ETHICS AND VALUES

Although I (Tina) have been in 'sport' of dogs for over 25 years, Cerebus has only been breeding champion Samoyeds since 1985 and soon to breed our first litter of Akitas. I am dedicated in preserving both the Samoyeds and Akitas. I have been a member of the Samoyed Club of America since 1990 and currently a signer of their "Code of Ethics".

Unlike some breeders that are breeding in today's world, Cerebus does not have a litter every year. I do not mass produce puppies to rely on their sales for income nor do I have a litter because buyers are looking for a puppy. Every breeding is planned carefully and 'Accidental Breedings' do not happen here. At the most, I may have a litter once every 3-4 years. Cerebus' last litter was in 1997.

There are many things that are considered before a breeding is conducted with our dogs. Along with the compatibility of pedigrees, health and temperament are very important. Health screenings are preformed on every dog before they are bred. Here are a list of health screening we do to ensure our dogs will hopefully produce healthy puppies. Unfortunately, a majority of these health screenings are only checking for phenotype (problems you can actually see) and not what is in the dog's DNA or genetic background. So although we do as much as we can to ensure a healthy puppy, we can not guarantee that our dogs will not produce a genetic disorder.

Here are some health issues anyone considering on purchasing a Samoyed or Akita puppy. Even if you do not get a puppy from Cerebus, PLEASE ask the potential breeder about these problems:

THE BASIC HEALTH SCREENINGS~

 
EYE CERTIFICATIONS WITH C.E.R.F. (Canine Eye Registration Foundation):
All dogs get their eyes checked and cleared of Cataracts, Retinal Folds, Y Sutures, PRA*, Retinal Dysplasia, and other possible inherited diseases. "Normal" eyed dogs are registered with the Canine Eye Registration Foundation (CERF) and are only considered for breeding.

*XL-Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) gene can now be tested through a blood test in Samoyeds through Optigen.

~ Cerebus guarantees Eyes will be free of genetic disorders up to 6 years of age ~

HIPS and ELBOWS CERTIFICATIONS:
All dogs are x-rayed between the ages of 24-36 months of age to determine if the dog has hip dysplasia. The x-ray is sent to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) for a rating. No dog is bred without a passing grade of either Excellent, Good, Fair.

Elbows must be normal and are submitted to OFA.

~ Cerebus guarantees against Hip Dysplasia and Elbow Dysplasia ~

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