# Co-Ownership



## Olie (Oct 10, 2009)

How exactly does this work? I am sure some are different. 

If a breeder co-owns with someone, how is the financial side handled?


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## neVar (Dec 25, 2009)

It depends on how it's done. . . poodle world seems to have other 'options' such as 'fostering' 

in MOST breeds co ownership works like this. 

Person A wants a dog they can show. and perhaps breed with. They are not a super well known breeder (and heck even some who are). Person B has a litter of puppies coming. Person B will sell the puppy to Person A on a co ownership contract. This mean puppy is in both names. Puppy can't be bred with out BOTH signatures for dogs to get registerd. Person A pays all expenses for the dog. Person B has input on breedings- and often gets a puppy from the first litter. Sometimes co ownership will end (IE person B remains as owner until first litter etc, ) 

Sometimes it's that Person B has a puppy for Person A. Person A isn't looking to show etc. but the puppy left for them is the pick of the litter. Person B will offer co ownership. dog stays in tact. Person B gets to Show it breed it. Person A covers costs of it's life. Person B covers the cost of it showing, breeding whelping etc. In poodles this is quite often considered 'fostering' That term isn't used in many other breeds that i've run across. however in 'fostering' i believe dog remains in Person B's name until they are done with the dog showing/breeding at which time it's signed over to person A. (Not sure how cost works with fostering- with co ownership in this example- dog costs Pet price)


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## cbrand (Aug 9, 2009)

Every thing is negotiable. Put everything in writing! Most breeders use co-ownership as a way to control what happens to their breeding stock. In my case, my contract says:

I stay on as co-owner until dog is finished and fully tested.
Primary owner pays all show, medical and health testing.

Be careful what you agree to. If you pay to finish a dog, should you really have to owe the breeder an entire litter back? I personally would never enter into an agreement where a dog was co-owned for life.


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## wishpoo (Sep 12, 2009)

(Changed my mind... deleted post ... sorry)


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## Feralpudel (Jun 28, 2010)

As Carol said, put everything in writing! I co-own Dexter with his breeder--that was her condition for full registration so I could show him. Apart from a formal contract, we had an exchange of emails laying out what our understandings and expectations were. Sometimes hard feelings arise out of co-ownerships. I would say that ownership arrangements should reflect a relationship of mutual trust and understanding, not substitute for it! And I found it really helpful to have an informal conversation exploring as many possibilities as we could think of, e.g., I wanted to be able to bail on the show thing at any time and neuter him.


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## cbrand (Aug 9, 2009)

Feralpudel said:


> And I found it really helpful to have an informal conversation exploring as many possibilities as we could think of, e.g., I wanted to be able to bail on the show thing at any time and neuter him.


So true! There is a woman in my running group who has Vizslas. She is contractually obligated to finish her bitch. :scared:


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## Feralpudel (Jun 28, 2010)

cbrand said:


> So true! She is contractually obligated to finish her bitch. :scared:


Yikes! That is one of the main flavors of co-ownerships gone south, from what I hear. How old was the bitch when she was sold as "finishable"? It's one thing to stipulate that an unfinished bitch can't be bred, but what if the bitch can't win points even when handled by the judge's granddaughter, LOL.


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## tintlet (Nov 24, 2009)

I've done all sort of co-ownerships. From being in name only, to splitting every expense. You need to be careful of co-ownerships and make sure everyone is on the same page.

Until you form a relationship, make sure it all is in writing. With my friend Becky Baxter, we started out with it all spelled out. now we just co-own and whomever the dog lives with pays all the bills ( expect AKC handlers is split).

co-owning and having to finish a dog AKC can get sort of dicey. But some co-owners/breeders will pay handling fees too.

I've got a dog here that I neither own or co-own. but I pay all his bills and UKC shows. He's worth it <BG>


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