Puppy Contracts, 50% discount for replacement? - Page 3

By the amount being earned over time, I meant, earned by spending money on your dog with HD.  Sorry about any confusion.

I will address this later. Serves me right for sending the base, attorney created, template for my guarantee to people who requested it to use/alter for their own needs. I reserve the right to adjust any element, do so more often than not, replace dog/pups on a case-by-case basis as myself and my own conscience  deem correct and appropriate, but cover my butt for potential abuse.

The document was forwarded as free assistance, as a serive for those who requested it for their own use. It is NOT carved in stone.

When was the last time anybody heard I screwed anyone on a dog deal? I rest my case for now in favor of spending time siwth my dogs before bed time. But More later... Meanshile, feel free to shop for the best "deal" and take my sincerest prayers for a super long-term experience with you. :-D

SS

 I have had more rescue GSDs than almost any of you, including many who were dysplastic. FEW were so lame ever as to seriously compromise their ability to do just about anything. Owners can and do enjoy dogs who have all kinds of imperfections. While I agree the goal is to produce dogs free of imperfections, especially those related to health and temperament, we often loose sight of what we can do with a dog. It is the rare dog who needs constant supplements, medication etc. Yes, as dogs age, especially if they were active, just as with humans, the musculoskeletal system can be problematic. That does not mean however than it was the breeders fault. Again, so many of you think that in careful selection of mates *(and so many don't give it a second thought as evidenced by all the matings we see here) that all health problems can be avoided. It just is not true.

For my contract, I would never require someone to give a dog back who did have some serious health issue before age two, but then, I am not in this for the money. I too decide what is ethical and honest and fair. And almost to a fault, i am usually the one who pays through the nose to do the "right thing" in all endeavors of my life. That does not mean however that I think I can produce pups from excellent breeding pairs that will end up "perfect".

Some of you are completely unrealistic. But, the trick is, if you are the buyer, keep searching until you find the breeder who you think will best match what it is you want, in a contract and a dog. It won't be easy.

By the way, i know someone who will guarantee pups/dogs for 5 years.....want to know how often I hear complaints about this breeder/importer? Want to know how many times people have to return dogs? Want to know what happens to the returns?

Yeah..I would never return a dog knowing what would happen to it.  Thats why I would never enter into a contract that said I could get a new dog if I returned the hd one.  

I've seen ads for  breeders who claim 98% of their dogs get passing scores from OFA. Of course, if you look at their contract, they require the x-rays be sent to them & they will decide whether or not they are forwarded to OFA.

Neither would I, dogmom. Frankly if a were still breeding and an owner was willing to return the dog in order to get a refund, I wouldn't want them to have another of my dogs anyway.  I'd give them their money back. No ethical breeder should ever require a buyer return a puppy if they wish to keep it or ever tell them if they send the dog back it will be PTS. A buyer would have to be nuts to agree to those terms.

IMO if you represent a puppy as "breeding/show potential" then it is only right to offer a minimum guarantee that it will be able to receive an OFA ex, good or fair at 24 months (or an acceptable SV rating), have normal elbows and no disqualifying faults like  a retained testicle/s, a bad bite or missing teeth.  Otherwise, the buyer should get another dog at NC after the first is neutered or a full price refund as agreed upon by all involved parties. A companion animal should come with a minimum guarantee that it will be able to function as a satisfactory pet as an adult. Perfect hips are not essential for most pets and few pet owners will ever even have a dog xrayed unless there is a lameness issue. In the event that a pet puppy is so severely dysplastic that it can't function as a satisfactory pet, then I would again refund the full purchase price or offer another pup at no cost. I did not guarantee OFA hips on pet puppies. If a breeder isn't willing to stand behind the dogs they breed, then they might think about switching to chiapets.

Considering the price some charge for 8 weeks old  GSD puppies, they should be guaranteed to be  able to drive the SUV and shop for groceries.

Since 3 out of my 4 german shepherds ended up with HD, I am very interested in the theory that environment plays a part in it.  After my second dogs hips came back bad, I tried to do everything right with Molly.  I did not allow her to do jumps until after she was a year.  I would not allow her to jump in or out of the truck until after she was a year.  I did not allow her to do steps.  I changed my dogs diets a few years ago - switched from Eukanuba premium performance to Royal Canin and supplement with raw meat, carrots, yogurt etc.  Ester C and glucosomine, chontrotin, etc.  I purchased a dog with a great pedigree, but to my disappointment Molly ended up with bad hips.  I guess I would feel better if looking at her xrays someone could tell me that it was genetic and not something I did.  Not that I want our breed to have this genetic problem, but just would prefer proof that I am not causing this in my dogs.

I don't blame my breeder.  I am very happy with the dog she sold me, the way she stayed in touch and follows Molly's progress.  I purchased her as an import and had no contract, but when I forwarded Molly's xrays, she was devastated as well and offered me another pup from a future litter.  Her kindness to me and her joy in hearing about Molly's accomplishments over the past two years means more to me than a contract offering money back for the return of my dog.  She makes me feel like she is still connected to Molly and proud of what she produced.  I would purchase another pup from her in instant.  Sometimes hd happens regardless of what the parents and grandparents hd results are.  As some said before, they are living things and stuff happens. 

I agree even dogs with severe hd can live long, happy lives.  Reno was 14 when she passed away, but had trouble walking from the time she turned 11.  It is just hard to watch you dog who has so much heart fall over, and not be able to get up.  I just did not want to see another dog go out like this, but now I have that to look forward to - 2 more times.

Cheryl

Cheryl, you didn't do anything wrong, it was the luck of the draw. I know others, myself included, who went through 3, 4 dogs until they got one that cleared it's xrays and I had to buy an adult female for that to happen.

The jury is still out on all the genes and modifiers that play into the expression and inheritances of HD. OFA does not think HD is environmental. I didn't raise my dysplastic dogs on slippery floors either, they weren't overweight or allowed to jump, they too were fed a balanced diet. IMO it's in the genes and nothing you could have done differently would have made one bit of difference in the outcome. I also sympathisize with Molly's breeder. I lost many a night's sleep after learning that 2 puppies I bred were so crippled at 6  months that they had to be PTS.  It's no fun for anyone and to blame the owner for poor puppy raising is just not being fair or realistic. I'm glad your breeder isn't taking that stand. 

I hope you have the same results with your 2 dysplastics dogs as I had with mine - none had any problems as they aged and all 3 lived to be 12, 13 without ever needing any pain meds. One of them was severely dysplastic,  he just didn't know it when he decided to jump his 6 foot fence . Cheer up, you did the best any of us could have done.

Blitzen:

Thank you.  I appreciate your comments and like you I hate seeing breeders blamed and or the owners.  Like you said, it is the luck of the draw.  I kind of know that, but still when you end up with so many - you sometimes begin to doubt yourself.

Cheryl