Dog Pedigree. Is It Worth Having One?
Many people claim that a pedigree is of no use to them. However, they often don't realise how mistaken they can be, thinking of it as just "a piece of paper" and not considering the consequences that having a proper pedigree (i.e. ancestry) or lacking one can have for them and their dog. A pedigree (as a document) confirms a dog's ancestry and contains important information about it, data on ancestors, kennel names, information about achievements, health tests and training. When buying a dog with a ZKwP pedigree, you have certainty about what kind of dog it is, where it comes from (going back several generations) and what it will be like: whether a tiny puppy will grow into the dog you've dreamed of, or perhaps a dog "in type" of the breed.
An example (but genuine) pedigree of a pedigree dog from a ZKwP/FCI breeding
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There is a high probability that a puppy purchased with a proper pedigree will be free from genetic defects, thanks to the health tests that dogs undergo in every generation. When buying a puppy, you will receive its birth certificate from the breeder, which contains all its details, and on the basis of it, if you wish and need to, you can register a pedigree with ZKwP. Having a dog with a pedigree, you have no obligation to take it to shows.
Birth certificate of a dog from an FCI breeding
In recent years, many associations and clubs have been established that issue their own documents, but these have nothing to do with a genuine pedigree from the Polish Kennel Club. One should be careful, as these types of associations can register breeders who own dogs that have been disqualified by ZKwP due to defects or diseases they possess and do not conform to the breed standard established by the International Canine Organisation (FCI). These can also be dogs that have failed psychological tests or do not have appropriate training. Furthermore, such an association can be founded by any Tom, Dick or Harry, including people who have left or been expelled from ZKwP for unethical conduct or mistakes made in their breeding.
Polish Stud Book ZKwP - example
ZKwP, or the Polish Kennel Club, is the only canine organisation in our country that is a member of the International Canine Organisation FCI (Federation Cynologique Internationale), the oldest and largest canine organisation in the world, bringing together the most important kennel clubs from dozens of countries on all continents.
It is ZKwP (under FCI patronage) that is obligated to issue birth certificates and pedigrees for dogs, supervises the work of breeding establishments, organises shows, awards titles to dogs participating in shows and issues breeding licenses.
Don't be fooled, or the tricks of backyard breeders
Backyard breeding is quite a broad concept and perhaps most of you have encountered it. In short, this term is applied to breeding establishments that do not meet the appropriate quality guidelines required by ZKwP/FCI when running a breeding operation and ensuring proper ancestry and welfare of dogs. Animals taken from such places are often dirty and malnourished, and frequently sick.
Backyard breeders often use various ingenious arguments designed to lull our vigilance and encourage us to buy a puppy without a proper pedigree. First and foremost, they usually tempt with a relatively low price, which should already be a warning signal for the buyer. However, price alone cannot be the only indicator of whether we are dealing with a backyard breeder. For a very simple reason - because in common perception a pedigree dog "should" be significantly more expensive than one without, in order not to raise suspicion among future owners of puppies, prices for dogs from backyard breeders are also becoming increasingly higher, adapting to "market expectations".
From backyard breeders you can hear many "interesting" pieces of information - be careful! - if you hear any of the arguments presented here, be on your guard - someone is trying to lull your vigilance:
- "Unfortunately the puppy has no pedigree because he was born seventh, eighth or last in the litter". This is untrue because every puppy from a litter in a breeding affiliated with ZKwP receives a birth certificate, on the basis of which a pedigree (document) can be obtained.
- "The puppy has a droopy ear or a curled tail in the wrong direction, so he has no pedigree". Every dog, even with a minor defect, must receive a birth certificate, on the basis of which a pedigree can be obtained.
- "The puppy has no pedigree, but is definitely from pedigree parents". This may be the case because the breeder bought dogs with a pedigree, but these dogs did not obtain breeding rights because, for example, they were too aggressive or fearful, generally speaking they failed various tests or may have hidden defects that only the backyard breeder knows about and will certainly not tell you.
- "I don't take my puppies to shows because I can't spare the time and money, and anyway dogs get tired at such shows". It is precisely at shows that you can see what a dog is like in terms of temperament, how it behaves and reacts to its surroundings. Anyone who has been to such a show can confirm how much dogs enjoy themselves with their owner, for example, winning.
This is only part of the information you can receive from backyard breeders - human creativity knows no bounds after all. Before you decide on a breeder, first check whether the breeding is registered with ZKwP (Polish Kennel Club) or with one of the other two large canine organisations in the world, AKC - American Kennel Club (United States) or KC - The Kennel Club in the United Kingdom (United Kingdom).
