How do I know a Pedigree is really a Pedigree?

Thanks for the link for the how to spot a good breeder v back garden breeder - v useful!
 
I was shocked to read that in the US millions of dogs in shelters get slaughtered - is that simply because of overcrowding?.  I might be wrong, but in the UK most of the shelters advertise the fact that they will never put down a healthy animal. 

The Jack Russell terrier is not recognised by the Kennel Club.  The Parson Russell Terrier is, it's very similar.  This means if you go for a Jack Russell, he won't have his "papers" from the kennel club.  Jack Russels vary quite widely in appearance and type for a "pedigree" dog.
 
There are also some great threads on this board about recognising a BYB vs a good breeder.  These are my thoughts....
 
A good breeder should not produce very many litters of puppies so you may have to wait and pay a little over the odds for a puppy.  This is because before a good breeder breeds a litter, he should think "what impact will this litter have on the breed in general?"  If he has chosen parents who are excellent specimens of the breed and suit one another well, the answer is he believes the puppies being born will marginally raise the standard of the breed in general.  That's what every breeder should aim for.  If every breeder did that, fewer puppies would be born, and those that did would be healthier and have better temperaments.  The breeder should have as their motto: "First do no harm".  Obviously, the health of the breeders dogs and puppies and their living environment will speak volumes to you about whether the breeder is competent and caring, so make sure you visit them at home before deciding to buy.  Don't accept any excuses for not meeting the dam and make sure you at least see photos and/or video footage of the father (if he lives elsewhere) as well as any relevant paperwork.
 
It's really great you're doing your homework before taking the plunge - there's one lucky pooch out there!  Three of the most common problems with puppies are toilet training, teething and seperation anxiety.  There is loads and loads of info on this forum on these subjects (FOC btw!) which should be able to help you prevent these problems.  Good luck! and keep us posted

ORIGINAL: Chuffy

The Jack Russell terrier is not recognised by the Kennel Club.  The Parson Russell Terrier is, it's very similar.  This means if you go for a Jack Russell, he won't have his "papers" from the kennel club.  Jack Russels vary quite widely in appearance and type for a "pedigree" dog.

 
Really?  I never knew that.  Why aren´t they recognised?  I guess it doesnt really matter whether I have a Jack or a Parson Russell Terrier, so if I can´t get the papers from the Kennel club for a Jack, a arson it will be! 

I don't know.... and I only found out quite recently when someone I know went to get a pedigree JRT puppy and told me.  I was quite surprised and didn't believe them at first.  If you look into the history of the JRT and PRT that might tell you, if you're interested.  I *think* they started out from a fox terrier type dog owned by Parson John Jussel in the early nineteenth century.  He was so taken with her that he produced a strain of similar terriers, about 14inches high and mostly white.  Later strains were named after the original breeder of that type of dog.  After a time I think any mostly white working terrier got dubbed a "jack russell".  So perhaps the difference is that the parson russell is the standardised version, and the jack russell is more a desciption of type than an actual breed?  My sister has a fox terrier and at shows she has been to "JRT people" are sometimes quite disdainful of the fox terrier breed - they seem to be quite proud of the fact that there breed is not recognised by the KC because they think it would just turn it into another show, they proud of their breed's individuality and the emphasis on practicality and function rather than what the dog looks like (which would explain why jack russels vary so much in appearance).  You'd have to research the history yourself to be sure and find out more. 

eta -dont dismiss the jrt for lack of papers - if you dont intend to breed that doesnt matter and papers are no guarantee of quality anyway.  JRTs can be wonderful little dogs!

I just finished writing a puppy buyers guide. You can check it out if you like. It may help answer some questions. Clicky [linkhttp://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=124633686&blogID=219638337&MyToken=75714c03-5556-4653-8092-223ac7ffe752]here[/link].