Breeders Requiring a Certain Diet?

[Saeleofu]

I think ultimately it's up to the dog's owners to choose a food. I don't see a problem with requiring a high-quality food, but to require a specific brand or formula is a bit much. Of course the breeder knows what works, and they recommend a certain food for a reason. I appreciate Logan's breeder telling me the collies generally don't do well on TOTW, and telling me what he does feed. I still feed the same brand, and for a while the same formula, but he's on a more nutrient-dense version of the same brand (and same protein source) now. And doing wonderfully on it.

[Laurelin]

I don't mind a breeder recommending a food, but REQUIRING it is too much in my opinion. I don't feed the food either of my breeders recommended. (both recommended grocery brands) In fact though Summer's breeder was very impressed with the dogs' condition on the other food that she is thinking about switching.

[jess2416]

Originally Posted by Laurelin

I don't mind a breeder recommending a food, but REQUIRING it is too much in my opinion.

agreed ^

[JennSLK]

In my contract I require a premium food or raw diet. With a clause saying that if the dog is not fed a quality food, then it may nullify parts of the health guarantee.

[elegy]

i wouldn't purchase from a breeder who required me to feed xyz food (or to vaccinate/not vaccinate for xyz). at some point, you need to trust me as a puppy-buyer that i will make appropriate and good choices for the dog. if you can't trust me, you shouldn't be selling me a puppy.

[Kat09Tails]

I'm game for making recommendations or even suggesting that poor diet will void a health guarantee however I will not buy from breeders who have what I consider to be over reaching contracts. To me specifying brands and other diet components fall into that category because lets face it - it's unenforceable.

[NicoleLJ]

To be honest I did require my adopters to have one bag of the brand of food the pups were on so that they had at least a months supple. This way their system would have less of a shock after the shock of going to a new home. I also explained to them how to properly switch them to a new brand if they prefered that.

[Linds]

Originally Posted by elegy

i wouldn't purchase from a breeder who required me to feed xyz food (or to vaccinate/not vaccinate for xyz). at some point, you need to trust me as a puppy-buyer that i will make appropriate and good choices for the dog. if you can't trust me, you shouldn't be selling me a puppy.

Exactly

[AdrianneIsabel]

I am comfortable with nullifying a health contract because of a disagreement over feed/exercise. However, requiring a feed would make me choose not to buy from said breeder.

[mom2dogs]

Originally Posted by elegy

i wouldn't purchase from a breeder who required me to feed xyz food (or to vaccinate/not vaccinate for xyz). at some point, you need to trust me as a puppy-buyer that i will make appropriate and good choices for the dog. if you can't trust me, you shouldn't be selling me a puppy.

For me, it's not about trust - it's choosing those with similar beliefs.