Do you think breeder contracts are fair?

Question

So, I've been looking for a puppy and I've noticed that a lot of breeders now make you sign a contract. Some of them are great because they simply list things such as the puppy will be well-cared for, not abused, and if the owner gives up the puppy at any time, the breeder gets him/her back. A lot also have spay-neuter contracts for dogs who will be strictly pets, which isn't too bad. But I've noticed others are pretty demanding. Some restrict the foods you can feed it. I've even seen one that listed several "premium" foods you couldn't use and some of them even make you agree to an all-natural diet. Others mandate that you name the dog like "Kennels' dog," which seems a little ridiculous. I mean, the dog is mine now, not theirs anymore. Why should I name him/her as if he's theirs, especially if he'll just be a pet and not a show dog or a breeder? So what are your thoughts on these contracts? Do you think they are fair? What parts do you agree/disagree with?

Oh and don't worry, I don't plan on buying a puppy from any of them. I'm just curious to see if everyone thinks some of the contracts (and breeders) are a little crazy like I do.

Answer 1

Every breeder is different. As a breeder of Standard Poodles, I wanted my clients to agree to the first 3 things you listed.
The food issue is to make sure your pup is getting all the nutrients it needs for healthy growth. The all natural diet is for your pets health. You should feed your pup as you like, however foods that have many "fillers" are not good for your dog. Plus you have more yard waste. I usually give samples of CANIDAE with my pups. It is an all natural diet including chicken, rice and vitamins, that's it. Your dog doesn't need extra fillers that could cause allergies, etc.
The "kennel name" thing is one I never insisted on yet I would explain it to my clients. What they mean by the name is when you register the dog with the AKC, you also get your dog's lineage. For example, My kennel name is "Dallion". So you have thirty spaces on the form you send in to give the dog a paper name. So maybe a client would decide on a favorable name such as "Dallion's Cleopatra". They would have selected the name based on the breeding line. In one instance they did call the female "Cleo". But you can decide what to name your dog. The pedigree is to show the lineage with the AKC and nothing more. I just purchased a new pup from Ohio. He came from High Hope Acres. So I named him
High Hope's Merlin's Magic. He goes by Merlin.
So don't worry about the name. Once you get the papers, it will be up to you. It's just that if the dog comes from a long line of Champions in the ring and you give him the Kennel name, it also proves what line he comes from. I hope this helps!

Answer 2

I disagree. Most responsible breeders who are making you sign a spay-neuter contract are doing it because the puppy you picked is "pet quality" and has no reason to be bred. They are trying to not contribute to the delinquency of the breed. Other puppies, the more expensive ones, they consider "show quality" and are not sold on a s/n contract - but instead they have a contract that they you need to make sure the dog is available for show training etc, and they may use the dog as a sire or dam for a new litter, if they end up being a great example of the breed. People who choose to buy these dogs have a commitment greater to the breeder than simply getting the dog fixed. I do agree though, that if you are dealing with a BYB, they may want a contract so you can't make money off their puppy. However in this case you could probably not spay the animal and there's nothing they can do because they dog care enough to follow up if they are selling hundreds of puppies. Why would a good breeder not put you must return the dog to them? If you have a female dog you loved who had puppies wouldn't you cherish the puppies as well? If my dog could have puppies I know I would want to know where all the little Foxy's were, and if they were doing well. In many cases, if you talk to the breeder and have found a good home the breeder will have no objection to you giving the dog to that person, as long as they know its a good home. If you want to breed the puppy you "bought" or "sell" it later, then just buy a puppy from a pet store. Why buy from a responsible breeder if you want to do irresponsible things with the puppy?

Answer 3

Contracts protect puppies from people that should not own them.
The breeder sees this little life as one they brought into the world and therefore they are responsible for this animal. When you buy from a breeder like this, it is like you are becoming a part of their extended family. Much goes into producing healthy puppies, caring and love for that puppy does not stop just because it lives at a new home.

When they sell a dog as a pet, they know there is some quality that makes them not suitable for breeding. That is why s/n is stipulated. The breeder will only keep the best examples of the breed for future generations. With a s/n contract there is a reasonable assurance that the puppy won't end up in a commercial breeding situation where it will live it's life out in a cage.

The breeder has also learned a lot about nutrition and health and is only trying to give you the benefit of their experience. Puppies grow fast, it is easy to ruin a dog's life with poor nutrition.

Many breeders will let you choose a name of your own following a theme with the kennel Affix in front. Or you can always use your own "call" name. This is also good for the puppy, sometimes people decide they don't want to follow through with a lifetime commitment for whatever reason. This dog can be traced back to it's breeder by it's pedigree. I rescued one such dog and was able to return him to the lady that bred him. This saved him from going into a shelter and also saved shelter space for the poor dogs that don't have such caring breeders.

Pet shop dogs and dogs bought from internet sites or newspapers don't have contracts, but they also don't have the health checks and lifetime caring and commitment. Those puppies often have personality disorders, health problems or don't look much like the breed. There is a big opportunity for heartache and disappointment.

Answer 4

Take back at any time for any reason clauses, spay/neuter agreements, proper care including medical agreements are all perfectly good and definately fair to have in a contract and are a sign of a good, responsible, ethical breeder. I also think that it is very fair for a breeder to request that their kennel name be part of the dogs name.A good breeder is very proud of what they produce and have worked long and hard to produce the best, healthiest puppies that meet breed standard that they can and it doesn't matter if it is to be a pet only or show the same hard work still applies. Having the kennel name as part of the registered name in no way makes it look like the dog is "their's" and not yours. Even if a breeder doesn't request that you use their kennel name as part of the rigistered name if a person bought a puppy from a responsible, ethical breeder they should do so anyway out of respect.

Also responsible breeders always send home "puppy kits" with their puppies..these include breed info (however I would sincerly hope taht someone who is buying a particular breed would have done their homework and researched the breed LONG before ever deciding on it and purchasing it), care info, samples of the food it is currently eating, medical folder which has dates of deworming (and what with), vaccination info (and what with), vet exam (including name of vet hospital/clinic), registration info, at least a 3 gen. pedigree (even for pet only puppies) and any other info they feel is necassary. Many breeders also send home a toy, towel, blanket, etc that has been with pup and mom/littermates for at least a few days to hel pw ith the transition.

Answer 5

My puppies all had my kennel name on their registration papers. One good reason to do this was in case any of them ended up in rescue or sold (without my knowledge), other people in my breed would know it came from me if the papers went along with it.

Nowadays the good breeders microchip the pups.

I spent a large amount of money breeding my litter and much care went into each and every pup show or pet. So I certainly can and will have a say in the registered name. But for pets I tended to let the owners help name the pup. Call names were entirely up to the owner. I just wanted my kennel name as part of the name naturally.

Diet...some breeds and bloodlines do best of certain foods. So the breeder knows this. A good breeder will work with the owner if a diet change is needed. But someone mentioned not being able to afford good food.....if you can afford to purchase an expensive purebred puppy...you should be able to afford the vet bills and food bills that go with it. If you can't afford it, don't buy the dog.....adopt or wait till you have more money.

Contracts are difficult, but not impossible to enforce. I see my dogs' breeder regularly. We talk all the time. She knows the foods I've tried...she uses raw.....I prefer kibble.

If you really hate the contract but like the breeder and the dogs, discuss what parts you would like to change and perhaps the breeder will work with you.

One of my Whippets was supposed to be sold on a limited registration (spay/neuter) contract. But the breeder crossed that out after we talked and I explained I wanted to keep her intact for at least 18mo. old for muscle development...she is a competition running dog. She's had her first season and will probably be spayed at 18 months. I do not plan to breed her and if I did want to I would consult the breeder first.

I keep in close contact with my dogs' breeders. I'm still friends with every single one I've bought a dog from. I've purchased dogs from 4 different breeders over 20 yrs. and they've all been super nice to me.

After fostering and running rescue for a few years, I'm sold on contracts and being picky about homes. I've seen too many breeders trust someone too easily and they later dump the dog without telling the breeder.

I had one puppy buyer argue with me about neutering his male puppy....even though I'd explained he was being sold on a limited registration. He tried the "well it's my dog now, I bought it, I should decide whether or not to fix him". That didn't fly at all. I told him I would be by to pick up the pup that day and return his money if he felt that way.

The pup's entire litter turned out to have a minor defect and all were spayed/neutered and the dam was later spayed as well. It would have been a mistake for that dog to ever be bred. The buyer after discussion did understand my viewpoint and agreed to neuter him. All the pups became loved pets. Very healthy and happy, just not breeding quality.

I do take responsibility for any dog I've bred for it's lifetime. I'm allowing the buyer to share this living work of art that I helped create. But that doesn't mean I just stop caring about the dog once the check clears.

Answer 6

Actually, I tend to favor those contracts, especially if it's for a purebred puppy. If a breeder is concerned enough to ask you to sign a contract, it's a sure sign that he or she is serious about the placement of the pup, and is NOT simply selling you a puppy to make money.

As far as requiring that you name the dog "kennel's dog" ... that is standard practice with registered litters ... the breeder has already registered the litter, and all that's required from you as the buyer is that you give the pup a name (for registration purposes only) that adheres to the parameters set by the breeder. For example, if the breeder specifies that a particular word is to be used in the name, or if the name must start with a certain letter ... that's called a "themed litter" and is used for identification ... the breeder can only specify to that point. Beyond that, you are free to use your imagination. And, more importantly, your dog's CALL name (the name you actually use) is totally up to you. Also, the breeder gets "breeder points" for breeding puppies from his or her own champion dogs. So, it's a win/win situation for both you AND the breeder. Trust me on this, please ... giving the dog the kennel name, plus the name of your choosing gives you big bragging rights when one or more of your dog's litter goes on to become FAMOUS! Even if you don't care, your dog WILL show up on that list somewhere down the line.

I've never heard of a breeder demanding that a specific diet be fed to a dog, but it makes sense ... Most show dogs are fed a specific diet that has been shown to be beneficial to that breed, and honestly, it's probably fair to give the breeder credit for knowing what's likely to be best for the puppies.

I TOTALLY agree with the contracts which state that, if for any reason, you are unable to keep the dog, ownership reverts to the breeder ... this is why most purebreds have a co-owner on their official registration ... it can be your spouse, one of your kids, a friend ... but it ensures that, in the event of some unforeseen circumstance, the dog will end up back where it came from and NOT at the pound or shelter. That's pretty much a legal issue, since the dog would be considered "property". Think of it as kind of a "guardianship" arrangement for your dog.

I hope I've helped to answer your question ... I'm not a breeder, but I do own a fabulous purebred dog from championship bloodlines. The breeder asked ME more questions than I asked her ... and I DID sign a contract before I wrote that (large) check and took ownership of the puppy.

The contract is really just peace of mind for both breeder and buyer. It's all done for the welfare of the dog, so in the end, everyone wins. Good Luck to you in your search for your perfect dog!

Answer 7

It seems picky, but they usually have good reasons. For instance, some breeds have different feeding requirements and registered names should reflect the breeder...the pup is a product of their hard work. I know some might go to extremes, but in many cases there is a good reason.

ETA: I think any good breeder would be more than willing to explain their contracts and the reason(s) for whatever requirement. If it is over something little, they may even be willing to compromise...you never know if you don't ask.

Adopting from a shelter or rescue is a wonderful thing to do. However, they most definitely do have contracts. They can be as basic or as extreme as any breeder, just depends on the place.

If you want ' *no* strings attached ', your only hope is a mill... where money matters, not the dogs or puppies. There's a lot of downfall to them, so it's not worth it at all.

Answer 8

Its a very simple answer. people are ridiculous sometimes and if you dont agree with the contract then dont get a dog from them. Life isnt fair. i dont agree with a lot of these contracts but thats why i dont get a dog from someone that has a crazy contract like that. If enough people dont want to comply with their absurd restrictions that are bound by legal contract, the breeder wont have any clients to sell dogs to. problem solved.
Im gonna guess that the people that disagree with me are breeders with these contracts. I am in school to be a vet and i feel that the breeder should reserve certain rights that protect the animals health and wellbeing in regards to house and home if by chance the OWNER can no longer keep the dog but some of these restrictions are not needed. when you transfer ownership of the dog to a new family the family should be seeing a vet and i feel the VETERINARIAN that the OWNER chooses has been through more than enough schooling to guide the family into what would be the best diet for the breed and any other things that regard this type of matter that deal with what would be the best things for the animal. If the owner is going to be paying for all these medical bills than it should be the owners decision. So in my opinion i feel the only thing that needs to be in the contract as far as the welfare of the animal is that the owner is required to see the vet at predetermined times as the animal grows and will need certain shots or checkups. Anything else the owners vet is more than qualified to guide the owner as to what would be in the best interest of the animal.

Answer 9

I think an agreement to care for the dog, spay/neuter, and to return dog to breeder if you can no longer care for it is all fair.

I dont think its fair to dictate what food you use. You have to get what is available to you, affordable, and what you think is best for your pet.

I dont think the breeder should dictate that a PET dog should be named with the kennel name. Its common for a show dog to use the breeder's kennel name, because they are the breeder.. but a pet dog? Get serious. That name will never show up in a pedigree.. or on a dog show roster, so why put a contract with the name? I used my breeder's kennel name in my pet dog's name, because I wanted to. His papers were sent to me with the name blank.

Answer 10

Fair or not... is really two-sided

Try adopting a Shilo Shephard.. read THOSE Contracts!!!

Not just a raw diet.. but specific gourmet raw diet with ostrich & rabbit & buffalo & emu.... things most people wouldn't even know where to find.... not to mention submitting reciepts weekly to verify the purchases... and a "take-back" clause if the breeder chooses to do so under any suspicion that 100% of the contract is not upheld.-- those are OVERBOARD!!!

High Quality all-natural food on the other hand is to protect the health of the dog

Spay/neuter I think is a good contractual clause.


Naming: For a person/kennel to have developed a bloodline takes ALOT of time & money... growing up, my Dad had Chula Vista Kennels.. and every beagle (we raised rabbit hunt beagles) was named "Chula Vista's _____________" whatever the rest of the name was.... we registered with AKC before they ever left us.

We didn't care if the dog was called by some other name.. but to my father who spent at least $150,000 by the time I was 6 in order to develop his own Championship Bloodline recognized in magazines such a National Beagle News.... it was important to keep track of the bloodline... so call the dog whatever you want to.. the registered name is "Chula Vista's ______________. If you spent thousands, and thousands of dollars to develop a blood-line.. it would be important to you.