Choosing Breeding Prospects and the Perfect Stud

Selecting the right breeding dog prospect is a crucial step in establishing a successful and ethical breeding operation. Here are some essential questions to ask when shopping for a breeding dog prospect, ensuring that honesty, ethics, health, personality, and structure are prioritized:

1. Health Screening and Genetic Testing

• Are the breeding dogs health tested for genetic diseases relevant to the Pomsky breed, such as progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), Degenerative Myelopathy, VMD1. Are the parents carriers of any of these? (Being a carrier is not a fail point. It means that you will need to ensure that if the puppy carries this gene is paired carefully to prevent any genetic concerns.)

• Can the kennel provide documentation of health clearances from reputable veterinary specialists or organizations, such as the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) or the Canine Health Information Center (CHIC)?

2. Temperament and Personality

• What is the temperament and personality of the breeding dog prospect? Are they friendly, sociable, and well-mannered? Has temperament testing been performed on the puppy? How does the puppy cope with new situations? Is it shy and reserved? Scared? Laid back? Outgoing?

• Can the kennel provide information about the breeding dog's behavior, including their temperament with people, children, and other animals?

3. Conformation and Structure

• Does the breeding dog prospect meet the Pomsky breed standard (Link to Standard) in terms of conformation and structure?

• Can the kennel provide evidence of the breeding dog's pedigree?

• Can the kennel provide stacked views of the parents and any adult siblings, outline their faults?

• Can the kennel provide a list of considerations for structure for future pairings based on what they know the puppy will structurally be like as an adult?

4. Breeder's Code of Ethics

• Does the kennel adhere to the APKC’s® Code of Ethics which prioritizes honesty, integrity, and the well-being of the dogs?

• Does the kennel actively promote and adhere to responsible breeding practices?

• Does the kennel focus on colors instead of structure?

• Does the kennel allow breed rights for any puppies in the litter with a breeding payment fee? Are all puppies in litters considered “breeding prospects”?

• Does the kennel allow breed rights on females charting under 10 lbs?

🚩 Warning Flags: Beware of Certain Breeders

• Kennels that supply pet stores or use a brokerage to mass sell puppies.

• Beware any breeder selling rights with puppies from a dam’s first litter, without adult puppies to view results from the pairing.

• Beware any breeder that focuses on color, chooses “rare” colors, or allows breed rights for female Pomskies charting under 10 lbs.

• Beware any breeder that does not offer patella testing in puppies, all necessary vet documentation, genetic report, proof of vet visit, and applicable vaccinations.

• Beware of any breeder that allows puppies to go home prior to 8 weeks of age.

• Beware of any breeder that does not thoroughly investigate you and your program for suitability.

• Lack of health testing and genetic screening for common Pomsky health issues.

• Poor temperament or behavioral issues in the breeding dog prospect.

• Breeding dogs that do not conform to the Pomsky breed standard in terms of conformation and structure.

• Breeder kennels that do not follow a Code of Ethics or prioritize the health and well-being of their dogs.

Choose Wisely for Your Breeding Program

Selecting the right breeding dog prospect is essential for the success and integrity of your Pomsky breeding program. By asking the questions outlined above and prioritizing honesty, ethics, health, personality, and structure, you can ensure that you're working with reputable breeders who share your commitment to responsible breeding practices.

For a list of recommended breeders who uphold these standards, visit the American Pomsky Kennel Club's website at www.americanpomskykennelclub.org/recommended-breeders. These breeders have demonstrated their dedication to ethical breeding and are excellent resources for finding your ideal breeding dog prospect.

Remember, ethical breeding isn't just about producing puppies—it's about safeguarding the health and well-being of the dogs and preserving the integrity of the breed for future generations.

List of Questions for Kennels:

1. Are the breeding dogs health tested for genetic diseases relevant to the Pomsky breed?

2. Can you provide documentation of health clearances from reputable veterinary specialists or organizations?

3. What is the temperament and personality of the breeding dog prospect? Has the puppy been temperament tested?

4. Can you provide information about the breeding dog's behavior, and current and expected adult temperament, both individually, in littermates, and parents?

5. Does the breeding dog prospect meet the Pomsky breed standard in terms of conformation and structure? Can you provide stacked views of the puppy, several adult siblings, and the parents?

6. Can you provide evidence of the breeding dog's pedigree and DNA report?

7. Does your kennel adhere to a Code of Ethics that prioritizes honesty, integrity, and the well-being of the dogs?

Choosing the Perfect Stud

Selecting the right stud dog is a crucial decision for Pomsky breeders, as it significantly influences the quality, health, and temperament of future litters. To ensure the success of your breeding program and produce exceptional Pomsky puppies, consider the following main points when choosing a an adult stud dog:

1. Health and Genetic Screening:

• Prioritize health and genetic screening to minimize the risk of hereditary diseases and promote overall health.

• Ensure the stud dog has undergone health evaluations for common Pomsky health issues, with Embark DNA for genetic concerns at a minimum.

• Request documentation of health clearances from reputable veterinary specialists or organizations such as the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA). Patellas (knees) are the largest concern for Pomskies, hip dysplasia is the second. We highly recommend that studs should have these two tests at an absolute minimum.

• Request vet documentation on the latest Brucellosis test. This test must be done before any breeding, especially if live cover.

• Compare the DNA report against the stud’s DNA report to ensure that no 2 carriers will be paired. (see more under Dam Compatibility)

2. Breed Conformation and Standards:

• Select a stud dog that adheres to the Pomsky breed standard in terms of size, structure, coat color, and markings. (See Standard here)

• Evaluate the stud dog's physical appearance, including body proportions, head shape, ear set, and tail carriage, to ensure alignment with breed standards.

  • Are the ears too large? Are they placed well on the head?

  • Are the teeth in proper alignment?

  • Is the Pomsky too leggy?

  • Is the top line straight?

  • Is the overall structural composition ideal? What weaknesses does your female have that you need to overcompensate for?

• Consider the stud dog's pedigree and lineage to assess its genetic background and conformational qualities.

3. Temperament and Personality:

• Choose a stud dog with a stable, friendly, and well-balanced temperament to produce puppies with desirable personality traits.

• Observe the stud dog's behavior in various settings, including interactions with people, children, and other animals, to gauge its temperament.

• Prioritize traits such as confidence, trainability, and sociability, which contribute to the Pomsky's suitability as a family companion.

4. Breeding Experience and Proven Offspring:

• Prioritize stud dogs with a history of successful breeding experiences and a track record of producing healthy, high-quality offspring.

  • Get full-body pictures of several previous adult offspring of the stud. Are they fantastic examples of the breed?

  • Ask about the type of temperament the stud throws.

  • Ask about the type of puppy, size, structure, health, and color that the stud throws. Provide the dam’s DNA report for guidance.

• Review the stud dog's breeding history and inquire about previous litters' outcomes, including health, temperament, and conformation of the puppies.

5. Compatibility with the Dam:

• Review the available dam and critically assess her structure and conformation. Is she breeding quality and within standard? Get an expert to help with this (not necessarily the breeder that has the stud male to ensure a lack of bias).

  • What weaknesses does the dam have that you need to offset?

    Examples:

    • If her ears are too large, then you want to pick a male with a significantly smaller earset and produce offspring with smaller earsets.

    • If her ears are too low on the head, pick a male that has higher-placed ears and produces offspring with higher-placed ears.

    • If she has a longer torso, then you would pick a male with a very short torso and produce offspring with shorter torsos.

    • If she has long legs, then you would pick a male with very short legs and produce offspring with shorter legs.

• Assess the compatibility between the selected stud dog and the dam in terms of temperament, conformation, and genetic complementarity.

• Consider factors such as size, coat type, and color genetics to ensure a harmonious match that enhances the strengths of both parents and minimizes potential flaws.

• Consult with experienced Pomsky breeders or genetic counselors to evaluate the genetic compatibility between the stud dog and dam and anticipate potential breeding outcomes.

• Does the stud have common ancestors with the dam?

6. Breeder Contract and Stud Rights:

Carefully review the contract regarding the stud rights. Get an attorney to review as well.

• What is the stud fee and what services does it include?

• What are the costs associated with semen shipping?

• What does the breeder guarantee for success rates? What are the criteria for failures?

• If there is a repeat available, what are the shipping rates?

• If this is a live cover, what are the guarantees for success? What are the criteria for failure?

• NOTE - If the breeder does not have a detailed contract, then you will want to avoid this breeder.

7. Breeder Reputation and Ethics:

• Collaborate with reputable and ethical breeders who prioritize responsible breeding practices, health testing, and puppy welfare.

• Research the stud dog's breeder and breeding program to ensure a commitment to breed improvement, health screening, and responsible puppy placement.

• Seek recommendations from fellow Pomsky enthusiasts, breed clubs, or online forums to identify trustworthy breeders and stud dog options.

• NOTE - If the breeder focuses on color genetics and not on conformation and health, you will want to avoid this breeder. Blue and lavender colors are no longer rare and should not be focused on as the basis of the entire program. Only breeders mention the desire for these colors, they are not highly requested colors in the pet owner community.

• NOTE - If the breeder does not review your female for breed standard or DNA compatibility before offering their male, you will want to avoid this breeder.

Making an Informed Decision

Choosing the perfect stud dog for your Pomsky breeding program requires careful consideration of health, conformation, temperament, breeding experience, compatibility, and breeder ethics. By prioritizing these main points and conducting thorough research and evaluations, you can select a stud dog that enhances the quality, health, and temperament of future Pomsky generations. Remember to collaborate with reputable breeders, prioritize health testing, and maintain a commitment to breed improvement and responsible breeding practices for the betterment of the Pomsky breed.

List of reputable breeders here.