Part 2 BREED SPECIFIC CODE:
1) Members shall not breed from a bitch before her second season or before the age of eighteen months nor after the age of eight years. No bitch shall be allowed to whelp more than four litters.
2) A Member shall not breed a litter unless she/he has the time and facilities to devote proper care and attention to the rearing of the puppies and to the well being of the dam and no Member should provide stud services unless she/he is satisfied that the owner of the bitch has such time and facilities.
3) Member should breed a litter unless she/he is reasonably sure of securing suitable homes for the puppies. No puppies should leave the breeder before the age of eight weeks. All Lagotto (puppies & adults) sold or re-homed by a Member must be the subject of a written contract with the new owner which includes the following clause “If for any reason you are unable to continue to keep your Lagotto you must inform me immediately and either make arrangements to return the dog to me or supply details of the proposed new owner. The dog must not leave your care until I am satisfied that the new owner is suitable and has in turn signed my contract”. With the exception of puppies being exported outside the UK, the Kennel Club registration documents of all puppies must be endorsed “Progeny not able for Registration and Not eligible for an export pedigree”. Breeders must give new owners written notification of the endorsement and no puppies must leave the breeder’s care until the new owner has agreed in writing to the endorsement. All puppies must be microchipped before leaving the breeder.
4) should do all in their power to discourage breeding from clearly unsound or otherwise inferior Stud service should be refused for bitches from such stock.
5) must not be exported to countries where they are not protected by anti-cruelty laws (if in doubt consult JAWS, DEFRA, RSPCA or KC). Dogs may not be exported before the age of nine weeks and Members must strictly comply with the IATA and DEFRA Members must not sell any dog to laboratories, commercial dog wholesalers, retail pet dealers or to any persons known to sell dogs to any of the above nor should stud service be available to such persons. (A dealer is defined as a person who regularly buys stock for sale at a profit. A person who buys a dog as an agent for a known individual is not necessarily a dealer).
6) Wilful neglect or cruelty to any dog may result in exclusion from or expulsion from Membership, subject to the provision of Rule 11.
7) Before breeding a litter a Member:-
a) Must accept the commitment to take back if necessary all Lagotto bred (see Rule App 1, 3). This obligation is for the whole of the dog’s life.
b) Must give due consideration to type, health and soundness but the preservation of the exceptional temperament of the Lagotto Romagnolo must be of paramount importance. Members must not breed from dogs which display any sign of unprovoked aggression to human beings.
c) Must ensure that both sire and dam if imported from outside the UK have contributed genetic samples to the LRCGB Genetic Banks.
d) Must ensure that at the time of mating both sire and dam have current* eye certificates from a recognised authority (*tested clear of Hereditary Cataract or other known inherited eye diseases within the previous year).
e) Must ensure that both parents have been scored for Hip and Elbow Dysplasia by the BVA/KC Scheme or other recognised authority and that in the case of Elbow Dysplasia only dogs with normal elbows i.e. 0 must be bred from.
f) Must ensure that the Juvenile Epilepsy status of both sire and dam has been confirmed in writing by a BVA/KC recognised testing laboratory before mating and one parent must be confirmed as being normal (i.e. clear of the gene mutation).
g) Must ensure that the LSD status of both sire and dam has been confirmed in writing by a BVA/KC recognised testing laboratory before mating with one parent normal (i.e. clear of the gene mutation).
h) Must not knowingly breed from dogs that have displayed signs of Patella Luxation except where the owner can provide written evidence from a Veterinary Orthopedic Specialist that the luxation is as a result of trauma.
i) Must be capable of instructing new owners in the specific grooming and clipping techniques of the Lagotto coat.
j) Must agree to abide by any other health or welfare requirements as proposed by the Health sub-Committee and ratified by a simple majority of Members at the Annual General Meeting.
k) In order to ensure that potential puppy owners can follow the Club and BVA “see the puppy suckling” advice and that the health status of the parents may be confirmed via the Kennel Club Health checking facility, only Club Members domiciled in the UK may be listed on the Member Breeders list on the Club website. Note: Any Member who knowingly infringes the Breed Specific ethics will have their name removed immediately from the list.from