Jayhawker Brittanys - Advise on looking for a Good Breeder

Just some advise on looking for a Good Breeder. What to look for beyond words & Pictures and fancy websites!!!

If Jayhawker Brittanys has no Puppies available , here are some very important Questions your should ask the other Breeders. These will help you to be sure of getting a good Quality Brittany.

Even if Breeders are claiming to be Members of Clubs Does not mean they are good Breeders if they are not Following the Written Code of Ethics. Please check to see that they are following their Club's Code to the letter!!

Some of the Rules for Brittany Breeders - They should not be bred before 2 years old and must be OFA or PennHip Certified and not placed in homes before they are 8 weeks old. - Link to OFA's Website

The Canadian Kennel Club ( since 1993 )

The American Brittany Club ( Code of Ethics )

The Calgary Associated Dog Fanciers ( Code of Ethics )

Jayhawker Brittanys does not support Pet Shop Puppy Buying or any Breeder that would place their puppies in a Pet Shop!! Here is a very good webpage that gives you reasons not to buy Pet Shop puppies! : Pet Shop Puppies

Ask about health problems in the breed in general and then ask about their line. Responsible Good Breeders will know the Genetic diseases that are in our Brittanys and should be able to tell you them up front. We do have a Fairly healthy Breed compared to most but there are some things that could show up but are not common. Most responsible breeders should offer some type of written guarantee of their puppies' health also. Here is a list from Common to Rare :

Most important. These disorders are relatively common in this breed, and where possible, efforts are being made to eradicate them. Ask your breeder about these conditions in his or her dogs. These disorders seriously affect the health of your pet and may require medical or surgical intervention. Hip Dysplasia ( OFA Certification needed see below) Breeders who do not OFA Certify with Breeding Stock will set back our Breed from trying to correct this problem.

Other disorders which have an increased incidence in this breed . These disorders occur less commonly or are less devastating than those mentioned above. Cerebellar abiotrophy, Cleft lip/palate, Complement deficiency (rare), Glaucoma ( CERF Certification ), Epilepsy, Lens luxation, Progressive retinal atrophy, Spinal muscular atrophy

Other disorders which may be inherited in this breed. These disorders have been reported sporadically, and may be inherited in this breed. Retinal Dysplasia, Ventricular septal defect

Is the Parents OFA Certified ( Hip Dysplasia) and can I see a Copy of the certificate on both? There should be a rating and a Certified Number on those certificates . Jayhawker supplies a copy in the puppy package.

Click here for a Good Article to read It talks about Genetics as playing a part but so does environmental aspects like Nutrition , Physical Activity - In a young growing dog and how they are reared in the nursery.

The worst health problem in the Brittanys is Hip Dysplasia. That is why OFA or PennHip is so important to see it done! It is the best we have for now for trying to eliminate Hip Dysplasia in our breed. It is not perfect and you might still see a Dysplasic pup happen in the best of breedings but you have a much better chance of not ending up with a Dysplasic dog if it comes from a Breeder that can prove OFA Ratings in at least the first 3 generations . For now there is no DNA test to help us with the Hip issue so we have to work with OFA / PennHip because they are the best form of testing to date. It is now being suggested that all the pups in all the litters get OFA Certified and that way you get a true picture of the Line your dealing with. Jayhawker Brittanys is now going to start handing out OFA Forms with all puppy packages in hopes all the owners will get the Hips checked. OFA is done at 2 years old and NO Brittany should be used for breeding before that age!! They are still immature till they are 2 years old. That is one of the Reasons why it is in the Code Of Ethic's for the American Brittany Club, where it states not to breed under 2 years old! You can also look up a dogs OFA record on the web at www.offa.org

OFA rates the hips Fair, Good or Excellent or Fails them. 3 different Certified Dr.'s Rate the hips and then a grade is given. PennHip Certification is starting to get recognized but it is not the best as of yet. PennHip Gives a number rating with comparing the hips to others of the same breed that is in their Database. That Database is small right now but growing. OVC only give a Pass or fail at 18 months old. Only one Dr's opinion is used. So if a Breeder uses OVC then they can NOT Claim a rating of Good or Excellent. . In my Breeding program , I would not breed a Certified Fair Hips. I want to breed the best I can and I choose to only breed Certified Good or Excellent Hips. So in My opinion OVC is not good enough with only a pass or fail rating because how do you know if that pass is borderline or not. We will not except a OVC Certification on females that might want to breed to Our Studs and we would not buy a dog from only OVC certified Parents. Ask for the OFA ratings (Fair , good or Excellent ) on the sire and dam, not only the OFA number! OFA Recommends that if you do use an OFA Fair then you should breed to an OFA Excellent and try to find out the OFA Background of the siblings and Parents and grandparents of the Breeding Pair in the Background!

Here is a good reason why all Breeders should be OFA Certifying and Breeding for Good or Excellent Hips. This is a table taken from OFA and shows that we are working towards decreasing the number of Dysplasic dogs. It will keep getting better if Breeders are concerned about it and buyers only buy from Breeders who do Certify before Breeding. You can see that we are getting more Excellent Hips and the Dysplasic hips are getting less. http://www.offa.org/hipstatbreed.html?view=2

Rating Total Dogs

Born to 1980

Born1990-92

Born 2000-02

Change1980 to 2000-02

Excellent

Dysplastic

Total Dogs

5.9%

19.9 %

2633

6.0%

12.6%

1791

10.2 %

10.9 %

1584

72.9 % More Excellent

-45.3% Less Dysplasic

Eyes are a bit of concern but not a big problem. More and more Breeders are now doing CERF Certification. We are starting to CERF test our dogs. Dixie , Jeb , Ranger and Smokin Bandit are CERF'ed . ( Dixie was CERF'ed in 2001 and passed but the paperwork was not submitted but it was at her following Test ) Also my owners of Willow and Sienna and Caramel and Tess have done the CERF also. I will be recommending this to all my owners that want to breed. The American Brittany Club lists - progressive retinal atrophy - Generalized PRA (progressive rod-cone degeneration) - later onset http://www.upei.ca/cidd/Diseases/ocular%20disorders/Progressive%20Retinal%20Atrophy.htm
Is the Breeder a member of the National Brittany Club and or of a local Brittany club Chapter or Pointing Dog club? If so , check to see if they are a member in good standing! Some Clubs have a code for breeders to live by but it is rarely enforced. Read the Codes of Ethics for the given Clubs and then see if that Breeder is living up to that standard. Jayhawker is a member of the Brittany Spaniel Club of Canada & the Canadian Kennel Club, The Calgary Pointing Dog Club and the American Brittany Club and the Calgary Association of Dog Fanciers.
Do they prove their Breeding Stock in Competition ? What Shows or Trials have they been to? It is easy to get a Show Title in Canada but alot harder to get one in the USA . Have they competed with large numbers of Brittanys or did they get their Title by going to small shows where it was only their dogs. This may be hard to prove but a Proud Breeder would have records of the big wins their dogs have done. I have seen way to many Brittanys of very poor Quality win their Titles by stacking the small shows with just their dogs. Even then Poor Quality dogs can win their Title. Compare their dogs with the Breed Standard! I have a picture Standard on my website that helps a bit to see what your looking at. This was done with the help of a Breeder friend in the USA.
Can you see a Copy of the pedigree of this litter? Look at the pedigrees - you may not be able to recognize any dogs, but you should at least be able to tell whether this is a brother/sister or father/daughter or Mother/Son breeding . If so , I would recommend you stay away from that litter. Jayhawker posts the pedigrees of the litters on the web site plus gives a written copy with the pups papers. Also I personally believe strongly about keeping our Brittanys Dual ( Show & Field - Beauty with the natural Hunting instincts that our Breed was designed for ) The Pedigree will tell you if the Breeder is striving for the same thing. Here are some of the Titles you should see in their breeding dogs and within a 3 generation: NFC , NAFC , DC, FC, AFC, NOGDC, JH, MH, SH, FDJ, FD, FDX, FTCH, AFTCH, CH. . Breeds have been ruined by breeder breeding for only one thing Just Show or Just Field. Just to mention a few once Dual Breeds that are now seperated include : The English Springer Spaniel & English Setter. The hunters of these Breeds look nothing like the Show ones and in most cases the Show ones can not hunt and the hunting ones can not win in the ring. Also just because an untitled dog comes from a great line of titled ancestors does not mean that a breeding dog is of good Quality. Not all the pups in a litter are of Breeding Quality. What have they done to prove their dogs should be having a litter? Good Breeders should prove their chosen Breeding Stock is of Top Quality before letting them bring more pups into this world. Breeds have been ruined by just breeding a dog because it is a good hunter or because the family loves their pet. What about Soundness of Body and mind and health ? Are their dogs of proper conformation , proper temperament, Cleared for Health problems! Do they possess great Qualities that should be past on to generations to come.
How many litters a year do they breed? Too many litters in a year would make it difficult to properly care for each and every puppy. To many litters a year also would suggest that they are Breeding to make a living off their dogs. That is a Worry! Usually breeding for Money / to make it their living , usually leads to Puppy Milling. There are known Cases of Puppy Millers doing the Shows and other events as a smoke screen. Beware! Are the Parents old enough to be proven in the Show / Field as being good representatives of the Breed ? Our Brittanys are not Mature till they are past 2 years old. Are they Breed every heat or way into their senior years ? Also Breedings should be carefully planned, To know as much as they can about the Qualities of each parent to make sure they are a good match to produce as good as themselves or better for the future of the breed. You can not really know their true qualities if they are too young. You might be able to Check with the Canadian or American Kennel Club Registries to see how many litters they register a year.
Why buy from a Good Breeder Verses a pet store ? " I don't want a Show dog so I would not go to a Breeder ". This is wrong thinking. Breeders ( Good Breeders ) have the future of the Breed in mind. Pet stores have been polled and asked about the different breeds and most stores could not tell you all the ups and downs of a breed. They only want your Money. They will not Guarantee the pup from Genetic problems that might arise in the future of this dog and in most cases the parents have never been Certified before breeding. At Stores You pay in most cases Top Dollar at pet stores for possible puppy mill quality dogs with no life time Guarantee or Breeder support. Some even cost more at Stores then they do at Breeders. Good Breeders know that not all pups in a litter are Show Quality so there are pet only pups available from a Breeder. These pet only pups will still come with a Guarantee and support from the Good Breeder just like a Show Quality pup. In most cases a Pet Quality pup from a Good Breeder will be of far better Quality then any pet store puppy also. Good Breeders are trying to continually breed better for the future of the Breed. Pet Store pups mostly come from Mills where they Breed anything to anything to make a buck. In most Pet Store cases the pups are taken from the poorly feed moms to early and have poor temperaments because of it not to mention all the health problems that come from a poor start in life. If you really did research into where Stores get their pups you would cry at the conditions of the Puppy Mills that pump out these puppies. Buying from Stores also just fuels the Millers to keep up with Supply and demand. Click here if you want to see some Condition at Puppy Mills or to offer help in the fight against them!! http://www.nopuppymills.com/
PLEASE DO YOUR RESEARCH !! DON"T BE FOOLED BY A CUTE FACE IN A WINDOW OF A STORE OR FROM FANCY WEBSITES WITHOUT DOING DEEP RESEARCH FIRST!!!! Bringing in a dog into your home is suppose to bring you joy and lifetime companionship.