Responsible breeding: parent dogs, inbreeding and the welfare of dam and puppies

Responsible breeding starts long before the birth, with the choice of the parent dogs. In Flanders, the Breeding Decree of 31 May 2024 sets out what is needed to sell puppies with a pedigree. This guide sums up what that involves, using the terms of Dierenwelzijn Vlaanderen (DWV).

The aim of the Breeding Decree

The Breeding Decree aims to promote the breeding of healthy dogs by reducing existing hereditary conditions and preserving or increasing genetic diversity. Since 1 July 2025, the pedigree of a dog born in Flanders is not only proof of origin but also a quality label: it guarantees that the dog was bred from a responsible combination of parent dogs according to an approved breeding programme.

Choosing the parent dogs

Examinations

The approved breeding programme of a breed sets out which examinations the parent dogs must undergo, with the method, the frequency and the minimum age. For each examination it gives a breeding advice for the combination: positive, conditionally positive or breeding ban. Some examples:

• Hip dysplasia: X-ray with a laxity image, see Hip dysplasia (HD): X-ray and laxity image.
• Elbow dysplasia: X-ray, see Elbow dysplasia (ED): X-ray.
• Eye conditions: general eye examination, valid for 2 years, see General eye examination.
• Heart conditions: auscultation and, if needed, echocardiography, see Heart examination.
• Patellar luxation: palpation of the kneecap, see Patellar luxation: palpation of the kneecap.
• Conditions with a known variant: DNA test, see DNA test (hereditary conditions).

The breed profile shows which examinations are mandatory or recommended for a breed. Even when a puppy is sold without a pedigree, DWV strongly recommends carrying out the health tests on the parent dogs.

The overall breeding advice

The breeding programme also gives an overall breeding advice on the combination, based on the individual breeding advice and on inbreeding. In most breeding programmes a combination may only have a limited number of conditionally positive results, depending on the number of clinical examinations. Eye conditions are not taken into account for this.

Appearance and breed standard

The Breeding Decree focuses on the genetic health of dogs; the breed standards of the various bodies are not taken into account. When selecting breeding dogs, a recognised breeder must however take their anatomical, physiological and behavioural characteristics into account, so that their welfare and health and those of the offspring are not put at risk. For short-nosed breeds such as the French Bulldog and the Pug, the breeding programmes state that dogs with severe breathing problems, too short a stop and narrow nostrils (stenotic nares), diagnosed by the vet, are not used for breeding; see BOAS.

The stud dog

The breeding programmes ask breeders not to let a male mate too often, to prevent disease-causing mutations from spreading too widely within the breed. A stud dog from abroad may be used if he meets the breeding programme and a DNA sample is analysed for parentage verification. DWV even encourages this, because it can increase genetic diversity.

Inbreeding and relatedness

According to DWV, these rules apply:

• A bitch may not be mated by her grandfather, father, brother, half-brother, son or grandson.
• The coefficient of inbreeding (COI) of an offspring may be at most 1% higher than the average COI of both parents, calculated over at least 3 generations. There are no exceptions to this rule.
• If fewer than 3 generations of the parents are known, the combination is only allowed if there are no common ancestors on either the sire's or the dam's side, and all individual breeding advice for the mandatory examinations must be positive.

How to calculate and read the coefficient of inbreeding is explained in the guide Reading pedigrees and understanding the coefficient of inbreeding.

The welfare of dam and puppies

A recognised breeder must comply with DWV's welfare requirements. For the dam and the puppies these include:

• Heavily pregnant bitches and bitches with unweaned puppies have suitable nesting material.
• The dogs receive food adapted to their needs, and drinking water is always available.
• The animals are checked at least twice a day.
• From 3 weeks the puppies have access to solid food, but full weaning does not happen before the age of 8 weeks.
• Puppies have objects they can handle, and the dogs have chewing objects.
• Abnormal behaviour is reported to the contract vet.

Before a puppy goes to its new home

• A dog may not be traded if it is younger than 8 weeks.
• Every dog must be microchipped and registered in DogID at the latest at 8 weeks, and a dog that is not microchipped and registered may not be sold or given away.
• A recognised breeder only trades puppies that have had a primary vaccination against parvovirus, distemper, kennel cough and infectious canine hepatitis.
• The seller is responsible for changing the dog's registration.

Rules in Flanders

• Anyone who breeds 3 or more litters of dogs a year needs a recognition (an HK number) from DWV.
• Only recognised breeders may offer puppies on classified ad sites and social media.
• Recognised breeders may not cross breeds, unless the minister responsible for animal welfare grants an exception.
• Docking ears and tails is prohibited, and a dog that has undergone a prohibited procedure may not be traded.

In short

• Follow the breed's approved breeding programme: examinations, breeding advice and overall breeding advice.
• Keep the increase in inbreeding below 1% and do not let a male mate too often.
• Care for the dam and puppies according to DWV's welfare requirements.
• A puppy does not leave before 8 weeks, microchipped and registered.