What are the responsibilities of a stud dog owner? - Page 2

Yeah what do you mean by "test breeds"?

Just because some people tell you this way or that way is how it's done, don't assume anything.  Work out the details with the owner of the bitch before the breeding takes place and get it in writing.  Is the stud fee a dollar amount or a puppy?  What if the bitch doesn't take? What if the litter is small?  How small is too "small"? What if they're difficult to breed --  You do AI's.. who pays for them? Does the stud fee include care for the bitch at your kennel if neccessary or is that an extra fee?  Work out the details beforehand so that nobody feels screwed over at the end of the day.

Here's one piece of advice that is worth its weight in gold: GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING BEFORE YOU BREED YOUR DOG! Have a contract written out, dated & signed by both parties, and all the details specifically spelled out. If you have a more experienced dog friend who wouldn't mind to go thru and read it over to make sure your contract sounds ok before using it, then ask them to do it for you.

People have given some good advice here. Bruscellosis testing within 30 days prior to breeding is strongly advised unless it wouldn't bother you if you boy/girl turned out sterile thanks to such a nasty culprit.

Verify registration papers and info for both dogs prior to mating (stud owners, check out the female; female owners, check out that stud's paperwork); if you don't verify, then you might be breeding your valuable female to an import without AKC papers or without the titles/hip certifications claimed. Or a dog who isn't what is said he is. Or vice verse for you stud owners. I'd beware of breeding a male or female who's registration papers are NOT in the current owner's name or isn't willing to show/provide you a copy of the registration papers at the time of planned breeding-that could spell trouble and can be avoided.

Know what your agreement is with the female owner BEFORE she's ever in heat. If you want a pup from a nice female, then fine-contract for 1st pick pup, or 2 pups, or whatever. If you want money paid at time of breeding or when pups are sold, then fine-contract for that specifically and spell it out.

Make sure contract specifically covers potential issues: what will you do if the female doesn't have a litter, what if she only has one pup, what if she kills the pups, what if she has false pregnancy, are the pups to be seen by a licensed vet at 6wks old, that the female is not to pass into someone else's ownership while pregnant with this litter (nor the sire-there's no guarantees a third party buying the dog would do your paperwork!),  etc. Sit and think of any potential issue that might happen and weigh it out as to whether or not it needs to be put in your contract.

Don't forget registration...make sure you cover both parties properly handling their part of doing the registration papers timely. There's nothing worse than using someone's stud dog, then them not being willing to do their part of registering your litter, and no written/signed contract to help you prove and enforce the agreement with the AKC or other registry. It takes months to fight stuff out in court, so in the meanwhile, your pups sit without papers, or your pup owners sit fretting about getting their rightful papers due to the time & mess involved. NOT an ideal situation, but happens.
And if you haven't already learned to do such, trust your gut. If someone creeps you out or strikes you as just totally off the wall and not ideal to be having a litter out of your boy, or trusting to handle registering your litter out of your nice girl, then PASS and move on. There's enough GSD studs and nice females out there that you don't have to settle for BS people.

katjo-  All very sound advice but let's assume you did all the above and had a solid contract but once the litter hit the ground the bitch's owner did not follow through with what what promised???  What recourse does a stud dog owner REALLY have at that point?  IMO I'd have to say really none right?

For instance what if you caught wind that the pups were not being kept in the best of conditions or they appeared to be too thin....or you find out the breeder isn't even screening people that come to buy puppies just so long as they move them all?  As the stud dog owner you can give them a piece of your mind but at the end of the day I think I'd feel like there was nothing I could do except bang my head against the wall for being fooled.

What is a test breeding? Who, how, why? I am utterly confused about this one. Would I just find someone with a nice bitch, and ask to breed to her? Just to see if/what my boy produced?

All good suggestions. I would like to add that I try to help the breeder place the pups from my male in the best, most appropriate homes , and assisting in RE-homing should the occasion arise. After all, those pups came from my special boy! They could just as well have been mine, so I have some responsibilities towards their welfare just as does the breeder.

SS

If you have things in writing and the situation warrants it, you could always go to court. I know, not the fun thing to do, but sometimes its necessary. Having things specifically in writing at that point will be what will make or break you.

If someone comes to you wanting to breed their female, then I'd ask questions(and trust your gut); have this discussion before the female is ready for breeding so you can think about it a few days. Get a vet reference from the female owner from the vet who's been taking care of the female(surely she's been vetted properly!), who will be seeing the pups when its time, etc. I'd also get active club references and actually check them prior to any breeding agreements. This will lower the chances of someone using your stud, then treating his babies like they're garbage when they arrive. If the female owner cannot provide a decent resource of normal references(normal references should not be primarily consisting of mere usernames of people on a messageboard), then consider that. If you go ahead with the breeding, then you have no one to blame but yourself for a bad experience if that's how it goes.

Could you also not write a small clause that states in the breeding contract, if the pups are not being taken proper care of and are in horrible conditions, then the stud owner has the right to step in (take pics to document the situation PRIOR to taking them), take the pups to a cleaner environment (get them vet checked for worms, etc to further prove your claim as stud owner), and deal with the rest in court? It would make female owners think twice about how they handle/treat their pups out of your stud, too, before the situation ever occurred. And if the female owner signed the contract, then the female owner has agreed to such if the situation warranted. Right? That would at least help you avoid some negative and nasty experiences.  And it's unfortunate because I can see where such could be abused, too(stud owner trying to have too much power over a female owner's litter).
On the other end of things, the litter ultimately belongs to the female owner, and unless you can PROVE the pups are in a very bad situation without proper care, then you don't have the right to just step in and take them. Keep that in mind, too.

I have an excellent ongoing relationship with the female owners, oversee what happens with my boy's pups, get pics regularly to document their progress, go see pups, and help them line up clients for the puppies when they are ready. But, my list of people who get to use my boys is very slim, tho, too! :o)

Quote:Courtney it sounds like your heart is in the right place and you are starting with good intentions.  Unfortunately there are folks out there that will tell you what you want to hear and once the deed is done, pups are on the ground it changes everything they ever promised.  Make sure when you decide to offer your boy as a stud you ask around about the person you plan to breed to; don't be afraid to check them out.  Be just as selective with the bitch as her owner would be with your stud.  Don't sign or promise nothing until you've seen her yourself and are comfortable with the breeding; don't be afraid to turn anyone away.

  I too like to know where the pups went so I can keep in touch with the owners and I like to keep contact with the breeder but there's that one person that will take the attitude of "your job is done, you've been paid now mind your own business".  And as a stud dog owner there's little to nothing you can do about it.  If they decide to sell pups to whomever comes with the cash or they don't know how to match pups up to the right owners it can be disastrous and all you can really do is kick yourself in the ars for trusting them.  But at the same time if you breed with someone who truly loves what they do and knows what they're doing it can be a very rewarding experience with little headaches.  Best of Luck   End Quote

Thank you! Believe me, I'm a bitch if need be and I will NOT breed to anyone that doesn't have the same standards as me and who I don't trust.

I will research the bitch owner completely, before making any deals or appointments for breeding. I will BE picky as I want the best of the best. I'll strive for perfection in my breeding program and not accept less than that. If that means pissing people off and not making friends because I have to turn them away!

I've been thinking that I'll put a clause in my breeding contract that stipulates my rights to the litter as the stud dog owner. Meaning my right to have a say where the litter goes and to keep in touch. IF that puts bitch owners off then they can take their bitch elsewhere to get bred. I

I'm not in this to make friends, I'm in it to better the breed!

Courtney