I. About Frog Holler

We have been involved with the Fila Brasileiro since 1987. We have handled many Filas
to the completion of their titles, including our own. We are proud of each of our dogs
accomplishments in the ring. However, the pride we feel for them as "show-stoppers"
pales in comparison to the satisfaction we receive from these loving companions in our
home. Our Filas are our family. FROG HOLLER produces a VERY limited number of
litters per year. These puppies are also extremely important to us and we strive to place
each one into loving homes where he or she will be cherished. Our goal as breeders is to
provide you, our puppy parents, with a loving protective companion that will have a long,
very healthy life.

II. Bones - the inside story

Hip Dysplasia --
Hip dysplasia is a multifactorial abnormal development of the coxofemoral joint in large
dogs that is characterized by joint laxity and subsequent degenerative joint disease.
Excessive growth, exercise, nutrition, and hereditary factors affect the occurrence of hip
dysplasia. The pathophysiologic basis for hip dysplasia is a disparity between hip joint
muscle mass and rapid bone development. As a result, coxofemoral joint laxity or
instability develops and subsequently leads to degenerative joint changes, e.g., acetabular
bone sclerosis, osteophytosis, thickened femoral neck, joint capsule fibrosis, and
subluxation or luxation of the femoral head. [Taken from The Merck Veterinary Manual, 8th
edition]

Elbow Dysplasia --
Elbow dysplasia is a generalized incongruency of the elbow joint in young, large, rapidly
growing dogs that is related to abnormal bone growth, joint stresses, or cartilage
development. One or more of the following lesions may be present in the joint: an
Ununited Anconeal Process of the ulna (UAP), Fragmentation of the medial Coronoid
Process of the ulna (FCP), and Osteochondrosis (OCD) of the medial aspect of the
humeral condyle. Radiographic grading of dysplastic elbow joints is being performed by
the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals in the USA and is Scandinavian and European
kennel clubs. [Taken from The Merck Veterinary Manual, 8th edition]

Over the last several years we have heard of and known some Filas with one or both of
the orthopedic problems HD or UAP. Both of these problems can be crippling and heart
breaking for the owners. Treatment can be very expensive. These skeletal diseases are
costly both financially and emotionally.

X-rays are used for the detection of both conditions. The x-rays are submitted to OFA or
PennHIP (or both) for evaluation.

Although most of our dogs are submitted to both agencies, we use the PennHIP
evaluation as our guide when deciding if a particular dog should be bred.

PennHIP measures the laxity of the hip joint. The dog's X-rays are scored and given
numbers for both hips. The higher the number, the more laxity in the joint. The more
laxity in the joint, the greater the likelihood of developing hip dysplasia.

Currently the national average for Filas is .60. Dr. Fred
Lanting (author of "Canine Hip Dysplasia") had this to say about one of our bitches:
"Lisa Ford . . . had dogs evaluated by PennHIP and got a fantastic DI (distraction index)
reading of .30/.33 . . . . First, let me assure Lisa that she should celebrate those
wonderfully low readings . . . the odds of that bitch ever getting degenerative joint
disease (DJD) are extremely low... the bitch has hips like a performance Sighthound! . . .
. I would be very happy to own dogs with such an evaluation. Especially in this
high-HD-risk breed."
Dr. Lanting is considered to be an expert in the field of canine hip dysplasia. He presents
seminars around the world on this topic as well as the subject of gait-&-structure,
sometimes in conjunction with judging assignments, other times as stand-alone events.

This is fantastic of course and we are quite proud of the evaluations we have received.
We feel we are truly starting out with genetic soundness when breeding these dogs.

III. Diet and skeletal disease

The medical community has long been aware of the role diet has in the development of
HD. Obesity can lead to HD especially in a growing puppy. DO NOT LET YOUR PUP
GET FAT. There also has been speculation about the content of diet as a factor as well.
Frog Holler has done some research in this area and here's what we found out:

A BIT ABOUT KIBBLE:
Kibble has been in this country since the 1920s. It is the self-proclaimed "complete" food.
Supposedly all of the nutritional requirements are in each little piece making it a
convenient and easy to store food. There are so many brands out there and they all seem
to have a vet's endorsement. Which one is REALLY the best? The more we researched
the processed dog foods, the more we believed that, not only are they not the best, they
can actually harmful to any dog.

Take a look at the ingredients in those "complete" foods. There are terms like:
meat by products, beef meal, Chicken Meal, and Lamb Meal. What type of meat "meal"
are they referring to? A visit to a rendering plant will be an eye opening experience. Let's
walk through just one of the many examples:
Mr. Dairyman is noticing that Cow#2399 is not coming up to the parlor to be milked. He
moves her to an isolation pen where he notices that she has a raging mastitis infection in
her udder, which causes her to drip pus from the infected glands. He injects her with the
strongest antibiotics that he knows of hoping to save his expensive investment.
Cow#2399 continues to go downhill, and is now refusing to eat or drink. Mr Dairyman
does the only humane thing. He calls the vet to come out and euthanize her. At once the
toxic chemicals race through her body ending her misery. Here is were the dogfood
companies come in. In their eyes, she becomes totally suitable food for our dogs, sick
tissue, antibiotics, euthanizing chemicals, and all. The rendering truck drags her carcass
into the back, where she is transported to the site of render. She is pieced apart into
categories like, meat and bone meal, beef by-products, beef meal, beef digest, etc. Sadly
this story is not the exception but the rule. Animal Proteins consist of meat from the 4
D’s (dead, diseased, dying, or disabled) ...rendered material.

IV. The dog and the natural diet

Wild dogs are scavengers. They eat whatever and whenever they can get their paws on.
They do not eat a "complete" meal each time but the nutrients they need are made up
over a length of time. They might make a meal of fallen and rotting fruit or berries or
some other vegetation because they are HUNGRY. If they are lucky enough to make a
kill it is usually an herbivore. The first meal is often the internal organs and the
vegetation that animal has eaten and already partially processed. The dogs will consume
almost everything over a period of time. It is very hard work. Ripping, shredding, tearing,
and chewing take a lot of energy and often put the dog through a full isometric workout.
They stop to rest and digest frequently often before they are completely full. Other days
when the pickings are slim, they will find nothing to eat and go without.

Our domesticated dogs are quite similar to their wild ancestors in just about every
respect. They greet loved ones, play, socialize, and are structurally the same as our
friends. Take a look sometime at the dentition of your dog and compare it to that of a
wolf or coyote. They are exactly the same in every regard except that a wild dog is likely
to have a stronger, healthier set of teeth later into life than our domesticated kibble-fed
dogs.

V. Kibble and the faithful Fila

A processed diet has not been available to the Fila for very long at all. The dogs in Brazil
were fed meals consisting of scraps and leftovers from its people, vegetables, fruits, and
Raw Meaty Bones that were left after the usable meat for the family had been cut off.
The Filas in Brazil thrived on this natural diet. It is still not uncommon for the Filas in
Brazil to live to the age of twelve.

In the United States it is quite another story. Filas were brought to the U.S. in 1983. Of
course it didn't take long for them to be introduced to the "perfectly engineered" food.
Kibble was given alone or used as a base with other foods to supplement. The average
life expectancy of a Fila in this country is about 8 years of age.

VI. The Biologically Appropriate Raw Foods (BARF) philosophy of diet and exercise

Upon Frog Holler's verification of your suitability as a puppy owner, and subsequent receipt of your deposit,
you will receive a copy of a reference book which covers the ideology of the raw feeding program,
and explains how to feed a dog in this manner. The key issue to which we have been discussing are summed up in
the first two words of this program, Biologically Appropriate. What does this mean? It
means characteristic for the dog in the wild state or as natural as possible. Puppies
should not be walked for extended periods of time, rather they should receive natural
exercise from playing and rough-housing with siblings (or you), or the large amount of
isometric effort spent tackling a challenging RMB, and then be allowed to sleep when
tired, as would their young wolf cousins.

A typical diet plan for a Fila
In the course of two weeks, with two meals fed each day, the dog should receive 14
meals. Of these 14 meals, 8 of these are the simple Raw Meaty Bone (RMB) meals.
This is when you toss the dog its (always raw) chicken backs, necks, or the beef ribs, etc.
4 of these meals should be veggie meals, where a variety of veggies and fruits are pulped
and fed with some basic supplements. The last 4 meals are the simplest of all! These are
the 2 fast days (one per week) where the dogs are not offered any food for the day,
usually chosen to fall on a day that we are not home to prepare the meals. The object is
to balance the dog’s diet over the period of several weeks, not to have each and every
meal balanced. Here at Frog Holler we use chicken backs as our staple RMB. If we find
other cuts on sale, or other meat types (turkey, lamb, beef, pork, fish, rabbit, etc.) at
affordable prices, we will exchange these for the chicken backs. The vegetable meals
include any or all of the following: (most important) ANY green leafy veggies, carrots,
cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, celery, sweet potatoes, asparagus, tomatoes, all
melons, grapes, kiwi, apples, bananas, mangoes, plums, prunes, raisins, apricots, cherries,
berries, pears, etc. To this we add our supplements. These include Vit.C (for strong
bones and joints), ground flaxseed (for important Omega oils), kelp/alfalfa (a sea
based/land based source of minerals), and Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (for a healthy
urinary tract, and immune system builder). We usually add one egg per dog, a large plop
of live culture yogurt, some honey or molasses, and last but not least, some very much
loved mackerel.

In Summary
When you start with a Frog Holler puppy, and raise it in a way that is biologically
appropriate on a diet of raw foods, you have set yourself up with the opportunity to have
a healthy, long lived companion that will bring you joy and happiness for a decade or
longer! What more could you ask for?!?!

This agreement is entered into on ________________________ between Frog Holler Fila Brasileiros (“Seller”),
and ______________________________________(“Purchaser”).
Seller wishes to sell, and Purchaser wishes to buy one (1) Fila Brasileiro dog, described as
(sex)_______________________, (color)__________________________________,
(markings)_____________________________________________________________,
sired by________________________________________(Reg#)___________________,
out of_________________________________________(Reg#)___________________,
and whelped on ____________________.

Frog Holler offers their puppies in the following fashion:

Show/Breeding quality. This puppy is considered by Frog Holler to be a fantastic example of the breed. It is guaranteed to have no disqualifying faults as an adult, and to be free from hip dysplasia until the age of three (3) years. This is a puppy that we would consider keeping for our OWN breeding program. This puppy comes with full CBKC registration papers, which are sent Certified Mail to the new owner promptly after we receive them from Brazil. Because of the extensive guarantees that this puppy comes with, its price is $1,200.

Working quality. This puppy is considered by Frog Holler to be a nice example of the breed. It may have faults (excessive white, slight oral mis-alignment, etc.), but it will have nothing that will impair its ability to work, or it may simply be a Show/Breeding quality puppy that is sold with a Working quality guarantee for a reduced price. It is guaranteed to be free of rear end lameness due to hip dysplasia until the age of one (1) year. Remember, this puppy is NO different from its Show/Breeding quality siblings in regards to it expected hip soundness. The registration papers for this puppy will be held by Frog Holler. If the new owner takes the initiative to prove the soundness (OFA/PennHIP) and quality (TT/Show) of this puppy in the future, Frog Holler will forward via Certified Mail, the full CBKC registration papers. A Working quality puppy is $800.

Companion quality. This is generally the same puppy as the Working quality puppy, but offered for a reduced price without the one year guarantee. The exception is the occasional puppy that has a significant fault (oral mis-alignment, east-west front, cow-hockedness, entropion, cryptorchidism. etc.) Again, this puppy is NO different from its Show/Breeding quality siblings in regards to it expected hip soundness and should make a fine family companion. Registration papers for this puppy will be held by Frog Holler. Companion quality puppies are offered with NO replacement guarantee for $600.

NOTE: We will NEVER sell or place a puppy that has any problem that we feel will affect his/her ability to enjoy a normal, healthy active life.

This dog is considered to be a ________________________________ quality dog.

The terms and conditions of this sale are as follows:

In exchange for Purchaser’s payment of $_______________, Seller agrees to provide the above-referenced dog. Seller warrants that the animal has had all vaccinations required in Northwest Washington, given the age of the dog, and that it shall be free of communicable diseases for a period of ten (10) days from the date of delivery to Purchaser. (Purchaser is required to have the dog examined by a local veterinarian within 5 days of delivery.) Purchaser shall take possession of the dog at Seller’s place of business in Sedro-Woolley, Washington, or advise Seller of requested delivery instructions, and make arrangements to pre-pay all non-C.O.D. delivery costs before shipment.

1. It is understood that in order to fulfill the terms of this contract, this puppy shall be raised on a raw diet. If any portion of this puppy's diet has consisted of a commercial kibble, all parts of this contract in regards to replacement/reimbursement are void. A reference book on this subject has been provided to the purchaser by Frog Holler Fila Brasileiros and was received by the purchaser on _________________ . It is because of our strong belief in this method of raising puppies that we can offer the guarantees that we do.

2. It is understood that Breeding/Show quality dogs are guaranteed until three (3) years of age against ANY disqualifying faults (FCI standards) and that they will PennHIP with scores above average for the breed (1/1/99 - .60), OR that they will pass OFA with a Fair, Good, or Excellent. PennHIP/OFA are to be done between 24 months and 28 months of age.
It is understood that Working quality dogs are guaranteed until one (1) year of age against any visible signs of lameness resulting from radiographically proven hip dysplasia.
It is understood that Companion quality dogs are only guaranteed to be free of communicable diseases for a period of ten (10) days from the date of delivery to Purchaser.
The replacement guarantee will replace the above dog with another of equal or better quality, OR a timely reimbursement of a portion of the purchase price (the difference of the original purchase price minus the $600 Companion quality price). The option will be given to the buyer, but ultimately the decision of replacement vs. reimbursement lies with the seller.
In order to exercise the replacement/reimbursement guarantee, Purchaser must meet the following conditions:
a) if Show/Breeding quality, photocopies of failing evaluation/scores from BOTH of the two hip dysplasia registries (OFA and PennHIP) must be sent to Seller; if Working quality, x-ray must either be sent to OFA with resulting mild/moderate/severe joint conformation, sent to PennHIP with resulting moderate DJD, or sent to Seller's Veterinarian (NOTE: X-rays MUST be clearly labeled with dog and owner name IN THE FILM - be SURE to tell your veterinarian!),
b) the above aforementioned dog must never have given birth to a litter of puppies or been responsible for siring a litter of puppies,
c) proof from an authorized veterinarian that the initially purchased dog has been spayed or neutered (Certificate of Sterilization), and
d) prepayment of any non-C.O.D. freight or delivery charges that may be required for shipment of Purchaser's replacement dog. As we do not wish to stress the initially purchased Fila nor its family, the originally purchased dog may be kept by the Purchaser.

3. Buyer agrees to return this dog at their expense if ever the circumstances arise where this dog can not be adequately cared for in a manner which allows the dog to be socialized, trained, and loved. Buyer understands that this dog is ALWAYS welcome to return to Frog Holler Kennels. This dog is to never be placed in a pound, shelter, or a home which does not completely understand the unique characteristics of the Fila Brasileiro. This dog will never be allowed to breed indiscriminately. The Buyer shall make a sincere attempt to contact Breeder by phone and by registered letter. If after (10) days the Breeder can not be contacted, or should the Buyer need to immediately release custody of the dog, the Buyer shall contact the persons listed below who are authorized by the Breeder to take possession of the dog in such event.
(Names with addresses and phone numbers are disclosed on the actual contract.)
The Buyer shall fully disclose the reason he cannot maintain the animal, disclose the name of Breeder and provide all records to the authorized contact person.

4. The Buyer agrees to notify the Breeder if they change address or telephone number to allow Breeder to keep track of the dog.

5. Seller warrants no condition of purchase other than those specifically referenced in the above paragraphs.

6. The Fila Brasileiro is a Brazilian breed recognized by the Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI). It is classified as a rare breed in the United States, and does not carry American Kennel Club (AKC) registration.

7. Purchaser stipulates and agrees that the Seller has thoroughly and understandably explained the following information concerning the dog purchased: The Fila Brasileiro is a large and strong breed which has been used around the world for many purposes, including tracking, herding, and protection work of many varieties. The dog is very loyal, territorial, and capable of protective behavior on behalf of its owner. Under adverse or threatening circumstances, the dog may be aggressive, and may bite. Because of this temperament, the dog must be properly schooled and trained.

8. Purchaser hereby agrees to defend, indemnify and hold Seller harmless from any complaints, lawsuits, causes of action, or other adverse circumstances of any kind which may arise as a result of actions taken by the dog after Purchaser accepts delivery of the dog referenced in this Agreement.

9. Seller and Purchaser hereby covenant and agree that any disputes which may arise as a result of this agreement shall be resolved by mandatory binding arbitration. Purchaser and Seller may mutually agree upon the selection of an arbitrator. If such agreement is not possible, the dispute shall be resolved pursuant to the rules and procedures of the American Arbitration Association. Seller and Purchaser shall be separately and independently responsible for their own attorney fees and expenses incurred as the result of any such dispute or arbitration. The location of any such arbitration proceeding shall be in Skagit County, Washington.

10. Seller and Purchaser agree that all terms and conditions governing the Agreement are provided for herein, and that there are no separate oral agreements which shall affect the terms of this Agreement.