Unique breeding practices

• A female Tamaskan can only be bred once she is 2 years old, and then once a year for a maximum of 3 times in her life. Michelle says that most breeders do less (Pepper’s mother was bred only once and Phoenix’s mother only twice).
• Before you breed, you need to submit your combination to the Tamaskan dog register board to approve the pairing
• All potential breeding dogs, before approved, have to pass health tests (hips, elbows, DM testing, CAER, etc)
• Dogs must pass a certain COI (coefficient of inbreeding) % test to ensure they are not related before breeding. This is to avoid the inbreeding and associated issues that are sometimes seen with irresponsible breeders. It meant that Pepper’s breeder had to drive to the US to find a suitable stud dog and so did Phoenix’s breeder. Breeders are also having to import dogs to make sure the bloodline is diversified. Pepper’s mum is imported from England and her dad was in the US, imported from Scotland. Phoenix’s mum was from Canada and her dad was in the US, imported from Germany.

The Process To Get A Puppy- Worth the wait

Registering to be a responsible pet owner

Most importantly though, Michelle and Dan say, you have to sign a contract. It states that if you cannot look after the dog, you have to return it to the breeder.  This is why there are no Tamaskans in rescues that we know of. That’s not to say that there aren’t any that need rescuing, but they go back to the breeder who finds a new home. Michelle and Dan also have a pet only contract which means they cannot breed.

Check out more amazing photos taken by Michelle and Dan on their website!

Have you heard of the Tamaskan Breed? Is your dog a unique breed? Tell us about it in the comments below!