Please Help Me With My Puppy!

[Ahona]

I would personally expect my money back.

The pups not much older than 8 weeks and the breeder should be able to resell him to a suitable home.

Plus, they really should have told you that a puppy wouldn't be suitable for you given how old your kiddies are!!

Don't beat yourself up about this too, the timing just wasn't right, it doesn't make you a bad dog owner

[alanglen]

I really understand how hard this has all been for you and I applaud you for seeking help and returning him to the breeder but I wouldn't ask for my money back! I would consider a lot of is your responsibility in that you knew you had young children and purchased a pup and so the money falls back to your problem. I would really be concerned with any breeder who allowed you to take on so much but perhaps you could settle for half refund if any? It will still take the breeder some time to find another home for him.

Find yourself a hot bath and allow some time to relax, it must have been a hectic week but look after your children and find yourself an older dog when your children are at least 3years old. This will also give the little man a chance to find his perfect home.

[Caesars mum]

IMO you would be well within your rights to ask for a refund. this breeder was irresponsible to sell a puppy to such a young family. One of the first questions I would as when I used to breed many years ago was if the had children and there ages. And when I bought a puppy recently it was the first question the breeder asked me.

[paulnkat]

I too would expect a refund as the breeder is at fault in allowing you to purchase a pup with two very young kids. I am sure the breeder will very easily be able to resell the dog so if you didn't get the refund this would be a double dip for the breeder, thus encouraging them to make the same mistake again!

I'm glad that you have made the choice to return the pup, and it only shows that you are a responsible dog owner. Don't be hard on yourself for admitting defeat, you not superwoman.

[Spot.]

You should be entitled to a refund, but you can't blame the breeder for selling you this puppy regardless of how young your children are. Puppies need training and attention, they don't come trained it takes hard work and dedication, if you did not know this it is not the breeders fault. Glad you are returning the pup.

[Alison]

I think you have done the right thing taking the pup back. Puppies take up alot of time, and it sounds like you didn't have enough to start with looking after the kids on your own while hubby is at work. I would hope that the breeder would give you some or all of your money back, depening on how long it takes her to find a new home for him and also how much she gets for him. If she has to keep the pup for a few weeks to find a new home for it, then she will have to pay for food and caring for the pup, she may also have to sell him for a reduced price, so keep this in mind if she doens't offer you a full refund.

[Jed]

I am pleased the breeder agreed to take him back. I do think you should get a refund, and I do think the breeder has some responsibility in this, providing you told her the truth when you bought the puppy. She had the knowledge, and a duty of care to both you and the puppy to explain how it would be. And she ought to be able to re-sell him quite easily, so there is no loss. However, she may take $50 or so off the price to cover advertising.

Personally as a breeder, I would prefer to take the pup back, give a refund, than know he could be in a home which wasn't coping very well with him.

Sorry it didn't work out, but the first couple of weeks can be very time consuming and trying.

[centitout]

i turned down several buyers for my pups because of very young children,one had 1 yr old twins!! it would of been ok for him but his wife would of been the one looking after the pup and i know what its like to have young children and young animals together.personally i wouldnt have sold you a pup at this stage and i would refund any money as well.i think you are doing the right thing by returning him to the breeder-give it a couple of years and maybe buy an older dog to start with.

[littlelabrador]

I'm so glad the breeder will take the puppy back. I totally empathise with the stress you have been going through and i think you've made the right decision. We recently got a labrador puppy, and as some on here know, its been darn hard work, stressful and we've had problems along the way. We also wanted a 'best friend' for our daughter, who has high functioning autism, but no way could we have done the whole 'puppy' thing when she was 19 months old ! We got kittens at that age instead, they arent so in your face, dont require anywhere near as much attention, you really only have to teach them toilet training a couple times and they've learnt, and they still like cuddles. We waited until our child was turning 5 (Molly was her present) to get a puppy. Dogs are great, but puppies really aren't for very young children, in my opinion. I have a 18month old niece, and Molly has knocked her over a couple of times, and she is scared of her, so i do understand the issues with your toddler.

As someone else said, have a hot bath, relax, and you can revisit the puppy experience in a few years time if its still what you want then. You are doing the responsible thing now, which is great.

[Boxerheart]

Hello,

We have just gotten a male english cocker spaniel, and he's driving me insane! He is 8.5 weeks old, and I'm starting to wonder if he is suitable for our family. He cries constantly, if I leave the room he cries immediately, and he cries all night. We have had him for 5 nights now, and its not getting better. We had him in a basket next to our bed, but he cried all night. We then put him in the laundry with blankets, a towel given to us by the breeder with his litters scent, a cuddly toy, and water, and he howls no matter what we do. I praise him when he is quiet, and say 'no' firmly when he barks, but it doesn't seem to make a difference.

He also refuses to go to the toilet outside, he will only do it on the carpet. At night I spend about 15 minutes in the backyard with him, but he just won't do anything, so I put him back in the laundry, and he starts crying again to go out. He has not done a single wee or poo outside since we got him, only ever on the carpet. I find it very hard to catch him in the act, or watch for the signs, as often I will be breastfeeding my youngest and he wees on the carpet and there's not much I can do about it. In fact he has just had his lunch outside and walked back inside to do a big poo and wee on the carpet.

He is also constantly biting my daughters. I know this is normal for a pup, but they both don't like him now because of it. They are both young, 19 months and 3 months old. I can't put the baby on the floor as he chews her feet, and sratches her head. He does the same with my eldest, but this morning he latched onto her hair and wouldn't let go. She now runs away from him, or yells 'no!' at him and hits him.

I don't know what to do, I have been crying this morning, as he is so gorgeous and he is meant to be a friend for our children, but I am seriously considering whether this puppy is the best thing for our family (and my sanity). My husband works very long hours, and is basically never at home, so I am doing this pretty muchon my own.

I really would appreciate your advice

Just realised the pup has been returned..but leave this response anyway.

If you want to keep him, make him an outside dog. He will have to toilet out there then, he will have no other choice. So your girls can play in peace and he does not learn to be agressive. Get him a dog run. Put pavers down if your hubby wont lay you a slab of cement. That way he is secure with his kennel and his run. Plenty of kit form runs out there.

Your girls are then secure in their play area and so is the dog..and you can train the dog with the positive reinforcement method when you put the baby down to sleep.

You do not want your children participating or interacting with that dog until you have control of him and understanding of how a dogs mind works. Then you have to teach your children and not leave them alone with him.

This may take up to 12 months.

But good dogs are made by training..the breeder can only give you the raw material.

I am sorry..but I can't help see this as a very sorry situation for the puppy. How could it be expected to bring a dog baby home to 3 human babies...expect it to know and expect it to have manners like a trained mature dog - what it will take your human babies at least 15 years to learn.

You are letting your kids hit it when it knows know better. It will one day respond with aggression and then it will be it's fault again?

Dogs are not toys for children.

If YOU can't devote a good 6 months at least of puppy training on a daily basis at home, and puppy school for socialisation NOW for a 6 week class... maybe it is too soon for you to have a dog.

That's the black and white of it.

That puppy is learning now very fast..not good things..but he would be scared too...always being in the wrong..and not knowing why.

You have a lot of work to do..FAST..or rehome that dog before it is ruined...fast.

Sorry...but there is no nice way of getting the point across.

Edited November 18, 2007 by Boxerheart

[Dogsfevr]

IMO you would be well within your rights to ask for a refund. this breeder was irresponsible to sell a puppy to such a young family

Yes the breeder should have maybe thought twice but new owners also need to realize there capabilities & committment to a dog.Just because the plan is for it to be outside doesnt make training any less.I also believe a cocker isnt an outside dog any & they thrive on human contact & being part of the family & ofcourse need to be trained for grooming.

I applaud this breeder for taking the pup back.They didnt have too although we all now its ethically correct.

We to are very careful about selling to families with young children.

Some we have refused as the parents didnt take any control when greeting our own mature dogs as a tester,others where able to cope well .

I think the most important factor is what people expect a dog to be & how much work they feel they want to committ.

In our opinion training the pup is the easy part but educating young children how to interact & treat a pup right is harrder & this also moulds a dogs temp for life.

Well done for being honest & returning the pup early on.

We refund the owners of our pups fully provided it is returned in the same condition it left in ,its in our puppy contract

[ILFC]

I think that this has been the best outcome for a difficult situation. Sometimes, if you haven't been around puppies- you have no idea of the work involved and really do need guidance from the breeder. It's a shame but better for the family and the puppy.

[Amerykus]

I'm SOOO happy to hear that the pup is being returned

as for the refund... I guess it is up to the breeder..a full refund would be nice but half a refund would be fair, I guess it all depends on how hard it is to resell the pup??

[Poodle wrangler]

It sounds like you've done the right thing.

As to a refund .

If you add up the amount of damage a pup does around the house in it's first few months with you, it's often over $650, plus vaccs, vet care, preventatives for fleas/tick/ heartworm etc. so even if you get no money back, you'll be ahead financially.

You've done the right thing for yourself, kids and puppy, so can feel good about that, regardless of what happens with the $ side of things .

[peibe]

Total refund, except maybe $50 for the cost of readvertising him

Irresponsible breeder selling to a Mum with 2 kids under 2, if they knew you had 2 kids under 2

[Lolly]

Did you get your money back? I hope it went ok for you.

Our border collie is 10 weeks, we've had him for two and having a puppy is one of the hardest things I've ever done. He needs constant supervision to stop him chewing things he's not supposed to chew, putting his head in places it shouldnt be, toilet training, making sure he's getting the right food and amount, not to mention the guilt that I'm doing him a disservice by not training him correctly in everything aspect. Couple that with the worry that he's not going to get parvo and die, and sleep deprivation and I'm pretty much feeling a bit over it. I couldnt imagine taking care of him and two little kids as well.

[sas]

Such a sad story. Sounded like a completely normal puppy. In my personal opinion you didn't give the puppy much time to settle in. Crying for a week can be considered pretty normal, you have taken the puppy away from the only life it knows and now it has to live with a human family which it doesn't know how to communicate with and doesn't know what the expectations are.

Toilet training can take until they're around 4 months old, it's a game of patience. From memory my giant breed was 11 weeks before he could hold through the night and about 12 weeks when he really started to understand toilet training.

He was crate trained and cried on and off for a week, he would cry to let me know he needed to toilet overnight, he needed to toilet twice a night for the first 2 weeks....that's what puppies do.

As for biting, most puppies do it, this is how they interact with their litter mates, as the puppies new human family you are there to teach the puppy the new expections with patience.

It's terribly sad you felt you had to return the dog to the breeder, I personaly feel with some more patience and dicipline you could have been over the worst of the transition from the litter to a human family in just a couple of weeks.

High 5 to the breeder for taking the puppy back.

It would be nice to think your children could experience the joy of a dog perhaps when they are a bit older and you have more time to manage a puppy who needs a lot of time and patience to learn.

All the best :rolleyes: