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KDCA Code of Ethics for Breeders

If I breed a Kangal Dog, I will further adhere to these principles:

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1. I will make sure that anyone acquiring a dog from me understands their responsibilities for the care
and welfare of the animal.


2. I will not breed a Kangal Dog with a breed disqualification.


3. I will not breed any Kangal Dog that is of poor temperament, especially one that is known to have
bitten a person without provocation, or an adult dog that has shown a strong tendency to chase, bite,
and injure livestock animals, traits which are contrary to a fundamental characteristic of the breed: a
reliable guardian temperament.


4. I will never breed a Kangal Dog with a dog of any other breed, and I will only breed my Kangal Dog to
another Kangal Dog of good quality and type, that is either registered/registerable with the UKC.


5. I will certify that all breeding dogs shall be evaluated by the Orthopedic Foundation of Animals (OFA)
indicating no evidence of hip dysplasia with a rating of “excellent”, “good” or “fair” at the minimum age
of 24 months and / or have a report of examination from Penn Hip indicating no evidence of hip
dysplasia with a distraction index (DI) of .46 or less being preferred or an appropriate clearance from the
dog’s country of origin. All dogs born on or after 1/1/21 shall also have elbows evaluated by OFA with a
rating of normal.


KDCA also recommends testing of patella, eyes, cardiac, thyroid along with DNA health screening such as
Embark or PawPrints, or similar to determine status of genetic diseases including Degenerative
Myelopathy (DM), von Willebrands (vWD1), etc.


I will obtain hip and elbow certification for any dog that I breed to, unless there are special
circumstances acknowledged by the KDCA Health and Wellness Committee so that I can make an
informed breeding choice for the welfare of my puppies and their owners.


6. I will undertake each breeding with careful consideration of the positive and negative characteristics
of sire and dam, with the foremost goals of preserving working Kangal Dog type and temperament, and
reducing genetic defects such as hip dysplasia in the breed.


7. I will ensure that the pedigree information of all dogs owned or co-owned has been submitted for
inclusion in the KDCA’s Health and Pedigree database, including pedigree information on all current and
upcoming puppies that have been produced.


8. I will cooperate with the KDCA Health Committee by providing hip certification (OFA or PennHIP)
reports, as well as information about other health problems which may have a genetic basis that appear
in any dogs used in my breeding program, their progeny, and relatives, to the best of my ability.


9. I will ensure that any dogs that I own and that will produce a litter will be DNA-certified using the
UKC’s DNA service. Proof of DNA certification must be sent to the KDCA club secretary within 6 months
of producing a litter when breeding dogs that have not previously been DNA certified.

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10. I will register all Kangal Dog litters born in the US with the UKC. I will also require owners to
permanently register every Kangal Dog, in the owner's name or in co-ownership, whether the dog is
intact or desexed, so that the KDCA and the UKC can keep accurate records of Kangal Dogs and their
ownership. I will require all new owners to become a Kangal Dog Club of America Member for a
minimum of one year.


11. I will have all puppies microchipped prior to owner pick up.


12. I will supply my puppy buyers with written contracts that clearly specify ownership, spay/neuter
requirements, and breeding agreements, and will specify that dogs not sold specifically as potential
breeding animals must not be bred.


13. I will discuss with puppy buyers the temperament, behaviors and working traits of a Kangal Dog; as
well as the inherent risk and liability in working with livestock guardian dogs and require each puppy
owner to confirm their understanding and accept such risks.


14. I will make every effort to sufficiently research potential buyers’ ability to raise and maintain a
Kangal Dog. I will endeavor to help the new owners of my pups with any behavioral or training issues
that may arise to insure successful placements. I have the ability to take back any dog I have bred and
sold, for assessment and evaluation prior to rehoming dogs or contacting rescue for assistance, so as not
to create a burden for Kangal Dog Rescue volunteers.

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