Breeding is quite easy! You have a female dog, look for a male dog of the same race, mate them with each other and as a result, you get a wagon load lot of puppies. Somehow or something like that people think is breeding, but that's not breeding, this just means to proliferate dogs. As a breeder you should engross your thoughts a bit more and be aware of your responsibility. The ambition of a breeder is to bring-up healthy dogs with a stable character in accordance with the dog breed standard.
We are a member of the German Rhodesian Ridgeback Club (VDH/FCI) and keep their strict requirements to breeding regulations.
Amongst others the following key-points belong to their regulations:
* the dogs, used for breeding, are obliged to be free of HD (hip dysplasia), ED (elbow dysplasia)
..and OCD (osteochondritis dissecans)
* before being bred the dogs are obliged to pass a breeding examination.
..During this breeding examination the dogs reaction on certain excitements is tested and judged. Immoderate anxiety,
..timidity, awe or aggression is not tolerated at all. Also the dog has to pass a gunfire test, not because we want to go
..hunting withour dogs, but because gun-shyness very much complicates the daily routine. A gun-shy dog normally also
..reacts with anxious behavior in different kind of characteristics to thunder storms and fireworks (and unfortunately to a
..lot more things).
..Someone who owns a gun-shy dog, or knows one, very well knows life with such a dog can be a strain.
..During this breeding examination the dog's exterior is checked from an acknowledged breeders judge. It's audited if the dog
..corresponds to the requirements of the Breed Standard (size, colour, dentition completeness, etc.)
* the breeder is obliged to regularly educate himself on adequate seminars
* the breeding kennel is obliged to be audited by a breed warden of the Club regarding the compliance with the
..Club's formalities.
When choosing the fitting stud dog, we of course take care of a consistent character and healthiness. Further on you should know about the strength and weakness of your own dog's exterior and try to tighten and/or balance these with the strength and weakness of the stud dog.
Regardless of following all these rules and preparing as good as possible, a bit of luck is always necessary for breeding dogs. Sometimes you do your best in research and planning and still you are unlucky with the result falling short of your expectations. But that's genetics!
Our dog was X-rayed at the age of 18 month, the result of that was: she is free of HD/ED and OCD. After receiving this positive outcome, there was nothing to get in the way of doing the breeding examination which our dog passed without any limitation.
The following additional check-ups we did with our dog:
* cardiac ultrasound done from an approved heart-specialist
* check-up of the thyroid
* check-up regarding Neospora Caninum
* Blue-Dilute test
* tested regarding Canine degenerative myelopathy (also known as chronic degenerative radiculomyelopathy)
All results have been extremely satisfying; our dog is healthy and fit.