Guaranteeing Temperament on my puppies, looking for opinions. - Page 1

Hi,

I guarantee temperament/drives on my puppies because I want clients to be happy with the puppy they get from me but I find that many breeders find this offensive and tell me I am naive for doing so, of course there is the risk that the client could mess up the dog but I grew up with poorly bred dogs(BYB's) so I don't know, I just think it's important that people get what they want. So I am curious as to how others feel about my offering this type of guarantee and if others offer the same type of guarantee in their contract.  Just a question, my goal isn't to start a thread of war. lol

I stand behind all the dogs I sell, but don't give general guarrantees on temperament / drives in for pet homes. So much can change once a puppy enters into the buyers home.
I do however have a working dog guarrantee: All dogs purchase for working purposes will have the correct temperament, structure, & health to perform their jobs. If they are unable to certify or title due to temperament, or genetic health issue, then Watcher Engel K9 will provide a replacement dog of equal value at its next availability.  

 

This is just me, but I belive that if I think the home does not have the experience to handle and bring about the best in
the puppy/dog, then I don't sell them a dog. You can't guarantee for everything and you have no control over how the
puppy is cared for after it leaves you. If someone wants a guarantee of temperament, then they buy an older puppy/young
dog or adult such as what cphudson stated. That is how you guarantee temperament. If you buy a new car and rag it out,
you can't come back to the dealer in a few years and demand a new one because of the care you gave it, can you? I mean,
I'm having a heck of a time getting warrantied parts replaced, let alone if broke because I didn't take care of it properly.

If new owners don't understand this and are not knowledgeable or capable of raising a puppy, then you should not be selling
them a puppy.

.02

Melissa

Right, I agree.  So much can change, owners can make a mistake and destroy the dog but for working homes I guarantee temperament, I feel it's fair and shows that I am confident in my breeding program.  Lately I have been getting insulted by other breeders, mainly on the East Coast (where I'm located) about my guarantees, many of them are "well known" breeders so I was just wondering about what others do.  Thank you so much for your response.  <3

Dana

Edit:  In my guarantee there is a time cap on the temperament guarantee, it's not for life.

This is a very nice offer.  If I where shopping an offer like this would put your kennel at the top of my list by offering this guarantee.  Honestly I beleive that a good minded dog can be rehabilitated and if a person isnt happy with their dog I would want it back anyway.  The dog deserves better.  I have never seen anyone offer this sort of gaurantee but that dosnt mean it sohuld not be done, if you can afford to do it/have the room and time to take back dogs I say go for it.

btw if they are insulting you that says alot about them...JMO

IL, I'm with you there...I also put in my contract that I will buy a dog back in the event they don't like the dog, can't keep, decide to sell or give away...I check local shelters too because not everyone abides by the contract, last year I found a sable Shepherd in a shelter, looked like he could have been out of one of my litters, I had to push for it but I did DNA, turns out he wasn't from my litter.  The SPCA around my area is horrible, they put down over 70% of the dogs they get in...that's a lot...too many.  There are a lot of pit bulls around here, I just checked the other day, over 40 pit bulls in a single shelter, terrible.

I would guarantee temperament in certain aspects, PROVIDED the buyer kept in touch and allowed me to offer advice in certain situations, meaning, I don't want to hear 2-3 years after I sold the puppy that all of a sudden it's got major temperament problems. If it didn't show itself in SOME WAY early on (which is why I like to be kept advised), then imo, it's not genetic. I can see genetic issues in pretty young pups. Now, I try to place dogs in appropriate homes and minimize these issues.

I wouldn't have a problem guaranteeing a certain type temperament if that would make a buyer more comfortable. I haven't stated that in so many words in my guarantee because I think my lifetime buyback guarantee for ANY reason supercedes it.

i wish i can win the lotto

Many pet home buyers do not follow the rules of the contract, I ask that people keep in contact with me, keep their pup at a healthy weight, tell me who their vet is, send updated pictures every 6 months, many don't.  I guess I am strict but it's for a reason, I want my puppys in a good home, and I WANT to keep in contact.  I am not going to stop guaranteeing temperament to working homes, but pet homes, not sure what to do with them.  When I sell a pup, I want to know how the pup is doing, and like you said don't contact me 2-3 years later, even with working homes I said I put a time cap on the guarantee...when I sell a puppy I cannot stress enough that they can contact me ANY time day or night, I don't care if it's a stupid question, well I sold an older puppy, she got lose not an hour of being in their posession, instead of calling me immediately they chased her, she was terrified I imagine, finally after realizing they were idiots they called me at 1am, 7 hours after she got lose, they went to bed, I searched for her until I started hallucinating, for 2 almost weeks trucking through the snow....*I* put up lost posters offering a reward, they refused to, I came close to getting her, I will never forget that day...she was running down a major highway, I yelled her name and ran but she couldn't hear me then she jumped 2 6ft fences and we never saw her again.  Twice the couple could have called me to save her LIFE, I was almost always in the area for 2 weeks (over 600 miles in less then 2 weeks) I was 2 minutes away one day, they had time to have some guy run to McDonalds, come back and try to lure her in, when she took off then they called me.  I think they knew I was going to try and repossess her...okay, enough talking about this, just upsets me.  People are so stupid...I screen and screen potential clients but, you just never know....