Recently I was contacted by an individual in my neighborhood about breeding their boxer bitch to one of my male boxers. He had observed my dogs in our normal activities of coming and going and was anxious to breed his bitch to one of my dogs as soon as possible. She was in season and ready to go. I invited the gentlemen into my home to screen his request. As I questioned him, I followed my normal pattern based on my own guidelines and those put forth in the Code of Ethics adopted by the American Boxer Club in May of 1990.
Breeding:
- Breed only with the intention of improving the breed.
When questioned his main reason breeding was to have some puppies to sell. Not to improve, not to show but to sell, and to keep a couple more bitches to breed. He said he wanted to breed to some good dogs. However, he also explained he was retired on disability and he thought raising and selling puppies would be a good way to supplement his income. The red flag was already up. Familiar with this belief, having heard it more times than I would like to count, I decided to continue the screening session just to see how many improprieties we could discover. We had already established improvement was not his true intention.
- Breed only from healthy, sound, typey parents of good temperament and qualities, which are free of known disqualifying faults.
Shortly after the man's arrival, his son arrived at my door with the bitch in tow. I invited him and the dog in as well. While I examined her, I began to question the man about the dog's background. He assured me she had "papers." He further related the dog had been given to him by a friend who also raised boxers. The friend's "stud dog" had hung himself in the backyard and now both of them were looking for new dogs to breed not only this bitch but her mother too. I swallowed hard on that one but kept my cool. I asked if the bitch had been given her yearly shots. Not yet. I inquired about her parents, did he have a copy of her pedigree. "They were brown. The mother was small like her daughter, but the male was a great, dog." So much for type. The bitch's temperament seemed acceptable; after all she was a boxer. She was tiny, had fragile legs, fragile chest, and had a narrow, long muzzle. Her bite was round. Along with these obvious faults, there was no telling what was genetically present in her pedigree. The condition of her coat (wormy looking) and her size (possibly malnourished) concerned me. With a few more questions I easily established that sire and dam of this bitch had come from a local puppy mill situation and not from any reputable breeder.
- All dogs offered at stud should be in good health. They should be free from Canine Brucellosis and other communicable diseases as well as disqualifying genetic faults. A written Stud Contract is essential and it should state the owner of the Stud will not sign to register with the American Kennel Club any puppies with a color disqualification of over one-third of white markings or total black ground color. Monorchids are not recommended for breeding.
I explained that although I had male dogs, they were not automatically used as breeding stock. I advised him that all my males were tested for Canine Brucellosis yearly. He knew nothing of Canine Brucellosis nor any of the other health problems so common in our breed. His only specification to this point was that the dog be fawn. His friend had never used any thing like a stud contract; he just bred bitches to him when people would ask. He assured me his friend always made sure his puppies all got good homes. When I explained the reason for disqualifying white boxers for breeding and show he further volunteered that his friend had them on occasion and sold them too. In fact, he had almost taken a white bitch from this litter to breed along with her sister.
- Any bitch accepted for stud service should be at least eighteen months of age, in good health, free from communicable diseases and disqualifying genetic faults. Bitch must be accompanied by a current Veterinarian's Certificate stating that she does not have Canine Brucellosis. It is the responsibility of the stud dog owner to properly provide for all visiting bitches and breed them only to the stud dog specified by the owner. A change of stud dog is only permitted with the express consent of the owner of the bitch and should be included as an amendment to the Stud Contract.
He informed me this was her first season and that she was not quite a year old. Since he knew nothing of Canine Brucellosis it was obvious he did not have a veterinarian's certificate, he'd already admitted she hadn't received her yearly booster shots. At least she had received her puppy inoculations. He didn't care about choice of stud, other than color and if I wanted to change males that would be okay with him, I was the "expert" after all. A contract just wasn't necessary as far as he was concerned.
- Bitches should not be bred more often than once a year.
When I asked him how many litters he planned to have, his answer was he felt it would be all right to breed her every time she came in season. After all she was young and healthy. Two litters a year would help his income and if he kept some of her female puppies he could have puppies all the time for sale.
- Breeders should keep accurate breeding records, registration papers and pedigrees.
When asked about her "papers," he informed me that he had just sent in the blue slip and had not received a pedigree from his friend. When I advised him he could request a three or four generation from AKC he seemed interested until I told them they would charge him for this service. A pedigree wasn't all that necessary was it? He just wanted to sell puppies as pets, not show dogs. He was not aware that he would be required to keep breeding records on his bitch and have proof of the breeding each time a litter was whelped. He didn't know if his friend kept names and addresses of the puppies he sold or not.
This gentleman insisted he loved his boxer and she was just great with the grandkids in the backyard. "Couldn't ask for a better dog." He did love her; his affection for her was the only positive element of our conversation. She returned his affection with the gusto only a boxer can display. I don't know if the man was putting on a good front but the bitch was a typical boxer in her outgoing ways and it was obvious she adored him.
As politely and effectively as I could, I explained to him why I would not breed one of my dogs to his bitch. I asked him not to take the denial personally but to listen to what I had to say before passing judgment on me as a "snob" or someone who didn't want any competition in the puppy market. I made it very clear to him that I did not breed often and only when I wanted to improve on the dogs I already had. I explained that none of my dogs were available to stud to just any bitch, in fact, the two young males had not even been proven yet and my old man had been retired. My champion male, who I co-own with someone else, was only bred to selected bitches. There were requirements to be met; it was not just simply a matter of collecting a stud fee and sending the bitch and her owner on their way.
I continued to advise him that his bitch was too young to breed. I compared her to a ten or eleven year old girl, would he like his ten-year-old granddaughter to have a baby? From the look in his eyes, he had never even given the idea of her being to young a thought.
I explained to him the health requirements each of my dogs must meet before being used for breeding stock. The importance of the brucellosis testing, thyroid testing, checking for parasites, having a vet thoroughly examine a dog for defects such as heart murmurs and x-raying for bad hips, etc. was also stressed. Again he was surprised at the lengths to which I go to ensure my breeding stock is fit.
I briefly addressed the need to maintain proper records on his dog. An AKC registration was simply not enough. I explained that a pedigree was needed to learn about the bitch's ancestors. Not only do they carry the type of a dog but also the health conditions. Breeding two boxers together will indeed give you boxer puppies but will those puppies be healthy and fit, will they look like boxers are really supposed to look?
I explained to him that since the beginning of our Rescue Program within the club I had seen far too many boxers coming through this program. Based on that and breeder ethics, I could not and would not breed his bitch. I could not add fuel to a fire already burning out of control.
Lastly, I invited him to a Boxer Club meeting where he could learn more about boxers and breeding. He thanked me for my time and left my house I hope a little more educated than when he had come to my door. I know any suggestion to have the bitch spayed fall on deaf ears. I felt sure he would still breed the bitch. He told me he had decided to wait for her next season but he would still like her to have some puppies. He may be more careful about how and when he breeds but he will still breed. He will find another friend or someone else with a male boxer and he will eventually breed the bitch. His last request convinced me I was right, he asked for the names of others who had stud dogs in the area. I advised him there were several members of our club and other boxer breeders in the area who owned breeding stock. I warned him that he be prepared for the same warnings from these individuals he received from me. I advised him our club members are obligated to the ABC and the breed to maintain our breeders Code of Ethics.
Unfortunately, situations like this are repeated many times. Each instance may vary a little, but the essence of the request remains the same, we want to breed, we want to have puppies to sell.
I realize only to well that not everyone breeds for the same reasons our Code of Ethics and by-laws dictate. This man was not an evil person, just extremely naive and ignorant of any proper breeding procedures. He had no knowledge of any breeding ethics. In my early enthusiasm and love for this breed, I could perhaps have fallen into the same trap. Fortunately there were people in my life who set me on the right path. Breeding for profit never entered my mind and that gave me the edge I needed to study and learn and discover there were things like genetics, proper breeding practices and especially breeding ethics. I was green and I have made mistakes out of ignorance. I am still a great distance from perfection but I have learned from my mistakes. Through education provided by other breeders, AKC and the ABC I am a responsible breeder today and not just someone who raises boxers. Love and logic must be partners in endeavors such as this. Love of the breed is vital but education is still our best resource. We may never win completely over the irresponsible. There are those who will continue to breed irresponsibly, but we can certainly put up a good fight.
What terrifies me more than this individuals ignorance, however, are those who would argue my turning this man away? They argue, "Since he will no doubt find a dog to breed this bitch to, why don't I just take his money and breed the bitch? The stud fee might as well be in my pocket as someone else's pocket, right? My dog can't hurt her that's for sure. Why not use one of my young dogs to prove him, what would it hurt? How else is this guy going to get better dogs, he's a novice, you should breed to his bitch and let him learn the hard way?"
People if we ever hope to make a stand on puppy mills and irresponsible breeding we must stay true to the ethics so diligently developed for our breed! Lining our pockets with money is not what ethical breeding is all about. Better to turn away an individual like this gentleman than to be responsible for a litter of boxer puppies sired by one of my dogs showing up at the pound or worse yet dumped along the highway. We will never completely eliminate the irresponsible breeding being done but we can individually commit to adhering to our Code of Ethics. If each of us will simply take control of our own dogs and manage them appropriately eventually the breeding possibilities available in a situation like I have described will become less and less. Stud fees should never be an incentive to breed. As far as proving our young dogs, that can be accomplished with our own stock or stock from another breeder where the health, genetics and pedigree of the bitch are well known.
There are novice breeders with good intentions and we owe them our help, but we owe the breed more. I hope the novice can understand that commitment. If we turn away your bitch, listen and learn. Our criticism is not based on our wanting to avoid competition, or snobbery or jealousy; it is quite simply a commitment to protect and advance the breed. Criticism is difficult to receive but I believe equally as difficult to deliver. Where many breeders fall short is in the delivery of that criticism. Breeders we need to work on that. Novices, we expect you to do your homework. Breeders we can and should help. Novices, turn any criticism into a positive experience, as I did. Learn from it; don't close your minds from learning because of hurt feelings. Learn the Standard and the Code of Ethics first before you attempt to breed. Breeders, make sure while keeping to this code you help those who still need and want to learn. The individual I turned away did not want to really want to learn, he only wanted to breed.
I believe the majority of breeders in this country are striving to adhere to the breeding ethics. I salute you. In Part II of this article I will address the issues surrounding Health, Registration and Sales.
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