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Welcome To Breezy Ridge Farm


Welcome to Breezy Ridge Farm, home of our Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs!


QUESTIONS TO ASK GREATER SWISS MOUNTAIN DOG BREEDERS:

 

  • Are both parents of the litter AKC registered? Some breeders may tell you their dogs and puppies are registered with an alternate registry (a common practice among pet stores as well). Lack of AKC registration is usually a sign that the breeder did not get their dogs from a reputable breeder. There may be cases, as well, where the dog is AKC registered, but on a "Limited Registration"...which means the breeder who sold them the dog did not evaluate that dog as show/breeding quality, and therefore that dog should not have been bred. It is important to note that if a dog has an AKC Limited Registration, and it produces puppies, those puppies cannot be registered with the AKC.

 

  • Ask the breeder WHY they are breeding? Is it to better the breed and improve upon their breeding stock? Are they breeding to fit the GSMD Breed Standard, in structure, temperament and working ability? Does the breeder show their Swissies in conformation and have their breeding dogs finished their championships? What are their Greater Swiss Mountain Dog club affiliations and do they actively participate? Greater Swiss Mountain Dog breeders should be showing their dogs in conformation and other events, where they can continuously test and evaluate their dogs in an effort to preserve and improve the breed. It is also one of the only ways they can network with enough other breeders to really begin to understand bloodlines, and where various health risks exist in their dogs' pedigrees. Breeders who breed carelessly will claim ignorance when it comes to things like epilepsy, urinary incontinence, and various orthopedic problems that plagues Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs. But if they don't have time to show their dogs, or they claim not to have the money to do it, then they really don't have the time or money to be breeding.

 

  • Do both parents of the litter have OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) numbers, proving they are free from hip and elbow dysplasia? Ask to the see the documentation. Be advised that a dog will not be issued an OFA number for Hips and Elbows until it is 24 months of age. You can confirm whether a dog has an OFA number by calling OFA (1-800-442-0418) or visiting the OFA website at www.offa.org. Make sure you have the dog's REGISTERED name and/or AKC registration number before calling. Breeders may now use PennHip to evaluate their dog's hips, rather than OFA (note: PennHip only evaluates hips, NOT elbows). PennHip is not a pass/fail method of grading hips, but rather a numerical evaluation of the hips' Distraction Index (DI), which measures joint laxity. They will also note any presence of Degenerative Joint Disease. For an explanation of Distraction Indices and their implication for breeding dogs, visit www.pennhip.org. Since the PennHip database is CLOSED, the only ways interested parties have access to PennHip DIs on Swissies is to ask the OWNER for a photocopy of the report.

 

  • Ask about the eyes of both parents. Do they have a CERF number (Canine Eye Registry Foundation), indicating they have been cleared of eye problems? Eye problems reported in our breed include Distichiasis, Entropian and Cataracts. Some of these problems are not nearly as serious as others, and although a dog may have one of these problems, it may be possible for them to have a CERF number. You can confirm whether a dog has a CERF number by visiting www.vmdb.org

 

  • Ask if the sire or dam have produced puppies with any serious health problems, such as hip or elbow dysplasia, OCD and epilepsy. These are the main genetic health issues found in the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, and ALL breeders should be forthcoming in discussing them with puppy buyers. Ask how many litters they have produced. Be wary of any breeder who claims never to have produced ANY health problems (unless this is their first litter). REGARDING EPILPESY: It is my recommendation that Swissy puppy buyers ask breeders if either the sire, dam, or their parents have EVER suffered a seizure (as opposed to asking if any of these dogs have been diagnosed with epilepsy). it's just a question of semantics, but some breeders are not willing to state that a dog has epilepsy, even if the dog has had seizures. They may say things like, "well, he had a seizure, but we don't know what caused it." Remember, seizure disorders without identifiable physiological or medical causes (such as a brain tumor, liver shunt, etc.) are by definition, idiopathic epilepsy. The same goes for asking whether the dogs involved in the breeding have ever produced offspring who have had seizures, rather than asking if they've produced epilepsy.

 

  • Ask about the general health history of related dogs. Have any relatives died at a young age? If so, what was the cause. Have there been spleen issues, cancers, etc. in their dogs' bloodlines?

 

  • How old are the parents of this litter? How many litters has the dam produced? The GSMDCA Breeder Guidelines recommend that breeders do not breed a dog until it's two. They also recommend a maximum of four litters for a bitch. Be especially wary of breeders who breed bitches older than six as they may be jeopardizing the life and health of their bitch. The GSMDCA also recommends that stud dogs be limited to a maximum of three litters per year for their first two years breeding, which helps allow for any genetic issues or predisposition to come to light.

 

  • Ask how the puppies are raised (in the home or in a kennel?) It is important that a puppy get proper socialization from its mother and siblings for at least eight weeks, as well as regular exposure to humans and other animals.

 

  • Does the breeder take ALL puppies to the vet and have them thoroughly examined? Many breeders do their own vaccinations, worming. Some will even remove dew claws themselves. However, unless your breeder is a licensed veterinarian, there is no excuse for a breeder NOT to take their puppies to the vet to have them checked for any health problems before sending them home with their new owners.

 

  • Does the breeder have a contract or health guarantee? Breeders should guarantee against hip and elbow dysplasia and any other debilitating genetic disease. At eight weeks, most problems have not surfaced. A conscientious breeder will make a reasonable guarantee to the buyer and make the buyer fully aware of his responsibilities. Guarantees on health should NOT depend on whether that dog was bought as a show dog or a pet. Pets should also be guaranteed against any life threatening genetic disease.

 

  • BEWARE PUPPY PYRAMID SCHEMES. Does the breeder expect you to breed your Swissy and give them back a puppy? First of all, no breeder should ever require someone to breed their dog, which puts that dog's life in jeopardy, unless YOU are serious about becoming a breeder (which means spending a lot of time showing, studying pedigrees, understanding conformation, obtaining health clearances, etc.) Second, when a breeder expects you to GIVE them back a puppy (or a Stud Service), you are in essence paying TWICE for your dog. It's one thing for a breeder to reserve the right to BUY a puppy back from you, or to pay you for a stud service, but TAKING those things without paying is not fair or ethical.

 

  • People often feel that it would be nice to have a pup out of the swissy they currently own. We all feel our Swissies are beautiful, but not all Swissies should be bred. In fact, very few really SHOULD be bred if we're going to preserve and improve the breed. Breeding does in fact put a dog's life at risk. If all you really want is a Swissy as a family companion, your dog will be much better off being spayed/neutered at an appropriate age. Sadly, bitches can die from complications during c-sections which are not uncommon in this breed. Keeping a bitch intact also puts her at risk for pyometra. Dogs and bitches that remain intact are at greater risk for reproductive cancers (prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mammary cancer, etc.) If you would like to have another Swissy related to your Swissy at some point, go back to your breeder when you're ready and buy one.

 

  • The GSMDCA does have new Breeders Guidelines, as of 2007. Please familiarize yourself with these new guidelines as they also give Puppy Buyers an idea of what to expect from a breeder. You will notice that these new Guidelines put great emphasis on disclosure and honesty when it comes to health clearances.
    So please do not be fearful if a breeder discusses their dogs' health issues with you...be fearful if they DO NOT.

 

 

 

 

Information

    • So you want a Swissy?
    • Important Reading
    • What do Swissies cost?
    • GSMD Breed Standard
    • Swissies and Children
    • Health
    • Epilepsy
    • Links
    • Litter Information
    • Ushi's Pups
    • Anke's Pups

 

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    Litter Announcement

    April 24, 2010

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Copyright 2009 Holly Witzgall