Puppy Health Guarantee

At Storyside Kennels, we are dedicated to raising happy, healthy, and well-socialized puppies.

This Health Guarantee outlines the health care our puppies receive before going

home and the protections provided to buyers if certain health concerns arise.

Health at Time of Sale

We raise our puppies in a clean, loving environment with attentive care. Before going home, puppies receive:

A veterinary wellness examination at approximately 7–7.5 weeks of age
Age-appropriate vaccinations
Age-appropriate deworming
Routine health monitoring and care

Tail and Dewclaw Policy

Storyside Kennels follows breed-appropriate practices for tail and dewclaw management.

English Springer Spaniels: Tails are docked by a licensed veterinarian during the recommended early-age window.
Springerdoodles and Aussiedoodles: Tails are left natural.
All breeds: Front dewclaws are left natural. Rear dewclaws, if present, may be removed by a licensed veterinarian for safety.

These practices are part of our standard puppy care and are not considered defects or conditions covered under this Health Guarantee.

Veterinary Health Check

We recommend that buyers have their puppy examined by a licensed veterinarian within 72 hours of bringing the puppy home.

If a serious health condition is diagnosed during this period:

Please contact Storyside Kennels immediately.
Written documentation of the diagnosis from the examining licensed veterinarian must be provided.
If the condition qualifies under this Health Guarantee, the buyer may be eligible for a full refund or replacement puppy, at Storyside Kennels’ discretion, subject to the terms of this guarantee.

Genetic Health Guarantee

We prioritize the genetic health of our puppies and use genetic testing to help make informed breeding decisions.

Breeding dogs owned by Storyside Kennels undergo DNA testing through Embark to screen for hereditary genetic conditions relevant to our breeding program.
Genetic test results are reviewed and considered when planning breeding pairings.
We may occasionally use outside sires that are carefully selected based on their health, genetic testing, and suitability for the planned pairing.

For purposes of this guarantee, a covered hereditary genetic condition is a serious, clinically diagnosed inherited disorder that significantly affects the puppy’s quality of life or normal function and is determined by a licensed veterinarian to be hereditary in nature.

Coverage does not apply solely because a puppy is identified as a carrier of a genetic variant or has a genetic test result associated with increased risk when the puppy is not clinically affected.

If a covered hereditary genetic condition is diagnosed within one year of the puppy’s purchase date, the buyer must provide Storyside Kennels with written veterinary documentation of the diagnosis. Storyside Kennels may request supporting medical records or additional veterinary evaluation when reasonably necessary to confirm that the condition qualifies under this guarantee.

If the condition qualifies under this guarantee, Storyside Kennels will provide a replacement puppy or refund, at our discretion.

Limitations

This Health Guarantee does not cover:

Minor or cosmetic conditions that do not significantly affect the puppy’s health, quality of life, or normal function.
Injuries, illnesses, or health conditions resulting from accidents, improper care, inadequate nutrition, obesity, environmental factors, or other circumstances occurring after the puppy leaves Storyside Kennels.
Parasites or common, treatable conditions that may occur in puppies, unless otherwise required by applicable law.
Carrier status for a genetic variant when the puppy is not clinically affected.
Genetic variants or risk markers that do not result in a clinically diagnosed hereditary disorder.
Conditions that are not reasonably determined by a licensed veterinarian to be hereditary in nature.

Storyside Kennels does not guarantee a puppy’s adult size, weight, coat color, coat type, temperament, breeding ability, or show quality.

Returning the Puppy

If a buyer qualifies for a remedy under this Health Guarantee that requires the puppy to be returned:

The puppy must be returned to Storyside Kennels at the buyer’s expense within 7 days of the qualifying diagnosis, unless otherwise agreed to in writing.
The puppy may not be rehomed, sold, surrendered, or transferred to a third party before a claim under this Health Guarantee is resolved.
Failure to return the puppy when required under the terms of an approved claim may void the applicable refund or replacement remedy.

If you have questions about this Health Guarantee or your puppy’s health, please contact us. We’re happy to discuss the guarantee and help you understand the coverage provided.