Co-ownerships

Many breeders like to co-own their show stock so that they can have a voice in the show career and breeding potential of that dog. There are many kinds of co-ownerships and the responsible breeder will explain the details to you before you buy your puppy. There are also many pitfalls to co-ownerships, so the buyer needs to thoroughly understand what is involved. Co-ownerships are a little like a marriage. You had better like each other and know each other very well before engaging in any complicated arrangements. Co-ownerships work best when the details are thoroughly understood and the expectations of all parties are in agreement.

If you, as a puppy buyer, have doubts-about co-ownerships, but you really want to buy from a particular breeder, a limited time co-ownership sometimes works best. That way both of you can evaluate one another to see if this marriage will work. Such a contract would continue through the first litter or until the dog is mature and shows its worth as a show dog. You can then decide whether to terminate the contract or continue with it if both parties are satisfied.