English Toy Terriers are quite rare, a vulnerable native breed with only around 100 puppies registered with the Royal Kennel Club each year. As a result, finding an English Toy Terrier puppy may mean you will need to join a waiting list with one or more breeders.
As a vulnerable breed, breeders of English Toy Terriers are usually very careful about where they place their dogs and will want to make sure that you are right for the breed, as well as the breed being right for you so expect to answer lots of questions about your lifestyle and home circumstances – this is not because breeders are nosey but because they genuinely care about the welfare of these beautiful dogs.
Find a breeder
ETT Club Shows and Championship Shows are held up and down the country throughout the year, and the shows offer good opportunities to meet responsible and knowledgeable breeders face to face.
Members of our Club sign up to our Code of Ethics, and members who are actively breeding English Toy Terriers can be found in our Breeder Directory.
The Club Secretary may also have knowledge of any litters due or any potential puppies looking for their forever home.
Things to ask a breeder
Always make sure that you meet the puppy before handing over money, and that the puppy is available to meet with their mother.
If you are at all unsure about a breeder, feel free to contact us in confidence and we will be happy to discuss and help where we can.
- Ask the breeder if they are licensed by their local council to breed dogs. In the UK, any person breeding dogs for profit or three or more litters a year is required to be licensed by law. If the breeder is licensed, make sure you ask to see their license and make a note of their license number for your records.
- Are the parents registered with the Kennel Club? If not, then we advise you to find a different breeder.
- Will the puppy be registered with the Kennel Club? If not, then we advise you to find a different breeder.
- Are both of the puppy’s parents health tested? And if so, what health tests have they had? As a breed Club with a key goal to protect and advance the interests of the breed, we encourage all breeders to use only the healthiest dogs to produce healthy future generations of English Toy Terriers. The English Toy Terrier Club recommends that all breeders ensure that both the sire and dam are health tested for Patella Luxation, Juvenile Dilated Cardiomyopathy (JDCM) and Xanthinuria as a minimum. Find out more about health testing.
- Will there be any endorsements (restrictions) on the puppy’s registration e.g. most responsible breeders will endorse a puppy so that if any puppies are born to them the puppies cannot be registered with the Kennel Club
- Is the breeder happy for you to visit the puppy in their home to get to know the puppy before the puppy goes home with you?
Ask about ongoing care of the puppy
- What inoculations will the puppy have had when we get him/her?
- What inoculations will I need to arrange after I get the dog?
- What insurance cover, if any, do you provide with the puppy?
- What written information on diet and rearing do you provide?
- What written information about ongoing care do you provide?
- What should I do if my puppy develops a serious health problem in the future?
- What should I do if I ever need to re-home a dog I have bought from you?