Code of Ethics – Guidance notes for Breed Club members

The Kennel Club requires every Breed Club to adopt its General Code of Ethics and these are considered to form an important part of the requirements which people agree to when they join a Breed Club.

The Dachshund Breed Council's Health and Welfare Sub-committee developed some Dachshund-specific clauses for our Code of Ethics and these are approved by the Kennel Club.  All UK Dachshund Breed Clubs have adopted this Code of Ethics.

Breach of these provisions may result in expulsion from club membership, and/or disciplinary action by the Kennel Club and/or reporting to the relevant authorities for legal action, as appropriate. [KC Policy]

All the points in our Code of Ethics should be self-explanatory and are aimed at ensuring Breed Club members demonstrate the highest standards of behaviour when breeding, judging and exhibiting and that the welfare of their dogs is of prime importance.

We have been asked to provide some additional guidance in relation to Clause 18:

I will not breed from any stock that has, or may carry, any serious hereditary faults. In particular I will not allow any dog to be used at stud if he has, or could carry; serious hereditary faults and I will be very selective of the bitches on which he is used. If health screening/testing is available for any hereditary disease/illness carried by my breed, I will ensure all my breeding stock is tested.

Clearly, a Code of Ethics is a guide and cannot be prescriptive in defining “serious hereditary faults” or the screening tests which should be carried out. 

The Breed Council reviews and prioritises health and welfare issues which it considers to be of significance to the breed.  Details of current priorities can be found on our website www.uk-dachshund-health-report.org.uk and in our Health Reports and Information Leaflets.

The owners of Stud Dogs with any known hereditary condition have a particular responsibility not to allow a dog to be used at stud if it is likely that its offspring will also suffer from that condition.  Conditions such as Epilepsy, Lafora's Disease, Heart Disease, Cushings, Entropian and IVDD clearly fall into this category.

Where screening tests are available and recommended by the Breed Council, Breed Club members are expected to make use of them and act on the results in accordance with the latest advice from our Health and Welfare Sub-committee. 

Cord1 testing is recommended for all MLHDs and MSHDs and it is expected that all Breed Club members will use this test to make ethical breeding decisions.  So, for example, anyone testing for cord1 Retinal Degeneration, mating “Carriers to Carrier”, “Carrier to Affected” or “Affected to Affected” and knowingly producing “Affected” puppies would be acting outside the Code of Ethics.  All matings should include at least one cord1 “Clear” parent.

If anyone needs advice on a particular situation they should contact any member of the Breed Council's Health and Welfare Sub-committee for advice.

Version 1

Issued: May 2010