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Contracts & Price Structure (January 6, 2010)
In 2010 we are planning to revise how we price our puppies and the contracts that we sell them on. These improvements will be to the benefit and protection of the puppy first, our reputation, the Rat Terrier breed & the satisfaction of the buyers.
For information about puppy contracts and why they are important to breeders and to you click Here to read an informative article published by the AKC.
Since we have so few pups and invest so much time (as we breed for ourselves first), love and financial burden in this hobby; we expect that those looking for puppies will understand and appreciate this work. If not, there are plenty of breeders who will sell their puppies for lower prices, they will offer less post-sale "support" and probably fewer guarantees.
For more information on what goes into raising a litter, and how price structures are determined, read this excellent article I found at bankrate.com
When we plan a litter, many hours are spent combing pedigrees, discussing plans with other breeders & mentors. Arranging for the next show and drawing sketches of what we hope to get out of a particular cross. All of this time on the telephone or internet, walking dogs, testing and giving them a great quality of life, adds up to about the same # of hours one would spend at a full-time job.
It is arrogant of a breeder to assume most of his/her litter is of breeding or show quality. With this in mind, we usually reserve the top male/female picks in a litter for ourselves. Another 1-2 pups may be held for others interested in a top-quality show/performance prospect. If one of those homes does NOT come along, the person #1 on our PET list may end up with a top-quality pet who may be suitable for performance, hunting or other venues down the line. A Top-quality pet will be priced the same as a pet-quality pet. Picks are always made in the order in which deposits are received.
Our pricing may sometimes reflect additional services. In some cases we will let a puppy go on a spay/neuter contract. In other cases, we will have to raise prices to reflect the spaying and neutering of puppies PRIOR to their release to their new homes. This condition will usually apply in litters from our female and an outside male whose owner's stud contract details such a provision prior to allowing us to use their male. Stud contracts, like puppy contracts, are usually written to protect the interests of the stud owner, their reputation, the breed and their stud dog's health and well being.
Note: Beginning in 2010 all of our breeding dogs WILL be dna tested for Primary Lens Luxation (In addition to the other OFA certifications we already do) The marker for this devastating health issue was found, and thanks to the University of Missouri and the Orthopedic Foundation For Animals test kits are available (as of 10/2009) and we can identify, track and eliminate this disease from our program and from the breed. In the short term, we can certianly prevent having litters with pups at serious risk of the disease. This is a good start.
****OUR REVISED CONTRACTS WILL BE POSTED BELOW AS SOON AS REVISIONS ARE MADE****
e-mail us in the meantime if you have any questions, inquiries or concerns.
More helpful links to guide you in your puppy search:
Pet Shop Puppies Cost More Than You Think
The High Cost of Cheap Puppies
Sign the Pet Owner's Bill Of Rights!!
"...If you are not fully prepared to pay for a dog's needs and willing to spend a significant portion of your free time with the animal, then by all means do not get a dog. There are thousands of dogs put to sleep every year because the owners no longer want them or can not afford them. On top of this, there are hundreds of thousands of dogs that live miserable lives devoid of exercise, interaction, socialization, and basic housing needs because people do not realize the time, commitment, or expense involved in owning and properly caring for a dog.-The Cost of Owning a Dog
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