the American Kennel Club in the USA).

Dogs Australia has 'Member Bodies' in each state who are responsible for registering breeders, and for registering litters of puppies – in Victoria, this is Dogs Victoria. 

When does Registration Occur?

Registration on the Dogs Australia national pedigree database occurs just after the pups are born and is the responsibility of the Breeder.  The Breeder must hold a Breeder’s Prefix (a registered Kennel Name issued after completing education requirements) and must be a current financial member to register a litter.

It is a requirement that all puppies are identified with a microchip prior to registration and, for some breeds, there is a requirement to submit health-testing results for both parents with the litter registration application.

Once accepted, every puppy in the litter will be issued with Pedigree 'Papers' confirming their registration, listing their microchip number, sex, colour, breed as well as displaying a three-generation family tree.

Important! Registration with Dogs Victoria/Dogs Australia is different from Local Council registration required by Victorian state laws, and is also different to registration of the animal details on a licensed microchip registry.

Understanding the Different Registers

Dogs Victoria has four different registers – the 'Main' Register, the 'Limited' Register, the 'Associate' Register, and the ‘Sporting’ Register. Each has its own set of requirements, and your dog can only be registered on one of these four registers.

The Main Register (blue pedigree papers) and the Limited Register (orange pedigree papers) are for ‘pure-bred’ dogs – this is where both parents of the litter are known, and both parents are registered pure-bred dogs of the same Dogs Australia-recognised breed. 

Within a single pure bred litter, some puppies may be entered onto the Main Register and some on the Limited Register based on the Breeder's choice at registration.  The pedigree papers will contain the same information regarding parentage and the same three-generation pedigree, they will just be different colours.

Note: Only puppies with Main Register pedigree papers are eligible to compete in Conformation Shows (Dog Shows)

Note: Only puppies with Main Register pedigree papers are eligible for future breeding (where they are bred to another main register dog of the same breed and have their progeny registered as pure-bred).

The Sporting and Associate Registers, allow dogs who are not registered on the Dogs Australia national pedigree database to participate in one of the many performance sports offered by Dogs Victoria and its affiliated clubs. 

You can read more about the different registers and registration by clicking here

I have purchased a pedigree pure bred puppy, and the breeder has given me the papers - What do I need to do now?

Your breeder is listed as the first 'owner' of your dog, and they should have signed the 'transfer of ownership' section on the back of the papers. 

To transfer the dog into your name, you will need to complete the details of the new owner - which may be an individual, a partnership (2 owners) or a syndicate (more than 2 owners) - and then lodge the original document with Dogs Victoria, along with the appropriate fee.

The pedigree papers will then be re-issued with the updated ownership details printed onto them. 

You will need to become a Dogs Victoria Member and complete the transfer ownership if you plan to compete in shows or trials, if you plan to breed, or if you intend to claim discounted dog registration with your Local Council.

For more information on membership and the categories of ownership, please contact our Member Services team or click here