History of The Kennel Club

Dog health and welfare

As well as ensuring that dog shows and other events were properly managed, The Kennel Club was also concerned with the health of dogs. Of the 10 rules for running a dog show published in the very first stud book, two were concerned with health, stating that a veterinary inspector should be present at shows with over 200 entries and that dogs must be withdrawn from the show if they have any contagious disease. HRH The Prince of Wales (later H.M. Edward VII) was The Kennel Club's first patron and was a staunch supporter of the movement to prevent the cropping of dogs' ears.

Dog showing and activities

Dog showing

The Victorian love of both dogs and hobbies meant that dog showing and activities became very popular in the 19th century. The first conformation dog show was held in the Town Hall, Newcastle-on-Tyne in 1859 and the next 14 years saw explosive growth in this new and fashionable hobby. The first organised field trial took place at Southill in 1865 and this discipline also gained a large following.

As dog showing became more and more popular, The Kennel Club needed to ensure that the number of shows held was kept under control so that high standards could be maintained. Therefore, in 1900, a system of show licences was developed with each show management undertaking a guarantee to hold the show under strict Kennel Club rules.

In 1939 The Kennel Club acquired the world famous Crufts dog show (founded 1891) following the death of its founder, Charles Cruft. Since that time, Crufts has been The Kennel Club's flagship event and is the biggest dog show in the world. Today, The Kennel Club licenses over 4,000 dog shows and events every year. 

Dog activities

The very first discipline recognised by The Kennel Club was the discipline of field trials, which tests the skills of working gundogs. Other opportunities arose for working dogs to show off their skills and compete with the development of the disciplines of working trials (1920s), obedience (1950s) and agility (1970s), all of which are governed by The Kennel Club. Since the 1990s, both flyball and heelwork to music have become hugely popular with the British public and the new disciplines of canicross and rally are gaining a dedicated following.

Dog registration

Another important task for the newly formed Kennel Club to undertake was to have a register of dogs, so they could be identified properly. In 1880, the first monthly register of dog names was printed in the very first issue of The Kennel Gazette. These registration records ensured that each dog could be uniquely identified. Over the years they have provided the source of pedigree information for every dog on The Kennel Club's Breed Register. Today, we register over 200,000 dogs each year.