Not all dog owners know about the concept of puppy activation, what it is, and why the procedure is needed. But for a purebred animal, such as a golden retriever, labrador, spitz, or chihuahua, this is an important event. The Russian Cynological Federation has approved rules and standards that must be taken into account by breeders regardless of breed.
Activation is a procedure that is necessary for all purebred pets.
The concept of activation and its purpose
Dog activation is an examination that is necessary to control the breeding of purebred animals. The procedure is carried out at the breeder's home in the presence of the puppy's mother. The mother is identified by the mark, which is written in the pedigree. Puppies are examined to exclude the presence of defects. Each puppy is assigned a brand number.
If specialists during the inspection process discover a breeding defect, the metric indicates information about the culling. In cases where the defect is temporary and can be corrected with age, the document specifies the need for a revision and indicates the reason and timing of the re-examination.
Attention! After the activation procedure has been completed, the puppy is given documents, which are subsequently transferred to the new owners of the pet.
During the examination of the puppy, all necessary parameters are measured
How dogs are branded
The combination is applied with a special pen, inside of which there is tattoo ink. Depending on the type of device, it can be powered by mains or batteries. In new models, the handle is equipped with a small motor. The procedure for applying a brand is the same as applying a tattoo to a person. The needle penetrates the skin, after which a dot with paint remains on it. When working, the dog handler uses a stencil with numbers and letters.
The mark can be applied using pincers with needles. In this case, mascara is not used. Panels with the desired combination pierce the inscription on the skin, leaving a wound as a result of the procedure. After it heals, a scar is formed into which tattoo paste is rubbed. This is how the combination on the stamp is colored.
As a result of the inspection, club representatives record the parameters in a general litter card. It specifies the following characteristics:
- breed;
- color;
- nickname;
- appearance of the puppy's mother;
- conditions for keeping the dog;
- assessment of “breed condition”;
- marriage mark;
- bite assessment;
Based on the general litter card, the breeder is given a metric. It is issued individually for each puppy. The metric is analogous to a person’s birth certificate and is subject to exchange in the future.
How does it go
The procedure can only be performed by certified dog handlers who work in kennel clubs. Activation must take place in the breeder's home. The presence of the mother must be ensured near the puppies. Before issuing documents, the dog handler carries out the following actions:
- takes all measurements from puppies, including weight and height;
- evaluates bite and jaw structure;
- checks the tail to make sure there are no kinks on it.
If the breed has a tendency to genetic diseases, then the test is more thorough. In such cases, monitoring of hearing and vision is carried out.
The procedure should only be carried out by professional dog handlers.
Dog activation
According to the rules established by the Russian Cynological House, the activation procedure is carried out for purebred puppies whose age reaches one and a half months.
To become a participant in this procedure, a breeder of a certain breed of dog must contact the representative club of the Russian Cynological House and agree on a specific date for the procedure directly with:
- club leader;
- dog handlers of this organization.
It should be noted that the certification must be carried out by representatives of a club dedicated to the same breed of dog that a particular breeder is engaged in
Please note the following fact: representatives of a particular kennel club will visit you not only to evaluate the pedigree of the puppies that were born in the new litter, but also to conduct:
- assessing the current condition of the dog that gave birth to these puppies;
- assessing the living conditions of the mother and her litter.
Preparing to certify a puppy
The owner must know the activating of dogs, what it is, what preparatory measures need to be taken. The preparation is as follows:
- The breeder must notify individual dog handlers that mating is planned. He is given a direction in which there are signatures of the dog handler and the owner of the dog.
- You need to get photocopies of a pedigree, breeding certificate or exhibition diploma from the owner of the dog.
- No later than two weeks after the birth of the puppies, the dog handler must be notified about this.
Seven days before the desired date of registration, you need to contact the dog handler and arrange an inspection with him.
Documents for the dog required when purchasing it
When purchasing a dog, a purchase and sale agreement is drawn up between the future owner and the seller. A package of necessary documents is attached to it. These include:
- puppy card;
- veterinary passport;
- pet's pedigree;
- puppy inspection report;
- the act of mating breeding dogs.
This video talks about how to get documents for an adult dog.
Puppy metrics (puppy card, “puppy”)
This is the main document that a puppy is required to purchase. The dog's metric contains detailed information:
- puppy breed;
- pet's name;
- parents' nicknames;
- parents' pedigrees;
- color;
- date of birth of the animal;
- brand;
- The buyer’s personal information is indicated in a special column – “puppy owner”.
In addition, you need to take into account some nuances.
- The puppy's certificate must bear the seal of the kennel or club that issued the puppy.
- The puppy's certificate must be issued in two copies. One of them will be in the hands of the dog’s owner, and the second will be transferred to the canine organization (RKF) to obtain a pedigree.
Pedigree of dogs
A dog's pedigree is an official document issued by the Russian Cynological Federation or a similar organization (for example, SKOR) when the puppy reaches six months of age. In RKF it can be obtained until the dog is 15 months old. The pedigree is provided on the basis of the mating certificate, the puppy inspection certificate, as well as the pedigrees of the parents.
The pedigree contains the following information:
- date of birth of the pet;
- nickname;
- breed;
- floor;
- color;
- information about the puppy's owner;
- breeder;
- information about parents up to 3-4 generations indicating nicknames, grades, diplomas.
The act of mating breeding dogs
This is a document that confirms the fact of mating of a male and female. It contains information about the mating date, the names of the dogs' owners and the mating conditions. The mating act is drawn up in triplicate with the obligatory signatures of both parties. One of them will be kept at the place of registration of mating, and the other two will be kept by the owners of breeding dogs.
The act of breeding dogs is a mandatory document; without it, it will be impossible to certify the future litter.
Puppies inspection report (certification)
Within no more than one and a half months from the date of birth of the puppy, it must be given a nickname officially registered in the organization. After this, specialists draw up an inspection report for the puppy in the form of a description of the litter on a standard form. It indicates such parameters as color, characteristics of a particular breed, physical development and diseases and behavioral characteristics.
This video talks about how much it costs to get documents for a dog and how to avoid scammers.
Veterinary passport
After purchasing a puppy, the necessary action is to visit a veterinary clinic to obtain a veterinary passport. This document will contain information about the vaccinations performed (name of the vaccine and date of vaccination). It also contains information about the pet (name, breed and age).
A veterinary passport is an international document; it is required when transporting a puppy, when participating in exhibitions or competitions. It reflects the pet’s health status and all veterinary actions in relation to it.
If you have questions regarding paperwork for a dog, ask them in the comments to this article.
Progress of the procedure
During the examination, specialists must identify the mother of the puppies using the chip and brand that are indicated in the pedigree. When examining puppies, the dog handler performs the following actions:
- checks each puppy individually;
- the correctness of the bite and the condition of the jaw are monitored;
- body dimensions are measured.
Important! The specialist must perform all steps of the procedure in accordance with accepted RKF standards. Cooperation with uncertified experts may result in receiving false documents.
Each puppy is examined individually
Issuance of documents after activation
Examination of puppies lasts no more than half an hour per animal. In addition to the examination, the specialist must:
- make an extract of metrics;
- check the direction for mating;
- fill out the general litter card.
After completing all the steps, the dog handler takes copies of the prepared documents from the breeder and gives the completed litter general card. At the end of the process, the puppies are branded or microchipped.
The owner retains the lower part of the metric. As soon as the puppy turns three months old, the document is exchanged for a pedigree, which includes a barcode, chip number and all information about relatives.
Stamping
A brand is understood as a set of marks that is applied to the animal’s area of the puppy after activation. The place must be pre-treated. Its fur is shaved, disinfected, and then branded. You can do this in three ways:
- a special pen with a needle at the end, which injects dye subcutaneously;
- with forceps - the pet’s skin is pinched, then dye is applied;
- using special ink for animal tattoos.
Important! The mark is placed within 10 minutes. The procedure is very painful for puppies, so someone needs to be nearby to help hold it. The mother must be locked in another room; she may attack the specialist while protecting the puppy.
After examination, the puppy is branded
How nicknames are assigned
When assigning a nickname, the first letter is given by the head of the club. The nickname is invented with a focus on her. The first letter may depend on the mother's name or litter number, or the name of the nursery.
Important! There are restrictions not only on the first letter, but also on the number of characters. There should be no more than 29 of them including spaces.
Official nicknames are used only at exhibitions, as well as when processing documents. At home, the owner can reduce it at his own discretion.
If the puppy is considered defective
The test does not always bring positive results. Often, the results of certification reveal non-compliance with standards and disqualifying characteristics. In such a situation, the documents will indicate:
- breeding is a physiological deviation from the breed standard;
- without the right to breed - this means that the dog needs to be castrated.
Owners in these cases may refuse to complete the documents. But experts recommend obtaining all the necessary papers in accordance with the rules. A detected defect significantly affects the cost, but this does not mean that the breed will be canceled. An activated pug or Yorkie will still be considered purebred, but they will not be accepted for participation in exhibitions.
If a breeder is engaged in professional dog breeding, then certification is a mandatory procedure for him. With its help, the animal can be easily identified.
Breed marriage
Even exemplary dogs can give birth to puppies with defects. A baby may be in excellent health, but have minor external defects. Marriage includes the following characteristics:
- non-standard pattern or color;
- malocclusion;
- crease of the tail;
- white spots in the wrong place;
- different location of the testicles in males.
Even if there are flaws, puppies can be certified. What is it in this case? The dog owner will receive a card from the dog handlers that will say “breeding.” Breeders can sell the dog in the future, but at a slightly lower price. Rejected puppies will subsequently receive a brand, metrics and pedigrees. But, unlike their brothers and sisters, they will not be able to participate in exhibitions and continue the family according to the breeding program.
So, what is puppy activation? This is a procedure for assessing the suitability of a dog for a particular breed. It is necessary for the animal’s participation in exhibitions and further breeding. The procedure is carried out by representatives of a club dedicated to a specific breed of dog. After activation, the animal is branded and given a certificate. In the future, the dog will receive a pedigree.
