Puppy Contracts, 50% discount for replacement? - Page 2

I think offering a 50% discount on a replacement pup is more than fair also; especially if the breeder is allowing the buyer to keep the first dog.  That's like a BOGO free deal. LOL

You all have missed my point. Personally I would NOT buy from a breeder who has this type of contract. If I buy a puppy and it sadly has HD, then I should be offered a replacement at no addional cost. If  one chose to keep a dyplastic dog, which would then be a finacial burden with supplements, Vet expenses associated with the fact the pup is Dysplastic, not to mention the heartache involved.  It would not be fair to expect the buyer to dish out even more money on the hopes of getting a healthy dog. When that is what they have already paid for. A pup with HD is not what I consider a quality companion, why do some breeders think this is OK to pawn off on the novice dog owner.  If you are a breeder and you have to replace several pups, then you shouldn't be breeding. If you have to offer a discount for a replacement, then you probably had a pretty good idea that repalcments would be needed. Some of the best Shepherds I have owned were dyspastic and live out a ripe old age, but there was a lot of extra care that went with that.   Don't assume that just because some one asks a question that they are a novice. 

Many Americans think buying a dog is like going to Wal-Mart.  If your "item" doesn't work out for whatever reason, just return it to the store.  Buying a dog shouldn't be that way.  If you buy a dog (especially a puppy), you take your chances.  If it doesn't turn out to be your world beater, has a health problem, or simply doesn't match the color in your living room, too bad.  That's why millions of dogs end up in shelters, because people don't really care about the dog's welfare, they care only about themselves, and their little nitch in life.  Give that dog a home, or find a better one for it.   Breeders get bashed a lot on this site, but there are a lot more flaky buyers out there than breeders. 

DCW

I understand what you are saying, but I completely disagree for all the reasons stated by others.   It is not agreed that HD is 100% genetic, many believe environmental issues play almost as big a role as do genetics.  Also, as Hodie pointed out, unfortunately at this stage of the game, there is no line of GSDs that HD will not rear it's ugly head.  Plus,  as DH has pointed out, even a dog with imperfect hips can still make a wonderful companion, even sport dog, and live a long life, without a lot of medical intervention. 

Hodie said it best, you must find someone with good experience, a good reputation and a contract to your liking.

Just because I may be promised the moon doesn't mean I should expect to get it.

I never said it was easy-I just said I wold probably not want a dog from the same breeder.  Actually the same breeding as Blitzen put it. 

I know of many breeders who offer a free puppy along with keeping the dog.  If the person who owns the dog with hd is going to have to spend tons of money for the rest of the dogs life to keep it comfortable then I think a free dog is fair.  They may even have to pay for surgery depending on how bad it is. 

Spirmon .......... you say the following

"A pup with HD is not what I consider a quality companion" and  "Some of the best Shepherds I have owned were dyspastic and live out a ripe old age"

My question is this..................... if some of the best Shepherds you've had were not quality companions ....................... why are you shopping in the first place?  

Ouch, I guess spirmon was referring to me when he said any breeder who has to replace several dogs shouldn't be breeding. At one time I may have made that statement too, before I had hands-on experience. This was a litter of 9, the other 7 cleared their hips xrays, but I made sure none of them were ever bred  by enforcing my neutering contracts and spaying the female I kept (she had good hips). I kept 2 males and neither of them was ever used for breeding either although their hips were normal.  I later found that the sire of the litter had several dysplastic littermates and his sire was the only clear dog from his litter. I differ in my opinion of the inheritance of HD, I think it's 100% genetic and the wrong environment or food cannot make a dog genetically programmed to have normal hips into a dysplastic dog. It can make HD worse, but IMO it can't cause it. Not wanting to debate this, so I will respect those who disagree.

I think any breeder of any large breed dog prone to HD who breeds more than 15, 20 puppies is going to have at least 1 with HD.  If every breeder of GSD's would stop breeding after they produced several dogs with bad hips, this would be considered a rare and endangered breed. Repeating a breeding that produced bad hips would not be too smart however.

Good posts DH, and DCW. So very true.

I myself  as a breeder just can't do that 50% or whatever for a replacement. JMO, I think a replacement should be that, no extra money period. A different breeding, same breeding, etc... That just needs to be agreed on by the 2 parties.

dragongsd.com

With my contract, in the event that someone buys a pup for show/breeding, and the dog is faulted (teeth, ears, testicles, etc) they have 2 options: Return the dog to me for full exchange, or keep the dog as a pet, provide proof of spay/neuter and get 50% off another dog.

Dogs purchased as pets with a severe genitic defect that will significantly lessen the time/quality of life are replaced completely.

Dogs with HD may live a long life, but besides suppliments, careful feeding and probably someday, medication, the owner will have to take care that the dog's activities do not strain the damaged joint.  That means, for example, if an avid hiker had purchased the dog to carry a back pack and go on extended hiking trips with him for instance, while offering a certain amount of additional security as well as companionship, that is not going to happen.  The dog will also eventually have to stop jumping activities sooner than otherwise if it had an undamaged joint.  Yeah, there are a few dogs that are said to be be active or a long time even with HD, but I think the greater majority are not. 

I think that having accepted such a burden for the life of their companion, the owner should either get a full $ refund ( a good part of which will be earned over time) or a replacement puppy from an unrelated litter.  I also think that asking for the return of a dog from a safe and loving family to make good on the replacement is emotional blackmail. 

I've heard and read so many of these contrasts of environment versus genetics.  A through study has not been done by anyone, though I heard what are possibly urban legends of a study done in Germany that eliminated HD through diet and environment done over some generations, but no one has possession of this study to look at. 

The general accepted consensus among professionals is that it has a high genetic component.