WHAT IT REALLY MEANS
We are considering joining the scheme and will probably do so later this year but we are still having issues with it at present and feel that it is being allowed to be used in inappropriate situations. For example I was browsing a well known puppy advertising website the other day and came across an advertisement for a litter of dobermann crossed with a poodle. This advert carried the Kennel Club Accredited Breeder logo very prominantly. Obviously this was an accidental mating that had occured and non of the puppies could be registered with the KC so why was the Logo for the scheme appearing on the website ? as the puppies would not be covered under the scheme.I am not saying that there was anything wrong with these puppies but you are an accredited breeder for pure bred pedigree dogs not cross breeds.
Then I had a telephone conversation the other day with a fellow dobermann breeder who was on the scheme. She had bred a puppy with what would be considered a major fault for show purposes it was a perfectly healthy puppy but she decided that she didn't want it breeding out of so applied the endorsement to the papers "progeny not eligible for registration" and explained this to the owners which they had no problem with. Some 2 years later the owners came back to the breeder having had the health tests done and wished to breed from the dobie. Again the breeder explained that it was not on health grounds as explained previously but she did not want the dobie bred from. The owners then objected to this and contacted the KC. After explaining her beliefs to the KC the KC rejected the breeders reasons and lifted the endorsement and the dobie was duely bred from. Hence the breeder has removed themselves from the Accredited Breeder Scheme. I must agree with this breeder if we as breeders cannot be allowed to make our decisions based on our experience and what we consider to be best for the breed what are we here for?? Accredited for what ???
The scheme at present encourages the puppy farmer as it does not restrict the number of litters a so called breeder can register in a year. A puppy farmer can have one stud dog tested use it to any tested bitch they choose every 12 months from just 12 months old, breed and register puppies from her until she is 8 years old. The results of the tests don't matter either they can still register the puppies under the scheme ie can produce Von Willebrands Affected puppies and register them. Temperament is not considered under the scheme either so the dogs can be as aggressive and unsuitable as they like.
There is a long way to go before this scheme can be relied upon by the general public as a standard for good puppy rearing and management so don't be fooled by the fancy logos you still have to investigate the breeders look at their experience and the recommendations by those who have lived with their dogs. Many of the people registered under the scheme are caring and responsible breeders but the scheme isn't restricted to these people so beware.
We will join the scheme later this year and we will be pressing for a scheme that bans the puppy farmer and we will be making all of our views known until the scheme is what the true, caring breeders can be proud of.