Breed club

Breed clubs are societies dedicated to the breeding and welfare of a specific breed of purebred dog. There are two main types of breed club: the word usually refers to a specialty club, that is, a group specialising in one particular dog breed. Sometimes a breed club may handle all varieties of a breed, such as a Schnauzer club that manages all the sizes of Schnauzer, or a club that handles both Papillons and Phalènes. There are also combined or group clubs, concerning themselves with more than one breed, that is a whole category of dog, such as hounds or hunting dogs in general.

Most breed clubs are affiliated with larger kennel clubs which handle most administration including the maintenance of registriesthe licensing of judges and sponsor events such as conformational shows and field trials. However, independent dog breed clubs handle their own affairs.

Most popular breeds in countries with large pet-owning populations have their own breed clubs; in countries where dogs are popular pets, there are sometimes several different organizations, each specifying the breed standard used by that organization.