It is a Kennel Club requirement that all Breed Clubs produce one 'Code of Ethics' per breed. Delegates from all four Welsh Springer Spaniel Clubs have met and agreed the attached new 'merged' Code.

This Code will be go before each Club's AGM for approval.

WELSH SPRINGER SPANIEL CLUBS'

CODE OF ETHICS

Club members:

1) Will properly house, feed, water and exercise all dogs under their care and arrange for appropriate veterinary attention if and when required.

2) Will agree without reservation that any veterinary surgeon performing an operation on any of their dogs which alters the natural conformation of the animal, or who carries out a caesarean section on a bitch, may report such operation to the Kennel Club.

3) Will agree that no healthy puppy will be culled. Puppies which may not conform to the Breed Standard should be placed in suitable homes.

4) Will abide by all aspects of the Animal Welfare Act.

5) Will not create demand for, nor supply, puppies that have been docked illegally.

6) Will agree not to breed from a dog or bitch which could be in any way harmful to the dog or to the breed.

7) Will not allow any of their dogs to roam at large or to cause a nuisance to neighbours or those carrying out official duties.

8) Will ensure that their dogs wear properly tagged collars and will be kept leashed or under effective control when away from home.

9) Will clean up after their dogs in public places or anywhere their dogs are being exhibited.

10) 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.

11) Will supply written details of all dietary requirements and give guidance concerning responsible ownership when placing dogs in a new home.

12) Will ensure that all relevant Kennel Club 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.

13) Will not sell any dog to commercial dog wholesalers, retail pet dealers or 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 Kennel Club registration certificates as stand alone items (not accompanying a dog).

14) 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.

Welsh Springer Spaniel Breeders’ Code of Ethics

15) Before breeding a litter serious and equal consideration should be given to type, temperament, health and soundness. In the choice of breeding stock it should always be borne in mind that aggression and nervousness form no part of the Welsh Springer Spaniel’s temperament and character.

16) No bitch should be required to have more than four litters and no bitch should be bred from at successive seasons, unless a period of time of more than twelve months has elapsed between each season or a period of 12 months has elapsed between each litter. No bitch should be mated before the age of two years (preferably three), nor if the bitch will have reached the age of eight years at the date of whelping, unless permission has been given by the Kennel Club. Before a bitch is mated due regard should be given to her general condition and fitness and, in the case of second or subsequent litters, her previous breeding history (including ease of whelping).

17) All breeding should be aimed at the improvement of the breed. Members should do everything in their power to discourage breeding from clearly inferior specimens and those members who own stud dogs should refuse stud services to such specimens. It is recommended that all animals, particularly those to be bred from, should be tested for all current health issues.

18) The Club and the Joint Health Group maintain that a breeder/stud dog owner, having bred a litter that has produced a fitting animal, where the condition, after tests, is deemed to be idiopathic (primary) epilepsy, should not breed from the sire/dam again. The failure of the breeder/stud dog owner to adhere to this rule shall be considered a breech of the Clubs’ Code of Ethics and will be dealt with accordingly and may result in membership being withdrawn. This rule may be rescinded should a test for carrier animals become available.

19) No member should breed a litter unless they have 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 services unless they are fully satisfied that the owner of the bitch has such time and facilities.

20) No member should breed a litter unless they are reasonably sure of finding good homes for the puppies. No puppies should leave the breeder before the age of seven weeks (preferably eight).

21) No puppies should be exported before they are fully inoculated or before the age of three months unless they are travelling in the personal care of the purchaser or his known representatives. Puppies should never be sold to countries where they are not protected by anti-cruelty laws. (If in doubt consult DEFRA or the Kennel Club).

22) Prospective buyers of puppies should be carefully screened for suitability and should be fully advised of the characteristics of the Welsh Springer Spaniel as a breed, stressing the necessity for care, grooming and ample exercise. Puppies should not be sold to homes where they will be left on their own all day.

23) No puppy which has any known physical defect should be sold without the buyer being made fully aware of such defect and its possible consequences. Members should only sell puppies which, to the best of their knowledge and belief, are in good health at the time of sale.

24) Each purchaser of a Welsh Springer Spaniel puppy should be provided at the time of sale with a pedigree, information about training, worming, inoculations and details of the Welsh Springer Spaniel Clubs. No puppy that is of unregistered or partly unregistered parentage should be sold without the buyer being made aware that they will be unable to register it on the Kennel Club register.

25) Breeders should also be prepared, if the home proves unsuitable and the buyer wishes to return the dog, that they must share the responsibility for this occurrence, albeit an infrequent one, and allow such an animal to be returned or provide assistance with rehoming if necessary.

26) Offices and Committee Members of the Club are always ready and willing to do their best to help members with any queries or problems

27) From time to time it may become necessary for the Club Committees or the Joint Health Group, supported by professional advice, to seek the assistance and co-operation of breeders in eradicating hereditary complaints/illnesses. It is expected that in such an event breeders will co-operate fully with the Committees/Joint Health Group by providing such support and/or information as may be requested.

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.

No puppy which has any physical defect or which shows any definite departure from the breed standard should be sold without the buyer being made fully aware of such defect or departure and it’s possible consequences.

Many important considerations and decisions have to be made before anyone should contemplate breeding a litter of puppies. The health and safety of both the dam and its progeny must be of prime importance.

Equal consideration should be given to type, soundness and temperament, and members should resist from breeding with animals that do not possess any or all of these requirements. It is most essential that only sound health stock should be bred from.

Members must also ask themselves if they can devote both the time and care that is necessary in looking after the dam and her litter, before, during and after the whelping. Considerable expense will also be incurred by the breeding of just one litter, including stud fee, extra food and vitamin supplements for the bitch, milk and calcium supplements, inoculations, worming liquid or tablets, Kennel Club registrations and insurance of the progeny.

No bitch should be required to have more than four litters and no bitch should be bred from at successive seasons unless a period of more than twelve months has elapsed between each season or a period of 12 months has elapsed between each litter. No bitch should be mated before the age of two years ( preferably three) nor after the age of eight years, unless permission has be given by The Kennel Club.

It is obvious, that there are, as in many breeds, certain health problems within Welsh Springer Spaniels, and members must always be aware of these, and do everything in their power to eradicate or in the least, avoid them. Officers and Committee members of the club are always ready and willing to do their best to help members with any query or problem. From time to time it may become necessary for the Club Committee supported by professional advice, to seek the assistance and co-operation of breeders in eradicating hereditary complaints/illnesses from the breed. It is expected that in such an event breeders will co-operate fully with the Committee by providing such support and /or information as may be requested. However, we must also remember to proportion these to their own degree of importance, and to continue to press for animals that look and resemble Welsh Springer Spaniels, never lose sight of the fact that you should still breed for type. All breeding should be aimed at the importance of the breed, members should do everything in their power to discourage breeding from clearly inferior specimens and those members who own stud dogs are advised to refuse stud services to such specimens.

No member should breed a litter unless he/she is sure of finding good homes for the puppies. No puppies should leave the breeder before the age of seven weeks, preferably eight.

Members should have taken every precaution to make the prospective purchasers aware of their responsibilities of ownership, with due regard to the need for the correct feeding, regular exercise, inoculations, worming procedures, and they must also be made aware that pups need constant care and attention, and that if this is not provided then the young dog can become very destructive in the home through sheer neglect and boredom.

Puppies should not be sold to homes where they will be left on their own all day. Each purchaser should be provided at the time of sale with a pedigree, KC registration certificate, died sheet, information about training, worming and inoculations. No puppy that is of unregistered or partly unregistered parentage should be sold without the buyer being made aware that he/she will be unable to register it on the Kennel Club register. No puppy which has any physical defect or which shows any definite departure from the breed standard should be sold without the buyer being made fully aware of such defect or departure and its possible consequences.

Breeders should also be prepared for the dog that perhaps did not prove as healthy as was first thought, with the buyer wanting to return such an animal. We, as breeders, must share the responsibility for this occurrence, albeit an infrequent one, and allow such an animal to return home. It will never have a happy life with someone who is more than a little disappointed. Far better to perhaps find a more suitable owner, who has been made aware of the circumstances, or alternatively, let the dog share your own home for the rest of its natural life.

No puppies should be exported before they are fully inoculated or before the age of three months unless they are travelling in the personal care of the purchaser or his known representative. Puppies should never be sold to countries where they are not protected by anti-cruelty laws (if in doubt consult DEFRA, RSPCA or Kennel Club.)

Advertising by members should be as factual as possible. Misleading exaggeration or unfounded implication of superiority should not be used. Members should also refrain from making unfair or untrue statements about the dogs or practices of others.

The Club and the Joint Healh Group maintain that a breeder/stud dog owner having bred a litter that has produced a fitting animal, where the condition, after tests, is deemed to  be idopathic (primary) epilepsy, should not  breed from the sire/dam again. The failure of the breeder/stud owner to adhere to this rule shall be considered a breech of the Club's Code of Conduct and will be dealt with accordingly and may result in membership being withdrawn. This rule may be rescinded should a test for carrier aniamals become available

Would members note.

The Kennel Club will not accept an application to register a litter when :-

1. The dam has already whelped four litters.

2. The dam has already reached the age of 8 years at the date of whelping.

3. The dam was under one year old at the time of mating.

4. The offspring are the result of any mating between father and daughter, mother and son, or brother and sister, save in exceptional circumstances or for scientifically proven welfare reasons.

Relief from restrictions set out maybe considered by the General Committee normally providing an application is made prior to the mating and the dam has previously whelped at least one other registered litter.

Any application must be supported by a vet as to the suitability of the bitch.