Membership Code of Ethics

Shetland Sheepdog Club of Northern California

INTRODUCTION

Whether an owner, exhibitor, or breeder, the Shetland Sheepdog enthusiast is often confronted with decisions and courses of action which can impact the continued improvement and preservation of the breed, and the well-being of his or her individual dogs. All too often, because of inexperience or lack of forethought, the decisions made and the courses of action pursued are unfortunate ones, with lasting detrimental effects.

With the following voluntary guidelines, which represent a composite of the personal codes of conduct and concerns of its members, the Shetland Sheepdog Club of Northern California, is setting forth acceptable practices and a number of precautions for its members as well as any and all involved with our breed.

BREEDING CONSIDERATIONS

It is important that breeders examine their motives before undertaking any breeding. While the zeal to produce champions is understandable, the breeder must guard against becoming insensitive to the lives produced; must understand the costs in time and money; and must recognize the difficulties in placing unwanted offspring in caring homes.

1. Breeding should be done selectively with the intention of reducing faults to a minimum and producing healthy Shelties of high quality, type, and proper temperament.
2. Breeding should be undertaken only when the breeder is in a position to properly care for the bitch and litter. The breeder should recognize it may be necessary to house offspring for a considerable length of time, and be prepared to provide suitable facilities during this time.
3. No fancier should attempt breeding until able to distinguish between the correct and the incorrect. Such ability presupposes careful study of the breed standard, the basic principles of genetics, and the pedigrees of prospective mates.
4. Breeders should breed only stock which is in good health and which is physically and temperamentally sound. No dog or bitch should be bred that is known to have, or is suspected of having, any serious inheritable defects or diseases.
5. The stud dog should be bred selectively. The owner should discourage the individual who wants to breed pet quality bitches, or one unsuitable for their stud. The stud dog owner should be certain the owner of the bitch has the necessary knowledge and facilities to care for the puppies.
6. Only dogs which are free from all discoverable, and assumed hereditary, defects should be used for breeding. "Discoverable" under present circumstances include those forms of blindness whose incipient stages can be detected via competent eye exam, joint diseases such as hip dysplasia, that are revealed through x-ray study, cryptorchidism or monorchidism that can be found by palpitation, and any other gross and obvious abnormality, such as heart defects or serious skeletal defects.
7. The Orthopedic Foundation of America (OFA) and Canine Eye Registration Foundation (CERF) certification procedures are recommended as useful measures for detection of defects.
8. Individuals which themselves have been examined and checked out "clear", but which are direct parents or close relatives of afflicted dogs, should be regarded as relatively "high risk" breed stock.
9. All contracts on co-ownerships, breeding rights, or repeat breedings, should contain a clause voiding them or otherwise providing terms of settlement without breedings, if a dog involved is, subsequent to the date of original contract, found to be "afflicted" or definitely "high risk".

SELLING AND SALES CONTRACTS

Problems resulting from sales and sales agreements are perhaps the greatest source of dissatisfaction and ill will in the breed. It is important the seller be honest with himself and the buyer. It is equally important all agreements and stipulations be recorded in written sales contracts.

1. Sales prices of dogs and puppies should be based on the observable quality of the individual dog as potential show or breeding specimens.
2. No puppy should be released or shipped to a new home before the age of eight weeks.
3. Ethical breeders do no consign their dogs to pet stores, animal brokers, or commercial kennels, and do not donate them as prizes for any raffle or contest.
4. A breeder must be discriminating in the placement of his stock and should not knowingly deal with unethical person. A breeder should not sell to, or aid in selling a Sheltie to any person whom he has reason to believe will not provide the proper care and environment, or who may use the dog in a fashion which is detrimental to the breed.
5. The new owners should be provided with a least a three-geneation pedigree, an inoculation record and booster due dates. Notice buyers should also be provided with a thorough written list of instructions on diet and care.
6. Breeding arrangements should never be established which would encourage the pet buyer to undertake a breeding program.
7. Each person who sells or places a dog should provide the new owner with a registration application, a signed transfer, or a signed agreement between buyer and seller as described in the American Kennel Club rules (Chapter 3). It is recommended a sales contract be executed for every sale.
8. Breeders and sellers should make themselves familiar with laws an regulations intended to protect the pet buying public. Puppy buyers have a right to a sound, healthy pet that is representative of the breed. Breeders and/or sellers should be responsible for providing certain refunds, replacements or reimbursements, should the dog they sell become ill or die from a condition contracted prior to the purchase.

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Dog owners have a responsibility to their canine companions to provide proper care and humane treatment at all times. Proper care and humane treatment include an adequate and nutritious diet, clean water, clean comfortable living conditions, regular veterinary care, kind and responsive human companionship, and training for appropriate behaviour. Dogs should not be kept in circumstances or numbers where all of these needs cannot be adequately fulfilled.
2. Breeders should encourage puppy purchasers to have their pets spayed or neutered to prevent accidental breeding, and to avoid breeding merely to produce puppies for monetary gain.
3. All breeders must keep accurate and thorough breeding records in accordance with AC requirements.