I recall this story being discussed a few days ago. Not only is this breeder a moron for letting the pup go at 6 weeks but he(or she) is obviously a creep for not refunding your money because the dog was 1 day late. Did you sign a contract? This story falls under the category of "buyer beware". There are plenty of low life breeders around and this dosen't suprise me. If this breeder felt that the pup wasn't right for you, why did he let you have her in the first place? It seems to me that this breeder is full of it and there was a heart murmer detected by his vet. He figures if he tells you that the dogs temperement is the reason he dosen't think you should take her back then you'll wait for another pup and he won't have a reputation for breeding unhealthy pups. I think I just broke a blood vessel in my head!!OOOH this pisses me off!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

I would NEVER deal with this scumbag again. As far as your money goes, I'm no lawyer so I'm not sure if you have any case, especially if there was a signed contact. I can't freakin' stand it!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

I just want to add that I understand that a contract is a contract. If a breeder says 2 weeks and the buyer is aware of that then fine. The breeder has to draw a line somewhere. In this case though, the pup was let go at 6 weeks instead of 7-8 weeks. If done correctly, at least the customer would have a fair time to have a vet examine the pup and a fair chance to return if there was a problem. This breeder is not ethical and its for that reason I say he should return the money even though its a day past the 2 week period.

Chuck, thanks for your support. There was a signed contract. Fortunately I am lucky enough to have a brother who is an attorney who I'll be seeing today. I'll ask him what he thinks and keep you posted. Doesn't it blow you away the number of people who for whatever reason are unable to do the 'right thing'? Actually I feel bad for them --they're the ones who suffer in the end -- their conscience gets rotted away.

Well, I've always said its great to have a relative or close friend as a lawyer, doctor and auto mechanic! I guess maybe we should add dog breeder to that list!LOL <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Chuck wrote:

****I think I just broke a blood vessel in my head!!OOOH this pisses me off!! ... I can't
freakin' stand it!!****

Chucky, don't go postal on us!!! We can't afford to lose you too!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I am not taking the side of the breeder by any means so please don't take this that way. At the clinic where I work if someone calls us about a new puppy they have and it is not due for vax yet or anything we at least strongly encourage them to come in for just a physical exam so congenital heart problems (or other obvious problems) can be found before any "time frame" for returning the puppy or kitten runs out.
As I said, I think the breeder was wrong on every count but I just had to put that two cents worth in possibly help someone else in the future....at least go in a get a physical done...it may save a lot of heartbreak down the road.

Dear Chuck and All,
Well my attorney (actually my brother) says I'm outta luck as far as the contract goes since there is a clause stating that I accept the dog 'as is' if I do not return it within two weeks.
I have sure learned a lot from this one -- make sure you understand the contract before you hand over your money -- I wish I'd known to ask for a copy when I first came to look at the pup. Also, schedule a vet appointment for a 'physical'to be done on your way home from picking up the puppy.

Thanks,
Martha

Martha,

It may still be worth going to a small claims court on this. The rules are a little more relaxed and based on the fact that they took the puppy back, you have your Vet's statement that the pup was "defective", and they have offered to replace it you may be able to argue there is an implied waranty and get your money back. In Small Claims court the rules are often looser and based more on common sense rather than strictly the law. It will create problems with the breeder, but it may be worth a shot if you have no intention of doing buisness with them again.

Martha

You feel cheated, swindled, bamboozled. You hate the breeder you want to spit on him or kill him. You blame yourself, it’s all your husbands fault. We all have been there,
it doesn’t have to be a breeder. It could have been a contractor, a car manufacturer, anything. It’s been a month now and you should be cooling of with time. Look at it as a learning experience. I did so much research on different breeds and spoke to a lot of breeders and I have to say it was frustrating. Don’t get me wrong there are some very good breeders, but they were either to far away or had waiting list or stipulations. I don’t believe you mentioned the breed you were looking at. Study what the genetic health problems are of that breed. Just for an example look at Ed’s breeding program. This is what you want. With all that said. I ended up getting a puppy at a shelter after puppy testing her. You could try the suing route and threatening route. You might get partial payment . I have never spoken to a breeder that offered money back. My advice standing on the outside is to talk to the original breeder asked him for first pick of the litter and go there with a knowledgeable dog person. You can hire a professional puppy tester. I’m sure you will have a lovely pet for many years. One more point worth considering. My dog went lame at 11 months woke up and could hardly stand. I was convinced it was hip dysplasia. Prior to going to the vet I was prepared to pay what ever it took to make her well. Depending on the procedure it can run between 2 to 4 thousand dollars. I told my wife that a two thousand dollar dog from a good breeder looks cheap now. At least the odds are reduced. I also said what difference does it make if I did go to a breeder that offered a long health guarantee. I invested 8 months of love into this dog and she is as much part of family as any other member. You’re not going back to the breeder and ask for another. You’re going to do what ever it takes to keep her. My dogs hips x-rayed fine. She is doing great.

Milt

I went through 4 pups before I got the bitch thta i have now who is everything I wanted and more. 3 simply didnt have working drives and one died of distemper. Its a tough thing to have to go through, I think its really important to remember why you are getting a dog in the first place, i wanted a working animal and i wanst going to settle for anything less. Little puppies are so cute its hard to be objective about the animals prospects once you get it home and bond with even if as time passes it has a congenital fault or lacks potential as a working candidate. I eventaully found a good breeder who understood what I wanted and matched me with just the right animal. If you got out of this for $800 you are lucky, I spent about $5000 and drove lots of miles and wasted a couple of years with duds. Still, once you get the right dog its seems worth it. Its a thrill the first time you see your pup prick up its ears at a strange noise and hear a deep growl emerge from her chest or your out in public and people remrk what a fine looking animal it is and how well behaved she is. Dont settle for a inferior candidate, having a dud dog around is like being in a bad relationship. Once you finally get rid of the wretch you ask your self why you wasted so much time of them in the first place.