Raising the
Standard
Ethics, Responsibility and Buyer education
Protection Through Clear Contracts
Written by Ashley Young, LakeHaus Kennels — Breeder, trainer, and advocate for purposeful, ethical German Shorthaired Pointer breeding.
Standard #12
Ethical breeding doesn’t rely on assumptions or handshakes.
It relies on clarity.
I use different contracts for different placements because not every dog, home, or goal is the same. Show homes have their own contract. Hunt test homes have their own. Hunting homes with spay/neuter agreements? Covered. Companion homes? Of course. Holding fee and waitlist agreements? Those too.
That isn’t about being complicated — it’s about being intentional.
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Key themes in this standard include:
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Why clear contracts are essential to ethical breeding
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How spay/neuter and breeding rights should be clearly defined
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The role contracts play in long-term accountability
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Why foresight protects breeders, buyers, and dogs
Spay/Neuter and Breeding Expectations Must Be Explicit
One of the most important areas contracts should clearly define is spay/neuter requirements or pre-breeding requirements. The reality is that the vast majority of dogs should be placed with spay/neuter agreements. Breeding rights are the exception, not the rule — and when they are granted, expectations should be clearly spelled out long before that dog is ever bred.
For dogs sold with breeding potential, my contracts outline exactly what must be completed prior to breeding. That includes required health testing, evaluations or titling benchmarks, and what constitutes an appropriate match. Those expectations don’t apply only to my dog — they also apply to the dog they are bred to. Breeding decisions should always meet the same standard on both sides.
Breeding rights aren’t a blank check.
They come with responsibility.
Contracts Carry Ethical Practices Forward
Contracts should also address breeder conduct moving forward. If someone is entrusted with a dog capable of producing the next generation, there should be clear expectations that they will also vet buyers, use contracts, follow spay/neuter agreements where appropriate, and place puppies responsibly. Ethical practices don’t stop with the original breeder — they carry forward.
For competition homes, clarity matters just as much. My contracts outline expectations around participation — how often a dog should reasonably be shown or tested, and what happens if a dog does not title, cannot compete, or develops a fault that makes continued competition or breeding inappropriate. These clauses exist to remove pressure to “push through” a dog that shouldn’t be bred simply because time or money has been invested.
Clear contracts also mean clear action steps. If a health issue arises, the contract defines what happens next. If an owner is unable to keep the dog, the contract clearly states the dog returns to the breeder. These aren’t worst-case scenarios — they’re realities, and ethical breeders plan for them in advance.
Core Principles
Clarity Prevents Conflict
Clear expectations protect everyone involved — especially the dog.
Breeding Rights Require Accountability
Contracts define responsibility long before reproduction ever occurs.
Ethics Must Carry Forward
Responsible practices don’t stop at placement — they extend through the dog’s lifetime.
Raising the Standard Means…
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Using contracts tailored to each type of placement
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Clearly defining spay/neuter and pre-breeding requirements
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Planning for real-world scenarios instead of avoiding them
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Protecting dogs through foresight, not assumptions
Takeaway
Contracts aren’t about distrust.
They’re about foresight.
Raising the standard means understanding that clarity protects everyone involved — especially the dogs. Ethical breeding doesn’t end at placement, and strong contracts are one of the most effective ways to ensure lifelong accountability.