Very good question! Kathy I'm with you I do not guarantee floppy ears or even retained tesicles on a pet male. For goodness sake these conditions are NOT life threatening and these conditions are what makes a pet a pet and not a show dog or a breeding dog. Doesn't at all mean they don't deserve a loving forever home.
as to what conditions are grounds for a refund or new puppy. Leggs perthe disease, livershunt, PPA (eye disease) PDA (a heart disease) are among the most notable in Yorkshire Terriers. A breeders contract should (IMO) be written for the benefit of the buyer and not the breeder. If one reads the contract of most breeders carefully. You will find the puppy MUST die or if it's a life threatening condition the puppy MUST be given back to the breeder. Now doesn't it stand to reason that a puppy owner is not going to give a puppy back after bonding? Sure it does and most breeders know this. It is a pretty save bet that the breeder with contracts of this nature will never see the pup again. For goodness sakes if you as consumers do not start holding breeders responsible for the "product" they produce then nothing will ever change in regards to breeding dogs. Nothing! If the breeder refuses to give you a 100% genetic guarantee whether the animal lives or dies then you should walk away. No matter how much you want the pup walk away. And the guarantee should also guarantee against life threatening (but not fatal) genetic diseases. Do not be in a hurry to buy the first puppy you see. Most of todays problems are based on the "buy it now" mentality or "I want it now" mentality with little or no thought given to what happens after the sale or what has happened to that puppy in his short life BEFORE the sale. Find a breeder you like and trust then get on his/her waiting list. You will be so happy when that healthy specimen arrives and you can take your bundle of joy home. The internet is a wonderful tool to use when looking for a puppy. But I think nothing takes the place of face to face meetings. Please do not just go to the airport for your bundle of joy sight unseen. The breeder has your money and you are in no way assured of the health of the puppy.
So 1) check for genetic diseases in the contract. Some are common and some not so common, but a vet must provide proof of such disease. 2) check the length of guarantee. Something longer that a normal 3 day well-ness checkup. You need a guarantee of at least one year for genetic disease to become apparent. some breeders offer 2, 3, or 5 years. Some breeders even offer a lifetime guarantee for genetic disease. 3) Determine what if anything the breeder is required to do when notified the puppy is ill! |