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Image Copyright Jamie Frayser

Breeding
Philosophy

The "Eurasier Way"

It is the intent of the United States Eurasier Club to preserve and maintain the standards of care and breeding established by the Eurasier's founders. This "Eurasier Way" may be quite different than what has ultimately developed for other breeds as they have become popular. For example, the Eurasier Way espouses the notion that Eurasiers should be bred by hobby breeders, rather than for profit. Professional breeders, who make their living by the breeding and selling of puppies, are strongly frowned upon. It is expected that the hobby breeders will make the Eurasier first and foremost a full member of the family, and the health and quality of life for that Eurasier is of paramount importance; breeding litters should be secondary, and should never constitute the primary means of income for the breeder. In addition, after a certain age or number of litters, the Eurasier is no longer bred, but rather than being placed into another home to make room for more breeding stock, the Eurasier continues to live in the household as a loved and valued family pet.

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In Germany, the clubs have established methods to ensure that the hobby breeder has the support of persons knowledgeable in Eurasier breeding to assist in the selection of an appropriate mate for their Eurasier. They review the physical characteristics and qualities of the dogs to help determine which mating will have the best chance to most closely achieve the ideal breed standard in its puppies, and share data regarding the health and statistics of the Eurasiers under consideration for the mating. They also have persons trained to inspect the home for its suitability for the whelping and raising of puppies in an appropriate and healthy environment.

 

Hobby breeders breed only when they know they have a sufficient number of potential homes available for their puppies. A good Eurasier breeder should have a waiting list of persons whom they have already qualified to get one of their puppies. If more puppies are born than expected, the breeder should have sufficient contacts with other Eurasier breeders to obtain the names of persons who may be on the other breeders' waiting lists. In this way, there should be no need to advertise the sale of Eurasier puppies.

 

A good breeder should have, as a condition of sale, the requirement that if a dog can no longer be kept by the adoptive family, the owner must contact the breeder rather than place the dog with a shelter or rescue facility. This communication between puppy buyer and the breeder allows the breeder the option of finding another suitable home for the dog, perhaps with the assistance of Eurasier Rescue, or of taking the dog back themselves. With this network of communication among the breeders, there should never be a need to place an unwanted Eurasier in a shelter.

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A good Eurasier breeder will also share information regarding the dogs he or she has bred, the number of puppies whelped, the location of each puppy and any health issues that the dog may have. All this vital information will be recorded with the USEC Database, which can then track the location and numbers of Eurasiers in the United States. In addition to providing valuable information to the USEC on the population growth of the Eurasier breed, this information will be important if the USEC or Eurasier Rescue receives a report of a "Eurasier" in a shelter; the dog will more easily be identified as an Eurasier, rescue efforts will be initiated sooner, and more immediate contact with the owner can be made. More information on Eurasier Rescue can be obtained from Jackie Murtha.

 

While these goals may seem unrealistic for a national breed club in a country as large as the United States, they are the goals to which the USEC has dedicated itself. It is hoped that through education, support and information, the USEC can help its members, breeders and Eurasier enthusiasts achieve and maintain here in the United States the standards set forth by the Eurasier's country of origin.

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The USEC encourages persons interested in obtaining a Eurasier to study its history, learn more about the "Eurasier Way," and to support hobby breeders of Eurasiers. This means that the person will have to ask questions of the breeder to find out whether he or she is truly a hobby breeder, and it may mean a longer wait for a puppy, since hobby breeders do not generally have multiple litters in any given year. However, this extra wait, and support for those breeders, will go a long way in helping to preserve the Eurasier Way as it was intended by the Eurasiers' founders.

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The USEC has compiled a list of breeders that it believes support breeding in the "Eurasier Way," and who have agreed to honor the Code of Ethics set forth by the USEC. There may be other breeders in the United States or elsewhere who may or may not support these practices. It is up to the future owner of the Eurasier to actively investigate the breeding practices and health status of any given breeders' dogs, and to make a conscious effort to support those breeders who follow the integrity of the "Eurasier Way". By doing so, the future Eurasier owner can rest assured that he/she is getting a purebred Eurasier who is a result of ethical breeding practices, raised in a loving environment and coming from healthy and sound breeding stock.

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