The Kynological Regulations include a number of rules relating to the welfare and health of the female being bred. The rules of the Basic Regulation on Welfare & Health are described in the Kynological Regulations (Article VIII.1 and further). Changes to the basic Welfare & Health regulations (bwg) At the General Meeting of 2 December 2017, changes were made again to the Kynologisch Reglement (KR). From January 1st 2018, the BWG will change, in that sense that the 12-month rule will be adjusted. The text of the new Article VIII.1 paragraph 5 KR will read: “A female may not be bred if this breeding has the consequence that between the births isn’t a period of at least 12 months of two consecutive litters from this female.”

Breeding punishable

This change has no far-reaching consequences, since between the births of two consecutive litters there still has to be a term of 12 months and the amended rule will still count with the date of birth. The only difference with the old rule is that now the breeding is made punishable instead of the birth.

Rules of the basic regulation Welfare & Health

Article VIII.1

-A female may not be bred before the day on which she reaches the age of 16 months. (At  us the females get their first litter between 18 months and 2 years old and not before the 2nd heat)

-A female, from which no pups have ever been born, may not be bred after the day on which she reaches the age of 72 months (6 years old). (With us a female gets her first litter at the latest with 4 years old)

-A female from which puppies were born earlier may no longer be bred after the day on which she reaches the age of 96 months (8 years old). (With us a female  gets her last litter at the latest with 6 years old)

-A female may no longer be bred after the day on which her fifth litter was born. (At us a female will never have  more than 3 litters)

-A female may not be bred if this breed results in no term of at least 12 months between the births of two consecutive litters of this female. (At us there is 12 to 18 months between two litters)

-A female may undergo a maximum of 3 caesarean sections (provided that a female can handle it, but we go for a natural delivery, that is our goal)

The definition of a litter is: a situation in which a female from one gestation has produced one or more full-grown or stunted pups, which may or may not have been naturally born alive or dead.

Here you can calculate yourself at what age we start breeding and when we get a female out of the breeding.

Conversion table from people to dogs years CLICK HERE click on the weight of the dog “less than 15 kg”

Dog years ⇔ human years convert our breeding program:

1. Between 24 and 28 years our French Bulldogs get their first litter

2. Those who have never had a litter don’t get puppies after 36 years.

3. At 44 years old they will no longer be bred and will enjoy their well-deserved retirement.

4. A male may breed if he is tested and approved from 20 years old.

Article VIII.2

-A female  may not be bred by her grandfather, her father, her brother, her son or her grandson.

Article VIII.3

He who was the owner of the female at the time of breed, and who bred that female in violation of the provisions of Article VIII.1 or VIII.2 or did not prevent that female from being bred in violation of these provisions, guilty of an offense referred to in Article I.4 and Article VI.23B, and may be punished in accordance with the provisions of Article VI.24.

Article VIII.4

The fact that puppies are born as a result of breed that has taken place in violation of the provisions of Article VIII.1 does not prevent admission to Dutch studbook records.

For pups born in the Netherlands as a result of breed that has taken place in violation of the provisions of Article VIII.2, the admission to the Dutch studbook will be refused.

Inbreeding restriction

According to the rules, a female can not be bred by her grandfather, her father, her brother, her son or her grandson. This applies to all breeds. In addition, for many breeds, additional, in–breedrestrictive rules have been set by the breed clubs. Think of the prohibition to cross a female with a half-brother, cousin or uncle. Breeding with this kind of close family relationships leads to high inbreeding, which may increase the risk of hereditary defects. This is very undesirable. In order to ensure that there are sufficiently fewer related animals available in the long term, the ambition and advice to breeders and breed clubs is to limit the increase in inbreeding in breeds.

* FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale)

A pedigree dog is a dog that meets the breed standard. The breed standard describes the characteristics of a breed. This has been happening since 1900! If the kennel club of the country of origin recognizes the breed, then recognition by the FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale) will follow. The FCI is the umbrella organization in which almost all kennel clubs are connected. At present, the FCI recognizes more than 300 varieties. Sometimes there is a race, but usually it is not a very ‘new’ variety, but a very old one that is once again in the spotlight.