By: Arianna Pearsall
Posted on: May 18, 2024
Back in 2020, we had an important decision to make. At the time there were no active CKC Anatolian breeders in Canada, so we could purchase unregistered Anatolians locally and breed them, or we could put out the money and buy 2 registered dogs from an Anatolian Shepherd breeder in the United States. After contemplating we asked ourselves; why do we want to breed anatolians? We determined we wanted to breed dogs to preserve the Anatolian Shepherd dog in Canada by providing Canadians with registered, healthy, and reliable livestock guardian and family acreage dogs. After that, we set out to import puppies from a top breeder in the USA (Shepherds Rest). Over the first 2 years of ownership, we trained them and watched to see if they had temperaments we wanted passed down. At 2 years we took both of our dogs in for OFA and PennHIP tests, we knew that if they didn’t receive adequate marks we would not breed them. After their results came back we then had to go through the process of registering them both with AKC and then CKC. After lots of time, training, money, and effort we were ready to provide Canada with beautiful Anatolian Shepherd puppies.
Shepherds Rest Wild, Wild West at 6 Weeks Old
Why We Chose To Breed Registered Dogs
We chose registered dogs for 3 reasons, for proof that they are purebred, more reliablitly, and for records. Registration papers provide proof that the dog is actually purebred. Without registration papers there is no surefire way to know if a dog is purebred. Many people will market their puppies as purebreds because you can sell the puppies at a higher rate, but there is no guarantee. Purebred dogs are much more reliable than mixed dogs. People have bred purebred animals for thousands of years for a specific purpose. This enables you know what size, temperament, risks, strengths, and weaknesses, a purebred dog will have. You can therefore match your needs and expectations to a certain breed of dog. Mixed dogs are unpredictable because you won’t know if the dog will act more like breed a, b, or c, or what scenarios may trigger breeds x, y and z. This makes it much harder to find a mixed dog that will meet your expectations. We have seen puppies advertised as the "perfect farm dog" because they were a mix of several breeds. The breeder was trying to convince buyers the puppies would be able to protect livestock because it was part Anatolian and great pyrenese, herd sheep because it was part boarder collie, and protect your property and family because it was part Bernese mountain dog. This is absurd. The dog will not change behaviour based upon the task you wish it to perform. Each breed was bred for a specific purpose, but when combined you end up with an unpredictable dog.
Registration papers also serve as an important record for your dog. What if your dog was stolen and you needed proof of ownership to get him back? Registration papers would be that proof. They contain information like their microchip number, lineage, birthdate, and much more!
Why We Chose To Health Test Our Dogs
We health-tested our dogs for 3 reasons it leads to a happier life, spares the buyers expense, and is responsible. Dogs that have parents that passed health tests, have a significantly reduced chance of developing health issues, increasing the dog's-lifespan and giving them a happier, more active, and healthier life. When dogs develop health issues it often costs thousands of dollars to fix, or costs the dog’s life. Take hip dysplasia as an example, this is a health concern for many breeds including the Anatolian Shepherd. A surgery to fix hip dysplasia costs approximately $3,500-$7,000. Even if you choose to euthanize the dog, you will still have to spend money and time buying a new puppy and training it, not to mention the incredible pain that comes with having to euthanize your dog. That is why we chose to put out the extra money and time and take the risks to have our dogs OFA and PennHIP tested. We wanted to be sure there was a low chance they would pass any health issues onto their offspring. This is often what separates breeders. Responsible breeders will spend the extra money to save the buyer from having to, while irresponsible breeders choose not to and leave it up to the buyers to pay for expensive surgeries in the future. (If you would like more information on OFA and PennHIP testing please check out my other article here).
How We Provide Reliable Dogs
At Bar JO Homestead we are dedicated to providing buyers with outstanding dogs. As we’ve already mentioned, we sell purebred, CKC-registered dogs to provide buyers with reliable and predictable dogs, and we have health-tested the parents to provide genetically healthy dogs. We microchip, deworm, vet check, and vaccinate all puppies before they leave for their homes. The puppies are exposed to multiple places and things like cars, parks, livestock, lambs, kids, teenagers, adults, cats, other dogs, and indoor facilities. We retain and buy breeding dogs that have sound confirmation, good temperaments, strong guardian instincts, and larger sizes. We aim to improve and preserve the Anatolian breed within Canada.
Works Cited:
Ian Lynch “Why Choose a Purebred Dog?” https://www.ckc.ca/en/The-Dish/January-2024/Why-Choose-a-Purebred-Dog
Susi Szeremy “Should You Choose a Purebred or a Mixed-Breed Dog?” https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/why-you-should-choose-a-purebred-instead-of-a-mix-breed-dog/
“Benefits of Registering Your Dog” https://ckcusa.com/about/member-benefits/
Erika Mansourian “Why Register Your Dog with the AKC?” https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/advice/why-register-your-dog-with-the-akc/#:~:text=Some%20of%20the%20best%20benefits,recorded%20in%20the%20AKC%20Registry.
Mary Shaughney “Health Testing for a Stronger Breed” https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/health-testing-for-a-stronger-breed/
Arianna Pearsall “OFA and PennHIP Testing: Why It Is Important” https://www.barjohomestead.ca/post/ofa-and-pennhip-testing-why-it-is-important
“Information for Prospective Dog Owners” https://ofa.org/prospective-owners/#:~:text=Responsible%20breeders%20are%20concerned%20with,health%20testing%20done%20on%20parents.
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