Anyone that has entered the world of dog breeding with a stud of significance has been hit with this same old story all too often.
And it goes like this...
"Hey, I been searching for the right stud for my bitch and your stud is perfect for her! I've locked in with this person's stud, and that person's stud but I'd rather use your boy for her next breeding." Then come the dreaded question... Would you be willing to do a pup back deal with your stud?
Let's dive right into it...
What exactly is a pup back deal? A pup back deal is an agreement between a stud owner and dam owner in which the stud owner agrees to mate his stud dog to a person's female in exchange for a pup or multiple pups instead of them paying the stud fee. Sounds good, right?
In this blog we will go over the importance of why a pup back deal may not be beneficial for your stud or your breeding program.
Think about what it cost you and what it's going to cost the person asking for the deal. All the long nights you spent up researching a dog's pedigree for desired traits that you wanted to implement into your breeding program in hopes to create that ultimate stud. Next, remember all the money you spent on stud fees, vet bills, and the promotion to get your program to a level in which people would even consider one of your studs as a choice. All that hard work just to give it away to someone who most likely isn't going to value your hard work the same way you do.
Think about it. Why would they care about the value of your stud if they didn't have to put in any effort to get it? This would only allow them to sell your studs offspring for less than market value and devalue your program, and everyone else's program that has believed in your stud enough to invest in him. Most people hate taking a loss, so if you make them pay the fee, they will at least value their puppies a bit more.
Another common issue that arises with a pup back deal is... What happens in the event of complications at the time of birth? Are you prepared to answer your phone at 2 o'clock in the morning to hear their dreaded story on how their female is in labor and a puppy is stuck but they're not in a financial state to afford a C-Section? Now you're without your pup, and your time was wasted because of someone's irresponsible behavior and inability to provide the necessary care to ensure your pup owed was provided.
Don't get me wrong I understand the urge to get your stud out in the public's eye and try to get some offspring to showcase what your dog can produce but the risk is high, and the rewards will become less and less with every pup back deal you do. If everyone gets it for free what is your stud or his offspring really worth?
An old breeder once told me about his rule on pup back deals and it went something like this...
If I didn't ask you to do the pup back deal, then it's a no deal for me.
Meaning the stud owner should see just as much value in the dam as the dam owner does the stud. But let's be honest, most owners of a top-notch bitches are not willing to give up anything off of their female because they know the value in her puppies. Especially, when the value of the stud is just as high.
So, think twice if ever you are hit with the dreaded question... "Are you willing to do a pup back deal?" If the answer is yes, at least have a contract and rules in place to protect your time invested, and the value of your stud. Only provide the service for reputable, trustworthy breeders that have both parties best interest at heart.
Not all pup back deals turn out to be disasters but proceed into the venture with caution.
Let us know your thoughts on this topic.......
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