Why do we place our puppies under contract?

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Well, this is a subject we have had a lot of experience in for over 2.5 decades and is a subject that I'm quite passionate about. Ethical breeders who want to protect their puppy's welfare and their future, sell them under contracts. It also provides health guarantees for the buyer and much more.

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Simply put, contracts help us protect the wellbeing of our puppies and the future of our breeding program. They’re not about control – they’re about welfare and care. We’re deeply committed to the dogs we bring into the world and our contracts reflect that passion.

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Our agreements were created in consultation with a respected legal team, and while we’ve only ever needed to enforce them in a few cases, they’ve been successful when tested. This has given peace of mind to the many wonderful puppy families who value knowing their pup comes from a breeder who takes their responsibility seriously. We stand behind our word with honour.

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Over the past 20+ years, we’ve dedicated significant time, effort and resources to our breeding program. This isn’t just a hobby to us – it’s a lifelong passion, and the dogs we breed are truly part of our legacy.

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We’re grateful that the vast majority of our puppy owners follow through with their spay/neuter commitments. Unfortunately, a few have not, and have bred their dogs without informing us, which goes against the trust and care we strive to build. 

 

When necessary, we will enforce our agreements to protect the integrity of our breeding program and the wellbeing of our dogs. Sadly, taking this stand has led to a small number of individuals reacting negatively online, creating fake accounts and spreading untrue and hurtful claims about us. This kind of behaviour is unfortunate and discouraging, especially within a community built on trust, care, and respect. We’re incredibly grateful, however, for the overwhelming support from our genuine puppy families and community members who share our values. Together, we’ll continue to focus on what truly matters - raising healthy, happy puppies and supporting responsible ownership.

 

Our contracts are fair and straightforward. When everyone communicates openly and honestly, there’s never any reason for concern.

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We are very careful about where our puppies go. Once, we discovered a puppy buyer who had over 40 Labradors despite claiming to have just six. This this is exactly the kind of situation we strive to prevent. We’re strongly against unethical breeding, puppy farming, cruel living conditions, and people putting profit before the welfare of animals.

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It’s also important to understand that we are not a commercial breeder. Breeding for us is about improving the breed, not producing pups for the sake of it. We believe in QUALITY over QUANTITY. 

 

We spend a lot of time planning our breeding program, aiming to create top quality dogs and improving each generation we develop. We carefully consider structure, pedigree, temperament, health, behaviour, and overall balance – it’s a complex process, but one we’re proud to uphold.

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We're extremely cautious about selling intact puppies now, after the experiences where people have deceived us. Sadly, they have tried to mimic our breeding program for profit. We want no part in a “fad” culture that treats animals like trends. We want our dogs to be valued family members, not breeding commodities.

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Should an owner ever be unable to keep their puppy, we are always here to help rehome it or welcome it back, ensuring it gets the best future possible.

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We also provide $200 rebates for any sanctioned title our pups may receive.

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At the heart of it all, we trust our puppy families. We just ask for honesty, communication, and a commitment to giving your dog the best life.

 

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What are “Breeder’s Terms”?

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Sometimes, we may offer a 'pick of the litter' puppy on “breeder’s terms.” This is quite common among breeders.

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Our breeding terms stipulate that we, (Lykosia), pay ALL health testing and reproductive expenses.

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A female is returned to us for a litter after all health tests have been passed. When the pups reach 8 weeks old, the owner is reimbursed their purchase price. So basically, they get the dog for free, all expenses paid and we get to improve and develop our next generation moving forward.​​​

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Owners of a male on breeding terms receive a stud fee, which is also written into a stud contract.

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Health testing, temperament and experience guide our breeding decisions in every arrangement.  Not every pup on breeding terms turns out to be what we want to go on with in our breeding program, and if that’s the case, they simply become beloved desexed family pets. We always aim to work with our puppy owners, maintaining fairness, transparency, and a shared love for the breed.

 

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Desexing

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There are many health and behavioural benefits to having a desexed dog. It reduces the risk of cancer, prevents life-threatening conditions like pyometra (in females), and helps avoid behavioural issues, accidental litters, or injuries from dogs seeking a mate.

 

Even after 25 years of breeding, we've experienced 3 unplanned litters – and we've always been honest about it. Hormones are powerful!  So we totally understand how easily it can happen, and we support our families in doing the right thing.

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We also provide an honest and informed view about desexing in our Puppy Bible, that gives some good food for thought about the subject.

 

​If you ever have questions about our contracts, breeding terms or expectations, we’re always happy to chat.

 

At the end of the day, we just want our puppies to be cherished, well cared for, and to live their best lives – and we’ll always go above and beyond to make that happen.

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CONTRACT BREACHES & LEGALITY

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Some people believe dog breeder contracts are not worth the paper they are written on, BUT a contract is only worthwhile if the breeder is willing to enforce the contract for any substantial breaches.

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​Legal action can be a very expensive and arduous process that no-one wants to get involved in. We have worked very hard over the years to develop a line of outstanding quality dogs with wonderful achievements. 

 

​One cases set as a binding precedent under the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) whereby it was considered enough of a high profile case that it is listed on Australasian Legal Information Institute website. In this case, the buyer took out a whole generation of our bloodlines we worked so hard for, in breaching the contract.

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Case Summary: The Deputy President presiding over the matter went into detail about the case. The Deputy President stated that the Respondent (buyer) agreed to buy the puppy on terms which would enable the breeder (us) to have one litter of pups, which the Deputy President stated was not as part of some ambitious money making enterprise, but for the genuine purpose of developing the breed.

 

The buyer made many excuses to avoid taking the dog for hip & elbow x-rays to assess the dog's breeding suitability.

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The buyer also made excuses such as the dog had not come into season for several years, which was highly unlikely. We paid for a reproductive specialist to examine and test the dog, which was found to be completely normal. Shortly before mating was arranged, the buyer went and desexed the dog behind our back, further breaching the agreement.

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Deputy President acknowledged that in breaching the contract, the buyer caused heads of loss and damage to us. This included (1) financial loss, (2) loss of reputation due to the persons involved and what they posted on social media, (3) loss of bloodline caused by the Respondent taking out a generation, and more.

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Deputy President stated that the Respondent (buyer) went to entirely "superfluous issues in which she attempted to justify her conduct". 

 

In what the Deputy President called an "appalling and blatant breach of her obligations" under the contract, the Respondent unilaterally desexed the dog, a female sold under breeding terms.

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Deputy President stated that the Respondent was fortunate that the Applicant did not claim further amounts from her in liquidated damages.

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Deputy President closes by saying the Applicant (us) substantially succeeded in the proceeding. We are thankful to the Deputy President of VCAT who presided over this matter, who saw it for exactly what it was. A deliberate breach by tainted and selfish parties who wish to harm our breeding program, reputation and legacy.

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Court cases and litigation are a nightmare to go through, but it is unfortunately necessary for us to protect all that we have worked so hard for over so many years.

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