stud dogs rights?

Question
QUESTION: My chocolate longhair chihuhua, who is registered,  had a litter of pups 3 weeks ago. She had 4 puppies but 1 didnt make it, but we have 3 healthy, happy pups now.  I bred her with a friend's chihuhua, which the owner swore at the time of mating has papers and is registered and would get them to me ASAP.  Well, now the puppies are 3 weeks old and I still do not have the papers from the stud dog to even be able to register the litter.  I know that I should have had his papers prior to mating, but I unfortunately trusted her and did not.  Not to mention my dog had to have a c-section which cost $600! Now I have a litter that I love to death, but no stud papers to be able to register them.  On top of all of that the stud dog's owner is trying to demand that she gets a puppy! I am not even going to be able to sell these pups if they are not registered!  I would have NEVER bred my dog if I knew that I was not going to be able to register the litter!  Does she have any rights to these pups since she cannot even produce papers for the stud, and I now have a litter that i can not register or sell and a $600 vet bill?!?

ANSWER: Hi Michelle

If she can't or won't produce the sire's paper find out who his parents are or ask just for his register number.  With those you can contact the registries yourself and have your litter registered.

Whenever using a stud, everything should be in writing prior to the breeding.  What constitute a litter, who's responsible for vet cost, (typically the owner of the dam is responsible), what the cost will be and so on.

Good luck



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thank you so much for getting back to me! the owner of the stud dog says that she doesnt have the papers and cannot even give me a register number or the kennel club that he is registered with, evidently she got the dog from an ex and cannot get the papers.  Do I still have to give her a puppy if she cannot get the papers or the number? I will definitely never do this again without a written contract and registration. thanks so much for your help!

Answer
That's a ethical question, and one only you can answer as you have to live with the consequences.

Was your verbal agreement based on a puppy back for the cost of a stud fee?

Was the stud fee contingent to having a the registration papers?

Did she break the agreement first by being aware that papers couldn't be provided?

I would check with your local laws.