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Part Two:

Guidance To Rhodesian Ridgeback Breeders:

1) Objective:
As a breeder your objective should be the improvement of the overall standard of the breed.

2) Points to consider before breeding:
a) Your reasons for breeding:
Breeding should not be merely a money making scheme, (breed to improve the breed, not your bank account)

b) Do You Have The Time?
It is important that you only breed a litter if you have the time and facilities available to devote proper care
and attention to the wellbeing of the dam and the puppies.

c) Homes for puppies:
Before you breed a litter you should be reasonably sure of finding suitable homes for the puppies.

d) Welfare of the bitch:
No bitch should have an excessive number of litters (it is recommended not more than three litters or
thirty puppies in her lifetime) and no bitch should be mated on consecutive seasons,
or be mated before they are sufficiently mature, (certainly not before their third season
or under two years of age).
Bitches should not be bred from for the first time over the age of four years. You should reconsider if
your bitch is too old to have her first litter or too old to have another.

Advice to Breeders:

A) Breeding Stock.
All Rhodesian Ridgebacks to be bred from should be registered with a Kennel Club and it
is recommended that all breeding stock be X-Rayed for Hip and Elbow Dysplasia before breeding.
It is further recommended that breeding stock be tested to determine their JME (Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy) status.
At least one of the parents should have a clear status.
They should be healthy and follow closely the official Kennel Club breed standard.
Equal thought should be given to temperament, health, type and soundness. (Nervous or
aggressive dogs are not satisfactory as pets or breeding stock). You should refrain from
and discourage breeding from inferior Rhodesian Ridgebacks.
(See also Advice to Stud Dog Owners)
As a breeder you should keep accurate and correct records of every litter you breed,
and of all matings.

B) Sale of Puppies.
(i) As a breeder you should ensure that your puppies go to suitable permanent homes.
Should circumstances occur where a puppy you have bred has to be rehomed, you will
offer every assistance possible in the rehoming.

(ii) All puppies should be registered with The Irish Kennel Club or Kennel Club of the country of origin.
(See note re endorsements)

(iii) You should be aware of puppy sale legislation e.g. Trades Description Act.

(iv) No Rhodesian Ridgeback should knowingly be sold to Laboratories, Pet Shops,
Puppy farms, Security Firms, Wholesalers / Dealers or to anyone known to sell to them.

(v) No Rhodesian Ridgeback should knowingly be sold or given as a prize in a raffle
or competition.

(vi) No Rhodesian Ridgeback should knowingly be sold at wholesale or at auction.

(vii) No Rhodesian Ridgeback should be exported to a country that has not the legislation
for the protection of animals from cruelty similar to such laws in Ireland and who do not
have a reciprocal agreement with the Irish Kennel Club.

(viii) Whole litters of Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies must not be sold to any one individual.

Advice re malformation and cosmetic faults in puppies:

Deformities, such as dermoid sinus and cleft palates, can occur in any litter, and breeders are advised to use their own discretion
when dealing with malformed pups, keeping in mind the best interest of the pup concerned.
Puppies with entropion, multiple, single or no crowns, ridgeless, non-standard colour or kinked tails should have endorsements placed on their pedigree.
It should be made very clear on the contract with the owner that breeding these pups is not an option. Neutering at an acceptable age
should be advised but left to the discretion of the owners.
It is hoped that each litter is an improvement upon the previous generation to ensure
that future Ridgebacks will be of good quality.

(C) Kennel Club Endorsement Scheme :

Breeders should make use of the Kennel Club's Endorsement Scheme in regard
to puppy registrations where puppies do not fulfil the breed standard;
( e.g. Not for Export, Not to be bred from).

(D) Puppy Information :

Prospective buyers of puppies should be well vetted for suitability and ability to
provide a life-long, happy and healthy home. They should be advised
of the characteristics of the breed, and to the needs etc., of a puppy.
No puppy should leave the dam before it is ready, normally 7-8 weeks.

Each new owner should receive the following from the breeder :-
(i) A diet sheet
(ii) Written confirmation of worming.
(iii) A receipt.
(iv) A signed Pedigree.
(v) An I.K.C. registration and transfer form.
(vi) A Membership form for the Club.
(vii) A copy of the Club Code of Ethics.

You should impress on the new owners that they should contact you, the breeder,
in the event of any problems with their puppy.

4: Advice to Stud Dog Owners :

(A) Only entire dogs should be used at stud. Members who own stud dogs should be
aware of the need to improve the breed and enhance the reputation of the sires.
They should refuse services to inferior specimens of the breed and to people who do not
have the time, the facilities or responsible attitudes for caring for the dam and puppies.
Only Kennel Club registered bitches, free from dermoid-sinus should be offered the services of stud.
It is recommended that all breeding stock be hip scored (x-rayed) for hip-dysplasia before breeding.
It is further recommended that breeding stock be tested to determine their JME (Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy) status.
At least one of the parents should have a clear status.

(B) Only place your dog at stud if he is of suitable quality and follows closely
the Kennel Club breed standard.

(C) As a stud owner you should keep accurate and correct records of every mating.

(D) Owners of stud dogs should not provide stud services to
Laboratories, Pet Shops, Puppy farms, Security Firms,
Wholesalers / Dealers or any person known to sell to any of them.


Continued:

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