Ethical Breeding and Responsible Dog Breeding

Ethical breeding and responsible dog breeding require a balanced approach in which the welfare of the individual dog, the overall health of the breed, and long-term genetic sustainability are considered as part of a comprehensive evaluation.
Responsible breeding must be based on professional knowledge, documented experience, and veterinary assessment rather than assumptions or unverified information.

The purpose of ethical breeding is not merely to produce puppies, but to strengthen the long-term health of the breed through well-considered, transparent, and responsible breeding decisions.

Summary

Ethical breeding is based on knowledge-based practice in which the health of the individual dog is balanced with responsibility for the future of the breed.
Exclusion from breeding should be based on documented disease and not on suspicion alone.
Such an approach supports animal welfare, genetic diversity, population health, and the principles recommended by the Danish Kennel Club.

Health and Documentation as the Foundation

A central principle in ethical breeding is systematic health documentation. This includes, among other things:

• clinical health examination performed by a licensed veterinarian
• relevant breed-specific health testing
• eye examination performed by a certified veterinary ophthalmologist
• patella examination
• registered pedigree

Breeding animals should be excluded from breeding based on confirmed hereditary disease documented by veterinary diagnostics, rather than on assumptions or unverified suspicions.

The Danish Kennel Club (DKK) recommends that breeding decisions are based on documented health data and not on suspicion alone (Danish Kennel Club, 2024).

Suspicion versus Diagnosis

In veterinary medicine, a distinction is made between suspicion and diagnosis.
A diagnosis requires clinical signs together with a systematic examination in which relevant differential diagnoses are excluded. Suspicion without clinical or diagnostic confirmation cannot, by itself, constitute a professional basis for evaluating a dog's suitability for breeding.

A general practice in which animals are excluded from breeding based on unverified suspicion may unintentionally reduce genetic variation within the population. Such a reduction may, in the long term, increase the prevalence of recessively inherited diseases and weaken overall population health (Leroy, 2011).

Paroxysmal Dyskinesia (PD) in an Ethical Breeding Perspective

Paroxysmal dyskinesia (PD) is a neurological movement disorder characterised by episodic events of involuntary movements, dystonia, or muscle stiffness, often without loss of consciousness. Diagnosis is based on clinical observation and exclusion of other neurological disorders, including epilepsy (Merck Veterinary Manual; BSAVA).

In certain dog breeds, PD is well documented as a genetically inherited disorder. This applies, for example, to the Border Terrier and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, in which specific genetic mutations have been identified and described (Gill et al., 2012; Forman et al., 2012). For these breeds, genetic tests are available and may be used in breeding programs.

It is important to emphasise that genetic tests for PD are only valid for breeds in which the specific mutation has been scientifically identified.
A genetic test developed for one breed cannot automatically be applied to another breed, as the genetic background of the disorder may differ or may not exist in that breed (OMIA; IVIS).

At present, there is no scientific documentation of a breed-specific genetic predisposition to paroxysmal dyskinesia in the Miniature Pinscher.
The breed is therefore not among those in which PD has been described as a hereditary disorder with an identified genetic mutation (OMIA; Merck Veterinary Manual).

This has implications for breeding evaluation.
A suspicion of PD cannot be equated with a diagnosis, and in the absence of clinical signs and documented genetic predisposition, there is no veterinary basis for exclusion from breeding.

Veterinary literature further indicates that paroxysmal movement disorders with late onset are more often associated with secondary or environmental causes rather than inherited disease. These may include metabolic disturbances, pain, neurological influence, or other underlying medical conditions (BSAVA; IVIS; Merck Veterinary Manual).

From an ethical and population-genetic perspective, excluding clinically healthy individuals based on unverified suspicion carries a risk of unnecessary reduction of genetic diversity within the population. Such a reduction may increase the prevalence of recessive disorders and weaken the overall health of the breed (Leroy, 2011).

Ethical breeding, therefore, requires a differentiated and evidence-based approach in which:

• documented disease is given priority
• Breed-specific knowledge is applied
• Genetic tests are used where validated
• Suspicion without clinical or genetic confirmation is not used as an exclusion criterion 

Genetic Diversity and Population Health

Genetic diversity is a key factor in population health.
Excessive selection and exclusion of breeding animals without confirmed disease may lead to increased inbreeding and accumulation of recessive disease genes (Leroy, 2011).

Ethical breeding, therefore, involves balancing:

• selection against documented disease
• preservation of genetic diversity
• use of health data
• responsible population management

Transparency and Professional Dialogue

Ethical breeding requires transparency and open dialogue.
Breeders should strive for:

• openness regarding health results
• sharing of documentation
• continuous adjustment to new veterinary knowledge
• cooperation with veterinarians, breeders, and kennel organisations

This contributes to trust between breeders, puppy buyers, and professionals, and supports the long-term health of the breed.

References

Danish Kennel Club (DKK) – Ethical rules for breeding
https://www.dkk.dk

Merck Veterinary Manual – Paroxysmal dyskinesia in dogs
https://www.merckvetmanual.com

OMIA – Online Mendelian Inheritance in Animals
https://omia.org

Leroy, G. (2011). Genetic diversity, inbreeding and breeding practices in dogs.
The Veterinary Journal
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2011.02.012

Forman, O. P. et al. (2012). Genome-wide association mapping of a canine movement disorder.
PLoS Genetics
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1002716

Gill, J. L. et al. (2012). Episodic falling syndrome in Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
PLoS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0042698

BSAVA – Manual of Canine and Feline Neurology
https://www.bsava.com

IVIS – International Veterinary Information Service
https://www.ivis.org

Frontiers in Veterinary Science – Canine paroxysmal dyskinesia review
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11308868/

University of Liverpool – Paroxysmal dyskinesia information
https://www.liverpool.ac.uk