Co-owning dogs: will it work for you?

Have you ever been asked to co-own a dog? If you bought a dog or have used the services of a stud from a show breeder, chances are you’ve encountered this. You may have also seen pedigrees listing multiple owners.

Defining dog co-ownership

What exactly does co-ownership mean? The truth is that there is no single formula for co-ownership, and it is up to the prospective owners to define the terms of this arrangement. For some, co-ownership could simply be something on paper – meaning, the dog lives with one of the co-owners, who is entirely responsible for the dog.  For others, co-ownership could mean shared living arrangements and costs, with the dog spending time with one owner. If you have raised a dog, you can imagine that shared living arrangements and expenses are not exactly cut-and-dried.

Advantages of co-owning dogs

The main benefit of co-owning a dog is having someone to share responsibilities and associated costs with. This is particularly useful if you have a show dog that is actively campaigning towards its championship. A co-owner can be counted on to help in the logistics of the campaign, which is admittedly heavy and time-consuming. For instance, you can alternate dog showing responsibilities with your co-owner. Moreover, a co-owner can help bring down your costs especially if you are acquiring a new dog. That’s why some dogs have three or four owners.

I do have a number of co-owned dogs, and thankfully, all these arrangements have worked out so far. That’s because my co-owner and I have the same philosophy when it comes to raising our dogs, and we’re pretty relaxed about expenses and living arrangements (i.e., I get to keep all the dogs and raise them the way I deem fit, especially after they have retired from dog shows.)

Downsides of co-owning a dog

Unfortunately, that is not the case for everyone with a co-owned dog. I’ve seen broken friendships and strained relationships because of co-ownership arrangements, and almost always, the cause is unmatched expectations. Often, there are issues that are not discussed by the parties at the outset, which could lead to frustrations if one is not satisfied with how the other one approaches the issue. For instance,  if the dog gets sick or injured, who pays for the bill? If the dog is not neutered and becomes pregnant or sires puppies, who gets the puppies? How much time will the dog spend with each owner? How will this be done in a way that is not disruptive to the dog if there are multiple owners? The list goes on and on…

Needless to say, it is not going to be easy to come up with a 50-50 arrangement, where each owner pitches in equally for the needs of the dog. Often, the owner who has physical possession of the dog will end up spending more time, effort, and possibly resources, on the dog’s upkeep, but will also experience all the joys and thrills of living with the dog. The owner who does not have physical possession of the dog, on the other hand, is spared from day-to-day responsibilities but may never win the dog’s affection and loyalty.

A contract could help define each co-owner’s responsibilities, but its terms should be deemed fair and should be clear to all.

Points to ponder

If you’re ever asked to enter into a co-ownership agreement, you may wish to think about the following:

• Do you trust your prospective co-owner enough? There will be many gray areas and unexpected events in the course of the dog’s life. Do you think this prospective co-owner will have your and the dog’s interest in mind?
• Do you have the same beliefs when it comes to raising dogs? For instance, you may want to neuter your pet while your co-owner may want to breed away. Or you may want the dog to live with humans indoors, while the co-owner thinks cages are the way to go.
• What are your non-negotiables? Think hard about these, and make sure you mention this to your prospective co-owner before entering any arrangement. 
• Are you willing to lose your friendship with this person? Yes, this could happen.

With the right partner/s, co-owning a dog can be a helpful way to raise dogs. But finding the right partner you can co-raise a dog with is not easy. This is why you should not tgo into co-ownership agreements without giving thought to how you would want the future to be for you and your dog.