Gundog Stud Services UK

What a good stud advert should tell you

Owners write their own adverts, so the detail varies. A good one gives you:

• The dog's registered name and any Field Trial titles in his pedigree
• His hip and elbow scores, and the date of his last eye test
• The DNA tests for his breed
• His working record: what he does in the field, and on which shoots
• The stud fee and terms, including whether a repeat mating is included and when payment is due

If an advert leaves any of this out, call the owner and ask. Most owners are happy to talk about their dog. If someone is vague about hip scores or how his previous litters turned out, treat that as a warning sign.

What to ask before you use a stud dog

Expect questions in both directions. A good stud owner will want to know about your female before agreeing to anything: her breeding, her health results, her age and how many litters she has had. Have those details ready when you call. Being asked is a good sign.

1. Health testing for the breed.

   The tests needed differ by breed. The simplest way to cover them is the Royal Kennel Club breed package, so ask which package was done. The Labrador package covers CNM, prcd-PRA, SD2, STGD and MCD, with EIC and HNPK in the enhanced version. The Cocker Spaniel package is AMS, FN and prcd-PRA. For Springer Spaniels, the DNA tests are AMS, DAMS, Fucosidosis, PFK and cord1-PRA. Also ask about vWD Type II in German Wirehaired Pointers and CLAD in Irish Setters. The Royal Kennel Club's Breeds A to Z lists the recommended tests for every other breed. Ask to see the certificates.

   Breed	DNA tests to ask about
   Labrador	CNM · prcd-PRA · SD2 · STGD · MCD (+ EIC, HNPK enhanced)
   Cocker Spaniel	AMS · FN · prcd-PRA
   Springer Spaniel	AMS · DAMS · Fucosidosis · PFK · cord1-PRA
   German Wirehaired Pointer	vWD Type II
   Irish Setter	CLAD

2. His hip score against the breed median, and his elbow grades.

   A hip score only means something when you compare it with the breed median. The BVA publishes a median for each breed and recommends breeding from dogs that score below it. Elbows are graded 0 to 3, and 0 is the best result.

3. An eye certificate from the last 12 months.

   The BVA and Royal Kennel Club eye scheme advises an eye examination within 12 months before a mating. A dog used every year should be examined every year, because some eye conditions only appear with age. A certificate from when he was two tells you little about him at six.

4. What his previous litters have done.

   Has he sired litters before, and how did they turn out? A proven stud dog with pups already working is a different prospect from an untried dog, and the fee should reflect that.

5. His working record.

   Which shoots, how many seasons and what job. Owners who genuinely work their dogs will tell you straight away.

6. The terms, in writing, before your female travels.

   Is the fee due at the first mating or on confirmation of pregnancy? Is a second mating included? Is there a free return visit if she doesn't take? These are normal questions, and a serious stud owner will expect them.

What a stud fee costs

Online or word of mouth?

Most people use both.

A recommendation from your shoot or breed club comes from someone who has watched the dog work, and a website can't replace that. The limit is that you only hear about dogs in your own area, usually a handful within an hour's drive.

A website covers the whole country. Breeding, health testing, fees and county are set out so you can compare stud dogs before you make the trip. What it can't do is vouch for any of it. That part is still up to you.

Most people use the site to draw up a shortlist, then ask around about the two or three they like best.

Frequently asked questions