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Summary Club Contacts Buyers Guide Working & Training Health & Fitness Calendar of Events Breed History References Breed Standard |
Things Conscientious Breeders Do |
| THINGS CONSCIENTIOUS BREEDERS DO | WHY THAT IS IMPORTANT |
| Provide safe nurturing conditions for their dogs and for any dogs they place with other owners. | Because providing for the welfare of BMDs should be the paramount goal of any breeder. |
| Learn about your interests and goals in dog ownership. | Because if the breed or individual dog and its owner aren’t well suited to each other, the dog could develop behavior or health problems causing the owner and the dog to be discontented. |
| Know their family of dogs well and will not place a dog before they know if a dog matches up well with the lifestyle and expectations of the buyer. | Because every family of dogs possesses unique traits and has its own particular management concerns which affect the dog’s suitability for its owner. |
| Committed to developing and sharing information on BMD health and management issues. | Because by having a resource who can offer valuable dog management advise you can save time and money, and maximize your effectiveness training and caring for your dog. |
| Believe it is important to have extensive information on the health, structure and character plus any other useful information about their dogs and those dogs’ ancestors before undertaking any breeding. | Because you are more likely to get a dog that will live long in good health if breeding dogs are paired to maximize family strengths and to correct family faults. |
| Will never tell you their dogs come from pedigrees with no health problems. | The fact is all BMD pedigrees contain dogs with both good and problematic traits. A breeder able to assess and represent an accurate picture is realistic and honest. |
| Tries to gather and share pertinent genetic information on their breeding dogs which includes providing, on demand, copies of certifications for hips, elbows, eyes, heart, thyroid, and von Willebrands disease as issued by recognized registries (OFA, GDC, CERF, etc..) | When dogs produced, from a well executed breeding strategy undergo genetic screening, the information can be applied by the breeder to make breeding choices that minimize faults in ALL the dogs, both future breeding animals and those placed as non-breeding pets. |
| Don’t sell breeding/show stock to owners not seriously interested in pursuing those objectives. | Breed/show pups often cost more and require a considerable commitment of time and resources by both breeder and owner. |
| Provide you with a pedigree of the puppy including health, structure and temperament information on the parents and ancestors. | Because the depth of pedigree information a breeder has and provides allows both the breeder and you to have a firmer grasp of what can be expected in puppies and adult dogs. |
| Provides you with a written contract before there is any exchange of money, including a deposit. | It is important for you to have a written record outlining the breeder’s and your responsibilities including definition of what kind of dog and services you are paying for. |
| Is willing to clarify to your satisfaction any unclear contractual obligations or any notable conditions which could act to nullify or change any guarantees. | Allows you to be assured that the contract you will sign at the time you get your dog is a workable and acceptable agreement between you and the breeder. |
| Provides you with copies of AKC registrations for both sire and dam. | Proves your puppy is a purebred BMD, and further that the parents of your dog were registered as breeding stock animals with the AKC. |
| Wants to tell you about their goals in dog ownership and their reasons for breeding. | Allows you to decide if a particular breeder’s focus is directed toward breed welfare. |
| Take pride in how their dogs are kept and so will have no objection to you scheduling a visit to visit their property. | Allows you to meet the dogs and their owners so you can see the conditions and assess the character of the breeder and their dogs. |
| Will never sell pups or dogs to agents, brokers or pet shops. | Because resellers’ focus is not the welfare of dogs, but financial gain is. |
| Accept lifetime responsibility for the dogs they place, including assisting in re-homing the dog, if necessary. | No breeder should ever be responsible for adding to society’s burden of unwanted, homeless dogs. |
| Should always try to be available to answer your questions and encourage you to share information and comments you have about your dog. | Provides you with a breeder who cares about the kind of dogs they produce and one who is interested in helping you with your dog. |