The Cockapoo Club of GB Code Of Ethics
Club members:
- Will properly house, feed, water, groom and exercise all dogs under their care and arrange for appropriate veterinary attention if and when required.
- Will agree that no healthy puppy will be culled.
- Will abide by all aspects of the Animal Welfare Act.
- Will agree not to breed from a dog or bitch which could be in any way harmful to the dog.
- Will not allow any of their dogs to roam at large or to cause a nuisance to neighbours or those carrying out official duties.
- Will ensure that their dogs wear properly tagged collars and will be kept leashed or under effective control when away from home.
- Will clean up after their dogs in public places or anywhere their dogs are being walked, exercised or competed.
- Will only sell dogs where there is a reasonable expectation of a happy and healthy life and will help with the re-homing of a dog if the initial circumstances change.
- No member shall promote shipping/delivery/courier service of any dog/puppy they have for sale through the media of advertising or on any website.
- Will supply written details of all dietary requirements and give guidance concerning responsible ownership when placing dogs in a new home.
- Will ensure that all relevant CCGB documents are provided to the new owner when selling or transferring a dog, and will agree, in writing, to forward any relevant documents at the earliest opportunity, if not immediately available.
- Will not act as, or sell any dog to, a puppy broker; commercial dog wholesalers or retail pet dealers; nor directly or indirectly allow dogs to be given as a prize or donation in a competition of any kind.
- Will not sell by sale or auction CCGB registration certificates as stand alone items (not accompanying a dog).
- Will not knowingly misrepresent the characteristics of the breed nor falsely advertise dogs nor mislead any person regarding the health or quality of a dog.
Breach of these provisions may result in expulsion from club membership, and/or disciplinary action by the CCGB and/or reporting to the relevant authorities for legal action, as appropriate.
The purpose of this Code is to offer guidance and information on good practice to all CCGB breeders and/or owners. Membership of the Cockapoo Club of GB (CCGB) assumes acceptance of this code. The Committee reserves the right to refuse membership to, or to recommend to a General Meeting of the Club, the expulsion from membership of anyone who knowingly and/or persistently acts in breach of this code to the detriment of the breed, of an individual dog, or in such a manner as to bring the CCGB into disrepute.
- It is expected that members will at all times act in the interests of Cockapoos and in the interests of the wellbeing of individual dogs and in a manner in keeping with the aims and interests of the CCGB.
- It is expected that members will keep their own dogs in an environment and under a regime that as far as is possible ensures the well being of the dog. Willful neglect or cruelty to any dog may result in exclusion from or expulsion from membership.
- Before breeding a litter, equal consideration should be given to type, temperament, health, soundness and maturity of the bitch in question. Dogs tested to be affected by a serious inherited disease should not knowingly be bred from. It is the members responsibility to have proof of DNA health tests prior to mating. The DNA result by buccal swab or blood, must be accompanied by microchip number, which must be displayed on the test result certificate and photo id of the dog to accompany the document to be logged by the CCGB. The CCGB Committee and Inspectors reserve the right to view the health tests results from all of the members dogs that are involved in breeding Cockapoos, at any time. All breeding should be aimed at the improvement of the Cockapoo. Members should do all in their power to discourage breeding from clearly unsound or unhealthy stock. Stud service should be refused for bitches from such stock.
- It is the members responsibility to check the coefficient percentage of a predicted pairing prior to mating so as to ensure the COI remains below 6.25%. The Registrar can assist in this calculation if required.
- Members will abide by the rules of eligibility as set out in the Cockapoo Registration Criteria.
- Members selling puppies are expected to reply to enquirers promptly and to treat customers fairly, respectfully and in a professional manner.
- Members will abide by the terms of contract made between the seller and buyer of all the dogs in their ownership.
- No dog breeder in the UK may breed 3 litters or more a year unless they have a current Council Breeding License permitting them to do so. However even if a single litter has all of its puppies advertised and sold then the breeder is deemed to be in the ‘business of breeding’ and should legally obtain a license from their local council.
- No bitch should be required to have more than 4 litters in her lifetime, due regard being given to the number of puppies whelped.
- No bitch may give birth to more than one litter in any period of 12 months and never without due regard for the well being of the bitch.
- No bitch should be required to have more than 4 litters in her lifetime, due regard being given to the number of puppies whelped. No bitch may give birth to more than one litter in any 12 month period and never without due regard to the wellbeing of the bitch. No bitch should be mated before her second season and normally never before the age of 14 months. Within this medium sized range of dogs most will reach their full size by 12 to 18 months, so if a bitch is slow to mature either physically or mentally, to have her first mating at 24 months would be advisable. No bitch should be mated after the age of six years old.
- No member should 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 service unless she/he is satisfied that the owner of the bitch has such time and facilities.
- Every bitch that a member breeds must live in the same environment and with the same family from conception through whelping and to completion of weaning the puppies, an average of about 17 weeks, with the purpose to ensuring she is relaxed and in familiar surroundings with miminum stress to the breeding bitch
- Any puppies born to a member will be wormed every 2 weeks from 2 weeks old, and be veterinary treated for the prevention/cure of fleas, mites (walking dandruff) and ear mites.
- No 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 8 weeks.
- As from April 2016 it will be a legal requirement that all puppies must be microchipped by 8 weeks old. The CCGB requires that to be done by the breeder member and they should be recorded as the first keeper.
- All Approved Breeder Members must complete a RSPCA/AWF Puppy Information Pack and Contract (PIP) and include it in the puppy pack for every puppy sold. Approved Breeders are required to register all Cockapoo litters with the CCGB and will be send a CCGB endorsed blank PIP on registration of a litter, other members can download the blank PIP from www.puppycontract.org.uk
- Members must offer lifetime support for each puppy sold and offer to buy back any puppy/dog (at a previously agreed buy back rate) if it transpires is not in a suitable home.
- It is the Approved Breeders responsibility to provide an annual list of all breeding dogs to the CCGB, with proof of their health tests, and to maintain the details of this list. Information to include: Name, microchip number, health test results, litter information: (whether Cockapoo puppies or not) date of birth and number of puppies in litter.
- In the event of a complaint being received by CCGB it will be at the discretion of CCGB to investigate the reasons behind the complaint which may result in the temporary suspension of their CCGB Membership, Breeder or Stud approval, until all facts have been obtained and a formal decision which could include expulsion from the CCGB and/or removal from the Approved Scheme, all/any other options would be communicated clearly if such an event arose.
It is noted that as a members only club CCGB is not a specific legal entity and CCGB accepts no liability or fault for issues that arise between members or the general public with approved breeders and stud dog owners.
CCGB Breeder/Stud Approval is provided on the basis of the initial inspection. Further inspections may be appropriate and be actioned by the CCGB Committee and Officers for ongoing review taking into account feedback from members, external information along with any complaints made.It is taken by the action of accepting any form of CCGB Membership, Breeder Membership or Stud Membership that all points of this CCGB Code of Ethics is acceptable and will be complied with. Breach of these provisions may result in expulsion from club membership, and/or disciplinary action by the CCGB and/or reporting to the relevant authorities for legal action, as appropriate