The following article was contributed by the Jamaica Kennel Club Ltd (JKC). Founded in 1960, the JKC's goal is "promoting in every way the general improvement of dogs" through education, responsible dog ownership, an accredited breeder programme, as well as dog shows and obedience trials, registry for pure-bred and cross-bred dogs and training classes.

It is important to start your search in the right place. The Jamaica Kennel Club (JKC) is able to provide you with lists of breeders with puppies available for your chosen breed. Breed clubs are also an important source of contact for prospective puppy owners.

What to expect

The breeder should give you the opportunity to see the puppy with its mother and the rest of the litter. This is very important because it will not only give you an opportunity to see the temperament of the mother, but may also give you an idea of the future characteristics and size of the puppy. Take the opportunity to see all the puppies and be able to handle them, rather than just seeing the puppy being offered to you.

It is the responsibility of the breeder(s) to register the litter, and each puppy in the litter will initially be registered in the name of the breeder. The breeder will name all the puppies and may include their kennel name as part of the puppy's JKC-registered name.

Under normal circumstances, litter registration with the JKC takes about 14 days, after which time the breeder will receive the appropriate registration certificates.

If the dog is advertised as JKC registered, you should ensure that you obtain the JKC registration certificate for the dog before you take the dog away (this is not the same thing as a pedigree, which shows ancestry). If you are buying a puppy, the certificate will be blue and will have a transfer of registered ownership form printed on the reverse to enable you to transfer the ownership of your puppy into your own name. Please be aware that you will require the signature of the breeder to complete this. If the registration certificate is not available at the time of purchase, ensure that you receive an undertaking in writing from the breeder that this will be sent to you when available.

You should ask the breeder for information on the following:

A contract of sale - It is recommended that the breeder provide you with this. Among other things, this should detail both the breeder and your responsibilities to the puppy. The contract should also list any official JKC endorsements (restrictions) that the breeder has placed on the puppy's records, and in particular on what basis the breeder may be prepared to remove the endorsement. Before or at the time of sale, you should give a signed acknowledgment of any endorsement placed.

Written advice on training, feeding, exercise, worming and immunisation.

A pedigree detailing your dog's ancestry - this could either be a hand-written or a printed pedigree made out by the breeder or an official one supplied to the breeder by the JKC.

Copies of any additional health certificates for the sire and dam.

For more information, contact The Jamaica Kennel Club Ltd, Shop #3, 10 Shortwood Road, Kingston 8. Tel: 969-2482. Website: www.kennelclub.com.jm