The second half of the document covers things that are not required, but are recommended. It consists of:
For all dogs and litters, I will:

  • Provide a safe/healthy environment with fresh water, daily exercise, daily human interaction, and nutrition appropriate to the age of the puppy or adult dog.
  • Follow the vaccination and worming protocol of my veterinarian or current AVMA recommendations and provide the buyer with documentation of products used.
  • Understand that the ESC recommends puppies leaving their dam at a minimum of eight weeks.
  • Not sell more than one puppy from a single litter to a person or household.
  • Honestly represent my breeding dogs and puppies and will not mislead any person by omitting any information regarding health of the animals or their relatives, their behavior history or ancestry.
  • Provide socialization opportunities for each of my dogs and puppies, including such things as: daily human handling, exposure to different environments,
    exposure to different people and children, exposure to experiences beyond the area where they live within the first eight weeks of life.
  • Breed dogs with the potential to contribute positively to the breed. Conscientiously plan each litter, selecting a stud dog and dam to be mated based on pedigrees, working ability, temperament, and structure.
  • Not breed any male or female until they are physically and mentally mature, nor breed any dam repeatedly in such a manner as to endanger her health or that of her puppies.
  • Discontinue breeding the dam beyond an appropriate age.
  • Show discrimination in the sale of the puppies and be concerned with the type of homes in which they are placed. Have a written or oral contract stating
    responsibilities and rights of breeder and buyer.
  • Accept return of a puppy or dog (bred by me) at any time during the dog’s lifetime or work with a reputable rescue to rehome said puppy or dog. Make every effort to redeem any dog (bred by me) should he or she ever be in the custody of a dog pound or animal shelter.
  • Educate potential owners about the challenges of the breed in order to foster an understanding of the breed’s innate character and prevent training problems. At a minimum, I will provide buyers with the ESC Puppy Handbook.
  • Be a resource for buyers of puppies or older dogs (sold by me) for the life of the dog, helping puppy owners with advice, training, behavior modification
    information, and referrals to trainers in their area.
  • Encourage every puppy buyer to permanently identify his or her dog with a registered microchip or tattoo that includes my contact information as a primary or secondary contact.
  • Submit a Working Trait Evaluation for each parent of a litter.