It is a great responsibility you've taken upon yourself with many possible "what ifs" and doubts created along with your dog's impending puppies. But it does sound like you've been careful in planning your breeding and in trying hard to place the puppies. You are an ethical owner, and you are not the only one; but yes, many people do fail their pets over the long haul. The best you can do is be very selective when deciding who should be allowed to buy your puppies, based on their qualifications rather than just their willingness to pay. Try to sell your puppies locally so you can stay in touch with the owners, and even ask if you can visit prospective buyers' homes to see where the puppies will be living before you agree to sell to them. Require them to agree to enroll in a puppy class as part of your contract, especially if the puppy will be their first dog. Be sure they know enough about your breed and what needs the dog will have and that they have the time and means to see to those needs. This may turn people off, but then you may not want to sell a puppy to someone who doesn't respect your concern and desire to look out for your puppies' best interests. Sell your puppies with limited registration if you don't want them to be bred, or consider co-owning if breeding is going to be an option, so you can retain some control, especially if you are selling to a novice. I don't know of an actual "Code of Ethics" for dog owners, so I wrote one. Although you can't really enforce most of this once you've sold the puppies, maybe it will make you feel better knowing you have offered some ethical guidelines and that your buyers have read and agreed with them. The rest will be up to their consciences, which you will have to trust.

Promises to keep to my dog:

• I will not see you as what I would like you to be, but what you are; I always will remember you are not my child, spouse or a human family member.
• I will not pretend to be a dog, nor pretend you are human; I will respect our differences and work to bridge them.
• I will try to learn your language and teach you in ways you can understand.
• I will care for you in a consistent, predictable manner. You always will be able to rely on me to see to your needs that you cannot tend to yourself. I will not withhold what you need and make you beg or grovel.
• I will respect you as equal but different.
• I will teach you to make an easier, safer life for yourself, rather than to bolster my pride or ego.
• I will teach you without frightening or hurting you and without compromising or degrading you.
• I will allow you the right to make choices and to learn from positive results.
• I will shape your will, rather than confront and break it. I never will threaten you, hit you, yell at you or intimidate you. If I feel myself losing patience or control, I will recognize these behaviors as loss of control in myself, resulting from frustration. I will apologize to you by seeking better information and more humane and effective ways to teach you.
• I will remember your behavior is always appropriate from your perspective; that you do not think in terms of "right" and "wrong" but in what gets a desired result and what does not. When you behave in ways that are inappropriate from a human perspective, I will consider ways to redirect your energy into more positive outlets rather than punishing you.
• I will feed you food that is good for you and keep you at a healthy weight.
• I will exercise you every day and see to your elimination needs.
• I will not confine you for more than six hours at a stretch, and I will hire a caretaker for when I can't be there to tend to your needs.
• I will let you sleep in my room, in the room of a family member or with another dog; I will never forget you are a social animal that needs to be part of a group. I will remember solitary confinement is unnatural to you and causes tremendous stress.
• I will groom you regularly and keep you clean.
• I will see to all of your routine medical needs and keep you vaccinated and free from parasites.
• I will provide you with safe freedom in enclosed areas where you cannot be lost or hurt. I always will walk you on a leash when in unenclosed areas and will have identification on you at all times.
• I will not leave you outside alone or unsupervised.
• I will provide you with socialization with other dogs, so you can play and interact with members of your own species.
• I will teach you to work with me, doing positive activities that use up your energy and justify your domestication. I will remember you have no natural work, such as hunting for survival, and I will create busy work for you to compensate and help you to feel successful.
• I will not allow you to reproduce unless you are determined to be both physically and mentally sound by objective professionals and veterinarians and by achieving verification of reproductive-quality conformation through competition and championship. I will breed you only if, in the opinions of many people involved with dogs, you are able to contribute to your breed. I will not breed you for profit. I will not breed you unless I am positive I have lined up ethical, committed owners for all the puppies you might produce. I will not allow you to reproduce unless I am willing to assume full responsibility for the puppies for their entire lives, including taking them back and keeping or rehoming them if necessary. I will not breed you knowing you have any temperament, conformation or health fault. I will not breed you unless I am positive you are genetically compatible with the dog chosen to be your mate.
• I will neuter you if you are not of superior breeding quality to keep you from reproducing or having health problems specific to intact dogs.
• I will play with you appropriately, have fun with you and appreciate your company every day.
• I will respect the rights of other people by not allowing you to be a nuisance, and I always will clean up after you when you eliminate in public places.
• I will not own more animals than I can care for, cutting into my time for you.
• I will be a legally responsible owner, respecting laws regarding owning you.
• I never will sell you or give you away unless it becomes physically impossible for me to care for you properly.
• If you become ill I will protect you from pain and suffering, no matter what it takes.
• I will provide you with medical care, regardless of the cost.
• I never will abandon you; you are a chosen member of my family and I will not fail you.

That's about all I can think of; I hope this helps!

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