Understanding Puppy Health Guarantees: Why We Offer a Short-Term Promise Only

Why We Don’t Offer a Long-Term Health Guarantee on Our Puppies
A Transparent Look at What We Can—and Can’t—Promise

At Abbott Family Farm, we care deeply about the health, temperament, and long-term success of every puppy we raise. We put a great deal of love, effort, and responsibility into ensuring each one gets the best start in life. That’s why we confidently guarantee that your puppy is in good health and sound temperament at the time of sale.

Our contract clearly states:

"The Seller (Paul and Lana Abbott) guarantees this puppy/dog to be of sound health and temperament at the time of this sale. [...] Should puppy/dog be determined to be in ill health, the cause of which is clearly attributable to the Seller, the puppy may [...] be returned in exchange for another available puppy or one from a future litter. No other guarantees are given."

So why don’t we offer a long-term health guarantee like some breeders do?

1. We Can’t Control the Environment After the Puppy Leaves

A dog’s health is shaped by more than just genetics—it’s deeply influenced by its environment. Things like diet, exercise, stress, exposure to chemicals or parasites, and even how vaccinations are handled can all impact a dog’s long-term well-being. Once a puppy leaves our care, we have no control over those factors.

Because of this, we choose to only guarantee the puppy’s health at the time it leaves our home—when we know exactly what it’s been exposed to, how it’s been cared for, and what condition it’s in.

2. We Believe in Honest, Realistic Guarantees

While long-term guarantees may sound comforting, they’re often written in ways that make them nearly impossible to use. We prefer to be transparent and stand behind what we can realistically promise. If your vet finds a health issue in the first 72 hours that is clearly linked to our care, we’ll make it right. But we don’t want to offer a guarantee we can’t back up simply for marketing.

3. Good Breeding is Just the Start

We select our parent dogs carefully and breed for health, temperament, and structure. But like people, even the healthiest dogs can experience unexpected health conditions. Genetics can’t predict everything—and once again, the environment plays a massive role in how those genetics express over time.

4. We Promote Responsible Ownership

A healthy life for your dog depends on consistent vet care, a balanced diet, proper exercise, and lots of love. We believe in empowering our puppy families to be proactive and informed caretakers. We’re always happy to offer guidance, recommendations, and support as your puppy grows.

Our goal is always to raise strong, well-socialized puppies and match them with caring, responsible homes. By setting clear expectations from the beginning, we can maintain honest, supportive relationships with our buyers—something we value deeply.

If you ever have questions about your puppy’s care or health, we’re here to help. We consider every puppy we place to be part of the extended Abbott Family Farm family.