Responsible breeding

What is responsible canine breeding?

Responsible canine breeding is one of the cornerstones of the Finnish Kennel Club. A responsible breeder follows these principles:

• The breeder only uses healthy dogs in breeding.
• The breeder only uses good-natured dogs in breeding.
• The breeder only uses dogs with breed-specific appearance and characteristics in breeding.
• The breeder only gives their dogs to other breeders for breeding purposes in combinations in which the above-mentioned principles are realised for both dogs.
• The breeder openly communicates the health of their dogs.
• The breeder takes care of the well-being of the litter and the dam.
• The breeder takes care of the dogs so that they do not pose a threat to the environment.
• The breeder ensures that the puppies get used to being handled by people and socialises them before giving them to their future owners.
• The breeder only sells the puppies to suitable homes/people.
• The breeder draws up written agreements on all dogs.
• The breeder registers all the puppies and hands out the registration certificates to the buyers of the puppies without delay.
• The breeder advises and guides the dog owners throughout their dog's life.
• The breeder signs the Finnish Kennel Club’s Breeder’s Commitment Declaration and commits to complying with the principles of responsible dog breeding defined in it.

In addition, the breeder must explain the responsibility and obligations related to owning a dog to the buyers of the puppies.