Puppy Guarantee/Contract?
 

I was wondering what is covered in a standard puppy health guarantee/contract? I've seen some that cover genetic / congenial problems for the life of the pup, 1 year, and some offer nothing at all. What health problem may not be covered by such a guarantee? Is the offering of a guarantee a good judge on the quality of the breeder?

Thanks! :)

Ivy

I offer a 1 year health guarantee because most life or quality of life issues present before the first year. I think it's indicative as to the integrity of the breeder as it shows that they are willing to stand behind their pups.

i also offer a one year guarantee against genetic life threatening illnesses. i don't cover the little everyday things we see on here a lot. my dogs are vet checked and a certified health certificate issued within hours of the puppy leaving me. i know the puppy is healthy as far as worms and etc when it leaves me. and no one can guarantee things like temperment, color, size and etc.

I think that a good guarantee does say something about the integrity of the breeder. Knowing that they will stand behind the health of their puppies should say a lot.

One of the main things that most contracts won't cover is hypoglycemia. Feel free to take a look at mine on my website in my signature.

Thanks for the info y'all. It certainly helps weed out _a lot_ of folks. I think we may have found our pup though. /happy dance The breeder does not offer a 1 year, but seems to have everything else y'all offer. He's also part of the YTCA and AKC and was recommended by another local YTCA member. We've set up a meeting with the breeder to meet his boys. Hopefully everything goes well. :)

Thanks again for the help!

Ivy

I'm really surprised that a member of YTCA doesn't offer a health guarantee. Are they here in VA? Are they show breeders? Be careful, occationally health issues do arise and you'll need to know where you stand. I've been there and can tell you from experience, there's nothing like having it in writing when you need the law on your side.

case in point
 

I agree with Tami, with the law issues...I purchased my first female, Tasha, when she was 10 wks old...picture of health and even the first visit to the vet stated she was picture perfect.
Well, in the weeks that followed, I noticed that Tasha would be running around doing the usual playful puppy stuff and always bump into things, like when she chased a ball. I took her back to the vet and he thought she may have started developing cataracts (needless to say I was upset, my poor baby!) I took her to a dog opthamologist (yes, they do have those and boy are they expensive) and no, she didn't have cataracts, she had completely detached retinas...since birth..she had never had sight and never would. Mind you, I kept my Tasha, love her dearly and she is spayed of course. But..I did almost have to go to court to settle the issue with the breeder as she accused me of doing something to her after she left her care. You, to this day, cannot tell she is blind unless you know it, her eye color is normal, she can chase a ball with sound and smell and almost everything else a dog can do..
But my point is, that Tami made, if you don't have it in writing, you take your chances! My pups that I am selling, WILL have a one year health guarantee!

Debbie
Tea' +6

I hear ya. It does make me a little worried. I've talked at length with the breeder and the recommending breeder on the phone and via emails. We're comfortable at this point with at least meeting the breeder and his boys. We'll make a final decision on if we want to take the risk once we meet.

Yes, he's a show breeder and is here in VA. His boys are a bit older, will be 6mos when we see them. He held them back hoping they had some show potential.

good luck to you. i wonder why they don't offer a health guarentee?? that is odd

I also give a year, be very careful when you go see him. Ask a lot of questions. Good Luck finding your perfect puppy.

I'm just curious: For those who mentioned that you guarantee against genetic, life threatening illness. I'm wondering, does that include LP? It's not life threatening, but it certainly can be genetic. How do you handle insuring against that? How do you guarantee only genetic instances vs those injury induced. Clearly you screen for it in advance of placing a dog, but what if it presents itself later.

Just curious to get some other opinions.:)

I'd be interested in finding out what is considered life threatening as well. I'm assuming Liver Shunt or Defective Heart would be in there.

Thanks! :)

I'm curious as well :)

Most will not cover Luxuating patellas because it can be caused by injury and is not life threatening. If one of my pups came up with it it would depend on the situation as to whether I help with the medical costs or not. As far as liver shunt, heart defects, or collapsed trachea , depending on the severity those can be life threatening and are covered. Basically anything that would keep the dog from performing the job in which it was purchased that is congenital or genetic is covered under my contract.

I'm just curious as to why you would buy from a breeder who doesn't offer a health guarantee when there are several Va. breeders who do offer guarantees?

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.
\

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.