Breeding Guidelines

UKBC Guidelines

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Description Standard Influential dogs

Right breed? Right breeder? What to look for

Aims and commitee Join here Breeder membership UKBC Breeder Code of ethics

UK dogs in the stud register Roll of Honour Owners pages UKBC breeder members SABT score ladder

Overview Hip scoring Elbows UKBC hip and elbow recommendations

Upcoming events SABT appraisal 2009 SABT appraisal 2008 SABT appraisal 2007 SABT appraisal 2006 SABT appraisal 2005 SABT appraisal 2004 SABT appraisal 2003 EBBASA appraisal 2006 SABT appraised list

Puppies UKBC Breeder list

The UKBC recommends that only dogs, which meet or exceed the following heath standards, should be bred. Breeding dogs should, of course, also have a stable temperament, overall good health and have passed an appraisal and been registered by one of the S. African breed registries, e.g. SABT.

Hips should be scored under a recognised scheme and average or better. Currently the BVA average is 21. The Pennhip average is currently 0.54. Please see here for more information on hip scoring.

Elbows should be X-rayed at 12 months or older and formally scored under a recognised scheme. Elbows should be 0:0 to 1:1 or better. Dogs born before December 2005, which have been x-rayed and certified in writing as 'normal' or 'clear' by the veterinarian before January 2007 are also acceptable under these guidelines. Please see here for more information on elbows.

Eyes should be certified as free of entropion or ectropion

Bitches should be certified free of vaginal hyperplasia.

In an ideal world every dog used for breeding would have perfect health in every respect. The club currently recommends that all dogs used for breeding are at least of average health as specified above.

However, we recognise that given our relatively small gene pool, it may occasionally be appropriate to breed a dog which has worse than average hips or elbows, or other health issues (as in the minus points colums in the chart below), if it has proven strengths that compensate for this weakness (as in the plus points columns in the chart below), always bringing the dog back to the zero / average score. The following chart sets out the basis on which the club will support such breeding.

The aim is that any dog being considered for breeding should at a minimum reach 0 on the following chart, i.e. any deviation from the health standards should be compensated for elsewhere

-1

-2

Elbows scored at less than 18 months

0 -0 0-1 & 1-1

2-1

2-2

Elbows scored at 18 months+

0-0

0-1 & 1-1

2-1

2-2

Hips

BVA 0-10 max. 5 per hip

Pennhip <0.3

BVA 11-23 max. 12 per hip

Pennhip 0.3-0.54

BVA 24-30 max 15 per hip

Pennhip 0.55-0.57

BVA 31-40 max 20 per hip

Pennhip 0.58-0.60

Eyes (entropion /ectropion)

Clear

Minor tack

Hyperplasia

Clear

Grade 1

Grade 2

CGC or similar at 2 years+

Gold

Silver

CGC or similar at 12 months

to 2 years

Gold

Silver

SABT appraisal

score of 85%+

All dogs must have passed their appraisal and be free from other serious hereditary health conditions such as Wobblers etc., please also see Breeders Code of Ethics.

Any dog with hips, elbows or Hyperplasia scores above the highest ones on the chart or with a Pennhip displaying evidence of djd are considered unsuitable to be bred from

If a dog has a negative score on any element, it must be mated to a dog, who is at least 0 on that element.

Any mating can produce dogs with bad elbows or hips but it is more likely if one or both of the parents themselves have poor elbows &/or hips. Puppy-buyers should insist on seeing the parents' scores and can then make an informed decision as to whether to buy or not.