Registration Rules - A Full Guide

The Registration Rules, Full Guide to Member Services, and Stud Book Rules is provided as a PDF download. (Updated April 2023)

The Registration Rules can be quite complicated, however the points below provide a basic overview of the process and rules.

• Breeders must register their puppies before they are 1 year of age. After this, the dog/bitch will have to be Registered on Merit.
• Both parent dogs must be ISDS registered or in another approved register (e.g. ABCA).
• The owners of the sire and dam must be ISDS Members.
• The process starts with the sire owner submitting a Mating Card.
• The Breeder is sent a Registration Folder to complete when the litter is ready.
• The sire and dam must have passed defined eye scheme requirements when the Registration Folder is submitted.
• All pups to be registered must have been microchipped.
• If accepted, the breeder will be sent Registration Certificates for each pup and the details are entered in to the Stud Book for the year that they were registered.

If you buy a registered dog from someone, do ensure that they sign a Transfer Form and send it to the ISDS office so that we can re-record the dog in your name.

There are specific rules regarding Artificial Insemination that the Full Guide refers to. 

Information for obtaining an eye test required for registration can be found here.

Recognition of other Registries

The ISDS announced in September 2003 that it will recognise the dog pedigrees issued by the ABCA for the purpose of registering progeny in the ISDS Stud Book.

In January 2004 the same recognition was accorded to the CBCA, and further extended to the SASDA and in 2013 the AWBCR. 

These notes will, hopefully, explain to those unfamiliar with the ISDS how dogs may be registered in the ISDS Stud Book.