I just wanted to add dont be fooled with a sense of security because you are buying from a show breeder that you are safe from health problems. I too learned my lesson the hard way and assumed since I purchased my dogs from a show breeder with great lines that I didnt need a contract. A contract is of course only as good as the person signing it but at least if they arent ethical and dont stand behind thier dogs you have something to fall back on. Without it you have nothing but a bunch of shoulda, coulda, wouldas and those dont help pay the vet bills or replace your dog.

Well put!!!:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

It depends on the breeder. The old time breeder/exhibitors are of the old school and stand by their breeding. Should anything to wrong they will stand by you and cover medical expenses.

Since mine are vet checked prior to leaving my house. They are covered for genetic defects for one year, with the exception of Liver Shunt, it's covered for alonger period of time, because it can appear anywhere from the early months to up to 5 years of age. If a puppy is bought in my local area I also offer lifetime free grooming for the puppy.

That's an excellent idea! Gives you the perfect opportunity to check up on the dog!:thumbup:

Misty,

I'm pretty tough as a breeder, I check out homes before my puppies are adopted out and have not been adverse to dropping by unexpectedly to check on them after they've gone home. I've been pretty lucky since my pups have gone to the best of homes and their new families update me on a weekly basis. Except Tegamom1, who has CJ she keeps me updated on a daily basis.
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YT will definitally be my first stop the next time around. Y'all have some of the best guarantees and it's nice that so many folks have YT furbabies in their families! :)

A standard guarantee will contain a statement that you must return one puppy in order to get the replacement puppy. In most cases the buyer has already "fallen in love" with the puppy that presents with an illness and will not return the puppy in order to receive the replacement. This basically voids the guarantee unless the puppy dies within that 1st year.

I think the the buyer chose to keep the puppy, then the breeder would probably help with the vet bills to help get the puppy better. Or they may just let you keep that one and offer you another one also.

One thing I don't understand on some guarantees is only giving a certain amount of time for a Vet Check. Babies are stressed by a new environment, and then quickly taken to the Vet for more stress. Babies should be Vet checked by the Breeder, and the buyer should be able to trust the baby to be healthy. If we guarantee, then why the hurry for the new owner to get a Vet check or risk voiding the contact?? Shouldn't we just plain and simple guarantee? I refuse to purchase from anyone that requires me to Vet check say within 48 hours... If we don't trust a new owner for longer than that, then we shouldn't be selling a baby to them in the 1st place. And a new owner should be able to trust us that their baby is healthy and guaranteed.
And another thing I dislike on some guarantees; why expect the new owner to pay to ship a sick dog back, and then pay to have the replacement pup shipped, if something were wrong with the pup that required replacing?? Why should the new owner be punished and have to pay shipping when it was our responsiblilty to send a healthy pup in the 1st place. IMO it seems like a way for some breeders to get away from their guarantee, since who would want to risk paying 100's of more dollars to ship back and then again to ship a replacement puppy when they didn't get a healthy pup the 1st time.
In my guarantee, I guarantee life threatening defects, luxating patellas and leg perthes for 1 year. If you should decide to keep a pup then I would refund on a case by case basis. If a pup were ever needed to be shipped back, then I would pay the shipping, as well as the shipping to replace a pup. It just seems right to me, since we do guarantee our babies. JMO of course..

I was wondering on everyones contracts when they say they are guaranteed for a year, does that mean a year after purchase date or until they are a year old? I guarantee mine for a year but I wonder what a year means to other breeders. And Deb you bring up some good points that I will have to look at on my contract. I wondered about the shipping thing myself but kind of did what all of the others breeders do. I do pay for the shipping back of a new puppy but they need to pay to have it shipped to me. Worth thinking about changing though. I give my customers 48 hours again, because that is the norm on most contracts but I think it protects us from the buyer who are excited to take their new puppies everywhere right off the bat and expose it to who knows what or expose it to the other dogs in the house that may have something else. That way at least I have a good idea that they were well when they got them. Plus I have mine checked at the vet before they leave to have that to fall back on too. I am pretty lenient about that too. It depends on if they can get them in to the vet in that amount of time. They know they are getting the puppy so they can make the appointment ahead of time and it usually isnt an issue.

I give 72 hours to get the pup vet checked. I'm pretty lenient on it because I understand that people have busy lives. I do want them checked though so that they can compare my vets findings with their own. Introducing the pup to their vet right away helps get everything settled with the pups in their new homes. When I purchase a pup I always get it checked right away whether required to or not. My pups are guaranteed up to one year of age. I haven't shipped any yet so I haven't dealt with that end of it. I guess the reason they were returning the pup would come into consideration when deciding who paid for the shipping. I would never make them ship a sick pup back to me unless they were unable to care for it. Roxie became ill right after I got her and ended up in the hospital. I wouldn't have dreamt of shipping her back, I think it would have killed her. The bowel obstruction was cleared and she's been healthy every since.

The other thing is you have to have a vet check to make sure they are well before you ship, so what airline is going to let you ship a puppy that is obviously sick anyway?
With the exception of one I always sell mine to people that I can drive and meet halfway or they come to me. My first puppy I shipped, and it was alot more tramatic on me than it was for him I am sure so I dont like to do it if I can help it.

I allow 72 hours, but have been lienent and allowed up to a week. Guarantee on health on genetic defects is 1 year of age (all except shunt, since aquired shunts can appear a lot older than a year of age).

I don't ship, so I can't provide any input there

:thumbup:
I agree, I think having buyers to get pups check is a good idea.
because what if one Vet missed something.
It would be easier for the buyer to exchange the pup before they become to attached.

I know if I buy a new pup I also have it checked right away to insure nothing was missed by the breeders Vet.

I also offer a guarantee up to 1 year of age. For any life threatening congenital defects.

I have had someone to fly in to pick up a pup but I have not shipped yet either. So, I guess the shipping part would depend on the problem with the pup. And if they wanted to keep it or not.

How long to you guarantee shunt? You can bet that if I had a shunt appear, older than a year, I would stand behind it.
I usually ask my new owners to wait a week for a Vet check, unless they have reason to go.