Breeding Ethics for Kuvasz

Lambent Kuvasz
Home Our Dogs Health About the Kuvasz Pedigree Breeding	Breeding Ethics What defines a good breeder There is a minimum of standards that differentiate ethical breeders from all others. They breed only healthy and temperamentally sound dogs at appropriate ages. Their kennels etc. are clean, the dogs are well maintained, and vetted on a regular basis. Every litter is planned carefully with the bitch and the stud dog chosen for the right reasons. They sell puppies and older dogs with contracts, and use spay/neuter contracts and AKC Limited Registration for pet quality animals to insure that inferior stock is not used in future breeding programs. They remain helpful to puppy owners throughout the life of the animal and offer continued support even to the extent of taking the puppy/dog back if necessary. They do not place any burden on any rescue organization, and in fact assist rescue when and where possible. They have educated themselves with regard to breed type, health issues, and general animal husbandry. They remain in contact with their breed community in any/all ways possible to keep abreast of current issues, and make every attempt to allow other breeders to see and examine their breeding stock and their progeny. They NEVER sell a puppy or a dog to a broker or pet shop - but only sell directly to the actual owner and caregiver of the animal after a careful screening. You may have heard terms such as "Puppy Mill", "Back Yard Breeder", and perhaps "Hobby Breeder" talked about. I'd like to offer my own brief explanation of how I define each of them. A Puppy Mill is a type of breeder that typically breeds multiple breeds (but not always), typically sells their puppies to brokers or pet shops (but may sell some direct to pet owners), they typically have several breeding animals which are kept under less than ideal circumstances, and typically breed bitches every time they come into season. I would consider a "yes" answer to any of the statements above a Puppy Mill. The worst of the puppy mills can answer yes to all of the above, and the conditions their dogs are kept in are deplorable at best. Some Puppy Mills that have been shut down by local authorities have been found with dogs living in filthy conditions with little or no food and water - including bitches with puppies, dead dogs housed with live dogs, diseased dogs unattended to, and bitches whelping their 6th litter at the tender age of 3. This is why I recommend that NO-ONE for ANY REASON purchase a puppy from a pet store - even if the pet store claims that they get their puppies from "responsible breeders" or friends. HOGWASH!! Any ethical breeder will not under any circumstances sell a puppy to someone other than the ultimate owner. Period. To do so is a great disservice to the entire breed. NEVER EVER BUY A DOG OR A PUPPY FROM A PET STORE!! I cannot stress this enough. A Back Yard breeder could be the little old lady next door who has cute dogs and perhaps a litter every now and then, or had a litter once a long time ago. Some people who get a bitch and breed her once "for the experience" or because they believe that every bitch should have at least one litter or any other number of reasons fall into the same category. These people are not unethical, rather ignorant of what breeding is (or should be) about. They have a bitch, they find a male, and whammo - puppies. Certainly they think that their bitch is the cutest Kuvasz they've ever seen, but are they really informed about breed type to make that decision? Have they done the necessary health checks? And do they really know what it takes to raise a litter properly and place the puppies carefully? What are they contributing to the breed except more puppies - quite possibly of inferior quality? The last is the Hobby Breeder. These are the people that more often fit the bill for an ethical breeder, but be careful because not every hobby breeder practices good ethics! Hobby breeders typically are more informed about breed type and animal husbandry, they usually belong to a breed club and have close friends in the breed, and more often than not they attend dog shows at least a few times per year so others have an opportunity to see and examine their stock. Breeding is a hobby, a passion, and like most hobbies, it costs money. The goal of the hobby breeder should be to produce the best possible dogs that they can - making improvements in some regard in every generation. They typically have clearly defined goals they want to achieve in each breeding, and you should ask them what their goals are. Sadly though, some hobby breeders place far more emphasis on winning than they do breeding good animals. Buyer beware of the "top breeder" who has nothing but a long string of wins as their claim to fame, or even one that can claim their success in the show ring as their biggest contribution to the breed, rather than good health and temperament. Why should you care? Ok - Mr. Joe Average is looking for a Kuvasz puppy. WHY should he care from which type of breeder he obtains his puppy from? If you have come this far, chances are your a bit more educated than the average guy about buying a dog. First of all, you know what a Kuvasz is, a very large percentage of the population cannot claim that. Second, you've taken the time to get on the internet and research the breed and breeders. So why not take that extra step to greatly increase your chances of buying a quality dog that will become a blessing to your family, and not a burden? Breeders who have taken the time to make sure that their breeding stock is free from hereditary diseases are more likely to produce puppies that are free of diseases and thus reduce any undue long term financial burden on the buyers. Breeders who carefully screen their breeding stock for proper temperaments and raise their puppies in a well socialized environment are more likely to produce puppies that will not be an embarrassment, or worse, a liability to their owners. Eventually, most buyers will also consider the other factors in buying a puppy: cost, availability, and distance. With regard to cost, one must also consider the possible long term costs that an unhealthy puppy could bring to a family, or the liability that a temperamentally unsound dog could bring to the family and the community in which they live. I've also found the less than stellar breeders will often charge the same prices for their puppies as the breeder who has spent thousands of dollars to produce ONE litter. Why? Because they can! They know that there are buyers out there that will not know the different between litter A and litter B, so why not demand the same price as obviously there are buyers willing to pay that price. Some breeders may be willing to work with the buyer with payments over a period of time, or post dated checks. Don't be afraid to ask. With regard to availability, one must understand that Kuvasz puppies can be hard to come by, and the RIGHT puppy from the RIGHT breeder could take even longer. It is COMMON for puppy buyers to be placed on waiting lists. And with regard to distance, it is also possible that the right puppy from the right breeder is in California and you are in New York. Most Kuvasz breeders are experienced shippers, and there are many other ways of getting a puppy from A to B. My breeding credo I will strive to produce only quality in health, temperament and type. I will not knowingly breed a bitch or a dog of even questionable temperament, or from a known line of unsound dogs. I will not knowingly perpetuate any health problem deemed to be life threatening, or one that will reduce the quality of life, or prove to be a burden to any owner. I will remove from my breeding program any animal that develops any of these health problems and make every attempt to insure that other puppies no longer in my ownership are also sterilized. I will raise puppies in a physically clean and proper environment and insure that all of them receive as much social interaction as I can possibly provide to insure sound and healthy temperament. I will be honest and truthful to all interested parties with regard to the health, temperament and type of my breeding animals and any puppies that I sell. I will not breed any more litters than I can comfortably handle both physically, emotionally, and financially. I will only sell puppies into homes that I deem appropriate owners of the breed, and I will sell every puppy on a strict contract. Pet puppies will be placed on a spay/neuter contract with a limited registration. I will make every attempt to continue with my education in all facets of dog ownership and breeding. I will not be a burden to any rescue group, animal shelter etc. by placing any animals of mine, or my breeding into their care. I will make every attempt to assist Kuvasz rescue in any way that I can. I will gladly mentor and educate any and all people asking for assistance with regard to this breed, whether they have a puppy from my breeding or not. I will gladly mentor any and all judges of the breed, and potential judges of the breed, always with the AKC breed standard in mind. I will keep all of my dogs, both breeding animals and pets, in the best physical and mental condition I possibly can. I will always be willing to assist my puppy buyers in any way possible, and insist that if they can no longer care for, or want to care for the puppy/dog, I will take it back. I will require in writing that any person that co-owns a dog with me breeds with the same high ethics that I do, in all regards of breeding.
Copyright 2004 Susan Gilmore and Lambent Kuvasz Susan@Lambentkuvasz.com This page last updated - April, 2005

Breeding Ethics

What defines a good breeder

There is a minimum of standards that differentiate ethical breeders from all others.

They breed only healthy and temperamentally sound dogs at appropriate ages.
Their kennels etc. are clean, the dogs are well maintained, and vetted on a regular basis.
Every litter is planned carefully with the bitch and the stud dog chosen for the right reasons.
They sell puppies and older dogs with contracts, and use spay/neuter contracts and AKC Limited Registration for pet quality animals to insure that inferior stock is not used in future breeding programs.
They remain helpful to puppy owners throughout the life of the animal and offer continued support even to the extent of taking the puppy/dog back if necessary.
They do not place any burden on any rescue organization, and in fact assist rescue when and where possible.
They have educated themselves with regard to breed type, health issues, and general animal husbandry.
They remain in contact with their breed community in any/all ways possible to keep abreast of current issues, and make every attempt to allow other breeders to see and examine their breeding stock and their progeny.
They NEVER sell a puppy or a dog to a broker or pet shop - but only sell directly to the actual owner and caregiver of the animal after a careful screening.

You may have heard terms such as "Puppy Mill", "Back Yard Breeder", and perhaps "Hobby Breeder" talked about. I'd like to offer my own brief explanation of how I define each of them.

A Puppy Mill is a type of breeder that typically breeds multiple breeds (but not always), typically sells their puppies to brokers or pet shops (but may sell some direct to pet owners), they typically have several breeding animals which are kept under less than ideal circumstances, and typically breed bitches every time they come into season. I would consider a "yes" answer to any of the statements above a Puppy Mill. The worst of the puppy mills can answer yes to all of the above, and the conditions their dogs are kept in are deplorable at best. Some Puppy Mills that have been shut down by local authorities have been found with dogs living in filthy conditions with little or no food and water - including bitches with puppies, dead dogs housed with live dogs, diseased dogs unattended to, and bitches whelping their 6th litter at the tender age of 3. This is why I recommend that NO-ONE for ANY REASON purchase a puppy from a pet store - even if the pet store claims that they get their puppies from "responsible breeders" or friends. HOGWASH!! Any ethical breeder will not under any circumstances sell a puppy to someone other than the ultimate owner. Period. To do so is a great disservice to the entire breed. NEVER EVER BUY A DOG OR A PUPPY FROM A PET STORE!! I cannot stress this enough.

A Back Yard breeder could be the little old lady next door who has cute dogs and perhaps a litter every now and then, or had a litter once a long time ago. Some people who get a bitch and breed her once "for the experience" or because they believe that every bitch should have at least one litter or any other number of reasons fall into the same category. These people are not unethical, rather ignorant of what breeding is (or should be) about. They have a bitch, they find a male, and whammo - puppies. Certainly they think that their bitch is the cutest Kuvasz they've ever seen, but are they really informed about breed type to make that decision? Have they done the necessary health checks? And do they really know what it takes to raise a litter properly and place the puppies carefully? What are they contributing to the breed except more puppies - quite possibly of inferior quality?

The last is the Hobby Breeder. These are the people that more often fit the bill for an ethical breeder, but be careful because not every hobby breeder practices good ethics! Hobby breeders typically are more informed about breed type and animal husbandry, they usually belong to a breed club and have close friends in the breed, and more often than not they attend dog shows at least a few times per year so others have an opportunity to see and examine their stock. Breeding is a hobby, a passion, and like most hobbies, it costs money. The goal of the hobby breeder should be to produce the best possible dogs that they can - making improvements in some regard in every generation. They typically have clearly defined goals they want to achieve in each breeding, and you should ask them what their goals are. Sadly though, some hobby breeders place far more emphasis on winning than they do breeding good animals. Buyer beware of the "top breeder" who has nothing but a long string of wins as their claim to fame, or even one that can claim their success in the show ring as their biggest contribution to the breed, rather than good health and temperament.

Why should you care?

Ok - Mr. Joe Average is looking for a Kuvasz puppy. WHY should he care from which type of breeder he obtains his puppy from? If you have come this far, chances are your a bit more educated than the average guy about buying a dog. First of all, you know what a Kuvasz is, a very large percentage of the population cannot claim that. Second, you've taken the time to get on the internet and research the breed and breeders. So why not take that extra step to greatly increase your chances of buying a quality dog that will become a blessing to your family, and not a burden? Breeders who have taken the time to make sure that their breeding stock is free from hereditary diseases are more likely to produce puppies that are free of diseases and thus reduce any undue long term financial burden on the buyers. Breeders who carefully screen their breeding stock for proper temperaments and raise their puppies in a well socialized environment are more likely to produce puppies that will not be an embarrassment, or worse, a liability to their owners.

Eventually, most buyers will also consider the other factors in buying a puppy: cost, availability, and distance. With regard to cost, one must also consider the possible long term costs that an unhealthy puppy could bring to a family, or the liability that a temperamentally unsound dog could bring to the family and the community in which they live. I've also found the less than stellar breeders will often charge the same prices for their puppies as the breeder who has spent thousands of dollars to produce ONE litter. Why? Because they can! They know that there are buyers out there that will not know the different between litter A and litter B, so why not demand the same price as obviously there are buyers willing to pay that price. Some breeders may be willing to work with the buyer with payments over a period of time, or post dated checks. Don't be afraid to ask. With regard to availability, one must understand that Kuvasz puppies can be hard to come by, and the RIGHT puppy from the RIGHT breeder could take even longer. It is COMMON for puppy buyers to be placed on waiting lists. And with regard to distance, it is also possible that the right puppy from the right breeder is in California and you are in New York. Most Kuvasz breeders are experienced shippers, and there are many other ways of getting a puppy from A to B.

My breeding credo

I will strive to produce only quality in health, temperament and type.

I will not knowingly breed a bitch or a dog of even questionable temperament, or from a known line of unsound dogs.

I will not knowingly perpetuate any health problem deemed to be life threatening, or one that will reduce the quality of life, or prove to be a burden to any owner. I will remove from my breeding program any animal that develops any of these health problems and make every attempt to insure that other puppies no longer in my ownership are also sterilized.

I will raise puppies in a physically clean and proper environment and insure that all of them receive as much social interaction as I can possibly provide to insure sound and healthy temperament.

I will be honest and truthful to all interested parties with regard to the health, temperament and type of my breeding animals and any puppies that I sell.

I will not breed any more litters than I can comfortably handle both physically, emotionally, and financially.

I will only sell puppies into homes that I deem appropriate owners of the breed, and I will sell every puppy on a strict contract. Pet puppies will be placed on a spay/neuter contract with a limited registration.

I will make every attempt to continue with my education in all facets of dog ownership and breeding.

I will not be a burden to any rescue group, animal shelter etc. by placing any animals of mine, or my breeding into their care. I will make every attempt to assist Kuvasz rescue in any way that I can.

I will gladly mentor and educate any and all people asking for assistance with regard to this breed, whether they have a puppy from my breeding or not. I will gladly mentor any and all judges of the breed, and potential judges of the breed, always with the AKC breed standard in mind.

I will keep all of my dogs, both breeding animals and pets, in the best physical and mental condition I possibly can.

I will always be willing to assist my puppy buyers in any way possible, and insist that if they can no longer care for, or want to care for the puppy/dog, I will take it back.

I will require in writing that any person that co-owns a dog with me breeds with the same high ethics that I do, in all regards of breeding.