Puppy Contract Guarantees - Page 2

I like crhuerta idea. That way the puppy buyer has an option.
Julie Marlow of Vom Banach K9 has an AWESOME guarantee... here is the link on her site...
http://vombanachk9.homestead.com/puppycontract.html
What I like about her puppy contract is that it is VERY clear and covers all loopeholes..

     I don't know how anyone would require the return of the dog for a guarantee. Yes, IF they wanted to return the dog, by all means take it back. I have always wondered WHY would anyone require the dog be returned, what is the breeder  going to do with the dog once it is returned,PTS.
     If someone is already loving their dog by the time the problem is discovered (and you should sure hope they do love their dog), and they want to keep it, let them have it. Yes spay/neuter.
     crhuerta has the right idea.When I sell pups, I guarantee, or should I say warrantee the dog, basicly for the life of the dog from genetic defect. If something should pop up, I will give a replacement pup. You keep your dog. No IF,AND, or BUT's about it.
     The fact that you may not have another litter in the near future really does have you having to consider your options here fully since  the purpose is sport. I would say a refund of 50 % of purchase price if a problem arises, they keep the dog. Unless the dog is 100% useless to them.
     If your breeding dogs, you should be willing and able to stand behind them. If you don't have enough confidence in the lines you are breeding, you shouldn't be breeding them.( I do not mean YOU Psycht, when I say that, anyone that breeds and sells is my intent of the sentence).
     I can't go with the theory of buying a pup as a crap shoot. Yeah, shit happens, but if it does, Clean it up!
     In the almost 20 years I have had German Shepherds, I can honest and truly state, I have never had a health related issue with one pup (one overbite).

Here is another prospective view from the other side of the Water, Now every Dog i have ever owned has been an 7 to 9 week old Puppy and so is my next Pup Hektor this coming Month.
I have never asked for any Guarantees from the Breeders of any kind. I know the risks involved in buying a Pup regards its Joints etc, However the Breeders always ask that my Vet checks the Puppy over to see that it is sound etc and that is done.
Personally and this is the way i look at it I have chose the mating i have studied the Parents and the ancestors very well indeed before making my mind up and i know what i am looking for in the Pup for the work i have planned for it
I know the Health of the Parents right back as far as i need to go in the generations, So i can see how the Hip and Elbow's have turned out in part, I also look at other Brothers and Sisters Joints and Half brother- Sister Joints which are on show in many cases and i weigh up the odds of what the probable Joints will turn out on the coming Pup just as i have done with Hektor the Pup to be
All this is done prior to ever contacting the Seller, But in this case i knew the Breeding before it happened. So up to now i have been lucky always a Pup turned out a1normal Hips and elbows in the Pups i have picked
If it should Happen that i get a Pup with not so good Joints i would not hold the Seller to account. I would look up to check on Brothers and Sisters of that litter to see the results if any and i would tell the Breeder but it would end there, I would not expect a refund or a Pup in exchange, But knowing the Breeders i go to i expect another would be offered so i need no written contract of any kind for me, i go on my own knowledge and i hope for a bit of Luck
Steve1

My contract is until the third birthday and is a full money back w/o returning the dog.  It covers any genetic defect that greatly and permanently impacts the quality of a pet's life.  I note that Grade 1 elbows and Mild HD are excluded as they aren't severe enough, likewise allergies are left to my discretion because of the possibility of mis-diagnois, varying opinions on severity, environmental factors, etc.  I know some dogs with Grade 2 elbows or Moderate HD will never suffer, but I cover them anyway just in case.  MOST of those who buy from me are only going to get x-rays if the dog is already showing an issue (which is should by 3 years of age if severe), so I figure this is the best way to not only stand behind the dogs I breed but also to insure the buyers inform me of genetic issues. 

I believe that deal must be fair for the buyer and seller or it is not a good deal.
I would offer replacement but
if you do not breed often and can not replace the dog, then you need to offer partial money back guarantee. I would prorate it for 3 years or maybe 5 years. 
Hips usually do not cause the dog not to perform, but usually there is different reason for it as innocent as pano or as bad as torn muscle or broken bone and HD is discovered subsequently and often blamed for the symptoms.
You may opt to offer the dog or money back if the dog was purchased  for breeding only.  And prorate the value of the dog until starting shoving symptoms. In that case i would prorate it for 10 years.
I always keep the option open to take the dog back to your  discretion, but have done it maybe 2-3 times in 30 years.
People will scam you and want another dog for free. Then i would like them to send the dog back. Also I suggest that you google a vet in the clients area and talk to him and send the client there if there is any suspicion of fraud. Talk to the vet first about your concerns. Tattoo or microchip the pup.  
Here is my warranty. Feel free to copy it.
http://www.alpinek9.com/WARRANTY.html 
Prager Hans

In Germany a Kennel names its litters by the Alphabet and by the amount of Litters it has bred So if a kennel has bred 8 litters of Pups that 8th Litter would be Wurf H Litter
In Belgium it is somewhat different you go by the Year A B C D E etc
Over here the Owner gives you the option to pick a Pups name for instance my Pup coming from Germany next Month is a H Wurf Litter so i have called him HEKTOR plus then the breeders Kennel name, No big deal but just to put it in the right context
Steve1

Psycht, you are obviously concerned with doing the right thing or you would not even be asking this question. I tip my hat to you for this.

there have been some good suggestions but why not look at it from another angle. if you bought a puppy and it had issues, how would you want to be treated. it may cost a little money occasionally, but you'll never lose a new friend.

 I haven't bred a litter in quite a while. when I did, my contract was pretty simple, the pup develops health issues, i will replace and you can keep the dog when I have proof of spay/neuter. just want to keep the pup and no replacement, I will refund xx% of purchase price with spay/neuter.

also made it clear that i would not be responsible for any medical or transportation costs.

the way I look at it, I am the one responsible for what I breed, not the buyer.

Rik

Thanks all for the opinions and ideas.  You have given me much to think on!  At this point I am leaning at giving a percentage of the purchase price back or a choice to wait until I eventually have another litter (with the understanding it might be 5+ years down the road).

Rik - part of my problem is I am probably not the usual buyer per se ;-)  I have purchased dogs that turned out dysplastic and one that even died young due to kidney issues.  I did not expect anything from the breeders of those dogs.  Breeding, to me, is a crap shoot and I look at getting a dog as something very different than say from buying a defective electronic item like an iPod.  I have no expectation of a guarantee of health when I get dogs.  But I am similar to what Steve1 described - I research and know my lines and know the pitfalls and strengths in the genetics of the dogs I purchase so am willing to take a chance in purchasing a "pig in the poke" so to speak. 

With that said, I recognize that I am not the average puppy buyer and that is why I started this thread - to get a bead on what the average puppy buyer might expect and how other breeders attempt to meet those expectations in a realistic and fair manner. 

Thanks again and please keep the ideas coming as I love expanding my knowledge base :-)

Psycht
I realize that i to am not the ordinary purchaser of a Pup. I go into the Breeding and the Health aspects far deeper than the normal Person would and i do it all without asking any questions. Last night i got home from the training club very late i had a quick Shower then opened up the computer it was nearly 1.30 in the morning, I posted a message on here and then i looked at the breeding of my coming Pup for the 100th time also going back both sides to see the percentage of Joints done what they were etc,
Not that i did not know but i find it very interesting to do this. Most people will expect some sort of Guarantee with a Pup,
But they must also realize that it is a living Creature and a guarantee cannot be placed with any certainty as if it was a machine or a Car
Part of the Job regarding any illness, Joint Growth, good or bad is down to the Buyer, It is the Buyer who is handling the Pup, working it and feeding it this makes a huge difference to how it grows on Physically i'e Joints and mentally,
My advice is to keep the Guarantee simple as you do not breed often then make it a part refund return but on being Spayed etc, and give it not more than 2.5 years they can get X-Rays then
Steve1

Hi Ingrid,

This is what I do:

I offer a full replacement if the dog doesn't pass SV or OFA w/an "a" rating or "fair" or better and normal elbows. All I want back are the papers. I wouldn't sell a dog to someone who would be so callous as to be fine with sending it back to an unknown fate if something went wrong. Anyway, if they elect not to take a new puppy, I will refund half the purchase price at that time, or they can have another puppy free, minus shipping, at any point. There is no expiration on this. I don't breed that much and buyers know that, so that's why I give the option of a refund instead. I may also make an exception and I do state this in my contract. For example, if a dog is totally debilitated and they have to either go to an enormous expense to preserve its quality of life or put it down, I may give them a full refund should they elect not to take another pup. Not that it makes it "all better" but at least they can recoup some of their money.

If this thread is still going when I get my laptop back, I will copy/paste my contract but I don't have it on this computer.

I would quit breeding if 30% of my pups were dysplastic. Yikes.