GSD Council / ZKC

Page Index

The Zimbabwe Kennel Club of Zimbabwe

The German Shepherd Dog Breed Advisory Council

Organisation, Membership and Clubs

Training Provided

German Shepherd Dog Council Code of Ethics

GSD Bulawayo reports new German Shepherd Dog Council ruling   

The Zimbabwe Kennel Club of Zimbabwe was founded in August 1986 as a result of Zimbabwe becoming independent and circumstances suggested we should form our own ruling body instead of Kennel Union of Southern Africa [KUSA], which was based in Cape Town. The Zimbabwe Kennel Club for all registered Breed of Dogs now rules Zimbabwe Dog affairs

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The German Shepherd Dog Breed Advisory Council came into being in September 1987: A breed advisory committee was formed with the express purpose of looking after the interests of the German Shepherd Dog in particular. The committee will make recommendations to the Executive Committee of the Zimbabwe Kennel Club [ZKC]  concerning this particular breed. From the 1^st January 1988 a levy of $ 2,- was imposed on all litter registrations, transfers, single dog registrations of German Shepherd dogs. This levy has been increased over the years and is now at present $ 20,- per dog or puppy.

The GSD Council recommended to ZKC, and the ZKC have accepted the following as from the 1^st January 1988:

1: The introduction of the Tattoo scheme. The registration number is being tattooed in the right ear of the puppy at 7 weeks of age. The Council has appointed official Tattooists in the two main centres.

2. The introduction of an HD Scheme: The dogs going for an X-ray of their hips and the plates send to the HD Panel for scoring. This became compulsory on 1^st April 1989. The hip scores are now: total score of 25 with neither hip exceeding 15. With effect from 1^st January 1999 this scoring has now been altered to come into line with South Africa:

All photocopied Hip Score Certificates submitted to the Executive Officer of ZKC should be certified and information will be confirmed with the Zimbabwe Veterinary Association [ZVA].

In Germany the hip scoring has now changed and it now gets worked out by a formula and dogs will get a figure which at the time of mating may not exceed more than 200. If a bitch has 95, she may be mated with a dog of 105 or under.

3. The introduction of compulsory temperament test (gun test) at all GSD Club shows, from junior Class (12 months) onwards.

4. The introduction, for GSD’s only of the following requirements to achieve Championship status:

5.The minimum permissible age for the breeding of GSD’s is 24 months for males and 20 months for females. with effect from 1^st January 1998.

6. The introduction of Grading: Grading awarded, from 1^st January 1999:- both the sire and dam of litters intended for registration must be in possession of at least a ‘G’( good), obtained after the age of 18 months, and awarded at a Specialist GSD Show by a qualified judge.

To be eligible for a ‘V’(excellent) grading:- dogs/bitches must be over 24 months of age, entered in the Open Class at any GSD Championship Show, have passed a recognized hip score and passed an endurance test (‘ad’). Grading awarded at Open shows held by the two GSD Clubs or the Council in Zimbabwe will be valid and recognized as long as the officiating Judge is a qualified GSD Specialist judge. Grading Certificates to this effect will be awarded.

7. Spayed bitches are not eligible to be entered in any Breed shows.

8. The Endurance test qualification (‘ad’) awarded in Zimbabwe will be recognized in South Africa as long as the test is conducted under the auspices of the GSD Council and is judged by a ZKC IPO Panel Judge.

Any information can be obtained by writing to the GSD Council, PO Box BW 287, Borrowdale, Harare, Zimbabwe or contacting me via E-mail:- Ilse@vanErp.net or phone +263 (4) 882445.

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Organisation, Membership and Clubs.

To date there are two GSD Clubs in Zimbabwe, one in Bulawayo and one in Harare. The Committee of these clubs are structured according to the Constitution of ZKC.

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Training Provided.

The two above clubs provide training in IPO (international prüfung ordnung) or Defence dog, which originates in Germany and is ideally suited for the German Shepherd dog. It comprises tracking, control work and defence of it’s owner. In addition these two clubs also provide social obedience and preparation of the dogs for the show ring.

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German Shepherd Dog Council Code of Ethics

(GSD Dog Breeders' Code of Ethics)

1. To maintain the best possible standards of health, environment and quality of life for my dogs, not keeping more    than I can care for properly. I will endeavour to breed only to the FCI GSD Breed Standard and before mating any bitch will ensure that I have suitable facilities for whelping and rearing a litter.

2. To adhere to the ZIMBABWE KENNEL CLUB CODE OF ETHICS.

3. To refuse to sell to any dealers, or to any buyers locally or externally, unless I have reason to believe that they will care for the dog properly.

4. To keep and pass on to buyers of stock accurate records of health, pedigree and registration, provide written advice on feeding and rearing, and recommend joining a Club for training.

5. If requested by the purchaser to agree to examination of the puppy by a qualified veterinary surgeon on the Breeder's premises to certify that the puppy is healthy. (Buyer to meet the costs)

6. To sell only puppies and adult dogs of apparently sound health and temperament. Puppies will be wormed twice, and inoculated against parvovirus, and will not be sold until at least seven weeks old.

7. To replace any puppy (or refund the purchase price if no replacement is available) which develops an inherited physical defect before the age of 12 months of such severity that on the advice of two independent qualified veterinary surgeons the puppy has to be put down. Breeder to be properly notified before any action is taken.

8. Not to mate any bitch under 20 months of age; or over 8 years without prior permission from the Zimbabwe Kennel Club, and my own vet's approval and certificate of health for the higher age. Not to use any male under the age of 24 months.

9. To refuse a stud service to any bitch that I know to be suffering from any defect such as faulty temperament, missing teeth or long coat which renders it unsuitable to produce normal healthy puppies, nor will I knowingly use a stud dog which has these failings. I will only breed from scored stock having a total score not exceeding 24, or 15 for either hip (new Hip Scores now A+, Ao & A-), or which has foreign hip grades passed for breeding in its own country. Where the score of one partner is only marginally acceptable I will try to compensate by lower score for the other partner. I will include hip scores of sire and dam on pedigrees.

10. To limit stud services to a maximum of 60 per year per dog, and not offer dogs at stud unless the hip score is acceptable and they have no known heritable defects. I will not accept bitches for mating which are not registered or do not have acceptable hip scores.

11. To allow a repeat service without charge when a bitch has failed to conceive, provided the stud dog is in good health and available. If this is not possible, to allow the concession with another dog owned by myself whose stud fee is similar or less, provided that the original ZKC litter registration application form is returned.

12. To allow a person nominated by the GSD Council to visit my kennels if requested by the GSD Council, when notified in advance with reasons given.

13. To restrict breeding to not more than 10 litters or 75 puppies in any two-year period. This to include any puppies under breeding term agreements

14.To register all my puppies with the Zimbabwe Kennel Club.

15.To endeavour to take back or assist in re-homing any unwanted GSD of my breeding.

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GSD Bulawayo reports new German Shepherd Dog Council ruling

(From the first 2001 newsletter of the German Shepherd dog Club of Bulawayo)

IPO has never been stronger than now with a number of dogs attaining IPO 3 qualifications. Training takes place twice a week under the careful eyes of Kirsten and Paul who do their utmost to help and assist. These sessions are also set up to assist with dogs hoping to achieve their Breed Surveys. I might add, that as of 2002 a dog more than 3,5 years and being shown in a breed show must have this qualification in order to attain its “V” grading, together with its hip and endurance certificates. This ruling has only just been enforced by the GSD Council in order to try and move ahead with our Zimbabwe Standards and slowly catches up with the rest of the world.

Editors note: The above sounds great, but who will train these dogs in the rest of the country? The GSD Club in Harare has only one qualified assailant, who trains the dogs, but these two centers are 500 km apart and there is no other facility in the rest of the country, which has the size of France, Belgium, Holland and more put together.

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