Homestead German Shepherds Health Contract

Our warranty is a replacement puppy warranty and NOT a money back warranty. We do NOT refund money on replacement dogs. There are No Exceptions to this. 

Homestead German Shepherds (herein called “the Seller”) agrees to sell a German Shepherd Dog from our ___ litter to: ________________ (herein called “the Buyer”). 

This puppy listed below is guaranteed to be in good health, inoculated with it’s first 4-way vaccine and treated for parasites regularly. The puppy will be registered with a non-breeding agreement with the Canadian Kennel Club. The puppy’s registered name will include the Breeder’s kennel name and will be approved by the Seller to aid in our record keeping.

Puppy’s Registered Name & other information: __________________________    

This above mentioned puppy is guaranteed against the following:

1)Hip Dysplasia (receiving a grade of ‘Moderate’ or lower) until the age of 24 months, provided that the puppy has been x rayed and submitted to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) for evaluation at the buyers expense. Any attempt to dislocate a joint during palpation will void this agreement.

Hip dysplasia has four major causes:

Genetics

Diet

Over feeding

Too much exercise at a young age.

It is felt that genetics play between a 25-30% role in a dog getting hip dysplasia. That means that new pet owners can assume a great deal of responsibility in their dog developing good hips and elbows. This begins with feeding an all-natural diet, raw meat, or a quality dog food that is made up of all human grade ingredients. It also means that you should keep your dog from becoming overweight. Carrying too much extra weight at a young age is going to add stress on soft puppy bones and will have an effect on skeletal development of your dog. New owners need to be very careful of not over exercising a young pup,or letting them rough-house with other dogs. It is important to be very careful if you already have an adult med/large dog in your home. Your puppy will need to be supervised during play. Jogging or running beside a bike before the dog is 12 months of age is heavily discouraged. This means not exercising to the point of exhaustion, or taking the pup for long, long walks, or allowing the pup to jump off a deck or out of the back of a half-ton.

 

2)Elbow Dysplasia (receiving a ‘Grade II’ or lower) until the age of 24 months, provided that the puppy has been x rayed, and submitted to the OFA for evaluation at the buyers expense. Any attempt to dislocate a joint during palpation will void this agreement.

 

3)DM (Degenerative Myelopathy)until the age of 24 months.

 

4)The Buyer understands that the GSD Breed may have other health concerns not covered in this Warranty. Conditions described as “Genetic Predispositions” are not passed from parents to offspring but are common throughout the entire breed. Under no circumstances is the Seller liable for Vets bills incurred for treatment.                    Initials of Buyer(s)_______________________

 

This guarantee is void if the animal has been bred, sired a litter or if the dog at any time prior has had an accident where bones were bruised or broken. 

 

The Seller will not be responsible for any veterinary fees, transportation costs or other expenses that may be incurred should the puppy be diagnosed with any of the above genetic disorders before the age of 24 months. The buyer will immediately notify the Seller. The Buyer with provide Seller with a copy of ALL veterinarian records from the date of possession of the dog to the present. The breeder will replace the dog upon receipt of a written evaluation from a veterinarian, a copy of the OFA report, a copy of the xrays submitted for diagnosis, written proof of spay/neuter and a letter from the attending veterinarian which will include the following information:

-full registered name of the dog

-date of the x-ray

-name of the veterinarian who performed the x-rays and the clinic name

-permanent ID code (microchip number) of the dog who was x rayed and a signed statement that the ID was checked at the time of the x-ray to verify the identity of the dog.

The Seller and the Seller’s veterinarian will review the x-ray and all the vet records and pertinent information. If the Seller does not agree with the diagnosis, or is dissatisfied with the positioning of the dog or quality of the x rays (all of which affect the grading process) the Seller will have the Buyer take the dog (at the Buyer’s expense) to a clinic of Seller’s choosing and have new x rays taken at the Buyer’s expense and submitted to the OFA. The opinion of the OFA will determine the diagnosis of the dog in question. If the animal requires replacement, the Buyer may keep the affected dog if they choose. The breeder will provide only one replacement puppy of equal or greater value from a litter of the Seller’s choosing. The replacement puppy will not leave Homestead GSD until after proof of spay or neuter of the original dog has been provided. The Buyer will pay for all shipping and transportation costs of the replacement puppy.

The Seller guarantees that the puppy is healthy and free of any sickness at the time of sale. It is recommended that the buyer take their puppy to a vet within 72 hours of purchase to confirm health of the puppy. The breeder will replace the puppy when returned within 3 business days of the sale, provided that the puppy is accompanied by a written certificate of non-health from a veterinarian. The buyer shall return the puppy at the buyers expense. 

 

In return the Buyer agrees to the following:

-to provide solid insulated housing (if not an indoor dog).

-participate in at least one formal obedience training course.

-We advise that the puppy not be spayed or neutered before the age of 18 months. There are many studies that indicate spay or neuter prior to that age is detrimental and may cause increased incidence of hip dysplasia. 

If the puppy is altered before 12 months, warranty is void.

-licence (where applicable) and will have identification tags on the dog at all times. The Breeder will be notified if the dog is lost, stolen or passes.

-feed either a raw diet or a quality kibble. Diet, exercise and environment have been proven to be large factors in the development and severity of Dysplasia.

-our puppies are all checked for parasites and de-wormed accordingly, once you get your puppy, he or she can contract these parasites in your environment. Previous treatments do not cover exposure in your environment and it’s the buyer’s responsibility to have the puppy re-examined regularly for the first year. 

-have boosters and rabies vaccines administered according to your vet and be given a regular health check ups for the life of the dog.

-if your puppy’s ears are not standing by 3 ½- 4 months of age, take him to your veterinarian, have them taped and follow your vets instructions. If this is not done by the age of five months your dog’s ears will not stand.

 

The Seller does not warranty teeth, ears and testicles.

 

This puppy is sold on a NON BREEDING contract, signed by the buyer and registered with CKC. If this dog sires a litter or is bred legal action will be taken. If the puppy is bred the warranty is void. The dog will remain under a non-breeding contract for the life of the dog. 

 

*If the Buyer is no longer able to keep, or care for the puppy/dog, FOR ANY REASON, during his lifetime, he is to be returned to Homestead German Shepherds, without any monetary refund. 

 

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE WILL THE DOG BE TAKEN TO A ‘SHELTER’, ‘RESCUE’, RESOLD OR GIVEN AWAY WITHOUT WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE BREEDER. SELLING OR UNAUTHORIZED CHANGE IN RESIDENCE OR OWNERSHIP OF THIS PUPPY WILL RESULT IN LEGAL ACTION.

 

While we do our best to carefully screen buyers and have our puppies go to wonderful and loving homes, temperament cannot be guaranteed as we do not have control over how the puppy is raised after leaving our care.

If any part of this agreement is breached by the Buyer, the Breeder is released from any obligation. This contract is not transferable.