Ethical Charter and practice
Responsibilities of the breeder

This ethical charter has been developed with the aim of:

• Increasing the well-being of dogs by recognizing breeders who are committed to this path through their infrastructure and methods.
• Promoting among future owners those breeders who pay attention to the good physical and psychological health of their dogs raised in a healthy domestic environment.
• Enhancing the satisfaction of both parties to combat dog abandonment.

Regardless of its obligation to comply with current legislation, the breeder commits (to the buyer) to:

Ethics related to the sale:

Adherence to this charter requires the breeder to:

1. SALE - At the time of purchase, all mandatory documents required in the country where the sale takes place must be provided. In Belgium, this includes, among others, the warranty certificate completed and signed by both the seller and the buyer. In France, a certificate of transfer must be completed, as well as a certificate of commitment and knowledge for acquiring a dog, at least 7 days before the sale. Additionally, a veterinary certificate must be issued no more than 3 months before the transfer of the animal.

A pedigree is optional. Tipaw therefore accepts to publish breeders and litters on its website — whether purebred or mixed — even without a pedigree, provided that the breeder pays attention to the origin of the breeding animals and carefully selects between bloodlines.

2. SALE - The breeder will only entrust his puppies to private individuals who are aware and sensitive to the animal's needs and the responsibility arising from its acquisition. No breeder will be allowed to sell, give, transfer, rent a puppy or adult dog to a pet store, a breeding farm, a laboratory, or to people known for selling dogs to these structures. They also will not market animals showing obvious symptoms of illness, imported fraudulently, prematurely weaned, or having undergone unauthorized amputation.

3. SALE - Only give away puppies aged at least 7 weeks (Belgium) or 8 weeks (France and Netherlands). These must be chipped, vaccinated, and dewormed, as well as in possession of a European passport issued by a veterinarian.

4. SALE - Do not omit or deliberately withhold information about the breed characteristics, the animal’s health status, or the nature/quality of its pedigree (if applicable). This means that if the dog has any defect or health issue, the buyer must be clearly informed before the adoption. The price of the dog should then be adjusted accordingly.

In the case of a crossbreed, the breeder commits to informing the adopter about the parent breeds and to clearly state that certain traits (such as size, temperament, physical appearance) may vary from one puppy to another.

5. SALE - Never promote puppies in a way that encourages reluctant buyers or leads to an impulsive purchase.

6. SALE - At the time of the effective sale and thereafter, the breeder commits to being available to buyers (especially if they are novices) after the sale for any question, advice, or support related to a problem encountered during training, or concerning the proper care to give to the animal.

7. SALE - The breeder commits to not breeding more than 3 breeds and/or importing many animals from abroad. Tipaw does not want traders or pet stores to use the site. 

8. SALE - The breeder commits to following current legislation regarding the export of puppies outside Belgium, France, or the Netherlands. Before traveling, a puppy must (1) have a European passport, (2) be identified with a chip, and (3) be effectively vaccinated against rabies (at the earliest at 15 weeks).

9. SALE - The breeder commits to rehoming or taking back puppies born at their place if their owners must part with them.

Ethics related to breeding:

Adherence to this charter requires the breeder to:

10. BREEDING - Do not exceed one litter per year for each female and only breed females aged at least 16 months and at most 9 years (unless advised otherwise by the veterinarian and upon presentation of written proof from him).

11. BREEDING - Have a basic knowledge of genetics and breed only animals that are sexually mature, in good health, and free from known hereditary defects or diseases, parasites, infections, or any other health issues. The breeder must therefore carefully select their breeding animals based on morphology, mental balance, health, and lineage.

Breeding with very young animals is prohibited, as a dog typically reaches physical and mental maturity around one and a half years of age for smaller breeds and around two years for most other breeds.

The recommended health tests (both genetic and clinical) for the breed must be known and taken into consideration. Tipaw reserves the right to request proof of any health test for a breeding animal, regardless of breed or type of dog.

12. BREEDING - The breeder commits to staying informed about hereditary diseases that may affect their breed.
Despite the proven usefulness of genetic testing and the fact that it is strongly recommended, TIPAW does not require proof that all dogs listed on the platform have undergone every possible test. These tests can be expensive, especially when testing for all known defects within a breed.

Moreover, excluding carrier animals from breeding could lead to a reduction in genetic diversity and an increase in inbreeding, which is incompatible with sustainable breeding practices.

The breeder therefore agrees to select appropriate pairings with the goal of improving the breed. However, Tipaw reserves the right, at its own discretion, to request the results of specific health or genetic tests for any dog listed on the platform.

13. BREEDING - The breeder commits to guaranteeing the origin of the puppies as well as that of their parents and providing proof to the buyer if needed.

14. BREEDING - The breeder commits to keeping or judiciously placing puppies that do not conform to the breed standards or have not found a buyer, regardless of the puppies' age. Under no circumstances should these puppies be given to breeding farms, laboratories, or any other entity that could harm the animal's physical or psychological well-being. Euthanasia is also prohibited.

15. BREEDING - Puppies must not be kept in cages at any time. A comfortable space will be provided for the female and her litter, who will not be separated before the age of 7 weeks (Belgium) or 8 weeks (France and Netherlands). This space must be in impeccable hygiene and health conditions and in normal temperature conditions.

16. BREEDING - Once the puppies are chipped, communicate to Tipaw within 5 working days the individual chip number of each puppy.

17. BREEDING - The breeder commits to socializing the puppies daily and engaging them in play to develop their identity and personality.

18. BREEDING - The breeding dogs must be stimulated by regular activities, whether it be walking, obedience, or other disciplines. If they live in kennels or indoors, they must be taken out a minimum of 3 times a day in a garden or space where they can move freely.

19. BREEDING - The breeding dogs must have an impeccable hygiene and live in a healthy environment. They must be cared for regularly (grooming, nails, ears, etc.).

20. BREEDING – To promote responsible practices, Tipaw may, at its discretion, accept well-considered crossbreeds that aim to improve genetic diversity, reduce hereditary diseases, combine advantageous traits (for example: Goldendoodle, Labradoodle, etc.).

The publication of litters resulting from crossbreeding is permitted under the following conditions:

• The crossbreed must be carried out with the objective of improving health, genetic diversity, or temperament, and not solely for aesthetic or commercial reasons.
• The parent breeds must be known, compatible, and clearly indicated in the listing.
• The breeding animals must be tested for the main hereditary conditions of their breed, or, if not, the breeder must demonstrate careful selection.
• Health tests are not mandatory but are strongly recommended. Breeders who carry them out will be highlighted on the platform.
• The breeder commits to being transparent with the adopter regarding the variable characteristics of the crossbreed.
• All other points of the charter apply.

Tipaw reserves the right to require certain health or genetic tests for any dog or litter listed on the website.

Accepted Crossbreeds
This list is indicative and may evolve. The Tipaw team reserves the right to evaluate proposed crossbreeds on a case-by-case basis.

Categories of accepted crossbreeds
Doodle family: Labradoodle, Goldendoodle, Bernedoodle, Sheepadoodle, Aussiedoodle, Springerdoodle, Double Doodle
Poo-mix: Cockapoo, Maltipoo, Yorkipoo, Schnoodle, Shihpoo, Havapoo, Pomapoo
Cava family: Cavapoo, Cavapoochon, Cavaton, Cavatzu
Companion crosses: Corgipoo, Puggle, Bearded Retriever, Leopardoodle, Morkie, Pomchi
Working & Utility: Golden Mountain Dog, Pomsky, Sporty Mix, Working Dog Cross, Goldador