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Breeder contracts

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Laurame

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Just a quick question,

my friend is in the process of buying a Labradoodle Puppy. This puppy will not be KC registered but the breeder is requesting my friend sign a contract. I have read the contract and it's full of stuff like "puppy can't be on it's own for longer than 6 hours a day" (not that it ever would be); "puppy has to be walked a minimum of two hours a day"; "puppy will stay on a specific diet we send it to you with". The breeder also wants my friend to stay in contact and give her regular updates on the puppy, and has put all this in the contract as well!

How legally binding are puppy contracts in the UK if a puppy is not KC registered? My friend has had Labradoodles in the past and has never seen anything like this before. Any response would be greatly appreciated.
 
I would actually be quite concerned about that much walking for a puppy, and having looked a lot at canine nutrition I would only agree to the diet if I thought it was a good one. I think 6 hours is too long to leave a puppy too, although I know a lot of adult dogs can do that. I do quite like the idea of updates.

I think whether the dog is KC registered or not is irrelevant - my view would be the same either way.

Overall I think it is a good thing that the seller is making some specifications (in a sort of general sense) although I don't see how they could follow up on them in any way. What is the consequence of not complying, for example? Do they say they will take the puppy back?

It sounds like someone who is making an effort to have good homes for the puppies but perhaps hasn't thought it through very well.
 
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This sounds like a very caring breeder. We might not agree with the detail of the contract but at least they are ensuring that the new owner starts off on the right foot and realises what they are letting themselves in for with the care of the dog. I expect (hope) they mean 2 hours exercise as an adult dog.

Not sure about the legalities of the contract. I did hear/read, recently, that all contracts are enforceable. It just means that the case has to be taken to court for the judge to rule on it.
 
That's my understanding too - if you willingly enter into a contract, it can be enforced. To enforce it may involve court action though, and that usually doesn't come cheap. It probably varies across the UK too - I'm speaking from an English perspective. Scotland may well have different rules.
 
I can imagine they are putting a lot of people off with that contract. I would find another breeder personally. If I was to buy a puppy I would want it to be mine to look after it as I choose. It almost sounds like an 'open adoption'.

Our family dog is 3. And as far as I remember she gave us the food that he was on and that was about it. Obviously with vaccinations up to date etc.
 
Hi, all it says is that the "puppy will be walked for a minimum of 2 hours per day". My friend is quite put off by this. She has had Labradoodles in the past and knows exactly what she is doing. The contract also says that if my friend and her family do not comply with the contract then they are at risk of the breeder taking back the dog. Surely once my friend has paid for it (almost £1000 I might add!) then the dog is legally hers and all breeder rights are nulled?

Hollysh, my friend has been looking for this breed of dog for almost a year and have fallen in love with the little girl they are soon to take home, otherwise I think she would look for another breeder.
 
As has been said above the breeder could, in theory, take the matter to court over breach of contract. Whether that is likely to happen or not is another matter.

I would negotiate the contract to water it down a little. For instance, I would have something about "on vet's advice" added so that if a diet was not suiting or exercise needs to be limited then your friend could quote "vet's advice".

I think they mean by Walk "The Puppy" for two hours they mean Walk "The Dog". Your friend could get that bit changed before signing I would have thought.

It is highly unlikely, if your friend is an experienced owner, that the breeder will do much checking up on how the puppy is being reared. The contract is aimed more at novice owners who promise to feed, exercise and take care of the puppy and then tire of it after six months. This gives the breeder the chance to remove the puppy from an unsuitable home. This is never going to happen to your, experienced, friend.

Your friend could send regular updates to the breeder to convince them that the puppy is happy and healthy so that the breeder is reassured.

We have to remember that good breeders care very much about their puppies. It is almost like giving your dog to someone when you sell a puppy. You would want to make sure that your dog was properly cared for. A lot of planning, a huge amount of emotional commitment and a sizeable chunk of money go into rearing a litter of pups.
 
We bought our Cockapoo puppy last year and we also signed a contract. However I took this as evidence that the breeder did care about her dogs and was doing what she could to try to ensure they went to good homes. (Personally I think the £950 was evidence enough!!). However it wasn't as prescriptive as your friends one Laurame. It just said that we could not sell her on, that we must visit vet and continue with vaccinations, that we shouldn't breed her before 18mnths old, also that if at any time in her lifetime we didn't want her then we must return her to the breeder. We must also do everything to care for our puppy throughout her lifetime. I agree with others that the breeder probably means well but has just gone a little too far.
 
Yes that does sound like quite a nice contract, wanting to ensure it has a happy life. I think when they start putting clauses in about what food they should stick to and how many walks a day they need to have. as a legally binding contract that is too much. People want to buy a puppy and make it part of the family and nobody wants to be reporting back to the breeder and having them being involved in the process of raising him/her. If they want to do that they should have kept them in the first place.
 
To be honest I can't see how a breeder can keep a check anyway. Our breeder lives 200 miles away, has never seen our house or doesn't even know if we gave the correct address (we did, of course) but she certainly wouldn't know if we moved. I can't see how any contract as prescriptive as walks and food could possibly be enforced.
 
Me neither to be honest but obviously this has freaked Angela out slightly (my friend). She's never come across anything like this before and she's quite concerned that she's having to tiptoe around the breeder when all she wants to do is to give this puppy a good and loving home.
 
I wouldn't worry too much about it. Once she gets the puppy home and so long as she's only doing things in the best interests of the puppy, and taking advice from a vet then I can't see how the breeder can possibly have any complaints.
 
Having a contract of sale is the correct thing to do.

However, some of the stipulations are not correct with this particular contract ie 2 hours walking per day.

Yes the breeder is giving the new puppy owner guidelines to adhere to but we all know that once the puppy has left, it really is up to the new owner whether they carry on with the terms agreed in the contract. Many do not and how will the breeder know? There is now way to prove that the dog for example is not being walked for 2 hours a day.

Secondly, by having these strict guidelines, it means that should something go wrong with the puppy in the future, if the new owner did not strictly adhere to the terms of the contract then the breeder is not liable for any come back. For example, if the dog was to get sick later on and the new puppy owner was not using the food stipulated in the contract then the breeder has no legal obligation to enter into any discussions should they decide not to as, as far as the contract goes, the new owner has broken the terms and conditions.

Just buy the puppy, agree with the breeder and send a few photos back twice a year.
 
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