Club Membership

  • New Member Application

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Renewals ended on March 1st, please contact the Membership Chair for further information.

 

Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Northeastern Illinois

Code of Ethics

1. Breeders shall strive for perfection of the Bernese Mountain Dog in accordance with the official standard set forth by the American Kennel Club. In this regard they shall:

      • Maintain high standards of health and care for their dogs.
      • Use only physically and temperamentally sound stock and refuse stud service to any bitch that is unregisterable or shows obvious defects. They shall study and learn the good and bad points within their own stock never doubling up on a known and visible fault.
      • X-ray for evidence of hip dysplasia at two years of age or older, treating mild cases as they would any other fault, and excluding from breeding programs dogs with more severe evidence of hip dysplasia.
      • X-ray for evidence of elbow dysplasia at two years of age or older, treating mild cases as they would any other fault, and excluding from breeding programs dogs with more severe evidence of elbow dysplasia.
      • Ideally, certify all dog’s for Eyes, Heart, Von Willebrand Disease (vWD), and Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) SOD1A & SOD1B.
      • Refrain from breeding the bitch until her second season, preferably waiting until at least 18 months of age. A bitch shall be bred no more than two out of three seasons, this depending on the size of the litter whelped and her condition. It is suggested that in most cases a period of one-year lapse between litters.

2. Breeders will not sell adults or puppies without true representation to the purchaser nor use misleading or untruthful statements in selling or advertising.

3. No member shall sell adults or puppies to retail or wholesale pet stores, commercial breeders, Berner Doodle breeders or other breeders of mixed breeds.

4. Breeders will sell all adults and puppies via a signed contract that requires the breeder to take back any sold puppy or adult dogs and ensure all adults and puppies are registered with the AKC.

5. A buyer should be supplied with a four-generation pedigree, with information on inoculations and other veterinary care that the dog has had, and with instructions on the care, feeding and training of the Bernese Mountain Dog.

6. A breeder should guarantee the health of their dogs subject to a veterinarian’s examination within two working days of the sale.

7. A breeder should try to keep in touch with the progress of dogs, of their breeding, in order to better analyze their own program.

8. A breeder will enter health and certification information, of dogs they have bred into the BernerGarde database.

9. A breeder shall exhibit at dog shows and matches where feasible.

10. Members shall at all times exhibit good sportsmanship at all events related to the club and dog shows.

11. Members shall not degrade any other member or kennel.