What do you take into account when evaluating your bitch prior to deciding to mate her?  And what do you want to see in a sire?  Obviously no dog is perfect, so assuming all the health tests have been carried out, what do you look for?

Temperament 1st before you look at anything else.

Demand ? If my parents would have introduced me to staffies at a young age it would have a been a no brainer for me DON'T BREED, no demand / too many in the world already.

Temperament (including breed specific traits for dogs that do some form of work), health and looks (= usually good show results) all go hand in hand for me. Without having all 3, you're not aiming for a litter of pups that are good examples of their breed.

As both my breeds are prolific, I would be looking for exceptional working ability, trainability and temperament. Other than good confirmation, looks would be wholly unimportant.

Would you not put temperament in the same box as health?  If they are not of good temperament then not in good health? imo

For me, health & temperament are paramount. You cant put one above the other in my opinion, everything else comes after in the order of your preference.

Temperament is much more subjective than health testing and temperament requirements will vary depending on the use of the dog eg pet, assistance dog, working dog and lots of different temperament requirement for each of these too.

I would disagree insofar as I believe the dog should have a good temperament regardless of whether it be a pet, working, assistance or show dog. 

Sorry to clarify, temperament does not just mean whether a dog is nice and friendly or not. Temperament is various factors. For example, I find a spaniel with soft temperament much easier to train, but others prefer them with a harder temperament etc.

If you are breeding FCI-pedigreed breeds, doesn't every dog have to pass qualification tests before you are allowed to breed with him or her?  Here in Switzerland, the breed clubs are required to hold these breeding-qualification events twice per year.  An international judge is in charge of conformation, a temperament-test is performed by members of the club with the judge in charge.  We have to present proof of the veterinary exam for patella luxation, CMR2 (eyes) and PRA (in some breeds, but not in mine, HD as well).  Dogs have to be at least one year old before these tests can be performed and are valid.  And so on....   I suppose you must have all these regulations in the UK as well...?

Unfortunately there is no such requirement in the UK. Puppies can be Kennel Club registered regardless of whether or not the parents have had the required/advised health testing. Furthermore, even if sire and dam have been health tested, the results can be ignored by the breeders and the puppies  registered, again regardless. As far as other qualifications - e.g.working tests for gundogs breeds etc -nope !
Any KC registered dog can be bred from and the puppies registered. I know this is not the case in other European countries. Litters are inspected /verified before they can be registered . etc etc.

It's just too easy here.

Wow!  I'm kind of shocked. 

We have sooooo many regulations:  qualification of dogs for breeding permission, inspections of our "kennel" with no advance notice, breed-specific statutes for all the regulations concerning breeding (as well as the statutes for the club itself),  an official form for the registration of our litters and another for the registration of the matings, which go to Bern.  It gets more and more difficult for us breeders all the time.  I'm all in favor of regulations for the care and protection of the animals and of the breed, but when the regulations simply put unnecessary obstacles in the paths of really caring breeders, then I find them counterproductive. But mankind being what it is, misuse is rampant everywhere.  So regulations which are lax are of no good whatsoever.

The FCI is the umbrella under which all the national chapters function.  Here in Switzerland this chapter is located in Bern and is known as the Swiss Cynological Society.  Then there are all the breed clubs as chapters of that.  Quite a hierarchy!  There is a set of regulations for the national chapter in Bern which governs all the breed clubs, although the individual clubs have their own breeding regulations, which, although they may not contradict the national regulations, can vary somewhat.  For instance, some breed clubs require a qualified breeding dog to be checked twice for patella, others (such as mine) only once.  Other breed clubs require HD, where mine does not, as our small breed is far more prone to patella than to HD.

So all in all, we have very little personal liberty at all.  All aspects of breeding are under inspection and beholden to laws.  Except for the BYB's of course!

When I have challenged the laxity of the UK system, the response has been 'we Brits like to do things differently/more flexibly' etc etc. I've worked in Switzerland ( as a nurse ) and would be the first to agree that your regulations and bureaucratic restrictions can be hard to accommodate at times but... anything has to be better than a system that allows any member of the public wishing to make' a fast buck ' from breeding dogs is  given the (' soi disant') credibility of KC registration.
We've all been outraged by the TV reporting of puppy farming and the beyond words suffering of the dogs kept in those conditions but it's a just another reflection/example of a system that permits such breeders to operate. They can register those puppies with our KC .They can get a licence to breed because it's just so easy to do so. They can show their dogs at Crufts and get the accolades that give them this spurious and most undeserved credibility. Our KC is discussing the possibility of registering cross breeds . What more encouragement do such breeders need to pursue their greedy,cruel activity ? If I had my way, the breeding of dogs for sale would be regulated to the hilt, and this would have to be enforced by an effective regulatory organisation. Sadly our KC is not  operating as such at this time.' Where there is the demand ,there will be the supply' - but at least we can regulate the supply by refusing registration to puppies from breeders who show contempt for good breeding practice and, of course, those who exploit the ignorance of the general public at the expense of the welfare of dogs.

Maybe time KC made sure then tests for problems for certain breeds had been done on parents before puppies registered with a kc certificate.
Possibly a two tier system those who have tested for everything get kc registration and those who have not get a 'pet certificate'.

> those who have not get a 'pet certificate'.

No way should one expect less for Pets, that is a dogs primary role in todays society and 'Pet' owners are entitled to the best in health and temperament, their needs for show potential or working drive is just less important.

True, but policing dog farms haven't worked so a basic health test on all puppies of both parents with added stars for more stringent tests...
Unless they change laws re licensing no more than 2 breeding pairs with limited litters this in itself would affect good breeders how do we stop the churning puppies out?
The KC make money and simply being KC puppies give a rose view idea all puppies born are perfect and tested... It has to start somewhere and the KC could make a big impact...

I really don't wish too see more vulnerable dams,distraught puppies and greedy fat cats making money out of them anymore

When evaluating a bitch to breed from, working ability and performance are paramount.  Temperament is also important as we have other dogs, animals and children.  Colour, coat length are consequential in these decisions.  When looking for a sire proven working ability as well as which lines the dog has come from will be studied with great care. 
My WL GSD was not bought with breeding in mind, but I have had a few enquiries from bitch owners as he has proven himself to be a useful working dog as well as having a stable, well balanced nature with excellent nerve.  He has had his hips/elbows x-rayed with good scores, he is Haemophilia free and has been tested for DM (he is a carrier).  Therefore his breeder has removed the breeding endorsements from his pedigree.  I am happy to consider bitches who are of excellent temperament with a good working pedigree, who have had hips/elbows/DM tests done with good results.  As he is a carrier for DM I would only allow him to be used on a DM clear bitch.

They can only be bred from and registered if they have no restrictions placed on them.  The KC do not register them if they have restrictions placed on their breeding.  I know there have been exceptions but they are not supposed to.  As for breeding without health testing, I would think that would relate only to the money grabbers, not the responsible breeders. 

Thank you DB girl. I forgot to mention the possibility of endorsing pedigrees to restrict breeding unless testing has been done. This is the only 'tool' responsible breeders have in ensuring that the puppies they breed are not bred from without health testing.
However, there are still far too many breeders who neglect to place endorsements , hence the situation whereby dogs are bred from without health testing and registered with the KC .The KC appear to have no interest in addressing/redressing the situation.
Also, there' s nothing to stop breeders breeding from dogs they bred themselves (i.e. no endorsements ) and then ignoring any unsatisfactory results of health screening . The KC will accept for registration puppies bred from parents with extremely poor scores ( hip and elbow) and other health problems, hereditary or not.
Even if the KC took the initiative and began to make breed specific testing mandatory and only accept puppies from parents with good results for registration there still remains the issue of litter verification. I know from breeder friends in Europe that litters have to be verified before registration is permitted. This appears to require a veterinarian visit. We have  the problem of 'paper puppies' whereby  dishonest breeders apply for more registrations than puppies . They are then able to 'register' puppies from litters which would otherwise not be registerable and sell the pups as KC registered and get a higher price .
This is all so depressing.  We need a KC that places dog welfare above revenue and effective legislation to outlaw the greedy breeders who are making so much money out of our beloved dogs. We need to educate the public . A puppy should not be bought on a whim and must be planned for and this includes going to reputable breeders . Hmm..where to find them?  Most puppy buyers are just a click of the mouse away from a puppy, possibly  bred in dreadful conditions ,and so the problem perpetuates.

> What do you take into account when evaluating your bitch prior to deciding to mate her?

This varies so much from breed to breed. In numerically strong breeds, being of good health, clear DNA tests, excellent pedigree and wonderful temperament are not enough to warrant being bred from, the bitch also has to have proved herself worthy of passing on her genes, whether that is in the show or working arena.

In numerically smaller breeds we shouldn't be as picky. I have a numerically small breed, 64 in the UK and less than 2000 ever born worldwide. So, really to keep gene diversity almost every healthy (in mind and body) bitch and dog should be bred from, and simply put to the best possible mate without doubling up faults. Our breed are super hot on health testing, so all breeding stock in this country is MDR1 and CEA clear and the entire breed is DM clear so it's a good base to breed from.

> And what do you want to see in a sire?

Assuming all potential sires are in good health, all required and recommended testing done and have ideal temperaments then I would want one that compliments my bitch, that doesn't double up on any faults she has - but is not too far the other way either. For example if I had a bitch with a rather flat topline I wouldn't use a wheel backed dog in the hope of it 'evening out' I would use a dog with a correct nicely curved topline.

Speaking of 'breeders breeding from unsatisfactory results' I think it should be compulsory for vets to send in results to BVA regardless.  What is the point in having the test done in the first place if you are not going to register it.  I know some would say that if the scores were unsatisfactory then they wouldn't breed and therefore why send it in, but surely this skews breed results. 

> Here in Switzerland, the breed clubs are required to hold these breeding-qualification events twice per year.  An international judge is in charge of conformation, a temperament-test is performed by members of the club with the judge in charge.  We have to present proof of the veterinary exam for patella luxation, CMR2 (eyes) and PRA (in some breeds, but not in mine, HD as well).  Dogs have to be at least one year old before these tests can be performed and are valid.  And so on....   I suppose you must have all these regulations in the UK as well...?

I have a pal living in Switzerland, who is active in my main breed.   When she told me what she has to go through to breed out there I was amazed.   What bothers me about all that is the 'judging' of a prospective breeding animal.  As I understand it, this is done by a number of peers and the cynic in me suggests a pass is more about who you are in the breed, than maybe the quality of the dog.   It shouldn't be the case of course, but sometimes it's down to 'human nature'!!    You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.    I bred and sold a puppy out there and thankfully he passed much as to my knowledge that's as far as it went.   He did go, via my friend, to a pet home basically.

Obviously you now know we don't have anything like this in the UK, apart from what happens in the show-ring!!

"I think it should be compulsory for vets to send in results to BVA regardless. "

If the testing is done privately, I doubt this would happen.   If it's done under the KC/BVA Schemes, then it is reported, and published in the Breed Supplement for the relevant breed.

As I understand it, this is done by a number of peers and the cynic in me suggests a pass is more about who you are in the breed, than maybe the quality of the dog.

No, the "Ankörung" (which is what the event is called in German, in French "séléction") is organised by the breed club, but the only person who has the say is the accredited, international judge, which the club hires to perform this service.  No one else's opinion is called for or counts.

BTW, the vets DO have to send in the test results (PL, HD, etc.) to the SKG in Bern (national chapter of the FCI in Switzerland).  The owner of the dog gets a copy, of course, but cannot prevent the vets from registering the results with the central organisation.  It's a little hard to "cheat"!

It was my understanding that if the scores weren't good then the owner has the choice whether to send them to the BVA or not.  The vet then complies with the owners wishes.  I think that if a vet carries out any scoring they should automatically send them in if that test is part of any breed record. 

The vet can't do the actualy scoring however some vets will give their opyion to an owner if they think the xray they just took will come back as high and will then ask if the owner still wants it sent in for scoring.
I'd guess they don't want up upset their clients, pluss if an owner after seeing the xray then decides they don't want to fill in the form and pay for the xray to be sent off and scored what can a vet realy do?

When having your dog(s)xrayed for scoring, your vet should get you to sign the agreement to submit the plates BEFORE the x rays are done, I know my vet does & will not xray hips/elbows unless they are for submission or following an accident/medical condition. He cannot see the point in doing x rays just to look at them & not submit to the BVA for assessment. His wife is an experienced Shepherd & breeder of quality fully health tested dogs, never has to advertise & always more people wanting her dogs that she has available & she always keeps at least 1

I don't think Marilyn gives you a choice not to send scores in?  But then ours have always been good.  I just assumed that, whatever they were, they'd be sent in, whenever we've had x-rays done there.

When we bought our foundation bitch, as a puppy, we did it on the basis that I was going to eventually mate her to my second male hound so I needed bloodlines that allowed me to line-breed.   I knew the breeder, even though I was living overseas at the time.   I had the owner of my second male go to the kennels and between them they chose which of two that were available would be best for me.    As time went on, and I began to learn a bit more about my breed I decided my original plan wasn't going to be as good as I'd originally thought, so I went outside my kennel for her first litter.  I'd seen this dog up at a Specialty show and admired him for type (turned out he did go back to a UK bitch sent out to America years before, and her sire was behind my bitch too).   So he was my choice for my bitch.   And I was right.

I look for temperament of course, and type and what's in the pedigree - I spent hours pouring over pedigrees.   I also made sure from what I could see, he excelled in areas she needed improvement.   But there is always the unexpected - recessive genes - that play a part and upset the best laid plans.