# Breeding Contracts



## summercricks (May 8, 2012)

I was wondering if I want to breed my dog in the future only once or maybe possibly twice should I get a contract for those puppies. This is no where in the near future but was curious on what those that only breed a couple times do.


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## marbury (Apr 3, 2012)

I'm not even going to touch on the question of whether or not you *should* be breeding your dogs, I'll leave that to other folks. But if you find yourself in the position of needing to responsibly place puppies it should ALWAYS be done with a very tight contract, one that has provisions to ensure that there is no breeding done with the puppies (spay/neuter contract or other methods) and that the dog can and will be repossessed if the buyer attempts to re-sell or mistreat your pup. Be ready to have the entire litter back in your lap in a worse-case scenario; if you can't imagine having a house with 14 adult returned GSDs then that will feed right back into the 'should you breed your dog' question.


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## summercricks (May 8, 2012)

ok thank you I was just wondering. Breeding her is a decision I will make down the road but I was just wondering if that is something I should have if I ever do breed her.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

If I were to ever breed my dog(s), my "contract" would probably be nothing more than a written bill of sale, mostly for my own record-keeping.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

As a breeder, what would you like to include in that contract? Anything specific or are you just trying to look more official?


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

cliffson1 said:


> :hammer::hammer::headbang:


Sounds to me like the OP has an open mind and is willing to listen to experienced people's opinion - these kind of posts don't help in anyway and can be quite insulting and demeaning.


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## summercricks (May 8, 2012)

Just to make sure the puppy is being taken care of and record keeping. I never bred anything more than a litter of coonhounds before and I had nothing more than a bill of sale but coonhounds and GSDs are two total different types of dogs and for the most part different but great people.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

summercricks said:


> Just to make sure the puppy is being taken care of and record keeping. I never bred anything more than a litter of coonhounds before and I had nothing more than a bill of sale but coonhounds and GSDs are two total different types of dogs and for the most part different but great people.


The best advice I can give you is that most educated puppy buyers are probably looking more at the dog (pedigree, health checks, titles) and the breeder's experience and expertise than a piece of paper with a few signatures at the bottom.


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## 4TheDawgies (Apr 2, 2011)

I think contracts are extremely important! I can't tell you how many people get MAD though that someone would dare put a contract on a dog. Some people even refuse to buy a dog they are attached to because of it. 

Those are people you don't want to buy your dogs anyways. 

I think if you don't have experience breeding shepherds you should consider that they are a very complex breed with many things that need to be evaluated and tested before you even consider breeding a dog. 

I would recommend you look into the things that you should do and test for in your dog to prove it has the "goods" to be breed worthy.


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## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

Yeah a contract is a heavily United States type of thing where everyone wants a warranty on everything they buy, so breeders made contracts that would guarantee the dog's health. Most buyers (even novice ones) will look for a contract with a breeder since many breeders offer one and if you call 5 different breeders you're bound to run into at least one (if not all) that will offer a contract guaranteeing something. So, in an open market, the contract looks like a benefit to have for the buyer. On the breeder side, there is usually something in there about abuse and the breeder having the right to take the dog away, and then if for any reason you can't take care of the dog, the breeder gets the chance to take it back and find it another home.

What you have to ask yourself is how involved do you want to be? Will you take the dogs back if anything happens to the owners? Are you capable of taking care of that many dogs? Do you want the legal liability that comes with having a contract? If you don't want all that headache, then don't provide a contract, but that will show potential buyers that there are other, possibly better, breeders out there and who knows if they would purchase from you.

Breeding is complicated, but the economics behind it are even more complicated. The price, quality, contract/guarantee, and future liability is so intertwined that its not just thinking about a contract, but everything that comes with it. For someone that plans on only doing 2 breedings, how will you replace a puppy if it develops HD or another genetic disease? There are so many more things to think about when it comes to breeding, you should really meet a breeder and get some advice from them, or go through a "breeding cycle" with them and see everything that happens from planning a litter, to having a litter, to always having responsibility for that litter (10-14 years).

I'm not saying that a contract is required, but in my mind, most responsible homes will expect one in this day and age. And when they can go 10 minutes away and probably find a breeder that offers one, you have to ask yourself why would they pick your puppies?


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## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

@ Castlemaid.....my post was not directed at the OP, my post was directed at people's criteria for what a reputable breeder should always do....and I would guess they are experienced people or they wouldn't be giving this advice:rolleyes2:....I didn't comment because this has been discussed before and I don't want to sidetrack the topic. Sorry if I wasn't clear.


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

Honest questions follow, please read with an open mind. The GSD is the #2 most popular breed out there in the US and probably the most popular worldwide. Probably half of those dogs do not meet the standard for the GSD. I'm not talking nitpicky details, more like fearful, no aggression, all the wrong aggression, poor health, weak nerves, some are disasters and some decent enough pets and some are management cases. A lot of them come from litters where someone's goal is just one or two litters. A lot come from puppy mills. Some come from breeders who only consider physical appearance or sport ability and dang all the rest. Many posts on this forum are dedicated to cleaning up the messes in the breed. What to do with DM, hip dysplasia, allergies, SIBO, etc? How to socialize? My dog is aggressive, help? My dog is scared of everything, help? 

Someone could have a really great dog, breed it to another really great dog, and due to lack of understanding of pedigrees, end up with nightmares that either need to be in expert homes or be euthanized. Or can end up with most of the litter affected with varying degrees of genetic hip dysplasia. 

Having said all that? Why breed your female? This is to say nothing of the fact that she can die on the table during an emergency C-section because the vet missed a stuck pup and too much time passed. What does her pedigree have to offer the breed? What about herself- what has been done to confirm she is an excellent representative of the breed? What lines should she be matched with and what lines should be avoided? Are you set up to keep pups if they do not sell or are returned? 

Coonhounds are probably easier- if they can run and tree and be good at it, they will likely make more good, sound treeing dogs (if it won't work, don't bother). GSDs have so many factors to think about- nerve, aggression, genetic obedience, clearheadedness, tracking ability, herding ability, defense, seriousness, prey, health, soundness, and then finally structure and appearance. These are all things to consider before jumping in and I do encourage you to start learning. This forum has excellent resources and people who are unbelievably knowledgeable about breeding GSDs.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

cliffson1 said:


> @ Castlemaid.....my post was not directed at the OP, my post was directed at people's criteria for what a reputable breeder should always do....and I would guess they are experienced people or they wouldn't be giving this advice:rolleyes2:....I didn't comment because this has been discussed before and I don't want to sidetrack the topic. Sorry if I wasn't clear.


Mmmyeah, I think I did a double take and pretty much disagreed with all of that particular post as well!


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

I started out wanting a breeder who offered great contracts and then I realized why bother? I'd keep the pup regardless. It is a living critter I have welcomed into my home as a member of the family. I'd stack my deck by going with a breeder who has a great deal of knowledge in breed genetics. Two families with low ZWs will likely produce pups with decent hips. If not, that's life and there are no guarantees in life.


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## summercricks (May 8, 2012)

wow thanks! It was just something that I was thinking about if I was to ever breed my dog but I wouldn't breed her without her evaluated and tested and have good results. I don't want to have pups that are having temperment, health, etc problems. And if they ever would and the owner couldn't do anything for them I would be willing to give them a home or try to find them a home that they would fit.


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## jmdjack (Oct 2, 2009)

I agree with Liesje and Cliff. From a purchaser's perspective I do not really care about a warranty. I do care about the contract to the extent it imposes obligations and restrictions on me. For instance, I have seen contracts that purport to require the feeding of particular food. Huh? As a matter of principle, I personally do not like limited registrations although, for me, I do not consider it a disqualifier because it really does not impact me. 

I also disagree with the notion that: "most responsible homes will expect one in this day and age. And when they can go 10 minutes away and probably find a breeder that offers one, you have to ask yourself why would they pick your puppies?" I would like to think that most responsible homes would make their decision based upon an evaluation of who the breeder is, what the breeder has, what the breeder has produced, etc. with the understanding that they are buying a living, breathing being for which there really are no guarantees - not the existence of a piece of paper.


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## stoli2003 (Aug 24, 2011)

This is a great subject. I bought my pup-Zore from educatiing myself on line and getting on the phone. I ended up getting Zore from a well known GSD breeder. His gene pool is on top the food chain. However I understand that does not guarantee great litters. (IF) I was to breed Zore I think the pathway I would take is to contact a few *well known* GSD breeders and ask alot of qualifying questions-a learning curve if you will. Take some of the guess work out of it. If they would accept Zore, in turn for Zore's service I would like one of the puppies for my sister. That's the only reason I would breed Zore. Prior to Zore all my other GSD were girls and I had them spayed.


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