015. Health Guarantees
Description
This article is from the Breeding, Whelping, and Rearing Puppies FAQ, posted to rec.pets.dogs newsgroup. Maintained by Liza Lee Miller.
015. Health Guarantees
Every dog breed has health problems associated with it. Responsible breeders do everything in their power to avoid these problems in their litters. More and more breeders are finding some way to stand behind their breeding program by providing guarantees or warrantees on their puppies. The details will change depending on the breed and the types of problems seen in the particular breed. You'll have to decide what you want to guarantee. Many people offer money or a replacement puppy upon receipt of proof of the particular problem.
One example is with hip dysplasia: many breeds have a problem with dysplasia and it is extremely common to evaluate the parents' hips. However, even with these measures, there is no way to ensure that the puppies won't be affected. If the puppies end up having problems, some breeders will refund the purchase price with the intention of easing the veterinary bills for the owners. Other breeders will offer a replacement puppy to the owners for sometime in the future. Some breeders insist that the affected puppies are returned. Some breeders will insist that the affected puppy be spayed or neutered before honoring their guarantees. Whatever you do, you need to be very clear with your buyers about your policies to avoid problems in the future.
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