Buying a purebred puppy in Belgium or the Greater Region comes with a pedigree issued by one of several distinct organizations, each with its own history and its own stud book. Knowing who does what makes it possible to judge a breeder's seriousness well beyond the word "pedigree" alone.
The Société Royale Saint-Hubert: the elder
Founded in 1882, the Société Royale Saint-Hubert (SRSH) is Belgium's oldest cynological organization. As early as 1883, it opened the Livre des Origines Saint-Hubert (LOSH), which registers purebred dogs born in the country. The SRSH is recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), giving LOSH pedigrees recognition in most countries worldwide.
The Royal Kennel Club Belge and the LOB
Founded in 1905 in Brussels under the name Fédération Belge des Sociétés Canines, the organization that would become the Royal Kennel Club Belge (RKCB) obtained official management of the Livre des Origines Belge (LOB) in 1908, recognized by the Belgian state and the relevant ministries. It now operates as a nonprofit (ASBL, since 2021) and issues its own pedigrees, also recognized internationally.
The NVBK-FNCB: the Flemish government's all-breed registry
The Nationaal Verbond van Belgische Kynologen (NVBK), also known as the Fédération Nationale de Cynophiles Belges (FNCB), is a third, more recent organization, registered in 1971. Recognized by the Flemish government as the official stud-book organization for all breeds, it also oversees numerous clubs practicing ring sport, obedience, agility, and dog shows.
A model born in England
These Belgian institutions belong to a broader tradition begun by the world's very first dog club: the British Kennel Club, founded in 1873 by Sewallis Evelyn Shirley and twelve other enthusiasts. Its original mission — setting clear rules for shows and working trials, and keeping a reliable pedigree register — directly inspired the model later adopted on the continent.
What this means in practice when buying a puppy
A puppy registered with LOSH, LOB, or the NVBK registry benefits, in all three cases, from serious genealogical traceability — the difference mainly lies in the breeder's organization of origin and, for some breeds, in the preferred breeding philosophy (working ability over show criteria, for example). Checking which organization issued the pedigree remains the first step before any purchase — well before price or coat color.
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