Breeding

[kyachu]

Heyo, is there anyway to guarantee puppies I breed don’t end up in a pound? I was thinking about a contract for anyone that would buy one but if they can’t handle the breed then give then back to me, don’t take them to the pound. I just want to know if there’s a way I can guarantee this, I’m not going to breed if there’s not. Thank you in advance!!!

 

[home4good]

@kyachu Can you guarantee it? No. You can have people sign a contract but you cannot guarantee they will follow it.

You can follow the people with your puppies and keep up with what is going on with them and jump in if there is an issue. All depends on how much effort you will put into it (and it is up to you, not the people you sell to).

 

[kyachu]

@home4good Thank you, and kinda the same question if they sign something, and I reach out and they still take the dog to the pound can I take them to court?

 

[home4good]

@kyachu Yes, make sure to talk with a lawyer when making up the contract and I would probably use the same one to take them to court if they break the contract.

 

[repenter]

@kyachu You can microchip them and I believe add your contact as the breeder. Then a pound/rescue could potentially reach out to you.

 

[drsharles]

@kyachu Reputable breeders have their families sign a contract stating that if for any reason they are not able to keep the pup it must be returned to them. Unfortunately enforcing this is easier said than done. One way of ensuring that your pups don't end up in shelters is properly vetting each family as well as making sure they know you offer lifetime breeder support. We always keep our name as secondary on microchips as well just as a secondary failsafe. Ultimately enforcing a contract is difficult and people aren't always honest.

 

[taylordactyl]

@drsharles This. Read it and follow it.

 

[maddox]

@drsharles As a last resort offering to buy the dog back can also persuade the difficult ones.

 

[recuerdo]

@kyachu I recommend also requiring you be on their microchip as well. You can chip them before you home them. My breeder did this so if my girl is found she is also contacted.

 

[johnklok]

@kyachu Thirding on the microchip! My boy's breeder is listed on all their microchips, which she gets done before they go home. Because of that, she got contacted when one of my boy's cousins got picked up by animal control in CA, and road tripped him home when his owners revealed they weren't able to take him back. He is now living with a lovely couple and their pets and doing great. Any vet or shelter will scan for a microchip and so it's honestly the closest thing to a 100% track that's possible.

 

[caliisawake]

@kyachu I’m going to second getting your pups microchipped and having a contract in place saying that the buyers will return the puppy to you if anything happens. I also would recommend preparing yourself to turn people away if you don’t think they can handle the breed. It’s better to save yourself the trouble earlier on.

The guide attached below is something I recommend checking out! It’s a guide for those wanting a dog and how to find a reputable breeder. I recommend it because it’s a great resource so that you can be what we’re telling people to look for in a breeder. Being a breeder is a lot of work, so be ready to do health tests (OFA if in the US), genetic test, proving your breeding stock in show/competitions, etc. Best of luck!

https://www.reddit.com/r/dogs/s/ocLsvRtGS6

 

[kyachu]

Thank you to everyone who answered. I really do appreciate it. I plan to talk to a lawyer and see what they can do in my state and get them microchipped. Again I appreciate everyone’s time they took to answer this!

 

[dukedesu]

@kyachu Other people have given some wonderful answers. I will repeat some of this. With my puppies, they are microchipped, there is a contract in place giving me the first right of refusal on the dog, and I talk to each home and have their contact information before I sell them the puppy. I haven't had to buy back a dog yet, but I would buy them back if that was necessary to keep them out of the shelter. I did spend something like $800 to get a dog back to me from halfway across the country the next day when the person who had him no longer wanted him (keep this in mind when placing dogs farther away). I have never had a puppy end up in the shelter, but that doesn't mean that it couldn't happen even to the best breeders. One of my dogs has a sibling who ended up in the shelter after the dog's owner's health deteriorated and she could no longer keep up with the care of her animals despite being checked in on pretty frequently (maybe it was a pride thing). The important part is that we do our very best to prevent this from happening, not that people can't deceive and go behind your back anyway.

 

[walkinthewoods]

@kyachu No. No way to guarantee. But lots of ways to make it less likely, starting with choosing good owners and emphasizing that if they ever can't keep the dog, you want it back.

 

[maddox]

@kyachu So, I’m always open for people to return their dog judgement free. Getting my pups back and knowing they’re safe is worth it. I’m willing to buy the dog back if that’s what it takes. I’ve driven hours to get them back.

A tip is to have your information as the secondary contact on the microchip. At least if they dump them, your info will come up if scanned.

 

[sqs1]

@kyachu This for me, and I’m sure a lot of us, is the biggest drawback to breeding. Not having full control over how your pups are treated when they leave your home is tough. In my first litter I had a friend buy one for her father in law and then I observed him not being taken care of in the way that I would have wanted. It was hard, but I learned from it.

In addition to microchipping and a contract to return the dog if they can’t keep it, ask plenty of questions of potential buyers and don’t work with people who you feel even slightly off about. It isn’t worth risking an animal’s care and quality of life.

Some important questions: have you had dogs before? Did you raise any of them from puppyhood? What made you want to get a puppy? Do you have experience with this breed? Where do you plan for the puppy to live and sleep? There are more but I have found that these questions usually bring out warm answers that are a good sign and the people who I wouldn’t want to sell too don’t tend to even want to bother answering. Often I get told about dogs (usually the same breed) passing by away at an old age within the past few months and they will send me pictures and tell me about their dog. I take that as a big green flag. It’s as close to a proven track record of responsible ownership as you can get without actually knowing the person. Well…that and getting a vet reference if they have or have had pets. Thats good to do too.

 

[esk]

@kyachu By not breeding the dog