What's the Value of a Pedigree?
What's the difference between a pedigree and a purebred dog?
A purebred dog is one where both parents are of the same breed. Or at least the breeder believes them both to be of the same breed, but most likely hasn’t done DNA testing to ensure this.
A pedigree purebred dog gurantees that both parents are of the same breed as the pedigree goes back multiple generations so you know exactly their lineage and history.
The only official register of dogs in Australia that can issue papers is the Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC), and to be able to get pedigree papers for your puppy, the breeder has to have passed an exam and be registered with them to apply for those papers.
If you want a whippet because you like their personality and temperament, you like what kind of dog a whippet is, then choosing a pedigree means you will get the kind of dog with the personality and traits you’re after.
Purebred no papers? There is no guarantee of what you’re getting. You may as well adopt a dog from a shelter and save it from death row. You don’t know if the breeder is using ethical standards to breed or if they are trying to improve the breed, or they are just trying to breed for profit. A breeder who offers purebred dogs with no papers is not a registered breeder.
All ANKC members MUST register (and get official) papers for their litters. This is part of being a registered breeder.
Choosing a Breeder
Deciding to get a new canine family member is exciting. There are lots of options to consider when choosing a dog and it can feel overwhelming to make the decision. It’s important to find the right dog for your family. You may not want a ‘show dog’ as you’re after a family pet or companion but there is a lot more to a pedigree than just wins in the show ring.
Health
Being able to know the pedigree – the history of your new pet, will give you an insight into any potential health issues. Reputable breeders care deeply about only breeding healthy animals with no known health conditions. To become a regsitered breeder with the ANKC means we have to comply with ethical standards that ensure we are careful and responsible breeders who are only breeding to improve the quality of the line.
One of the things we love about whippets is that they are built to run, and so the standard looks for the dogs that will have the least health problems. Their long snout means they don’t have breathing issues like short snout/flat faced-dogs do. Their deep chests mean they have lots of room for heart and lungs making running easy for them. Unlike many popular breeds they don’t have issues with hip dysplasia. Find out more about the whippet standard here.
Personality
That you have a history for the dog means you can find out about the nature and personality of its parents and grandparents (and more). We want our dogs to be social animals without anxiety so that you have the best experience with your dog.
If you contact a breeder and they ask “what colour would you like” this is a sign that they are breeding for looks, not health or personality and should signal to you as a warning and you want to do further investigation on the whippets they are breeding.
What is great about whippets is that there is not colour standard – they come in all colours and combinations! Many dog breeds have a history of inbreeding to produce specific colourition that then causes other health issues.
Pet Exchange Register and Source nUmber
In Victoria, as a means to stop puppy farming and other unethical practices all puppies must have a Source Number to be sold. This means you can visit the Pet Exchange Register website and check that the source number is valid you can also visit ANKC and check that the breeder is a registered breeder.
If no Source Number is advertised with the dog you’re looking at purchasing (or it’s not valid) this means that you are likely dealing with a backyard breeder or puppy mill and Animal Welfare Victoria is currently working hard to stamp out unethical dog breeding. Sadly there is currently no similar system in other states and many of the puppy mills have moved interstate to avoid the much stricter Victorian system.
To get our puppies microchipped (which happens before you pick up your puppy) we have to provide the valid Source Number and this gives you greater peace of mind.
Code of Practice
The Codes of Practice that have been developed under both the Domestic Animals Act 1994 and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 are codes mandatory for all Dogs Victoria registered breeders. This includes the Responsible Breeding of Animals with Heritable Defects that Cause Disease as well as the Operation of Breeding and Rearing Businesses.
As members of Dogs Victoria, we also adhere to its Code of Practice, and to become registered breeders and obtain a prefix (Arrowswift) had to go through its exam process.
Important
We know that you care about the dogs and would hate to think you’re accidentally supporting a puppy mill which is why you’re looking for a registered dog breeder. If you are not interested in getting a puppy, then look at adopting a dog from a shelter, or if you’re keen on a whippet (which we hope you are) they rarely end up in shelters, but the Whippet Association of Victoria does help to rehome whippets who need new homes due to a variety of reasons. Please don’t buy from an unregistered breeder as this continues to exacerbate the issues with puppy farming and deregulated dog breeders.
With Arrowswift Whippets your puppy will be a purebred pedigree dog and come with it’s registered papers that will detail its famly history back multiple generations!
We will socialise your puppy both inside our house as well as outside. It will be handled frequently by all ages of people so its comfortable with people and enjoys your company from day 1.
Your puppy will come with registration certificate, vaccination and worming records, pedigree papers and micochip information. Your pedigree papers are issued by the ANKC which is the only internationally recognised registry in Australia that can issue pedigree papers for purebred dogs.
We will be here for ongoing support after you take your new puppy home and love to be kept up to date on how they are progressing!
Click here to find out more about our current (or planned) litter.
