Six Ways to Build Stronger Relationships with Your Puppy Buyers

As breeders, you are the experts when it comes to your dogs. You invest so much in them, and always act in their best interests. That is why Good Dog defers to you, subject to our Community Standards and Breeder Code of Ethics, to set your own policies and practices when it comes to your programs and your relationships with your buyers. We always ask that breeders and buyers both treat each other with respect and are transparent with one another. After all, when searching for the right home for your pups, you, as breeders, are ultimately looking for the perfect, forever home.  

To help you continue focusing your energy on what matters most, your dogs, we’ve outlined some guidelines on best practices based on feedback collected from our Good Dog Breeders and their buyers. We hope these tips will help you and your buyers establish a happy, successful relationship that will last a lifetime. 

How often do my applicants want to hear from me?

Buyers tell us they love it and are so appreciative when breeders get back to them quickly...just like I’m sure you are when your buyers get back to you! We know how busy breeders can be while caring for their pups, so responses to potential owners may take time. We encourage our breeders and our buyers to try to respond to each other within one week. This will ensure that everyone has a great experience on Good Dog!

If you are unable to respond to applicants within a week or would like assistance reaching out to applicants, the Good Dog Specialist Team is here to help! 

How should I approach a situation where an applicant is no longer a good fit for one of my puppies?

We understand that things don’t always work out as planned. If you decide that an applicant is no longer a good fit for your program, we support you in your decision and always recommend you make the choice that feels right for you. 

If you do decide that you no longer want to place a puppy with an applicant, we encourage you to assess the situation and consider refunding the deposit and any additional payments that the applicant has made to avoid escalated and/or legal situations with your buyers. While we always support breeders accepting non-refundable deposits as a show of commitment from their buyers, we do recommend considering an exception to those policies and refunding the deposit in instances when you decide to discontinue working with them.

If the applicant has made any payments in addition to the deposit, we encourage breeders to consider refunding the additional payments, as well, since the applicant will no longer be receiving the pup. In our experience, applicants in this situation often claim it is a breach of their contract with their breeder if they’ve made their full dog payment, but do not receive a dog or refund. We do understand that breeders can incur costs while working with buyers such as transport, medical costs, etc. We encourage you to refund the amount you are comfortable with, while keeping in mind that most applicants who have made a full dog payment, but will no longer be receiving a dog, will typically expect a refund of such payment. 

If I agree to refund one of my applicants, how quickly do they expect to receive the refund?

If you agree to refund a deposit and/or dog payments, we encourage a timely completion of the refund to resolve the situation as soon as possible. In most situations, we’ve seen buyers expect to receive their refunds in around 5-7 days. If you are not able to complete a refund in that time frame, we recommend clearly communicating the expected time frame with the buyer so they know when they can expect to receive the refund. 

In the event that you are not able to complete the refund right away, we encourage you to reach out to the Good Dog Specialist Team to discuss your options. They are always here to help!  

What if I change my mind about refunding an applicant?

Once a commitment has been made to a buyer to refund a deposit and/or dog payment, we ask that you follow through with the refund. Transparency is one of the pillars of our community, inspired by the examples set by our Good Dog Breeders. We are committed to transparent practices and ask that breeders and buyers are transparent and act in good faith with each other on Good Dog. 

If you would like to discuss the situation or explore your options, we encourage you to reach out to the Good Dog Specialist Team. They are always here to help!  

Should I use a health guarantee and contract with buyers?

We always recommend using a contract and health guarantee to ensure protection for both you and your buyer. Good Dog understands that many factors are considered when developing a health guarantee and contract. As such, we defer to the breeder to put together a health guarantee that makes the most sense for their breeding program. If you don’t currently use a health guarantee or contract, we encourage you to check out our Legal Hub, where Good Dog Breeders have free access to a collection of sample contracts, webinars (on topics like health guarantees), and other legal resources created specifically for dog breeders! 

Oftentimes, buyers who do not receive written contracts and health guarantees from their breeders will make the incorrect assumption that all health issues in their dog's life will be covered by the breeder. To avoid any miscommunication regarding what is and is not covered, we recommend clearly communicating and providing your contract and health guarantee in advance of payment to ensure a clear understanding of what each party is agreeing to.

What information do buyers want to know regarding the size, color, and breed, and options of their puppy?

When a buyer is searching for puppies on Good Dog, they'll see individual puppy listings first, which is why it's important to add specific details and great photos of each pup. Buyers can search for pups based on attributes like color and size — make sure to add these details so you can attract buyers who are a great fit.

And when you’re writing a puppy description, don’t hold back — Good Dog buyers want to know about a puppy’s personality, temperament, health and more. More details make it easier for Good Dog buyers to connect with their potential future pup.

We encourage breeders to set realistic expectations with buyers and owners regarding the puppy they are receiving. We know that there is typically no guarantee around specific attributes, so we recommend clearly communicating to the buyer that there may be some variation in the expected size or color. 

What information do buyers want to know regarding the potential registration options of their puppy?

Clear communication around the type of registration (e.g. purebred such as AKC or FCI versus ASDR or others that allow “hardship” registration) is important to set expectations around the purity of the breed. 

Thank you!

Thank you for being such a valuable member of our community! If you have any questions, we are always here to help! Please feel free to reach out to the Good Dog Specialist Team anytime at breederteam@gooddog.com or by calling/texting 385-308-0373.

Other helpful articles:

• What is Good Dog's Refund & Invoice Policy?
• Learn how to attract more applicants