curious - Page 1

People on here always talking about contracts and how they would handle certain issues.
well I'm curious say a person is looking for a typical DDR looking dog.Nice blocky head, thick bones good size when mature.They told the breeder this is what they are looking for in a dog when fully mature.Well of course they want a well socailized pup and has nice drive not over the top,good hips and elbows.well the breeder says she has a litter that the mother is 88lbs and the sire is 92lbs.and these pups will  be the classic look.Ok time has past the dog is almost 9 months old and is about 18" to the withers and she is weighing in at around 48 lbs.very small bones.She is well socailized but very pettite.Ok the owner isn't happy of her size. Now how would you breeders handle this one.
Now rememeber this is just a hypathaical question.
steve

Correction...that pups "should" have nice bone and substance with balanced drives, but, since the breeder is NOT prescient, they cannot predict anything for sure, 100%.
The buyer has a huge responsibility in every transaction they are involved in, study, research, do homework, look at previous litters, etc, etc.
As far as I know, no breeder has a computer they are able to plug their bitch into and program what they want to come out 60 days later. In the end, being realistic about your expectations from a puppy is vital...if you want THAT look and THOSE drives, pay the big bucks and get an adult that you see and evaluate NOW.

I would be very afraid about what they were going to do with the dog if they don't like it.  That is why I don't breed and have only males, because I would want the dog back from anyone that does not seem to want or appreciate it.  We just had a dog passed around from a police officer to his friend to a co-worker of the friend who put the dog on Craigslist and now the German Shepherd was starved and thrown from an overpass into the freeway.  It may lose a leg now.  

I am actually dealing with a similar situation at the moment. The dog is a 1 y/o female out of a littler that was imported in utero. Owner was told at the time of purchase that we did not know exactly how big the sire was, only had information and pictures provided by his owner in Europe. The female is a good size, about 70# (these are showlines, not DDR just to clarify). Our contract states that we cannot guarantee breeding quality ad that was explained to the man at purchase. He has returned the dog and she is about 50#, very fine boned and feminine, and she is only 1, so still has some filling out to do.
The owner swears there is something wrong with her, though the vets have not been able to find anything after multiple rounds of bloodwork and othe tests. He wanted to breed her and has been told by many people that she is not breeding quality due to her size and lack of bone. He has returned her and I wrote him a statement saying that a replacement puppy would be provided if a diagnosis and statement of congenital defect were provided by his vet. 

I would not, could not guarantee size or color. I will clearly state, in those areas,"I believe", this dog will be this or that.
I had a problem like that with a yorkie. The mother was Silver and Gold, father Black and Gold. I told the woman when she got the pup,
I did not know what color she would mature to,(all yorkie pups look like little Rotties at 12 weeks).
Anyway,she stated she preferred the silver and gold,(now this IS a crap shoot), well her pups turns out Black and Gold, and 2lbs, at 2 years. She wants half her money back. I told her yeah right. Give me back the dog and I will give you all your money back.
She didn't want to hear that,
Now I had a woman that got a yorkie from me, return person, second pup. I gave pup first 2 vaccines, she gave 3rd vaccine,
WELL, she gave a 7 way vaccine to a 7oz yorkie pup ! I guess I don't need to tell you what happened to that poor baby of mine.
My God I was devistated, Even though the death was not really my fault, only the fact I did not specifically tell her DO NOT use so much vaccine for such a little dog, I have a replacement pup for her now.
I felt horrible for her also.
Anyway, IMO, there are some things you can't guarantee, size and weight is one of them.
My DDR female, 3yrs old,is on the smaller size.

Also the diet of the dog in the first year can/will have something to do with the size of dog at maturity. if fed cheap, crap food with little nutrition, they will not gain full size/weight at maturity, and may be stunted in growth. My stud dog is very large and considered oversized, but to date has never produced any offspring that are anywhere near his size, none have been oversized. so just because said parents are "such and such" size/weight doesn't mean their offspring will be.

Remember  this thread is just a question I like to see the different responses.Ok now the tables have turned.You purchase this dog and you tell the breeder you are looking for the classic look and down the road if no health issues you might use her for breeding.You pay the extra for breeding rights.When you get the pup you get her off the food she was on (not bad food) and switch her to quality food (TOTW)Now the girl you purchased is 9 months old and very pettite.Now would you just keep her of course not for breeding or would you? Or would you contact the breeder?Remember you paid the extra for breeding.And when the breeder advertise this litter.It said nice size heads and thick bones they will have the classic ddr look.
Steve 

I think (hypothetically)  that you would be getting ahead of yourself if you
wrote off a 9 months or one year old bitch for a potential brood.  Just as
she is too young to be a mother if she's a GSD, so she is too young to
really be sure how she will turn out.  They can still 'fill out' a bit at that
age;  some lines mature earlier than others.  And you won't yet know
some of what you need to about her, at a year or under, before you decide
to breed her.

I think TOO many people OVERTHINK too much...I'm referring to puppies...

It's very simple...When buying a puppy...There just isn't any guarantees...You are buying their parents...Their bloodlines...You get a good idea of the colors they'll be...But in reality you won't know until they're mature...It you want a guarantee...then buy an Adult...Sure you pay a little more but if you figure it out...time wise...it's a good deal...

People who buy a puppy and want every guarantee under the sun just isn't the right buyer for my puppies...If you're a breeder and sell to someone who wants a guarantee that this puppy will grow up to be the next World Champion just has unrealistic goals...

I think a buyer needs to take the responsibility of choosing the right dog/puppy for the purpose they need...If I know something about the dog and can guarantee it...then I will...Such as the working ability...If I say a dog will work for this or that...then I'll guarantee it...If I don't want to guarantee it then it doesn't mean the dog won't work...What it means is the dog hasn't been trained and I won't promise something I'm not sure of...

Everyone has their own idea of what a Good dog is...Mine won't be the same as your's...What you want is up to you and your experience to handle it...I always say...Be careful what you wish for...

We can all tell stories of people who buy our Working German Shepherds...and after many times being explained how much energy they have...and what they'll require...They still promise that they have the experience to handle such a dog...But in the end they don't and can't handle this dog/puppy...And so they get returned (at best)...