TASAA Code of Ethics



Title I - Records
1. Each member who breeds his or her bitch or uses his or her stud for service should keep accurate records of stock such as stud services, pedigrees, all litters produced, sale of dogs/puppies, all exchanges involving Toy Australian Shepherds for a minimum of five (5) years.
2. Any member who falsifies a registration or knowingly misrepresents a pedigree should be reported to the TASAA Board of Directors.

Title II - Breeding
1. A breeder should plan each breeding with the paramount intention of improving the breed.
2. A breeder shall never breed a dog or bitch at or younger than one year of age and it is highly recommended that a breeder wait till the age of two to breed a dog or bitch, so hip clearances can be done and patellas checked for tightness. A breeder should select a stud and dam with an eye to conformation, temperament, working ability and intelligence with a careful study of the Toy Australian Shepherd Breed Standard, pedigrees and basic principles of genetics.
3. Before entering into any stud service arrangement, a breeder should scrutinize the pedigree, conformation and working potentials of both sire and dam, keeping in mind the Toy Australian Shepherd as described in the Toy Australian Shepherd Breed Standard. He should refuse the breeding if, in his opinion, it is not in the best interest of the breed. Should he refuse the breeding, a full explanation of his reasoning should be given to the owner of the bitch.
4. A breeder should use for breeding purposes only those individuals free of defects, such as monorchidism, cryptochidism, deafness, albinism and other disqualifying defects.
5. He should use only those dogs whose hips have been x-rayed for dysplasia and rated fair to excellent by OFA, a pass with OVC or Penn Hip.
6. He should use only dogs whose eyes have been examined and found free of ocular deformities by a CERF qualified Veterinary Ophthalmologist.
7. He should use only dogs that have had their Patella’s checked and are found to be tight and free from any subluxation.
8. He should further refrain from using dogs who although free from genetic defects, consistently produces afflicted puppies.
9. A breeder should have all puppies produced by their bitch or stud, checked by a CERF certified Ophthalmologist between the ages of 7 to 8 weeks old.

Title III - Health
A breeder should maintain high standards of health and care for his dog(s) and guarantee the health of puppies at the time of sale.

Title IV - Sales
1. A breeder should be discriminating in the sale of his puppies and concerned with the type of homes in which they are placed. With this in mind, Toy Australian Shepherds shall not be donated for raffles, give-a ways, sold to dog wholesalers or retailers, such as pet shops or the like.
2. A breeder should, for his own protection, as well as that of the buyer, provide adequate written contractual proof of sale and guarantees.
3. A breeder should provide a minimum one year written guarantee against crippling or handicapping congenital defects on all pet puppies sold and should additionally guarantee the sale of breeding stock puppies against all hereditary defects and any disqualifying faults for a like period. All guarantees should at least provide for replacement of the puppy with another, within a reasonable length of time after the return of the puppy originally purchased.
4. A breeder should transfer all applicable registration papers at the time the purchase agreement is completed and agreeable to both parties unless it is agreed that registration papers will be withheld till proof of spay/neuter has been provided or it states in the contract that papers will be withheld for specified reason and agreed upon by both parties.
5. Upon the sale of a puppy/dog the breeder shall provide diet and care information, health guarantee, inoculation record (including date and type of serum) and CERF exam sheet. At the time that the contract is fulfilled the breeder shall provide all buyers with a three (3) generation pedigree, including coat and eye color, registration numbers, indication of NBT occurrence and all documentation of health clearances (OFA, CERF and Patella’s).
6. A breeder should refrain from releasing a puppy until it is at least eight (8) weeks old or ten (10) if the puppy is to be shipped.
7. DNA of parentage of a litter is recommended.

Title V - Advertising
1. The breeder agrees that all advertising of dogs/puppies should be factual and honest in both substance and implication.
2. The breeder should be cautious in encouraging buyers as to breeding potential, as the breeding of Toy Australian Shepherds is not to be taken lightly.

Title VI - Member Regulations
1. The exhibiting of dogs being a sport, TASAA members shall be expected to express good sportsmanship in all activities involving the Toy Australian Shepherd.
2. Members should refrain from unnecessary criticism of another's dog.
3. As a matter of ethics, he pledges to help educate the general public, as well as, graciously assist the novice breeder in all with which he is familiar.

Title VII - Implementation
1. Any infraction of the Code of Ethics should be reported, in writing, to the TASAA Board of Directors in accordance with the Bylaws.
2. Only when a breeder continues to deviate from these ideals and is not cooperative in rectifying an error, the situation will be presented to the Board of Directors for disciplinary actions.  

As adopted by the TASAA Board Of Directors
Revised 4/03

T O Y   A U S T R A L I A N   S H E P H E R D   A S S O C I A T I O N   O F   A M E R I C A

T O Y   A U S T R A L I A N   S H E P H E R D   A S S O C I A T I O N   O F   A M E R I C A

Thank you for visiting the
Toy Australian Shepherd Association of America's Website.

"Our Mission is to join together and work toward the recognition and betterment of the Toy Australian Shepherd, always keeping in mind that the type (impression) should be that of the Australian Shepherd."
Code of Ethics