# Contract question



## blueroan (Dec 28, 2015)

Hey I was (casually lol) looking through some mpoo breeders and came across one who had their purchase contract displayed online. A good idea, really, so you can see upfront what is expected.

This breeder was guaranteeing her dogs free from hip dysplasia, and was strongly recommending that the purchaser have the puppy checked at two years old and she is informed of the results. However, this line was a bit odd:

_The puppy should not be made to climb stairs, walk on slippery surfaces or taken on walks over half a mile until adulthood._

She was specific about a few other things (such as puppy must be in be in a mat-free and flea-free condition). 

Thoughts?


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## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

The problem with a lot of health guarantees is that both genetic and environmental factors affect the health of the dog. So if a breeder is going to guarantee that puppy will not have hip dysplasia, then it makes sense that they would want to make sure that the owner is not doing things that might contribute to hip dysplasia. Sometimes breeders who believe that over-vaccination or poor diet contributes to health problems require that you follow their vaccination or diet guidelines or the health guarantee is invalid. 

My own view on this issue is that most health guarantees are not worth much anyway. Having a dog that develops a health problem is going to be a huge heartache no matter what kind of guarantee you have. You can minimize the chance that you will have that problem by buying from a breeder who is breeding healthy dogs, knows the lines they come from, and does the health testing required for the breed (look for a CHIC number on ofa.org). But in the end, there is always the chance that your dog will get sick. Most health guarantees don't give you much recourse. There may well be something that makes it "your fault" (e.g. allowing the puppy to climb stairs). Or you might be required to return your poodle for a replacement (unlikely that you will want to do that). So I would look for good breeders who are breeding poodles that are less likely to have problems, and forget about the guarantee.

With regard to hip dysplasia, it is unlikely that two parents with good or excellent hips (OFA ratings) will produce puppies with dysplasia. Even a fair x good breeding is probably OK. The warning about avoiding stress on a puppy's hips is good advice.


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

That's a bit extreme and unsound IMO. I have puppies hiking well over a half mile off leash at a very young age. And doing stairs. Although not excessively.

How common is HD in minis anyway?


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

That sounds very extreme to me! I understand not letting a puppy jump off of furniture or the car and not letting the puppy jog or walk long distances until mature, but sheesh, I can't imagine the bubble wrap this lady's requirements would entail.


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## Vita (Sep 23, 2017)

I knew I had saved a link about the reasoning behind this clause. It's from an old PF thread. See here:

http://www.poodleforum.com/5-poodle-talk/15046-hip-dysplasia-statment.html


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