Stud Dog Contract Template: What to Include

A stud dog contract protects both the owner of the male dog and the owner of the female before a single breeding takes place. It spells out the fee, what happens if the breeding doesn't take, the health testing each dog must pass, and who gets which puppies. Without it, a handshake breeding can turn into a fight over money, registration papers, or an entire litter.

This guide explains what a stud service agreement is, how to structure one, every clause it should contain, and the mistakes that cost breeders money and dogs.

What is a stud dog contract?

A stud service agreement (also called a stud dog contract or breeding service contract) is a legally binding agreement between the stud owner, who owns the male dog providing the service, and the bitch owner, who owns the female being bred. In exchange for a fee, the stud owner allows their dog to breed the female, and both parties agree on the terms surrounding the breeding and the resulting litter.

It is a service contract, not a sale. The stud owner is selling access to a breeding, not the dog itself. That distinction matters: the stud owner keeps their dog, and the bitch owner becomes the breeder of record for the litter. Because money, live animals, and registration rights are all involved, the terms need to be written down before the dogs ever meet.

Stud fee vs. pick of the litter

The single most negotiated part of a stud contract is how the stud owner gets paid. There are three common structures:

Cash stud fee

A flat fee, often roughly equal to the price of one puppy, paid at the time of breeding or on confirmation of pregnancy. This is the cleanest arrangement and avoids any later dispute over puppies.

Pick of the litter

Instead of (or in addition to) cash, the stud owner takes a puppy from the litter. The contract must define:

• Selection order: first pick, second pick, or a specific gender
• When the pick is chosen: commonly at 7–8 weeks, after temperament evaluation
• What happens to a single-puppy litter: does the stud owner get the only puppy, a refund, or a return service?

Combination

A reduced cash fee plus a pick, or cash with a pick as a fallback if the bitch owner can't pay. Whatever you choose, write down the exact dollar amount, the due date, and the consequences of late or non-payment.

Key clauses in a stud dog contract

1. Identification of the dogs and owners

Use full legal names of both owners and full registered names, registration numbers, microchip numbers, and breeds of both dogs. Ambiguity here undermines everything else.

2. The stud fee and payment terms

State the amount, the form (cash, pick of litter, or both), and exactly when payment is due. Specify whether the fee is due at breeding, at confirmed pregnancy, or at whelping, and what late payment means for the release of registration papers.

3. Health and genetic testing

Require both dogs to pass breed-appropriate clearances before breeding:

• Hip and elbow evaluations (OFA or PennHIP)
• Cardiac, eye, and patella exams where relevant to the breed
• Breed-specific DNA panels
• A current brucellosis test, usually within 30 days of breeding

Require each party to hand over copies of current results. This protects both dogs and the puppies, and protects you from a buyer later claiming you knowingly bred unhealthy stock.

4. The breeding arrangement

Describe how the breeding will happen: natural tie, side-by-side supervised breedings over several days, or artificial insemination. Note how many breedings are included in the fee, where they take place, and who pays for boarding, travel, or shipping of chilled or frozen semen.

5. Return service guarantee

Define what counts as a failed breeding (no pregnancy, a missed tie, or fewer than a set number of live puppies) and the window for a free or reduced repeat breeding, typically the bitch's next heat cycle. State whether the guarantee survives if the stud dog dies or becomes infertile.

6. Registration and papers

Specify that the stud owner will sign the litter registration application promptly once paid in full, and that papers may be withheld until the fee clears. Name the registry (AKC, UKC, or breed-specific) and confirm both dogs are eligible to be bred under its rules.

7. Representations and warranties

Each owner warrants that their dog is healthy, of breeding age, owned free and clear, and not subject to any co-ownership or registry restriction that would prevent the breeding. The stud owner does not guarantee litter size, color, or puppy quality.

8. Liability and care during the visit

If the female travels to the stud, state who is responsible for her care, vet costs, and any injury during the visit. A clear liability clause prevents a dispute if a dog is hurt or falls ill.

9. Governing law and signatures

Name the state whose law governs and require both owners to sign and date. Each party should keep an original.

How to write a stud service agreement: step-by-step

Step 1: Identify both parties and both dogs. Full names, registration numbers, microchip IDs, and breeds. Attach photos and copies of registration certificates if you can.

Step 2: Set the fee and payment structure. Decide cash, pick of the litter, or a combination, and write the exact amount and due date.

Step 3: Require pre-breeding health clearances. List the specific tests for the breed and require copies before the breeding goes ahead, including a recent brucellosis test for both dogs.

Step 4: Describe the breeding. Number of breedings, method (natural or AI), location, and who covers travel and boarding.

Step 5: Write the return service guarantee. Define "failure to produce a litter" and the timeframe for a free repeat breeding.

Step 6: Address registration. State who signs and submits the litter application and when papers are released.

Step 7: Add warranties, liability, governing law, and signatures. Both owners sign and date, and each keeps a copy.

Common mistakes to avoid

Relying on a verbal agreement. "We'll figure out the pick later" is how breeders end up in small-claims court. Put every term in writing before the breeding.

Skipping the brucellosis test. Brucellosis is sexually transmitted, can sterilize both dogs, and can wipe out a litter. A contract that doesn't require recent testing exposes both owners to serious risk.

Leaving "pick of the litter" undefined. Without a selection order, a deadline, and a rule for single-puppy litters, "pick" is a guaranteed argument. Spell it out.

Forgetting the single-puppy scenario. Decide in advance what happens if only one healthy puppy survives, refund, return service, or the stud owner's pick taking priority.

Not addressing failed breedings. Heat cycles, timing, and fertility are unpredictable. A clear return service clause keeps a no-take breeding from becoming a fee dispute.

Ignoring registry rules. Some registrations carry limited-registration or no-breeding restrictions. Confirm both dogs are eligible before signing.

When you need a stud dog contract

• Every paid breeding, even between friends or fellow club members, since goodwill doesn't survive a fee dispute
• When the stud owner takes a puppy instead of, or in addition to, cash
• When the female travels to the stud and care and liability need to be assigned
• When chilled or frozen semen is shipped and you need to assign cost and risk
• When either party is new to breeding and benefits from clear, written expectations

A stud service contract sits alongside the other agreements responsible breeders use. If you sell the resulting puppies, you'll want a separate sale agreement, and a full dog breeding contract covers the broader breeder-buyer relationship. Owners who offer other dog services, like a dog walking contract or a pet sitting agreement, use the same clear, written approach. For a wider view of the paperwork every dog owner should keep, see our guide to key legal documents for your pet.

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