Guarantees are limited by many factors..

We believe the OwyheeStar Guarantee to be unprecedented and likewise our client support unmatched.

Most puppy guarantees sound good on the surface, but when viewed closely they offer very little protection. Even protection against genetic disorders is usually short term and limited. Our guarantee spells out what we will cover in detail. This is included in our Terms of Sale and Private Client Blog. We do require proof in order to honor our guarantee (as outlined to our actual clients in their information). No breeder can guarantee every aspect of a pup’s health, future, and personality.

Most of our clients succeed. A few struggle and get through. A handful (in the last decade) have failed. We cannot guarantee and underwrite your personal success with any puppy. OwyheeStar makes every effort to  prepare the pup for success once they leave, however, everything we have done can be undone in days or weeks. We do adult health checks and puppy wellness exams in order to limit risk, but we can never eliminate risk. There is always going to be a measure of risk when you get a pup–no matter where you obtain them.

Prior to picking up your pup, we will have given them around the clock supervision, a veterinary wellness exam, and lot of appropriate socialization. After they leave OwyheeStar, you will be making the decisions and choices. For this reason we cannot guarantee the outcome. We can offer support and advice but in truth there are many factors over which we have no control.

Much of what a pup becomes is in your hands.In truth, all we have done to prepare the pup can also be undone in short order. There are many factors that play into your pup’s success. We believe in keeping it simple and have given you information and pointers, but even those are given to your own interpretation. Here are some factors that you are in control of:

1. The Pup’s environment—how your home is configured makes difference. For example, the ease of getting the pup to the door (for housebreaking) is important. The crate location is equally important. Your yard and the general layout of the pup’s environment either lends to success or not.
2. The Approach or outlook on training. Whether a person engages a trainer or not there are choices. Initially, it is important to have a few goals, and to follow through. The list would be basic–housebreaking, crate training, and the recall. We recommend working in the hallway (adjoining doors closed) each evening with five-seven throws, and to make the retrieving practice a fun event. Use the same toy each evening, and make sure they have no where to go but by you. You get the toy, and do the same thing a few times. Stop before the tire of the drill. Keep it fun, and this will ingrain the love of the retrieve. This will come in handy as the pup matures. Remember this is a process and journey that you embark on together. What you can become together remains to be discovered.
3. How you related to the pup. This is akin to your approach to training, but more involved. It takes into consideration the pup’s personality. The uniqueness of each of pup is evident. Each pup requires the opportunity to have their life unfold according to their maturity, personality, and uniqueness. Your approach to connecting with them and understanding how they respond makes a big difference. It is a journey on which you embark together and neither of you knows what will happen or how it will come culminate.
4. Your ability, personality, etc. Each of us has different strengths and weaknesses; some of us are better leaders. Some of us are challenged by the stronger personalities (the stubborn resistance) exhibited by the more dominant pup. This tug of authority and who is in charge is more apt to happen if the Weimaraner senses you are a reluctant leader. How the pup and (you) the owner work out you unique relationship will make all the difference. It is a very intimate give and take situation. You must earn their respect, and gain compliance. You need to evoke their desire to please you by being strong, confident, reliable, and respectful of them. They will not have that same relationship with any other person.  Much of success  will be based in your leadership style and abilities.
5. The people in the pup’s world. Trainers, family members, neighbors, and other acquaintances all play into the pup’s development.
6. Other dog’s in the pup’s world. Interaction with dogs (and even other critters) early on can leave a lasting effect. A Weim pup that gets jumped at a puppy class is not going to easily brush it off. Either they will be defensive or fearful. Either can result in long term behavior issues.  Interactions at a dog park or even with pets within the house can have an effect.
7. Fear Periods can lead to issues. Your actions or interactions during a traumatic event will set the stage for the future. These so called Fear Periods are not exact and come randomly during the first couple of years.  The completely confident pup can suddenly collapse with fear at the sound of a loud car, a kid on a skateboard, close gun fire, etc. How you handle the situation will matter a great deal.

All of these issues and others arise during the formative few months of a Weim’s life. You are in control of the decisions and the pups training. For this and many other reasons we cannot take responsibility for the pup’s behavior. We are here to offer support, but often by the time the person resorts to asking us for help, the mistakes have been made and the die is cast. Then it is a matter of starting over at the beginning.

In a few cases, the pup will not respond in their current environment so sending them to a trainer works wonders until they return to the same environment.  Very rare does boot camp or behavior training change the situation.

In the event that you cannot for any reason keep the pup, our contract stipulates the pup must be returned to OwyheeStar. Upon return, it will mean time, energy, money, and effort to get the pup ready for placement in a second chance home. Just as when you relinquish a pup to rescue or a shelter there is no cash refund. Second chance homes are screened more closely. A second failure is unthinkable and not fair to a pup who is counting on the humans in their life to make things go right.

Historically a returned Weimaraner has stayed at OwyheeStar somewhere between 6-8 months before they are ready for a 2nd Chance placement. We might entertain inquiries; however, normally we interview a large quantity of inquiries before finding the appropriate placement. For each puppy we place, we review at least ten inquiries. It takes many more inquiries for an adolescent or adult Weimaraner to find a home. In the mean time we must work back in time starting from the beginning and retrain them, socialize them, and let them be a puppy.

Some people feel we should be able to guarantee behaviors, however, if  you take a step back then you can realize that it is impossible guarantee that over which you have no control. There are too many variables for OwyheeStar to guarantee the outcome of the training process. It is simply impossible. Otherwise, people would take a pup and use them and then return them asking for a refund because it didn’t work out.

When a pup is returned everyone loses! Everyone loses – the pup, the prospective owner, and OwyheeStar.

~ Cliff and Shela

All rights are reserved to the OwyheeStar guarantee policy and wording. These are our personal feeling, practices, and thoughts. We personally feel it is a fair policy. Just as the return on our investment as been lost it also is the case for the client. We apologize but it can happen. When a person reaches this juncture, then it is the pup’s best interest first. Recapturing an investment (breeders or former owners) is not going to happen. The pup or adult is returned “as is” and becomes “a high-risk” placement.