Registration Regulations of Retriever Club CZ

I. Introductory Provisions
II. Breeding
III. Approved Breeding Dogs and Bitches
IV. Breed Advisor
V. Breeder and Stud Dog Owner
VI. Breeding Forms
VII. Selection of Approved Breeding Dogs and Bitches
VIII. Mating
IX. Litter
X. Litter Registration in the Stud Book
XI. Final Provisions

The purpose of the Registration Regulations of Retriever Klub CZ (hereinafter referred to as “RK CZ”) is to establish the fundamental principles for the purebred breeding of all retriever breeds while preserving the biological health of every individual dog and the breed-specific characteristics, instincts and traits described in the respective breed standards.

I. Introductory Provisions

1. The Registration Regulations of RK CZ constitute the fundamental rules governing the breeding of all retriever breeds and are consistent with the International Breeding Regulations of the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) and the Registration Regulations of the Czech-Moravian Cynological Union (CMKU).
2. The breeding conditions are established by RK CZ, which shall comply with all generally applicable regulations adopted in accordance with the regulations of the FCI, the CMKU and the applicable legal regulations.
   
3. The fundamental breeding standard is the breed standard issued by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), including all subsequent amendments.
4. Breeding means the purposeful breeding of purebred dogs with particular regard to the principles of genetic health of both the individual dog and the population, while preserving the breed-specific instincts and characteristics.
5. Breeding conducted under these Regulations is officially recorded breeding.
6. Upon the request of a Club member, the Committee may, in duly justified cases, grant an exemption from these Regulations. Any such exemption must always comply with the applicable legal regulations, the regulations of the CMKU, the breed standard, the good reputation of the Club, the breeding ethics of RK CZ and the objective of improving the retriever breeds under the responsibility of RK CZ.

II. Breeding

1. The breeder shall maintain the highest possible standard of dog breeding, including appropriate housing, nutrition, healthcare, training and socialisation. The breeder shall keep only such number of dogs as they are able to care for properly, ensuring individual care and sufficient freedom of movement. Elderly and ill dogs shall be provided with special care and attention. In addition to the required documentation, the breeder shall provide new puppy owners with guidance and practical advice on the future care of their dog.
2. The breeder shall permit inspections of their breeding facilities and the keeping of all dogs by persons authorised by the Club, following prior arrangement with the Breed Advisor. Failure to comply with these requirements or refusal to allow an inspection may result in disciplinary action under the Disciplinary Regulations of RK CZ.
   
3. Mating may take place only between two approved breeding dogs and bitches properly registered in a Stud Book recognised by the FCI or one of its contractual partners and only on the basis of a valid Mating Certificate. Stud dogs registered with the CMKU may be used only for mating with approved breeding bitches holding a pedigree issued by the CMKU, an FCI member country or an FCI contractual partner.
4. The breeder shall refuse to cooperate with unethical commercial breeders, puppy dealers and traders who keep dogs solely for financial gain. The breeder shall refuse to mate bitches in poor condition or affected by hereditary defects and shall likewise not use stud dogs with such defects for breeding.

III. Approved Breeding Dogs and Bitches

1. Approved breeding dogs and bitches are purebred dogs with a pedigree issued by a Stud Book recognised or accepted by the FCI and approved for breeding in accordance with the breeding conditions established by the Club.
2. Once the breeding conditions have been fulfilled, the relevant Breed Advisor shall, upon the owner’s request, record the breeding approval in the dog’s pedigree. An approved breeding dog or bitch may first be used for breeding after reaching 17 months of age. A bitch may not be used for breeding after reaching eight years of age. Stud dogs may be used for breeding throughout their lifetime.
3. The owner of an approved breeding dog or bitch shall submit the pedigree to the Stud Book for registration in the register of approved breeding dogs and bitches. In the case of a bitch, this must be done no later than the registration of her first litter.
   • When importing an adult dog or bitch, RK CZ recognises breeding approval granted in FCI member countries. This provision does not apply to re-imported dogs or bitches, which must fully comply with the breeding conditions of RK CZ. An exception may be granted by the Committee.
   • A re-imported dog or bitch is a dog bred in the Czech Republic, exported abroad and subsequently imported or loaned back to the Czech Republic. Upon its return to the Czech Republic, including on a temporary loan basis, the dog or bitch must fully comply with the breeding conditions of RK CZ.
   • Aggressive dogs shall not be used for breeding.
4. Upon the recommendation of the Breeding Council, the RK CZ Committee may remove a dog or bitch from the register of approved breeding dogs and bitches if it is demonstrated that the dog carries a congenital or hereditary defect (including one requiring veterinary treatment) that may increase the risk of health problems in future generations.
5. The owner of an approved breeding dog or bitch who is a member of RK CZ undertakes to cooperate with the Club Bodies by providing any information necessary regarding the health status of dogs in their ownership.

IV. Breed Advisors

a) Chief Breeding Advisor

1. The Chief Breeding Advisor proposes Breed Advisors for individual breeds and supervises and monitors their activities.
2. The Chief Breeding Advisor convenes meetings of the Breeding Council and chairs its activities.
   
3. Following consultation with the Breeding Council, the Chief Breeding Advisor proposes breeding conditions and amendments thereto for individual breeds to the Committee.
4. Based on the reports submitted by the Breed Advisors, the Chief Breeding Advisor prepares materials for the publication of approved breeding dogs and bitches of RK CZ in Club publications.
5. The Chief Breeding Advisor prepares summaries of the use of stud dogs for both domestic and international matings, monitors the health status of the individual breeds and, based on the collected data, submits recommendations to the Committee. A written report is submitted to the Committee and the Club membership at least once a year.
   
6. The Chief Breeding Advisor provides advice on breeding matters to owners of retrievers and to prospective owners of these breeds.

b) Breed Advisor

1. The Breed Advisor provides expert advice to dog owners on matters relating to breeding approval, mating, training, showing, the health status of dogs, Club membership and other breed-related matters within their area of breed specialisation.
   
2. Based on the breeding conditions established by the Club, the Breed Advisor grants breeding approval to dogs and bitches that have fulfilled those conditions. The Breed Advisor assigns a registration number to each approved breeding dog or bitch and records the breeding approval in its pedigree.
   
3. A dog or bitch may become an approved breeding dog or bitch from the day it reaches 17 months of age. A bitch may remain approved for breeding until the day she reaches eight years of age, while there is no upper age limit for stud dogs.
   • Upon receipt of a completed Application for the Issuance of a Mating Certificate from the owner of an approved breeding bitch who is a fully paid-up member of RK CZ, the Breed Advisor issues the Mating Certificate (hereinafter referred to as the “MC”) sufficiently in advance of the expected start of the bitch’s season. At the breeder’s request, the Breed Advisor may recommend a suitable stud dog.
     Before issuing the Mating Certificate, the Breed Advisor verifies that the Registration Regulations and the breeding conditions have been complied with, that the bitch has not produced more than one litter within a calendar year (a litter in which only one puppy, whether live or stillborn, is born is regarded as a regular litter), and that the bitch will not be mated after reaching eight years of age. The Breed Advisor also verifies that breeders fulfil their reporting obligation even where the bitch does not become pregnant.
4. The Breed Advisor records the Litter Notification received from the breeder within 10 days after the birth of the puppies in the litter register and files it in the breed records.
5. The Breed Advisor may carry out random inspections of breeding facilities. A written report shall be prepared for each inspection.
6. At the request of the owners of approved breeding dogs and bitches, the Breed Advisor removes them from the RK CZ register of approved breeding dogs and bitches.
7. The Breed Advisor maintains the archive of approved breeding dogs and bitches.
8. The Breed Advisor records and files all received Mating Certificates and Litter Notifications, which are forwarded for archiving after the retention period specified by the Committee.

V. Breeder and Stud Dog Owner

1. The owner of an approved breeding dog or bitch is the natural or legal person who is the lawful owner of the approved breeding dog or bitch.
   
2. The breeder is the holder of the breeding bitch at the time the litter is born and whose kennel name is duly registered.
3. The holder of an approved breeding dog or bitch is usually the owner but may also be another person authorised by the owner.
4. Any change of ownership or the death of an approved breeding dog or bitch must be notified in writing to the Club and the Stud Book within 15 days.
5. Any change of the holder of an approved breeding dog must be reported to the Club and the Stud Book without delay. In the case of an approved breeding bitch, any change of the holder must be reported when the litter is registered.
6. The transfer of ownership of a pregnant bitch is permitted. Unless otherwise agreed, the puppies shall be registered under the kennel name of the new owner or holder of the bitch, who shall assume all rights and obligations arising from the mating.

VI. Breeding Forms

1. Before mating an approved breeding bitch, the owner shall request the required breeding documents from the relevant Breed Advisor sufficiently in advance. The current list of documents required for mating, together with detailed instructions for their use, is published and regularly updated on the RK CZ website.
2. The Mating Certificate shall contain the following information:
   • breed
   • name and Stud Book registration number of the stud dog
     
   • name and Stud Book registration number of the bitch
   • hip and elbow dysplasia results (HD and ED) of both the stud dog and the bitch
     
   • name and address of the owner or holder of the stud dog
     
   • name, address and telephone number of the owner or holder of the bitch
   • signatures of both owners (or holders)
   • details of any documented health examinations and genetic tests of both dogs
   • the number of teeth of both the stud dog and the bitch
   • place and date of mating.
3. Řádně vyplněné a podepsané potvrzení o krytí je dokladem, který je součástí přihlášky k zápisu vrhu štěňat do Plemenné knihy a vydání průkazu původu.
4. The current procedure for completing and submitting breeding forms is always published on the Club’s website. If required, further guidance may be obtained from the relevant Breed Advisor.
   • The owner of the bitch shall submit the Litter Registration Application, together with the Mating Certificate, to the Stud Book no later than 28 days after the date of whelping.
   • For a bitch’s first litter, the owner shall also submit the original pedigree of the bitch and a copy of the certificate confirming the international registration of the kennel name.
   • The Stud Book shall return the Litter Registration Application to the owner of the bitch together with the allocated Stud Book registration numbers for the puppies.
   • In accordance with the CMKU Registration Regulations, Stud Book registration numbers may be issued for litters older than six weeks only in exceptional cases and solely where justified by documented reasons.
5. After the puppies have been microchipped between six and seven weeks of age, and the microchipping has been confirmed by a veterinarian in the Litter Registration Application, the owner of the bitch shall return the application to the Stud Book. Based on the confirmed microchipping, the Stud Book shall issue the puppies’ pedigrees.
   In the case of an international mating, the breeder shall also submit to the Stud Book, together with the Litter Registration Application, a copy of the stud dog’s pedigree, certificates of completed health examinations and, where applicable, genetic tests, records of show and working results, copies of titles awarded, and proof that the stud dog is approved for breeding in its country of registration, where such certification is issued. The information contained in these documents shall subsequently be recorded in the puppies’ pedigrees.

VII. Selection of Breeding Dogs

1. The breeder is responsible for selecting the breeding dogs to be mated.
2. The breeder is required to comply with the Club’s breeding conditions and the current breeding regulations of the FCI and the CMKU.
   
3. To improve the genetic diversity and overall health of the retriever population, breeders are recommended to:
   
   • minimise inbreeding and keep the coefficient of inbreeding (COI) as low as possible in order to reduce the adverse effects of inbreeding
     
   • make use of genetic testing and other voluntary health examinations

VIII. Mating

1. Mating may take place only between two approved breeding dogs of the same breed.
2. As a rule, the bitch is mated at the premises of the owner of the stud dog. The bitch shall be accompanied by her owner or by a person authorised by the owner.
3. If the stud dog does not mate the bitch, another stud dog may be used only with the consent of the owner of the bitch.
4. After the mating, the owner of the stud dog shall complete the Mating Certificate.
5. Artificial insemination is permitted. The procedure may only be carried out by a suitably qualified person. Under no circumstances may artificial insemination be used between dogs that have not previously reproduced successfully by natural mating. The procedure must comply with the applicable CMKU regulations.
6. An approved breeding dog may mate only one bitch during a single calendar day.
7. An approved breeding dog may mate only one bitch during a single calendar day.
8. An approved breeding dog may be used for breeding throughout its lifetime.
9. A bitch may be mated for the last time on the day she reaches eight years of age.
10. In the case of an international mating, the breeder shall, in addition to the Mating Certificate, provide copies of all available documentation relating to the stud dog, including its pedigree, health examination certificates, show critiques, working test or trial certificates, and any other relevant records.
11. If there is reason to suspect that the puppies in a litter are not the offspring of the mating recorded on the Mating Certificate, the Club may require parentage testing. If the testing confirms that any puppy is not the offspring of the declared parents, the breeder shall bear the cost of the testing. If the declared parentage is confirmed, the cost shall be borne by the Club. Where parentage testing is required as a result of a proven breach of the regulations, the breeder shall bear the cost of the testing.
12. The Committee may approve exceptions relating either to the granting of breeding approval or to the registration of a litter under specific circumstances (for example, where there is an exceptional benefit to the breed, an unplanned mating, or the granting of breeding approval to a dog meeting specific conditions).
    The Committee reserves the right to establish any control measures it considers necessary before granting such exceptions.

IX. Litter

1. The bitch and her litter should be kept at the residence of the holder. If the bitch has to be housed elsewhere, the Club must be notified accordingly.
2. An approved breeding bitch may have only one litter in a calendar year. A litter in which the bitch produces only one puppy (including a stillborn puppy) shall be regarded as a regular litter.
3. The bitch shall nurse only such number of puppies as is consistent with her physical condition, as determined by a veterinary surgeon. If the bitch is unable to nurse all the puppies, the breeder shall provide either a foster bitch or suitable artificial feeding for the puppies.
   
4. The breeder shall notify the Breed Advisor for the relevant breed and the owner of the stud dog in writing of the birth of the puppies within 10 days of the litter being born. This notification is required even if the bitch has not become pregnant. Failure of the bitch to conceive shall be reported to the Breed Advisor and the owner of the approved breeding dog within 75 days of the mating.
   The written notification of the birth of the litter shall include:
   • basic identification details
   • date of mating and date of birth of the litter
   • total number of puppies born, the number of stillborn puppies, and the number of puppies reared
   • sex and colour of the puppies
   • where puppies are placed with a foster bitch, the address of the holder of the foster bitch and the number of puppies placed with her
5. Between the second and sixth week of the puppies’ age, the litter may be subject to a random inspection by a person authorised by Retriever Klub CZ. A written inspection report shall be prepared and recorded in the Litter Registration Application. The Club reserves the right to publish the results of litter inspections.
6. The breeder shall ensure that the puppies are identified by microchip no earlier than six weeks of age and no later than the time they leave for their new homes. Upon confirmation of microchipping by a veterinary surgeon, recorded in the Litter Registration Application, the Stud Book shall issue the pedigrees.
   The entire litter must be microchipped at the same time. Subsequent microchipping of an individual puppy is not permitted.
7. The minimum age at which a puppy may be transferred to its new owner is 50 days.

X. Registration of the Litter in the Stud Book

1. The basis for registration of a litter in the Stud Book is the Litter Registration Application.
   
2. The application shall include the Mating Certificate and, in the case of the bitch’s first litter, the original pedigree of the bitch. In the case of an international mating, a copy of the stud dog’s pedigree, certificates of completed health examinations and, where applicable, genetic test results, documentation of show and working achievements, copies of titles awarded, etc., shall also be provided. The information contained in these documents shall subsequently be recorded in the puppies’ pedigrees.
3. The entire litter must be reported to the Stud Book at one time, no later than 28 days after the puppies are born. Subsequent registration of individual puppies is not permitted. The completed Litter Registration Application, including confirmation of microchipping, shall be returned to the Stud Book no later than three months after the date of birth of the litter.
4. The names of all puppies in a litter must begin with the same letter. Litters shall be named in consecutive alphabetical order. In the Litter Registration Application, all male puppies shall be listed first, followed by all female puppies. Each breed kept under a kennel name shall have its own separate alphabetical sequence.
   • Puppy names must not be repeated within the same kennel.
   • A litter may be registered under the kennel name of another breeder. Where a litter is to be registered under a kennel name other than that of the owner of the approved breeding bitch, an agreement transferring the breeding rights or confirming the loan of the bitch must be submitted. For the purposes of the recognised kennel authorities, responsibility for the litter rests with the breeder under whose kennel name the litter is registered, based on the contractual agreement between the owner of the approved breeding bitch and the owner of the kennel name.
5. As a general rule, puppies shall be registered in the Stud Book of the country in which the breeder has permanent residence.

XI. Final Provisions

Any breach of the provisions of these Regulations may result in disciplinary proceedings against the breeder or the owner (holder) of the approved breeding dog or bitch.

This amended Registration Regulations were approved by the General Meeting of Retriever Club CZ on 29 March 2025. 3. 2025