What should I think of a breeder who...

[Julia]

... does all the right testing and seems great, but when examining the fine print on her website, I notice that the 3 year health guarentee doesn't include paying for vet bills, only returning the dog. I'm a little surprised because I've heard excellent reports about her from members here. What do you think?

[F, Calla & Luca]

I guess all breeders are entitled to have their own policies. I think you have to decide if you are willing to abide by this. I think it would be very difficult to return a dog that was not healthy once you were attached to it. But assuming you did the vet check most breeders require you to do within a few days of getting the dog and got health insurance right away you would be covered. If the dog came with a serious health problem detected at the first visit then you would need to return it. Could you do this?

[Julia]

Well, this is about genetic problems. So, if, say, a hip problem develops when the dog is 18mths, the breeder will take back the dog and give you another one (who could possibly do that?), but she won't pay the vet bills as many will (up to the purchase price of the puppy.)

[F, Calla & Luca]

Then maybe she is not the breeder for you. Most good breeders will pay the bills up to the purchase price of the dog I think.

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

I agree

[Deanna & Desi & Cori]

Just looked at our contract.  It includes a 26 month "guarantee" that if the dog is found to have a "life altering illness" - confirmed by two different vets - the breeder will either exchange for another dog (I don't see how anyone could do that once they've bonded with their dog) or they will cover vet expenses up to the selling price of the puppy.  Several illnesses for which there is no genetic testing (e.g., Addison's) are excluded.

[Traci -Bexter & Maggie]

I would want the breeder who pays for the bills up to cost of puppy. Otherwise the guarantee is worthless because they know you won't return your beloved dog. I'd ask the breeder about that. Geez...why would they want the dog back? What would they do with it?

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

That would be my question? Why break everyone's heart to have the dog returned, give another dog, and still have to pay for vet bills for the returned dog?
Well, I would hope that would be the plan? So where is the benefit in having dog returned as only option?

[Julia]

As far as I'm concerned, that has to be the point. No one would return the dog, so for all intents and purposes there is not real health guarentee. Don't you think?

[F, Calla & Luca]

I agree. Most people would keep the dog and bear the expenses. Very clever.

[Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey]

Julia, I am glad you asking these questions, but true be told people do return dogs... Or worse dump them in a so called shelter... guarentee or not.  Like I said in your other post, reputable breeders will take a dog back.  If the breeder you are researching now doesn't list the health testing he/she does and/or won't supply proof of testing results, I for one, would see lots of caution signs popping.  In that case, no matter how solid the health guarentee reads I would walk away. 

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

We have a five year health guarantee for Guinness.  We would be able to get another puppy or be reimbursed for half of the purchase price.  I thought that was fair since at the time other breeders were only offering two to three year health guarantees.  Of course we would not give him up.  We would be reimbursed $1250 but that would probably not be anywhere near enough to cover Vet expenses for a condition that would fall under the health guarantee, so I'm not sure how much benefit this health guarantee actually provides.

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

I have no idea what my guarantee says - but i think my breeder would help with vet costs...  who can return a dog after a certain time