About

Health Guarantee & Our Terms and Conditions

Bougie Labradors Health Guarantee 

Color Note

We do not guarantee a pure white puppy. Our "White" Labradors are a very light shade of Yellow. You should expect your puppy's color to range from white to light cream/yellow, as our focus is on health and temperament, not just color.

Health Coverage

Your puppy is guaranteed against the following severe genetic defects until 24 months of age:

• EIC (Exercise-Induced Collapse)

• CNM (Centronuclear Myopathy)

• PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy)

• Heart Murmur

• Severe Hip Dysplasia

• Hereditary Retinal Eye Disease

Conditions for Guarantee

To be valid, you must notify us of a qualifying diagnosis before the puppy is 24 months old. The diagnosis must be confirmed by official certification:

• Hip Dysplasia must be confirmed by the OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals).

• Hereditary Eye Defects must be confirmed by an ACVO/OFA Eye Exam.

Important Voiding Condition

The entire health guarantee is null and void if the puppy is spayed or neutered before 18 months of age.

• Proof of spay/neuter AFTER 18 months will be refunded $250.

A Note on Hip Dysplasia

Please be aware that even when breeding two healthy parents, there is still a significant risk (estimated at about 25%) that a puppy may develop hip dysplasia due to a combination of genetic carriers and environmental factors (like weight or too much hard exercise during growth).

Why Can "Clear" Parents Have Affected Puppies?

The reason this happens comes down to two main factors:

1. Hidden Genes (They are Carriers): Hip dysplasia is like a complex recipe that requires many different "bad genes" to come together to make the dog sick. A breeding dog may have a perfectly normal hip X-ray (meaning they have a good "look"), but they are still carrying several of these "bad genes." When two of these carrier parents breed, a quarter of their puppies will inherit enough of the combined bad genes to become affected.

2. Environmental Triggers: The genes only create the potential for the disease. If the puppy gains weight too quickly, gets too much hard exercise, or is fed an inappropriate diet during its growth phase, these factors can "flip the switch" and cause the hidden genetic potential to turn into the physical reality of hip dysplasia.
    

In simple terms: A clear X-ray means the parent didn't get the disease, but it doesn't mean they don't carry the genes to pass it on. When you breed two dogs whose hips are certified as normal (clear of dysplasia), there is still a significant chance that they will produce puppies with the condition. 

• Hereditary Eye Defects: A CERF certified veterinarian must confirm any hereditary eye defects. CERF (Canine Eye Registration Foundation) is an old registry, and these certifications are now typically done through an ACVO (American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists) exam and submitted to the OFA's Eye Certification Registry (ECR).

•   SELLER’S LIMITED WARRANTY SET FORTH IN THIS CONTRACT IS NULL AND VOID IF THE PUPPY IS SPAYED/NEUTERED BEFORE 18 MONTHS.

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Terms and Conditions

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Duration of the Guarantee

The guarantee for EIC, CNM, PRA, Heart Murmur, Hip Dysplasia, and Retinal Eye Disease is valid up until 24 months of age.

Notification Requirement

The Seller (Bougie Labradors) must be notified by 24 months of age if the puppy is diagnosed as being affected by any of the stated diseases.

Certification Requirements 

For the guarantee to be valid, the following official certifications are required:

• Hip Dysplasia: The OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) is the sole and only judge in determining hip dysplasia.

***The most common estimate is that about 25% (or 1 out of every 4) of the puppies in that litter may still develop hip dysplasia.

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