How many pups constitute a litter?. - Page 2

I GO THE EXTRA MILE AND MY STUD GUARENTEE IS " IF THEY HAVE 4 PUPPIES OR LESS , I GIVE THEM A FREE BREEDING BACK.  I WANT PEOPLE TO BE HAPPY WHEN THEY BREED TO ONE OF MY MALES AND IF A PERSON HAS ONLY 2 PUPPIES AND HAD TO HAVE A C-SECTION TO BOOT. YOU CAN BET THAT PERSON WONTH BE BACK TO BREED AGAIN. I HAVE PEOPLE COME BACK 2 OR 3 TIMES TO BREED TO MY DOGS , INFACT , I HAVE ONE PERSON COME BACK 6 TIMES AND BRED TO ONE OF MY 3 MALES EACH TIME. I HAVE A LOT OF BREEDINGS GIVING THAT KIND OF A GUARENTEE.   BUT I DO REQUIRE THE STUD FEE TO BE PAID AT TIME OF THE FIRST BREEDING.

 If the contract was for a puppy back and there were no puppies at all, do you make the bitch owner pay the stud fee?

In my personal dictionary the term "litter" consitutes however many live pups a female produced at time of whelp; a litter of one, a litter of ten... in the case of a singleton being born my phrasing would be: "there was one puppy in the litter."

If you do get only one pup,

Just remember the name "Solo"  is a good choice!

Years back I had 1Chocolate  Lab pup live out of 11 pups, I had gone to a dog show and brought back a disease,
everyone that had gone to that certain dogshow and had pregnant females at home lost their litters.

I named the only pup that survived "Solo" ...she ended up going home with a lady from
Sandwich Ma.

The breeder was just a guy that had a chocolate stud, that had no guarantees what so ever..

If you don't know the owner of the stud dog very well, than get a stud agreement in writing.

I had a one-puppy litter that happened to be the "U" litter - so you may guess what his name was - Uno.  LOL

ps I paid the stud fee and did not get a repeat breeding back nor did I ask for one.  I got one live healthy puppy, for me the small litter was not due to the stud dog.  He bred my female and she was pregnant, probably absorbed some puppies, or her timing was off - anyway the stud did his job and the female could have had more, but I didn't blame the stud dog.

molly

schhdiva - if there are no puppies, then the female or another female would be returned to the stud again for the same deal.  same as if there was a stud fee paid and there were no puppies :)  But this is one of several reasons why as a stud dog owner, I never agree to puppy-back instead of stud fee.  First, the stud fee isn't worth as much as one puppy.  Second, if there is even only one or two puppies - the breeder is out their only puppy, or half the litter, for the stud fee?  I think not.  Pay the reasonable stud fee, and that's that for the stud owner "deal".  IMO.

molly

I think that one needs to use differnt termanology regarding the stud service.  The owner of the stud should spell out what "adequet" stud service means, at least one puppy or 4 to state that he did "his job".

The true definition of a litter is the offspring as mentioned above and if used in a court of law, live birth would count. 

Owners of females shouls also be wary of the "confirmation of pregnancy" clause.   This would mean that if for some reason the female lost the litter, re-absorbes, miscarriage ect.  the stud fee would be inforcable.

Seems silly to go to these lenghts, but in todays society, you need things written out clearly for your own protection.

We bred her twice.  No puppies, now the stud owner wants me to pay the stud fee.  The contract was for a puppy.  This somehow doesn't seem right.

Thank you for the replies, they are have been extremely varied, as I expected.

I for one was very surpised when my stud owner offered a return service for 2 puppies, as yet I have not rebred my bitch but I will take her up on the offer later this year as I would like a bitch from this mating or I wouldn't have used him in the first place.

Horse Man you are certainly the exception to the rule, no less than 4 puppies, your ethics are incredible. I take my hat off to you !!!!   

Yes I think it is rather mean not to give a return service if the bitch fails to fall pregnant, but we do need ask this question before using a stud. I don't think that I would use a stud if that was their policy.

Hopefully at some time in the future I will own a stud dog, if that should ever happen I would be of the opinion that atleast 2 live pups be born from the mating if not I would provide a free service to the same bitch next time.