1.    Care and Maintenance of Dogs

a)    The betterment and well-being of the Mastiff shall be the primary consideration of every member of The Mastiff Club and is a condition of membership.

b)    All members shall ensure that at all times all dogs under their control are properly housed, fed, watered, exercised and will receive proper veterinary attention if and when required.

c)    Any member hearing of or knowing of cases of maltreatment of mastiffs shall report these to the Club Secretary for discussion by the Committee.

 2.    Breeding

a)    Arrangements for breeding should not have a primary pecuniary purpose and should always be made having the maintenance and improvement of the breed in mind.

b)    No member shall permit any purebred dog to be mated to a dog of a different breed, to a cross bred dog or to an unregistered dog of the same breed.

c)    Breeding should be planned and should be carried out selectively in an attempt to reduce faults with particular reference to known hereditary defects and to conform to the Mastiff Breed Standard.

d)    Clearly inferior stock should not be bred from.

e)    The health of the bitch should be a primary consideration. (Members contemplating breeding from a Mastiff bitch should remember the high cost involved, both in time and money, in raising a litter correctly.)

f)     Accurate records of all matings and litters should be kept.

g)    A Mastiff bitch should not have a litter before at least 20 months of age, or her second season, whichever is the later.

h)    There should be an interval of at least 12 months between successive litters.

i)      No bitch should be mated after her 6th birthday, or have her first litter after her 5th birthday.

j)      While it is understood there may be very good reasons not to comply with h. and i., members may be called on to explain their actions.

k)    The owners of a stud dog should ensure that if a bitch is brought in for stud services, that it is a registered NZ Kennel Club bitch.

l)      No member should provide the services of a stud dog knowing that the conditions of the Code of Ethics would be breached.

 3.    Transfer of Stock

a)    Every effort shall be made only to sell stock to responsible persons who are prepared to correctly rear and care for the Mastiff and to give it a permanent home. Puppies shall not be sold to pet shops or dealers. In the event of an owner being unable to continue to keep the Mastiff, the Breeder shall be prepared to take the animal back or offer to re-house it.

b)    No Mastiff which has any physical defect or which shows any definite deviation from the standard should be sold without the buyer being made aware of such defect or deviation and its possible consequences. Members should sell only Mastiffs which, to the best of their knowledge, are in good health at the time of sale.

c)    No member shall knowingly misrepresent the characteristics of the breed, or falsely advertise or mislead any person regarding the performance of any dog.

d)    Members selling stock shall supply the client at the time of sale with a signed pedigree and NZ Kennel Club registration and transfer forms (or if not available at time of sale, shall forward it to the client as soon as possible after receipt), unless it is mutually agreed in writing that such documents shall be withheld. Should the breeder wish to impose conditions or endorsements on official papers, written notice of such shall be given to the client prior to sale.

e)    An accurate pedigree of at least three generation should be kept for each litter bred, and retained by the breeder for reference.

f)     A diet sheet shall be supplied with each puppy sold, together with details of any inoculations and medication that the animal has received.

 4.    Behaviour of Members

a)    a. All members should behave with good, sportsman-like manners, both inside and outside the ring, and disparaging remarks about fellow members or their stock shall be discouraged.

b)    Members should accept individual judges’ decisions without question.

 5.    Other Matters

a)    NZ Kennel Club Rules should be followed at all times.

b)    Any member aiding or abetting any other member to breach the Code of Ethics will be held equally responsible with the other offender.