Breeders should be informed about any possible genetic conditions in their dogs, and should not breed any dogs with undesirable heritable problems. Such problems include dogs with hip dysplasia (HD), cow-hocked or restricted movement, entropion or ectropion of the eyelids, distinctly under or over shot jaws, undescended testicles, hormonal imbalance, susceptibility to serious skin conditions, distinctly undersized or oversized, discolored dogs (eg. all yellow, patches of distinct color) and serious eye conditions.

There are a number of genetic defects that occur in dogs that we have not seen in the Akbash Dog. We should remain alert to anything new, report such anomalies and not breed those individuals.

Since radiographing hips is something we can do and evaluate, all owners and breeders should keep records on as many dogs as possible to become aware of patterns in their progeny. If a breeding pair has good hips themselves, but produces offspring with an unusually high percentage of poor hips, they should not be bred together again. This should apply to any other undesirable traits.

It is more difficult to evaluate temperament, however, dogs with extremes in behavior such as uncontrollable aggression or severe timidity also should not be bred. These are traits that are inherited, and stability in temperament is something all breeders should try to maintain.

All Akbash Dogs being considered for breeding should be free of the heritable problems listed above. Males and females should not be used for breeding until two years of age and must have an OFA rating of fair or better or maximum PennHIP DI value of 0.50. If they are bred between eighteen and twenty-four months, they should be pre-screened with an OFA rating of good or excellent or DI of less than 0.51.

Breeders should have a market for their pups before considering a breeding. They should be prepared to care for a large litter of fast growing pups and be able to provide the veterinary care necessary. Before being shipped off to new homes, pups should be at least seven weeks of age and vaccinated unless a special request is made by a buyer. The breeder is free to void their health guarantee if they follow such a request. Breeders should educate the buyer about the nature and physical requirements of this breed, and be selective about placing their pups. Large, guard dog breeds are not suitable for everyone, and a new owner should preferably have had prior experience with dogs, preferably with guarding and working breeds.

Breeders should be prepared to fully guarantee the dogs they sell. The reputation of the breed and the breeder suffers if poor dogs are bred and sold without regard for satisfaction of the buyer. For this reason it is especially important not to breed dogs with undesirable heritable conditions. Buyers should also be encouraged to join ADI and to try to stay informed about the breed.

Breeders should provide a written agreement, guarantee or contract for each pup they sell. If there are specific provisions regarding the breeding or registration status of the dog they sell, these should be clearly defined and such documents should be signed by both the breeder and buyer and a copy kept by each party. At the minimum, a guarantee for a non-breeding quality dog should cover any heritable conditions which might interfere with the working ability or function of the dog by the age of 30 months. For a breeding quality dog, a guarantee should include the above plus the dog must have sound hips as determined by the OFA or PennHIP, and the dog must meet the breed standard for conformation and be of sound working temperament.