This webpage will take you through various links to the wonderful world of becoming a breeding candidate, timing a successful mating, whelping a litter, raising your litter, socialization prior to 8 weeks, and finally, getting new families ready to start the process with their own pups!

Five separate sections — each full of valuable insights — so . . . enjoy! A copy of this is available in print format by clicking here.

1. Becoming a Breedable Stabyhoun

Start out with good intentions to be a part of a “bigger” world. For our breed, the opportunity to have litters with females even one time is incredibly important. Stabyhouns have only a very small population; it is considered a rare breed, often listed in the top ten. We must work hard to maintain and protect them. There are no more big kennel breeders even in Holland, and here in North America, we concentrate on genetic diversity not multiple litters by one line.

The survival of our beautiful breed depends on the occasion breeders, people who have a litter once purely as a hobby or put their dog on the stud list. This could be you!

Owner to do list:

• ASA Membership

• FCPR Registration

• AKC-FSS Registration

• DNA testing for AKC

• DNA testing with EMBARK

• Evaluations by Dutch judges – 2

• ASA Temperament Evaluation

• Hips and Elbows Certification

• Cerebral Dysfunction results

• ASA Health Questionnaire

• ASA Inventory form

• Brucellosis Test (within six months of breeding)

Supporting Documents (Note: These are “Clickable” links and will open in a new window):

• ASA Code of Ethics – 5-1-2020

• Owning a Female for Breeding-2020

• Owning a Male for Stud Use-2020

• FCPR registration process

• AKC registration process

• DNA testing with EMBARK

• Stabyhoun Temperament Questionnaire

• Plan of Action for Stud Owners Summary

• Evaluating the Stabyhoun Conformation

• FCI 222 Breed Standard 2015.pdf

• ASA Health Questionnaire

• ASA Inventory Form

• Video Showing How to Take an Inventory

• New Litter Registration Info

2. Timing a Successful Mating

Coming up with the right time to breed and finding a great combination can be daunting! That is where the BAC can be a tremendous help to you. We know what is available and the health issue behind the lineage of each and every dog. We also can help to find qualities in a stud dog that will perhaps improve your dog’s traits in the offspring. The BAC will take into consideration your ability and desire to travel or to keep expenses down and offer suggestions that will further the genetic diversity for the Stabyhoun breed in general. Then each breeder can pick the stud of their choice.

The forms and articles that we have attached below we help to guide you through the process — step by step.

Owner to do list:

• Submit Breeding Request form — 3 months to 1 year before heat cycle

• Talk to BAC about desire to breed and ideal timing

• Work with BAC to identify mate

• Discuss Stud fee and contract with Stud owner

• Find good reproduction vet

• Progesterone/cytology testing (6 days after beginning of heat)

• Plan for natural, assisted or AI mating and have a backup plan with your vet

Supporting Documents (Note: These are “Clickable” links and will open in a new window):

• ASA Breeding Request Form

• ASA Stud Dog Contract 11.0

• New Optional Stud Contract

• Breeding Protocol Chart

• Characteristics of Canine Estrous Cycle Chart

• Podcast – Tips For Success With Fresh Chilled Semen Breedings, Part I: The Stud Dog

• Podcast – Tips For Success With Fresh Chilled Semen Breedings, Part II: The Brood Bitch

• Procedures for Doing an AI

• Phases of an Embryo Fetus

• Podcast on feeding during pregnancy and lactation- EXCELLENT

3. Whelping

Whelping your first litter is like watching a miracle. But it can also be stressful. reading up on what to expect will help you to be prepared for any occurrence. The ASA is here to help you! Below you will find many forms and articles to get you started.

Owner to do list:

• Ultrasound (at 25+ days) to confirm pregnancy

• Radiographs (at 56+_ days) to count puppies

• Order your EMBARK DNA kits for your pups — REQUIRED for all pups born now!

• Set up whelping box and get whelping supplies

• Know emergency vet contact

• Identify markings and weigh puppies at birth

• Weigh puppies once daily for first 3 weeks, then weekly thereafter

• Remove rear dewclaws if desired (on or before 2 days old)

Supporting Documents (Note: These are “Clickable” links and will open in a new window):

• Reproduction info

• Pregnancy Tips

• Pregnant female diet Royal Canin

• ASA Whelping Guide

• Whelping Temperature Chart

• Litter Birth Notes Chart

• Litter Weight and Timing Record

4. Puppy Care/Socialization

You will want to start your pups off on the right foot and encourage your new owners to do the same!

The forms and articles that we have attached below we help to guide you through the process — step by step.

Owner to do list:

• Interview/select puppy owners (with ASA candidates if possible)

• Naming Your Puppies with FCPR – week 1

• Register Litter with FCPR – week 2

• Register Litter with AKC – week 2

• Order 4 generation Pedigree for new owners from FCPR and/or AKC

• Deworm puppies (recommend at 3, 5 and 7 weeks)

• 1st round of vaccinations (at 6 weeks)

• Microchip (at 6-7 weeks)

• Do 6 week Puppy evaluation with ASA/Dutch Judge

• Breeders Final Report on Litter

• Litter is Entered in ZooEasy

Supporting Documents (Note: These are “Clickable” links and will open in a new window):

• Naming Your Puppies

• New Litter Registration Info

• ASA 6 wk Puppy Evaluation with Breeder

• A Lifetime Of Nutrition

• Bone Growth In Pups

• Weaning — Breeder’s Handbook

• Weaning Puppies

• Socialization — Rethinking the Process

• Stabyhoun Litter Veterinary Evaluation Form

• Breeders Final Report on Litter to ASA

• Litter Info for ZooEasy

5. New Owner Information

As the new owners come to pick up their pups, your hands will be full! Use these forms and guides to help make sure that you are ready in advance.

Socialization needs to continue and owners should be made aware of how critical it is to the health and success of the breed that they stay in touch with you and the ASA.

Owner to do list:

• Send copy of Adoption Contract for review and signature

• Discuss importance of first 5 months in controlling hip dysplasia

• Provide manual – Living with Your Stabyhoun —  to new owners early!

• Provide official FCPR 4 generation pedigree

• Provide FCPR registration and AKC when possible

• Provide Vaccination/Chip information

• Discuss Socialization

Supporting Documents (Note: These are “Clickable” links and will open in a new window):

• ASA Membership Application Form

• ASA Puppy Adoption Contract v10.0

• Hip Dysplasia Risk Factors

• ASA  – Living with Your Stabyhoun

• Socialization

6. Ongoing Breeder Contact with New Owners

While the ASA does the best job possible to keep in touch with each Staby owner, it is the responsibility of each breeder to answer questions and help give timely directions to your own pup owners. And it is fun!

Be sure to stay in touch at six months to suggest changing diets to adult food and to remind owners of puberty on the near horizon. Also, it is a great time to ask for the temperament evaluation where we might catch behaviors that could be corrected when caught early on.

At one year, it is great to receive photos of the pups to see if even pet owners may have a particularly handsome dog that could be still used for breeding in the future.

At two years of age, the hip and elbow certification process starts. Pets and breeding candidates are both valuable in this process if owners are willing. It gives a much more accurate picture of what might be thrown in the future.

If a Specialty is on the horizon, like in 2019, then we need your enthusiasm as a breeder/member/owner to request attendance for your pups! What a treat to see the litter together again at 1.5 to two years of age.

Even if you just exchange emails once a year, it is a valuable tool for the ASA. Our best to you and your litter!