Co-ownership of a dog

Would you co-own a dog?

  • Yes

    Votes: 27 58.7%
  • No

    Votes: 13 28.3%
  • Other - Please explain

    Votes: 7 15.2%

  • Total voters
    46

AdrianneIsabel

Glutton for Crazy
Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Messages
8,893
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Portland, Oregon
#1
I am currently discussing an option of co-owning and while we haven't discussed what that would mean exactly in this case, except a breed back, I am curious how people feel about this. I have friends who co-own and friends who've walked away when offered only a co-ownership.

Do you like Co-owns? Why? Why not?
 

SpringerLover

Active Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2006
Messages
3,415
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
B-ville
#2
Generally speaking, I feel like it helps protect the breeder/breeder's dogs. I am open to co-ownerships under terms I am comfortable with. Bailey is currently co-owned with someone but... that's kind of irrelevant!

The co-owns I've looked at allowed me say in everything (especially breeding). Although, all health testing/showing/training costs would have been mine.
 

Saeleofu

Active Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2009
Messages
9,036
Likes
0
Points
36
#4
Logan is co-owned. Basically his breeder owns his testicles. Aside from that he's mine. If I were to die or be unable to care for him, he has a guaranteed place to go. Granted any good breeder would offer that anyway, but my parents would WANT Logan, and really, I don't think he'd be a good fit with them. At all. So I use my co-ownership to tell them that if I die, Logan is not theirs. He needs a job.

Really, though, my co-ownership is no different from a contract except for both our names go on certificates and the like. I happen to like my co-ownership, because I like the breeder and I know she's not going to interfere unless it's justified.

I wouldn't hesitate to do a co-ownership again, especially with the same breeder. Certainly there are some circumstances I would pass on, but a co-ownership in and of itself isn't a bad thing.
 

SaraB

New Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2011
Messages
5,798
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
St. Louis, MO
#5
I have co-owned in the past and currently co-own Zip Tie with Linds. I think co-owns work well when everything is spelled out and both sides know exactly what they are in for and what will happen under different circumstances. Contracts are necessary and you have to prepare for the unexpected (dog being rehomed, turning out to have an unsound temp, injury, etc).
 

Red Chrome

Active Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2006
Messages
1,568
Likes
0
Points
36
#6
As you know, Judge is Co owned with his breeder. She has breeding rights to him and can use him on any bitch that we both agree on. Same goes for me.

Something I haven't said much about is that she and I will be Co owning a little bitch puppy this year. I will train most things and title her and Judge's breeder will train other things I can't or don't. I'm return, we will both have a bitch that has the lines and drive we want without being fully committed. Health testing and entry fees are split down the middle as long s both people agree on the test or entry. If not, it becomes the one interested sole responsibility. That is where having someone you trust as a Co owner comes in.
 

Shai

& the Muttly Crew
Joined
Dec 14, 2009
Messages
6,215
Likes
0
Points
36
#7
Mira's a co-own so obviously my answer is yes. We've talked briefly about co-owning future dogs as well so yes I would in the future too.

That said, there are about a whopping two, maybe three people in the world with whom I would consider a coownership. And we have a very laissez-faire sort of approach to it and I know we have a very similar priority list on key topics.

I would walk away from the vast majority of co-ownerships I have encountered.
 

Emily

Rollin' with my bitches
Joined
Feb 13, 2008
Messages
2,115
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Illinois
#8
I used to be like, "Aaaaahhhh!!!!! No!!!" But I've calmed down a bit recently. :rofl1:

Even so, I find that many co-own terms don't suit me. I will not own a dog, house it, trial it, vet it, etc, but be required to show it on MY dime, have zero breeding rights, etc. That's crazy. I'm just boarding somebody else's dog for them, then. LOL. Especially if I paid full price for it.

Now, when co-owns benefit both parties, and both parties are like-minded, I think they can be a very good thing. Sort of, "with our powers combined" situation. My friend has a male Frenchie out on a co-own. She shows him for them at no charge, houses him for shows, etc. Basically she swallows all expenses related to showing him, though I think his owner pays entry fees. Honestly though, those are the least of any costs relating to showing. I believe she retains the right to approve any breedings as well, which is fair enough. It works for them because the owner breeds working line Rotts and shows them in German style shows. He wanted a show quality Frenchie but didn't feel up to stepping into the AKC ring.

I just think it's a situation that needs to be approached cautiously. I have seen co-owns used to make people bend over backwards for the breeder. Usually these are the same breeders that like to make you jump through hoops and lick their shoes to get a dog (and are proud of it). I'm not doing that, lol. I'm a **** good home so if you have a nice dog for me, great! I'm happy to answer your questions and meet you and work out mutually agreeable terms, but ultimately I have some lines I won't cross. A crazy co-own that doesn't benefit me in anyway is one of those lines.

That said, with the right person I would co-own in a heartbeat! *shrug* I really think it's situational and very personal.

Contracts of any kind used to make me squirrelly, tbh, so take my thoughts with a grain of salt. I like to think I've matured a little bit and I can see their place in the world. I agreed to sign ABMC-R's adoption contract for Blossom, not because I had to but because I recognized a mutual desire to protect her and I appreciated that they were willing to extend their safety net to her. The "give in" on my part was that she needed to be spayed, but I found a way to make that work for everybody as well.

I suppose it's really all about having mutual goals and a willingness to compromise. If I felt those conditions weren't present, I would not agree to a co-own.
 

AdrianneIsabel

Glutton for Crazy
Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Messages
8,893
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Portland, Oregon
#9
I would walk away from the vast majority of co-ownerships I have encountered.
What would turn you, or anyone, off of a co-own?

Any tricky things to be aware of?

I still haven't spoken directly with the potential for co-ownership so I'm not about all of the details.
 
Joined
Apr 10, 2008
Messages
4,381
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Midwest
#10
I think my co-owns are win win deals for us. I don't even have contracts a lot of the time. But I've had long term relationships with those breeders before I ever got a dog from them.

I would NEVER pay for a co-own. I don't care. If I'm paying, it's mine, all mine or i'm not buying from you. If you're retaining any rights, breeding or otherwise, I'm not paying for that, if anything you can pay me :)

Basically the dog is mine. I train, I care for, do everything with. If they breed with them, they've offered a bit from the puppy sales, though I've never accepted it. I will however gladly accept another puppy from a litter I'd like one from :)

If I find a dog I'd like to breed with, if we both agree it can happen, though I have zero intention of breeding dogs anytime soon if ever.
 

Laurelin

I'm All Ears
Joined
Nov 2, 2006
Messages
30,963
Likes
3
Points
0
Age
37
Location
Oklahoma
#11
There would have to be the exact right situation for me to consider it. I don't think that it is very likely.
 

Pops2

Active Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2008
Messages
3,072
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
UT
#12
Only if it was someone I know and trust well and neither of us could afford the dog outright (like say a finished four year old dry ground cat hound).
 
Joined
Feb 26, 2013
Messages
290
Likes
0
Points
16
#13
I co-own most of my dogs. It's really not the co-ownership that people should be concerned about, necessarily, it's the contractual obligations they agree to and sign. Co-ownerships in and of themselves are "fairly" limited in terms of what power each party has; If the dog is intended to be bred, then the actual co-ownership definitely matters more along with whatever contract you're under and I would definitely want the person to be someone I trusted more than I typically do with dog people, but with dogs intended for pet or show/sport only, it hardly matters (aside from the "prestige" of being credited for the dog's wins) unless you're trying to sell or breed the dog for some reason. Aside from the limited function within the registry, they don't do much to prove any sort of legal ownership of or rights to a dog unless backed up by a contract. I personally don't have a problem with co-ownerships and have only really had one serious co-ownership dispute (and even then it was less about the actual co-ownership than the contractual terms that the person had agreed to).
 
Joined
Apr 10, 2008
Messages
4,381
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Midwest
#14
What would turn you, or anyone, off of a co-own?

Any tricky things to be aware of?

I still haven't spoken directly with the potential for co-ownership so I'm not about all of the details.
there's a rather large and well known kennel in IL that I've trained a lot of their dogs before and how she finds people to agree to her contracts. Basically people buy her dogs from thousands, and honestly she couldn't give me one, but that's another story.

So they pay thousands for a puppy, then they agree to train at her place where they also pay for her trainer and they pay for OFA's and everything else. They pay all expenses involved in having a dog. They pay for shows, travel etc, all involved with that.

Basically they pay for everything and when the puppies are born, she gets all of them and sells them to others and the cycle starts again. She's good at it, I'll give her that.
 
Joined
Feb 26, 2013
Messages
290
Likes
0
Points
16
#15
there's a rather large and well known kennel in IL that I've trained a lot of their dogs before and how she finds people to agree to her contracts. Basically people buy her dogs from thousands, and honestly she couldn't give me one, but that's another story.

So they pay thousands for a puppy, then they agree to train at her place where they also pay for her trainer and they pay for OFA's and everything else. They pay all expenses involved in having a dog. They pay for shows, travel etc, all involved with that.

Basically they pay for everything and when the puppies are born, she gets all of them and sells them to others and the cycle starts again. She's good at it, I'll give her that.
Those are matters of what contractual terms these people are agreeing to, though, not co-ownerships.
 
Joined
Feb 26, 2013
Messages
290
Likes
0
Points
16
#17
that was my point in regards to a question asked about what would prevent you from certain stipulations in co-ownerships
Yes, but I could write all of those things into a contract and give you the dog without a co-ownership, and they would be just as legally valid or invalid as they would be with one. Co-ownerships don't give a person any right or claim to "force" someone to breed their dog, so the issue you brought up really has nothing to do with co-ownerships at all. The only power that co-ownerships have any bearing on is the ability to register a litter, and the ability to sell the dog as a registered animal, because both of those things require either the signature of all parties (AKC) or the signature of the sole signatory (UKC's new policy). That's all. Everything else that I continually see brought up in discussions of co-ownerships are contractual matters.
 

Laurelin

I'm All Ears
Joined
Nov 2, 2006
Messages
30,963
Likes
3
Points
0
Age
37
Location
Oklahoma
#18
Yes stipulations are the big deal which is why I would be hesitant with most people. I've seen a couple go badly If the dog washes out of its intended purpose. Things really need to be ironed out . Honestly I just want to have total control of my dog. That and I have zero desire to breed dogs ever. I migh would consider but only if I knew the other very well. Especially breeding wise. My thoughts on breeding dogs Are different than those in my breed more often than not. I wouldn't want to be obligated into something I didn't agreed with. Speaking from experience there.
 

Romy

Taxiderpy
Joined
Dec 2, 2006
Messages
10,233
Likes
1
Points
38
Location
Olympia, WA
#19
Depends what I want a dog for.

When I got Kaia I had no experience in showing and stuff. I was friends with Kaia's breeder, and because of co-ownerships I, a newbie, was able to get the pick bitch of one of only two litters ever fathered by the number one ranked owner handled zoi in the country at the time.

She's an amazing dog, and I'm really grateful her breeder trusted me with her. It's kind of a miracle I was able to get anything like her, because for most people just starting out a dog like her is completely out of their league.

It's worked out extremely well for both of us. Her breeder is thrilled with how well trained and socialized she is, her physical conditioning, etc. She told me this weekend I can flat out have one of her dogs any time in the future. And I have an amazing mentor and friend out of the deal.

When I sit down and think about it, there are a lot of breeders I would happily co own with. So I try to think of people I wouldn't co own a dog with, and realize those people aren't my friends. lol. Short answer, I'd co own a dog with a friend. If I didn't have a friend in the breed, I'd make some first.
 

Romy

Taxiderpy
Joined
Dec 2, 2006
Messages
10,233
Likes
1
Points
38
Location
Olympia, WA
#20
Yes, but I could write all of those things into a contract and give you the dog without a co-ownership, and they would be just as legally valid or invalid as they would be with one. Co-ownerships don't give a person any right or claim to "force" someone to breed their dog, so the issue you brought up really has nothing to do with co-ownerships at all. The only power that co-ownerships have any bearing on is the ability to register a litter, and the ability to sell the dog as a registered animal, because both of those things require either the signature of all parties (AKC) or the signature of the sole signatory (UKC's new policy). That's all. Everything else that I continually see brought up in discussions of co-ownerships are contractual matters.
Legally I don't think you can sell a co-owned animal, registered or not, without the co-owner signing off on them too. I mean, someone could do it and not tell them but technically half the dog would be considered stolen property if the co-owner reported it. There's also good chances the seller might have sanctions put against them by whatever club they register with/show under.
 

Members online

No members online now.
Top