Breeding Candidate Puppy Program
Most of our Maremma Sheepdog puppies are sold with limited registration on spay/neuter contracts to working homes only. However we occasionally sell breeding potential puppies to select homes, either to already established Maremma breeders or to individuals desiring to become breeders.
The terms of our Breeding Candidate Puppy Program are as follows:
The terms of our Breeding Candidate Puppy Program are as follows:
- All puppies will be sold with Limited Registration papers initially. These papers can be changed to Unlimited Registration at a later date, after all the requirements have been met by both the dog and the owner. The owner will be responsible for the processing fee to change the registration status.
- PPF will select a puppy that we feel has breeding potential in conformation, temperament and working ability. However, no guarantees can or will be made that the puppy will mature into a breeding quality dog as that is impossible to predict with accuracy at such an early age.
- We do not charge extra for breeding potential puppies therefore if the puppy does not turn out to be a suitable breeding candidate for any reason or if the owners do not meet the terms of the agreement required to procure breeding rights then no compensation will be given.
Requirements the Dog Must Meet to Obtain Breeding Rights
- The dog must be registered with the UKC or MSCA. (Currently we work with both registries but will be phasing out the MSCA and transitioning to the UKC.)
- The dog is a minimum of two years of age for females or one year of age for males.
- The dog must have a PennHip score of .41 or better or a permanent (done at 24 months or
later) OFA score of fair or better. The registration status of the dog cannot be changed until they have passed their permanent hip evaluations. - The dog must be a Livestock Guardian dog, successfully guarding livestock, not a companion.
- Any dog with which the PPF dog is to be bred must be a purebred Maremma Sheepdog, fully registered with the UKC or MSCA and must be approved of by PPF before Unlimited Registration is given. The PPF dog may not be bred to an unregistered Maremma Sheepdog or with a dog of any other breed or with any mixed breed dog.
- Any dog with which the LGD is bred must be a successful Livestock Guardian Dog (not a companion Maremma), with a PennHip score of .41 or better or a permanent OFA score of fair or better.
Requirements the Owner Must Meet to Obtain Breeding Rights
- The BUYER must be and remain a member in good standing with the UKC. MSCA membership is optional but no longer required as it was previously.
- The BUYER must adhere to the UKC Code of Ethics at all times.
- The BUYER must show proof of completing the Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Foundations Course.
- All puppies whelped or sired by a PPF Maremma Sheepdog must be registered with the
UKC. MSCA registration is optional. - The BUYER agrees that any puppies resulting from the breeding(s) will be placed in caring,
responsible homes where they will work as Livestock Guardian Dogs, unless proven unfit either
in temperament or physical health or condition. - The BUYER will not breed for the pet market, nor sell puppies to pet shops, brokers or dealers.
- Female dogs should not be overbred, bred too often or produce more litters than is healthy in their lifetime. They should be retired from breeding at a reasonable age and spayed to prevent health problems or accidental matings. The specifics of this will be outlined in the puppy contract.
- Male dogs should be bred selectively to quality UKC (or MSCA) registered bitches who meet the UKC breed standard.
A word about our Breeding Program Requirements and Changes to our Breeding Program
Since we began breeding registered Maremmas we have registered our puppies with the Maremma Sheepdog Club of America and all of our adult Maremmas are registered with this registry. To be honest it has been a very disappointing experience overall. Registrations were backlogged for almost 2 years, causing great inconvenience and embarrassment to breeders who had customers waiting on paperwork. There has been a history of constant drama and fighting in the club. The membership was promised a "bright new future" for the club during the 2021 election. Sadly that promise proved to be what some thought it to be, merely a campaign promise. Instead of things getting better they have gotten worse. Much worse. Sadly, the MSCA is no longer an organization to be proud to be associated with. We have lost all faith in this club ever putting the dogs and the members first and have made the decision to phase out of using it. We have registered our dogs with the UKC and will begin transitioning over to registering puppies there. For those that have previously reserved puppies we will still provide MSCA registration if that is your wish, but in time we will only be registering with the UKC, the drama free registry. Going forward our Breeding Candidate Program requirements will reflect UKC standards instead of the MSCA.
