A breakdown of dog breeding
It might sound like a walk in the park, but being a dog breeder is no easy task.
POLOKWANE – Review spoke with local dog breeders, Francois and Lanie Naudé, about what it takes to become a registered dog breeder and all the responsibilities which come with the title.
Their dog breed of choice is rottweilers and they have been registered breeders for the past seven years. Francois said his wife chose rottweilers due to their loving nature, a nature which is often misunderstood.
“Rottweilers are very misunderstood breed which has led to animal cruelty because people do not understand the breed, or even dog attacks when people do not have a rottweiler from a pure bloodline or a mixed breed,” Francois explained.
Being one of the only two registered rottweiler breeders in Limpopo, he said a purebred rottweiler has specific features which classifies it as such.
He told Review that dog breeding is not something you can do for money as it is expensive to get a dog like a rottweiler tested and ready for breeding. Several tests needs to be done and several boards need to approve the test results for a dog to be certified. Then the puppies also have to undergo a rigorous classifying regiment and have all their vaccinations and tests.
“Having a good bloodline is very important. It is a good start but breeding takes a lot out of animals and this is the reason why I have only had two litters in the seven years we have been breeding,” he added.
He said that the first thing people looking for a purebred dog can do is ask for a Kennel Union of South Africa (Kusa) certificate which will have the history of the animal and its bloodline to ensure it is not tainted.
Kusa, he added, has a list of local breeders who are registered and people claiming to be registered but without the proper documentation can be verified by contacting them.
One of the biggest problems which exist for dog breeders are people who turn their breeding into puppy mills where animals are being mistreated and forced to have as many litters as possible in a short time among other abuse.
Francois urged anyone who encounters a puppy mill to report it to the SPCA as a matter of urgency.
Being a dog breeder, he said, is a big responsibility because you have to ensure the dogs are well looked after looking after and that their feeding and living conditions are clean and adequate.
This, he explained, is why it is so important to check with Kusa before buying a dog from a breeder as Kusa, along with the SPCA, do regular visits at registered dog breeders.
