An educational series from Slovakia
Hi, I'm Carrie.
A Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, a show dog, and the host of a series about what people should know before they buy a puppy.
What didn't fit in the video
What my papers actually mean.
The longer version of each topic, with sources. Rules differ by country and breed club, so always ask yours.
| Code | Joint | Scale | Best |
|---|---|---|---|
| HD | Hip | A – E | A |
| ED | Elbow | 0 – 3 | 0 |
| OCD | Shoulder (mostly) | present / free | free |
01Health scores, decodedHD-A, ED-0, OCD-free. What the letters next to a puppy's parents mean.
These joint problems are partly inherited, which is why good breeders X-ray both parents. Great scores lower the risk; they don't erase it. Fast growth and extra weight still count.
A to E is the FCI scale used in Europe. In the US the OFA grades hips from Excellent to Severe, and in the UK the BVA/KC scheme gives a hip score. Ask which scale the papers use.
Sources: FCI · IEWG · ACVS · OFA · BVA
02A pedigree is not the whole storyIt proves who a puppy comes from, not how it was raised.
The FCI says it itself: a pedigree certifies parentage, not quality. A sunny living room with a mom you can meet, or a garage where the mom is "not available": both puppies can get the same paper.
Check instead: both parents' health results on paper, the mom at the breeder's home with her puppies, and a breeder who asks you questions.
The FCI doesn't issue pedigrees. Your national kennel club does. In Slovakia that's the SKJ, from the Slovak studbook (SPKP).
Sources: FCI International Breeding Rules, Art. 16 · SKJ
03What a breed evaluation isOnce in a dog's life, a committee decides if it may have puppies.
To get in (Slovakia): X-rays of hips (A to C), elbows (0 to 1) and shoulders (clear), a CAC from two dog shows, and at least 15 months of age (18 for males).
Character: seven tasks worth 2, 1 or 0 points each, from walking on the lead and a stranger taking the leash to wobbly ground, loud music and a distant bang. 11 points or more is excellent.
Body: measurements against the standard (females 60 to 68 cm at the withers), bite and teeth, eye colour, build and temperament. When a breeder says a dog passed, ask to see the card.
Sources: SKŠSP breeding & bonitation regulations · FCI Standard No. 58
04How a responsible litter is plannedStep one isn't finding a boyfriend.
The mom is old enough, healthy and approved for breeding. The dad is not the closest one but the best match: healthy, good-natured and strong where she is weaker.
Breeders check how related the pair is (the inbreeding coefficient, COI). The FCI recommends that no dog should have more offspring than 5% of the puppies registered in the breed over five years.
Progesterone tests find the fertile days, and pregnancy takes about 63 days. Good breeders often have families waiting, and take a dog back at any age.
Sources: FCI International Breeding Rules & Strategies · GSSH · SKŠSP · Leroy et al. 2015
