Buyer Beware: When purchasing a pup from a breeder, you need to ask some very important questions. 90% of professional breeders (especially those who show their dogs!!!) these days are starting to add “fine print” at the END of the sale (springing it on you at the last minute, or trying to fudge what they are actually doing). Ask if there is a spay/neuter contract (some will REQUIRE you to spay or neuter by a certain age…too early…therefore stunting the growth of your dog, not allowing it to reach its full maturity and stature….a vet won’t tell you this…they only follow the mantra ,’spay/neuter all dogs to cut down on unwanted puppies, and dogs who end up in the humane society’…well intentioned…but they do not give the owners the pros and cons for spaying early)
***Please read my blog on “Early Spay/Neuter”
In addition: Ask if you are obligated to breed the dog, and at what age, and do you TRULY own this dog??? Some will say “oh, we want to have breeding rights to the dog…” which then flatters the buyer, makes them feel they got a great dog, then the poor new owners come to find out that the breeder can pick up this dog at any time, for any length of time, using it for stud service. What you have is a family, whose canine family member is taken out of its home at any whim of the breeder, with little children crying that they miss their dog…this sounds crazy, but I have run into sooo many families that this has happened to….it is VERY common. What is actually happening is, you don’t own the dog, you essentially co-own it, and may never actually have any say in anything you ever do with your dog, unless you have written permission from the breeder. This is a CONTROL issue on the part of breeders, founded in greed. Be CAREFUL, ask for the contract BEFORE picking up the pup. Do NOT enter into any agreement where you do not have FULL ownership of your dog. Do not accept a puppy with the promise that “the registration papers will be delivered in a month or so….”, they are going to fill it out with them as the co-owner, then send it to you.
Endless Mt. Labradors is a responsible breeder who TRUSTS its puppy owners, post- sale, because we screen very carefully. We also feel that you should have say in the dog YOU are caretaking. You, the family who keeps, nourishes, and loves the dog. You, and you ALONE should own your dog. We carefully place each dog in appropriate homes, based on questionnaires, extensive questions, and interviews with our future puppy owners.
We cannot be God, and we will not try to CONTROL you or your dog after the sale. You and your conscience are responsible at that point.
