Hi All

Question for all you breeders out there....

If you had a puppy that required surgery before going to its new home would you expect the new owner to pay the vet bill?

Absolutely not.

Marianne

No and I would probably keep the puppy myself or sell it for only a token sum.

We have actually just been through this with a puppy we bred we kept her on and took her to the vets after several scans and x rays the worst news come through, her tubes were not goin into the bladder properly and because her bladder was to far back and she had a loose spincta (sp), we agreed with the vet that was douting the operation would work long term, and if it came back would cause hastle to the new owners also on the puppy as it could be worse next time aroundso we decided to let her go, it was hard but it was the right choice, we would never let a puppy go to a newe home unless in was 100% well! why do you ask anyway?
Fiona

Here is the reason I asked...

My sister-in-law is getting a Yorkie pup from her father who has just bred a litter. She will be bringing it home this weekend. I believe my SIL thought her father was going to give her the pup for free but last week he told her that not only does she have to pay for the pup, but also for the surgery it had recently.

I don't yet know what the surgery was for. My SIL knows that everyone (including her husband, my brother) disapproves of her getting a pup at the minute as she has an extremely boisterous 3 year old and a baby who is just starting to crawl (9 months old) so she doesn't tell us much about it. We all think it is the wrong time to be bringing a pup in to the home as the children are very young and with the best will in the worls, I don't think anyone can devote the time and attention needed to a puppy with kids this young around. Particularly since my brother has made it crystal clear that he wants nothing to do with the dog so she'll really be the only one looking after it. I was concerned all along about the welfare of any dog being brought into this environment but I am now even more worried that this is a pup with potential medical problems and even less suited to their household.

I feel that my SIL's father is using her to offload a sickly pup. I suspect the reputable breeders here would be unlikely to rehome this pup at all (or would at least wait until it's future health was more certain) and definitely would not let it go to a family with such young children. I also suspect that the sire and dam are not health tested and that the litter was bred to make a bit of extra cash (hence, charging my SIL for the surgery so he's not out of pocket) :( :( :(

Might he feel like you do? That this is not the best time to have a puppy, and is saying she must pay full price for the pup and for the operation in order to try to put her off getting a puppy right now? I know some people do ask higher prices hoping to put people off rather than just saying the puppy is not for sale.

No, I don't think so. The litter was planned and my he promised my SIL a pup before they were even sure the dog was pregnant. Also, my SIL looks after his adult dog when he goes away so I don't think he has a problem with her bringing a dog into the household. I think he has realised that rearing a litter cost more than he first anticipated and he hadn't planned/budgeted for a pup needing expensive vet treatment so I think he is trying to minimise his losses. I don't think he is charging her the going rate (£250 or so) but does expect her to pay something (not sure how much) which I don't think is out of order. After all, litters cost money to rear. I was just shocked that he expected her to cover the cost of the surgery as well.

If it were a problem that might cause problems for the pup long term or shorten it's life I would not rear the pup.  If it was say an accident,, I did keep a pup for it's new owners until they returned from holiday and it broke it's leg, then the cost unfortunately was borne by me, such is life.

I sold a puppy recenty, with a problem which would need surgery down the road, the vet and I decided that it wasnt at all life threatening and it could wait till he was being neutered.
I sold him with an addendum attached to his sales contract that I would be responible for the surger due to his problem, they paid the neauter part, we split anesthsia.
I did seel the puppy for the same amount that I would have a puppy with no propblem.
Lucy

Just an update...

I found out today that the litter are being sold at £330 per pup which is more than the going rate. Also, not all the puppies were booked so there are four others available (2 boys, 2 girls) that my SIL could have had but she hasn't been given a choice so she's 'left' with the little one that had to have surgery.

The more I learn, the more I see ££££ and very little else :(

What breed would have a going rate of less than £330?  In my expereince it costs nearly that to just rear the litter and do the parental health tests?

I've done a bit of research in our local area and the going rate for Yorkies appears to be £200 - £250 (KC Regd) and less if not registered. There do appear to be a lot of litters available at any given time so maybe this keeps the prices low? Although i have since found out that he is including vaccinations so maybe that has contributed to the higher price too. As far as I am aware, there were no parental health tests because 'Yorkies don't need them' :rolleyes:

When I sold one of our puppies, we knew she had a hernia.   It was pointed out to the prospective owners - in fact they were told as soon as we saw it, before they had seen her.   We put that fact into the puppy contract, together with the promise that if it required surgery before she was spayed, we would pay for it.    Also that if the vet charged additionally for it when she was spayed, we would pay.

Happily, the hernia has gradually receded, and hasn't caused a problem, and the vet saw no reason to repair it when she was spayed.   But I'm still glad that we put that clause in the contract.

Margot

That is what I would have thought....that if a pup needed vet treatment of any kind before going to its new home then the breeder would pay as it would be part and parcel of rearing the litter.

I can't understand how anyone wants a YORKIE puppy when they have little children?? Far too easy for the pup to get seriously hurt in a slamming door tye episode. Yorkies sell without papers for around £250, then upto £500 for a quality pup. I also can't see why anyone would buy a pup with a health problem they a) don't know about and b) are expected to pay for??, all the best, Dawn.

Hi Newfiedreams.

Since this has been brought up again, I though I'd give a quick update.

My Sister in Law has had her pup for a couple of weeks now and he seems okay healthwise but he sleeps a lot more than I would expect of a pup. Maybe I'm judging him against my Newfie pup who verges on hyper most of the time? I don't know a whole lot about Yorkies so maybe that is normal?

The good news is the boisterous 3 year old has little or no interest in the pup and pretty much ignores it, probably because it is asleep most of the time. The bad news is the little one is just starting to crawl and if the pup goes near her she grabs it by the ears etc :( Poor wee mite. Also, with regards to housetraining, my SIL is taking the 'put him out and hope he figures the rest out for himself' approach and seems exasperated that he's not picking it up quickly :( I did try to tell her that they were notoriously difficult to housetrain but it obviously didn't make a blind bit of difference. She's also using the training pads inside while she is at work so its no wonder the little dog is confused :rolleyes:

I hope I'm not back in a few months looking for a contact for Yorkie rescue :(

Wow, still sounds like he needs a new home??? Call me! LOL I have 2 Newfies and a lil ol Pepe the 10 month Yorkie, he's gorgeous! Qualified for Crufts at his first show! Didn't even have an Open show to start with! Anyway, I really hope everything is ok with him and he survives! love Dawn X