An Explanation

Several years ago I sold a puppy to an acquaintance. (I later sold another puppy to that same person and was never paid for that second puppy. It was returned to me almost two years after as "unacceptable".) Never have I had contracts with my puppy buyers; they are virtually impossible to enforce and can cause nothing but problems. I never co-own for the same reason. If fifty percent of marriages now end in divorces why on earth would anyone think that co-owning a dog is going to actually work out well. Recently that breeder agreed to sell me a puppy that had six of my own dogs in its pedigree. Although she said that she had sent me a contract several times, it never showed up in my in box. I asked my internet provider to help me find those emails so I could read the purported contract; it took my provider and me three hours and we found nothing.

The contract finally arrived from the breeder only a few days before the sale was to be finalized. It said that I had to agree to use that breeder's vet for some services, that I had to get the hips checked by a vet of the breeder's choice, I had to get the eyes done at specific places, that I had to finish the dog's championship, and I had to use either the breeder or a handler of the breeder's choice to show in the breed/conformation ring.

That breeder would be listed as the first owner on the registration papers; I was apparently paying full price which was much more than I had charged that person for either of the two puppies I sold to that person. I would be allowed to choose a mate for the dog at the age of two. However, as the breeder was to be listed as the first owner. I wondered what would happen if that person did not approve of the stud I wanted to use. Would the puppies registration papers actually be signed? And to repeat myself, I had not sold the breeder a puppy with a contract and the breeder wanted me to sign a contract. I had been bullied  in the past; I believe that the breeder was bullying me again.

Some folks assumed that we were friends but no one ever asked. For the record, we aren't.