Hi im new here could I get a little bit of help please, I think I am in the wrong but I just want to check first so, The stud dog owner wants to do stud fee if he doesn't want a puppy from my litter, but if he does want a pup he then wants a puppy back, what I am unsure of if the stud fee is half of the puppy does he pay the remaining or does he just get the puppy free?
Thanks G

Really a question you need to discuss with him. When I had a pup from my boy's first litter, I paid the remaining amount after taking the stud fee off the asking price. It's not something set in stone, so you will just have to talk about it.

Thank you I thought this was the case

I don't like the whole 'puppy back' idea, for lots of reasons. 

I wouldn't agree to it...

Its easier if you pay the stud fee but he gets second choice of a pup after you and then pays the cost of the puppy, if he decides not to gave a puppy then the stud is already paid and no one is left wondering about where they stand. Much easier this way I would say, if you agree on puppy back and he doesn't want one after seeing them, then what. Easier to make him top of the list after yourself and then he can decide what he wants after seeing them and you've made your choice

Thank you all, have helped clear things up in my head

For the avoidance of doubt I would pay the stud fee and let him buy a puppy if he really wants one after your choice, there's a long way to go between mating and choosing puppies and lots of unfortunate scenarios to be had, keep it simple and in writing

As a word of warning....a friend (in another breed) had always given a pup as the stud fee in her previous litters, so with this particular mating thought nothing of doing the same. When the bitch was scanned she only had a single puppy. Bitch ended up having a c-section, yes only one bitch puppy (she'd hoped the scanner had missed a second one). She ended up having to give that one puppy to the stud dog owner as "that had been the agreement",personally I thought the stud owner should have allowed the pup to stay with the breeder and take a stud fee for her but, no, she took the puppy...

I think that's awfully cruel as the breeder has incurred all of the costs and all of the responsibility. My stud contract clearly states that two puppies or less do not constitute a litter and therefore there will be no stud fee - but then they would not get a free return as they would have done if the bitch hadn't taken at all.

When reared well and if including all costs  - especially the cost of an unexpected c section the first 2 puppies in the litter barely cover the costs to the breeder.

I have begrudgingly agreed to a pick of litter and it all went wrong. The breeder refused to relinquish the pup after half of the litter was lost (8 puppies in litter, 2 born sleeping, 1 didn't make it and 1 (last one) the bitch tore apart due to poor, poor care during whelping) and also refused to pay the price of the pup either. Ended up in small claims court where we won but even then they never paid as they absconded. The court doesn't not enforce the judgement - just gives a ruling. Never again!

Better off being clear from the start and pay the stud fee. As a stud dog owner, I have never demanded 1st pick of the litter and have preferred an outright payment. I have heard of stud owners who demand payment AND 1st pick. I have also known of a stud owner demanding 1st and 2nd pick of the litter....As a breeder, this is something I would never, ever agree to and would always steer clear of anyone only wanting a pup instead of or as well as payment.

Thank you all again this has been very helpful