Breeding Implementation

Both bitch and dog must have a breeding license from the AC e.V., after submitting all the necessary applications and documents and obtaining the approval of the breeding commission. The breeder has applied for kennel name protection after demonstrating sufficient expertise and has obtained the approval of the breeding commission.

A breeding application must be submitted electronically to the stud book office before mating (special form - Word document) with sufficient advance notice, ideally at least 4 weeks before mating. Each breeder can then select up to three stud dogs approved by the AC e.V. association, after contacting their owners. Only one of them may carry out the mating later. The stud book office checks the breeding application, calculates the AVK and then presents it to the breeding committee to check that all requirements of the breeding regulations are met. If approved, the breeder receives a mating report by email, which he must then print out three times and take with him to the mating. Only puppies from approved matings receive pedigrees.

As soon as the bitch starts to come into heat, an experienced veterinarian should take a vaginal swab and send it to the laboratory to test for pathogenic germs, so that there is enough time for the rare case of possible treatment and a new swab. The frequent occurrence of pathogenic germs can prevent fertilization, implantation and proper pregnancy, even the birth of healthy puppies. In addition, the male dog could become infected and possibly spread the germs. But he should also either be tested for pathogenic germs and/or flushed a few days before mating if everything else is OK with him, so that it cannot pass on pathogenic germs. All points are agreed upon between the breeder and the stud dog owner. After the swabs and flushing, it is important that the dogs no longer have contact with dogs outside the household to minimize the risk of new germs being introduced. Only completely healthy bitches and male dogs are allowed to mate with each other. A progesterone test should always be done on the bitch to determine the optimal time for mating. The trend is to go to the male (far) too early, as the start of the standing heat days is usually even further away from ovulation. And it is only 24 - 48 hours after ovulation that the eggs are capable of fertilization and the optimal time for mating. Attempts to mate too early are painful for both and border on rape, as the bitch is not yet sufficiently dilated. In addition, in the case of Collies, who rarely forget striking experiences, this can lead to the bitches no longer wanting to be mated and the males no longer wanting to mate or giving up before beeding tie. Artificial insemination is permitted, but should only be carried out by qualified persons, preferably in a specialist clinic. Physical abnormalities that could prevent not only natural mating, but also natural birth must always be ruled out before the first litter through an appropriate medical examination. This can also be done as part of the preparation for artificial insemination, which is carried out by using an optical device for precise viewing (e.g. Blendivet).

Immediately after the last mating, the mating report must be completely filled out and signed by both, bitch and the dog owner, and emailed to the stud book office, or if a dog is used from outside our association (after approval by the AC e.V.), sent per mail. The two completed and signed duplicates remain with the breeder and stud dog owner. The mating report must also be filled out and sent immediately to the stud book office, if a mating has not worked out; there is a special line to fill in for this.

The birth of puppies must be reported immediately to the stud book office and the stud dog owner. The completed litter report (special form) must be emailed to the stud book office within 10 days. All puppies must be reported, including any stillbirth or later deceased or died puppies. Same applies to any peculiarities and abnormalities that occur in relation to the birth process (incl. caesarean sections) and rearing, the puppies and the mother dog. If these occur later, they must be reported immediately.

In addition to their kennel name recognized by the "American Shepherd Dogs Europe e.V." association, all puppies must be given different name that begins with A for the first litter, B for the second litter, and so on in alphabetical order.

When rearing the puppies, all requirements and quality characteristics of the breeding regulations must be followed, including good socialization and environmental stimuli as well as play opportunities that promote bodily fitness and development.

The puppies should be in an optimal state of care, nutrition and health throughout the entire rearing process. The breeder must ensure that all test results are sent to the stud book office, in order to prepare the pedigrees.

Every individual on earth has its own unique DNA profile, and so does every puppy. As soon as the puppies are at least one week old, a cheek swab is taken and sent to a laboratory recognized by AC e.V. to create a gene profile. These are then compared in the same laboratory with the gene profiles of both parents. If they can be clearly identified, the puppy receives a parentage report to create the pedigree.

The MDR1 gene status of each puppy must be ascertained unambiguously and will be noted on the pedigree. If the status is not yet clear at the time of birth because one parent is a carrier (MDR1 +/-), so that different MDR1 results are possible for the puppies, they must all be genetically tested for their respective MDR1 status. To do this, as soon as the puppies are at least one week old, a cheek swab is taken and sent to a laboratory recognized by the AC e.V. The result must be available well in advance of the final litter control in order to be able to create a complete litter control protocol and the pedigree.

Of course, further genetic tests are possible. Each breeder decides for himself, what is important for him and perhaps also to the buyers. All test results received by the stud book office, issued by a laboratory recognized by the AC e.V., are entered on the pedigree, as the results that result from the homozygous health values ​​of the parents deposited by the stud book office.

All puppies must have been dewormed at least 2 to 4 times before vaccination, as they are more susceptible to infection in the first few weeks of life. It is a good idea to change the preparations, especially for the last treatment before delivery. The names and, if applicable, active ingredients must be entered on the litter inspection report with the date of administration.

A microchip (transponder) must be implanted under the puppies skin by the veterinarian before or at the eye examination by a specialist from the DOK (or ECVO/ACVO) at 6 - 7 weeks. This means that each puppy can be clearly identified using a special chip reader. The respective chip number is stuck in the last column of the litter notification and must be sumitted to the stud book office on the same day (in acvance elecotronically, later in the original per mail).

At 6 - 7 weeks, all puppies must be examined for hereditary eye diseases by an ophthalmologist from the DOK (or ECVO/ACVO). The duplicate of the examination must be sent by the ophthalmologist to the stud book office. The most important breed-specific results (such as RD, CEA, PRA, KAT) are noted on the pedigree.

Every puppy must have its own EU pet passport. It is an important document, like an ID card for humans. It contains the microchip number and vaccinations will be noted. It must be taken along on trips abroad and to dog events and sometimes presented. The anti-rabies vaccination is checked there in particular. It may only be administered at 12 weeks (i.e. usually by the buyers) and is then only valid 21 days later and must be revaccinated at required intervals according to the notes in the passport, in order not to lose its validity. When traveling abroad, additional vaccinations or a rabies titer test are sometimes required. In some German federal states (e.g. NRW), the EU pet passport is also mandatory for larger dogs. Every puppy buyer receives the original EU pet passport for their puppy when they pick it up!

All puppies must be vaccinated between 8 and 12 weeks of age at the latest, in accordance with the requirements of the country's standing vaccination committee. Only then can they be handed over! If there is no national permanent vaccination committee, the requirements of the WSAVA (The World Small Animal Veterinary Association) apply. In Germany, for example, vaccinations are given against distemper and parvovirus, and usually also against hepatitis, leptospirosis and kennel cough. The latters can also be administered later at own responsibility. In particularly high-risk cases, individual vaccinations, such as parvovirus, can be administered earlier, after consultation with a veterinarian. Otherwise, the basic immunization may only be administered at 8 weeks. After that, the puppies should ideally stay with the breeder for a few more days so that the vaccination takes effect. The vaccinations must be entered in the EU pet passport, which every puppy buyer receives.

Each litter must be inspected by a representative of the AC e.V. association. The protocol must be submitted to the stud book office on the same day (in advance electronically, later in the original per mail). The litter inspection ususalle takes place directly after the vaccination. All of the examinations and requirements listetd above must have been carried out and all important test results must be verifiable. If everything is complete and all requirements are met, the stud book office will issue the pedigrees.

Every puppy receives its own pedigree from the AC e.V., if the breeder has fulfilled all requirements and ensured that all test results have been forwarded to the stud book office. It contains the ancestry over four generations with all verifiable health values ​​of the puppies up to the time of issuing the pedigree and the registered recognized results of the parents. Every puppy buyer receives the original pedigree from the AC e.V. association for his puppy, after his consent, including completely filling out and signing the "Consent to data transfer to the stud book office of the AC e.V." association. The breeder forwards the original to the stud book office as soon as possible, which is fundamentally obliged by the veterinary office to collect such data as part of disease control, etc..

The breeder registers each of his puppies, immediately after pick up, in the name of the buyer, in the central dog register (TASSO in Germany) recognized by the AC e.V. association. If the dog ever gets lost, it can be returned to its owner more easily.

According to the veterinary office regulations, the stud book office is obliged to store the names, addresses and contact details of the dog owners. There are special forms for this, which also regulate the right of the breeder to pass on data to the stud book office, which must be filled out by the new owners. Only then can the pedigrees be issued to the new owners. The breeder must submit the original, completed and signed forms to the stud book office at the lastest, when the last puppy, to be given away has moved, if this is within the normal time frame. Even if the owner later moves or changes ownership, this data must be passed on by the breeder to the stud book office.

The puppies may not be delivered until they are eight weeks old at the earliest. They must have been vaccinated beforehand and the litter control must have taken place. The litter control report must be submitted to the breeding manager on the same day (in advance electronically, later in the original per mail). If all requirements are met, the stud book office gives approval. Only then may puppies and pedigrees be delivered.

In order to keep an eye on the quality of the offspring born in the AC e.V., the stud book office reserves the option of sending questionnaires to all puppy buyers. To do this, the stud book office needs the addresses and contact details of all puppy buyers in advance. Therefore, all breeders are required to forward the puppies to the stud book office immediately after they have been delivered, in consultation with the buyers. The information will be treated confidentially, and no addresses will be passed on. It is desirable that as many offspring as possible are shown at exhibitions of our AC e.V. in order to be able to follow further developments.

It must be self-evident that advice and support for puppy buyers does not end with the handover of the dog. Every breeder should always make a friendly effort to provide advice to puppies and puppy buyers! In addition, if you are a member of our AC e.V. association, you will receive regular information and news by email about the breed and regular meetings are also offered. Every breeder gives their puppy buyers a membership application and encourages them to join in order to be able to further deepen our shared hobby and to continue to promote the American Collies, which are still rare in Europe.

The only recognised Championships are Junior Championship, the National Championship and the International Championship. Titles such as GCH, BOB, BOS, BIS (S), European(junior)winner etc. will be only recognized, if they are from our (umbrella)association, as well as by other Collies Special Breed Clubs, AKC, CKC, FCI, KC and other equivalent clubs. That means only these titles are noted in the stud book and kept at the respective dogs. Even these only come on the club website.