Code of Ethics

Members shall be aware at all times that the IABBR exists to protect the breed and that these aims are to be uppermost in the minds of members in all their activities in the breed.

Members shall bear in mind that a Code of Ethics is more than a set of rules; it is a commitment to a high standard of practice in owning and breeding and that adherence to the spirit of the Code is as important as adherence to its law.

Members recognize their responsibility to protect the name and reputation of the breed and must not allow their dogs to roam at large unsupervised, nor to become a public nuisance, nor to become a public trust.

Members must be diligent in the handling of their dogs in public places and must do so in a manner to ensure there is no risk of emotional or physical trauma, or danger to any human being or animal. Members will ensure their dogs are kept fully leashed and under effective control at all times.

Members must train their dogs in basic obedience at a minimum, and must have full control of their dog when inside the home and in public. Advanced obedience is highly recommended.

Members shall constantly strive to improve their knowledge of their chosen breed, and their knowledge of the requirements for the care, welfare and betterment of the breed.

Novices are encouraged to seek the advice and assistance of more experienced owners and breeders and the more experienced shall assist the novice in solving problems and share, for the good of the breed, the benefits of his or her knowledge.

Each member must keep accurate and complete records of all their stock, matings, and pedigree. Under no circumstances shall registration papers be falsified or pedigree information be misrepresented.

Members are expected to demonstrate fairness and honesty including full disclosure when working with other owners and breeders, purchasers of dogs, and the general public. Members must not mislead any person regarding the temperament, health or quality of a dog.

Members are strongly encouraged to refrain from unnecessary and nonconstructive criticism of another member's dog/s and from personal attacks upon a fellow member.

Members should do all in their power to resolve disputes amicably and in private. Members must not use official IABBR platforms to publicly disclose personal disputes. The IABBR reserves the right to permanently remove a member from all official IABBR platforms if breaches are recurrent after the first warning.

Where there is substantive evidence of mistreatment or malpractice by another member, it is the duty of members to report such to the Registrar for the consideration of the Board. The Board after investigation of the complaint, may consider such matters and act accordingly. The board is not obligated to release such details to the complainant.

Members agree to work within their limits and agree to refer owners with needs beyond those limits to a suitable IABBR member or professional.

Members making slanderous or unproven malicious allegations against fellow members will not be tolerated and disciplinary action will be taken. Members must remember at all times that personal disputes, maliciousness and personal attacks do not serve or advance the breed.

Board Members will remain professional, polite and respectful towards other members of the IABBR. They will gracefully assist in any and all matters brought to them and will remain professional.

Board Members will never allow their personal opinions of other members to impact positive registry related communication or guidance.

Board members must act and make decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.

Board members must not disclose any personal information submitted to them concerning a member or a member's dogs to a third party, unless the member gives written permission or animal welfare or public interest may be compromised.

IABBR events strive to be a positive and family oriented environment; therefore exhibitors must do everything in their power to maintain the integrity of the IABBR and the breed. It is highly discouraged that exhibitors start rumours and/or make negative comments about other dogs, exhibitors or judges before, during or after an event.

Members attending events sanctioned by the IABBR, or outside of the IABBR bear great responsibility to the reputation of the breed. Therefore Members shall conduct themselves in such a manner as to have a positive impact on the reputation of themselves, their dogs, the breed and the IABBR.

Members will at all times have their dogs under full control and will keep their dogs leashed, unless otherwise stated. No dog or member is to cause harm or trauma to any human or animal at any event they attend.

Members who are experienced exhibitors shall make an effort to welcome, help and aid the inexperienced.

Venues hired by the IABBR should always be left in the condition they were found. Exhibitors must respect each venue by cleaning up after themselves and their dogs.

Members bringing children to IABBR events must ensure they are accompanied and closely watched by a responsible adult at all times.

Members must not bring a Bitch to an IABBR event during any stage of her heat cycle.

Members attending an event shall show good sportsmanship, encouragement of fellow exhibitors and must leave all personal disputes at home.

Event attendees will not use any verbal or physical abuse upon other exhibitors, visitors, volunteers, staff, vendors, club officials, judges, event security or anyone located within the premises.

The judging and the decision made in any event is the Judge's opinion on that day. Exhibitors will accept this gracefully. Rude gestures or comments regarding the judge's decision are prohibited inside and outside the ring.

Exhibitors are to ask the Judge's questions during or after their dog's class, and always in person on the day of the event. This should always be conducted in a non-confrontational and respectful manner. Judges questioned once they have left an event are not obliged to give an explanation of their decision.

Members will act in accordance with the code by always demonstrating good manners and sportsmanship, before, during and after an event.

All IABBR judges, club officials and helpers must remain professional, impartial and unbiased at all times.

Members must only provide truthful and honest data to the IABBR during the registration of individual dogs and litters.

Members must ensure that all breeding stock have full IABBR registration and will encourage owners of their puppies to apply for full registration.

Members must register all litters bred by them, either alone or jointly with another. A litter includes all puppies living at the date of registration of the litter. A member shall register all puppies in a litter at the same time. Litter registration must take place within six (6) months of the date of whelp and always prior to the sale of an Alapaha advertised as IABBR registered.

The IABBR does not accept the registration from third party registries that require no proven Alapaha heritage. The IABBR only accepts ABBA documentation as sole proof of purity and heritage. If registration is desired but the dog is not registered with the IABBR or ABBA, the IABBR Registrar and Genealogist will carry out the investigations necessary to prove the purity and heritage, and only if completely satisfied with the findings will IABBR registration be taken into consideration by the board.

Breeders in the UK and Ireland must not select a kennel name that includes words that could be confused with illegal breeds. Words such as "Bully", "Bulls", "Bullies" etc will be refused when kennel registration is sought.

In order for litters to be registered under a particular kennel name, the litter must be solely owned or co-owned by the registered owners of the kennel.

IABBR registered Alapahas can only be dual registered with a third party registry for event purposes only, in order to promote and represent the breed. To protect the breed from any possible form of mongrelization, the IABBR do not allow dual registration for any other purpose.

Members must not under any circumstance register their litters with a third party registry. All litters must be registered with the IABBR only.

When re-homing an Alapaha that has been dual registered with a third party registry for event purposes, they must only be homed with IABBR registration documents. Third party registration documents shall not be handed over to the new owner, unless the new owner will be participating in third party events within the next six (6) months.

The IABBR stands firmly opposed to any registry or club that will allow and/or encourage the proliferation of crossbred litters, and allow the registration of breeders that are banned from the IABBR for unethical breeding practices. Crossbred litters and those with unproven heritage are routinely registered as purebred Alapahas by third party registries. Members should be aware that the ABBA is the only registry in the world that upholds the same registration ethics as the IABBR. Our breeders are expected to uphold the IABBR's position in regard to third party registries that require "registration" to enter their events.

IABBR Registered Alapahas owned by, or in the care of members shall be given a clean, healthy environment, proper nutrition and care at all times. No member shall have more dogs than can be safely and adequately housed and cared for. IABBR registered Alapahas must never live in solitary confinement, or be kenneled for an unreasonable amount of time. Members must provide the right amount of attention, exercise and family/owner time.

No member's dog may be treated in an inhumane manner, subjected to cruel or unusual punishment or abuse. Nor may they be subjected to any conditions likely to cause unnecessary danger to the dog's life.

Members understand that they are responsible for the dogs they own at all times and are also responsible for the way the breed is perceived by the general public. Members will ensure they do all they can to uphold the integrity and safety of the breed by having full control of their dog to ensure the dog does not display unwanted or threatening behaviour in public.

A Member who is required to leave a dog in the care of another person for any period of time must ensure that the other person is made aware of the requirement to ensure that the dog is to be kept fully leashed or under effective control at all times. Ignorance of such will not be tolerated.

Members agree to put the welfare of each of their dogs above personal gain, profit, and personal convenience.

An Alapaha that is healthy and of stable temperament must not be euthanised under any circumstance. Owner convenience will not be considered a compelling reason. Alapahas who do not conform to the breed standard or to the breeders standard shall be placed in suitable homes with restricted registration and a pet only contract.

Members agree to notify the IABBR of any Alapaha that may need to be euthanised due to debilitating and/or life threatening health issues or dangerous behaviour that cannot be altered with professional training. Any IABBR registered Alapaha that requires euthanisation must only be euthanised by a qualified veterinarian in a safe and humane manner.

Members agree to do all in their power to avoid handing an IABBR registered Alapaha to a shelter or rescue of any kind. Members understand that the Alapaha does not adapt well to shelters or rescues, thus avoidance of such is very important.

If an unplanned breeding of any kind occurs, the IABBR Registrar must be made aware immediately. Members are expected to be honest and transparent. Although such mistakes should be avoided at all costs, the IABBR understands mistakes can happen, honesty is respected and will always be taken into account when consideration of the board is required.

Strong consideration must be taken into account when deciding to breed. The breed is relatively unknown and the demand for the Alapaha reflects this. Breeders shall ensure they have feasible interest in their planned breedings prior to committing to a breeding, thus avoiding difficulty in finding suitable homes for Alapahas, which breeders should consider to be of utmost importance.

Anyone who wishes to breed the same breeding pair more than two (2) times will require approval from the IABBR. Acceptance will only be granted if multiple superior examples of the breed were consistently produced in their previous litters and the breeders' reason is compelling.

IABBR registered Alapahas must not be bred before an appropriate breeding age: a Stud dog must not be bred before the age of sixteen (16) months; a Bitch must not be bred before the age of eighteen (18) months and then only if she is considered physically and mentally fit enough to raise a litter. A grace period of two (2) weeks applies.

Members will not breed their bitch after she has passed her eighth (8th) birthday, nor allow her to have more than two (2) litters in succession, nor will a member allow her to whelp more than four (4) litters in her lifetime. Three (3) litters in succession without a season in-between is unacceptable and will result in instant banishment.

Members will take all necessary safeguards in preventing the breeding of an IABBR registered Alapaha that would result in unregistered or non-registrable litters.

No member should breed a litter if they are not prepared to, or cannot keep and financially support all of the puppies for as long as necessary in order to place them in suitable homes.

No puppy is to be removed from the breeder's premises before the age of eight (8) weeks old, to facilitate adequate socialisation as well as appropriate emotional and temperament development.

Breeders agree to take reasonable responsibility for all Alapahas bred by and sold by them. Breeders must be available for advice and guidance when needed. Breeders must not under any circumstance advise a rescue or shelter.

A breeder shall plan each breeding with the paramount intention of advancing and protecting the breed. Breeders shall carefully select stud and bitch with an eye to type, conformation, health and temperament and only after careful study of the breed standard, the individuals and their near relatives, the pedigrees and the basic principles of genetics.

Breeders shall refrain from using an Alapaha that, although free from serious or disqualifying genetic defects, consistently produces afflicted puppies.

The IABBR urges all breeders to temperament test their stock to ensure they fit the breed standard and are of stable temperament prior to breeding by attending a minimum of one (1) IABBR event.

The IABBR strongly encourages testing for Ehler Danlos Syndrome (EDS), Ichthyosis (ICH) and heart defects. Screening of the eyes, hips and elbows are also recommended.

Carriers of EDS and ICH can be bred from and the IABBR discourages members from solely seeking clear mates, in order to maintain genetic diversity. Members knowingly breeding a carrier of a genetic disease to another carrier, or to a mate which results in affected puppies, will have disciplinary action taken.

Breeders will monitor carefully the level of genetic diversity within the breeding population and monitor coefficients of inbreeding (COI) for individual mating pairs. The COI must remain below 20%. The Registrar can assist in this calculation.

Breedings with COI percentages of 20% or higher require approval by the IABBR, failure to seek approval may result in an un-registerable litter. Close breedings should only be carried out by experienced, seasoned breeders of the Alapaha Blue-Blood Bulldog.

It is the responsibility of a breeder to grade all puppies in a litter as to quality. IABBR breeders are expected to be able to differentiate between the superior and the inferior in a litter, and should home the inferior with restricted registration with no breeding or showing rights.

All genetic defects found in litters shall be reported to the IABBR registrar and the said dog will have restricted registration.

An Alapaha with visible signs of lameness, stiffness after rest or a reluctance to exercise that is not caused by a temporary injury must not be bred from, and should be registered with restricted rights.

Tail registration: an Alapaha born with one kink in the tail that reaches the hocks can have full registration and breeding rights but points will be deducted in the show ring. An Alapaha born with one kink where the tail does not reach the hocks, or born with a Crank tail (more than one break), must be registered as pet quality with no breeding rights.

An Alapaha with one kink in the tail that reaches the hocks must only be bred to a dog with a kink free tail that meets the hocks.

Breeding stock should have good nose, ear, eye and lip pigment. Breeders that consistently produce lack of pigment will have disciplinary action taken.

Breeders found to consistently produce inferior litters resulting in the majority of puppies failing to meet the breed standard will have disciplinary action taken against them.

Members enter into breeding terms and conditions with care. All parties should understand fully the terms, these being agreed in writing, preferably witnessed and properly signed with all parties retaining a signed copy.

Owners of stud dogs must not allow bitches which are over or under the required age to be mated and should refuse a mating to any bitch which is not in good physical condition.

Owners of stud and bitch are urged to sign a written agreement, clearly stating the conditions and terms of service.

Stud owners should only accept a bitch for mating if they deem her an asset to the breed and a suitable match for their stud in temperament, type, conformation and health, with the outlook of advancing the breed. Doubling up on faults should be avoided.

Stud owners should make sure prior to breeding that the bitch's owner intends to register the litter with the IABBR within six (6) months from the date of whelp, and always before a puppy is homed as IABBR registered.

If the stud has not been bred before or has not produced a live litter or has had breeding problems in the past, such information must be provided to the bitch owner before the bitch is accepted for breeding.

Stud owners must examine IABBR registration documents for the bitch ensuring she has full IABBR registration, is registered as breed and show quality and is of the correct breeding age set forth in this code prior to mating. Studs must not be bred to bitches that are not IABBR registered.

Owners should be diligent in how many times they stud their dog, paying close attention to the amount of puppies he has already produced and genetic diversity.

Stud owners will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the owners of any bitch brought to the stud owner for mating have the time, finances, facilities and knowledge to care for the dam and her puppies.

In such an event that the stud owner takes responsibility for the care of the bitch while matings take place, the stud owner will personally supervise every breeding, keep other stud dogs away from the bitch, and use only the stud dog selected by the bitch's owner.

It is the obligation of the stud owner to offer a free return service if a stud fee is exchanged and no litter results. A litter is defined for the purposes of this Code as a minimum of one (1) live puppy at 72 hours.

Stud owners must be available to those that own their stud dog's offspring and progeny, especially during advertisement and after the sale of puppies their dog has sired.

Advertising and promotion, written or oral, shall be confined to the aspects of the breeder's stock and shall not degrade the stock of other IABBR members.

All advertising must be honest and factual, and will not be worded so as to attract undesirable buyers or to encourage raising dogs merely as a money making scheme.

No IABBR registered Alapaha is to be advertised seeking a swap of dogs, services or goods of any kind.

The breeder shall be cautious in discussing the show and breeding prospects of any puppy for sale, lest he/she imply a guarantee of success which cannot be assured.

No member is to advertise a bitch that is pregnant or that has whelped a litter in the last six (6) months.

Members shall always use the term "IABBR Registered" in all advertisements.

The IABBR reserves the right to refuse members the privilege of advertising their litters on all official IABBR platforms if they do not attend a minimum of one (1) IABBR sanctioned event per year.

Members will not include the registration for show purposes with a third party registry as a selling point in any advertisement, written or oral.

Members will only provide IABBR documentation during the sale of all dogs and puppies. Paperwork obtained from a third party registry must never be included in the sale of an IABBR registered Alapaha.

Members agree that all contracts or agreements between breeders and owners regarding stud services, sale of dogs and puppies, co-ownerships or co-breedings, guarantees regarding live litters, sales or other services will be put in writing for the protection of all involved parties.

Puppies must be microchipped and/or vaccinated according to the country of birth's legal requirements prior to leaving the breeder's care.

Members will be diligent in homing an Alapaha of any age to anybody who already owns a dog of the same sex. Members must educate potential buyers of the likely risks, and only if full understanding is sought and shown of these risks, may the sale/rehome go ahead.

No Alapaha should be sold or transferred in a state of ill health or with undesirable temperamental issues that could put the buyer at risk.

No member is to sell or rehome a bitch that is pregnant, a bitch that has whelped a litter within six (6) months of the time of sale, or a litter as a whole.

Members will be selective in the sales of any Alapaha, and take care with the type of homes in which they are placed. It is paramount that anybody rehoming or selling an Alapaha understands the critical importance of the temperament required by the buyer.

Members must never under any circumstance make a sale of an Alapaha by swapping them for another breed of dog, services or goods of any kind.

Members should ascertain that the prospective buyer has knowledge and facilities to properly care for a growing or grown Alapaha, considering the physical, mental well-being and temperamental traits of the dog.

Any genetic defects an Alapaha carries or defects affecting an Alapaha at the time of advertisement, sale or rehoming must be declared to the buyer and clearly explained in writing before the date of collection.

Members will provide all relevant information before a sale or rehome is agreed upon pertaining to the temperament of the said dog and the temperament of the breed as a whole, their health, dietary requirements, training, mental stimulation and exercise needs.

Members will not sell any dog to commercial dog wholesalers, retail pet dealers or allow dogs to be given as a prize or donation in any form of competition or event held by a charity. Members will not sell by sale or auction official IABBR documentation of any kind.

Members will endeavour to ensure the relevant IABBR documents are handed over at the time of purchase/collection. If such documentation is not immediately available, new owners must receive the suitable IABBR documentation within thirty (30) days of the date of collection.

Members who accept non-refundable deposits to secure a sale of an Alapaha must clearly state that the deposit is non-refundable in all advertisements and this must be agreed upon in writing prior to the seller accepting a non-refundable deposit.

Members will not knowingly sell to unethical breeders or other persons whose intent is to solely breed for profit, cross breed, breed outside of the IABBR (unless ABBA registered), or if resell is known or suspect.

Members shall ensure that prospective purchasers are fully aware of the disadvantages as well as the advantages of owning the breed, and agree to the responsibilities of such.

It is recommended that a breeder supply a Copy of the Code of Ethics to all buyers and explain to them its provisions.

It is the ethical obligation of a breeder to guarantee dogs produced and sold to be as represented. Any dog which dies or must be destroyed before the age of eighteen (18) months due to physical or temperamental conditions which are hereditary, shall be replaced one for one, within a year of death. If replacement is not possible, the full purchase price shall be refunded.

No member is to sell or rehome a dog that is showing dangerous behavior towards them, unless the dog is being returned to the breeder and only then if the breeder can safely house and keep the dog from being a public liability. Members must notify the IABBR immediately of any such dangerous behaviour.