Urgent help needed please!

[tyler henry]

Hello all,

 

I will try keep this as short as possible.

My Partner and I have been in the market for a St Bernard puppy for a little while now and 6 weeks ago we came across a breeder who ticked all the boxes and seemed like a really nice lady.

we went out and met the pups and were smitten with one in particular. later that day we called and asked if we could bring this pup into our family.

She agreed and we made the deposit straight away.

everything was coming along nicely as we prepared for our new pup until 3 weeks ago (the pups were 5 weeks old) she sent us a text informing that she has made a mistake and should have kept our puppy and not sold him (she had kept one of the others). Her reason being was that "everyone has told me how stunning he is" we have come to realise, although she has never admitted this, that he is the only rough coat pup in the litter. she wanted to put the puppy on main pedigree papers (we only wanted limited as it would only be a family pet) and she wanted to be co-owner.

we replied that we would need to think about this as we weren't sure what this really entailed and if we were comfortable signing as co-owners. she assured us that we didn't have to go through with this if we didn't want to as she was keeping the bloodline through her pup.

I asked her to send us through the contract so we could at least have a look it.

2 weeks go by and nothing has been sent through, naively i am not following this up because i don't really want this to happen and am hoping she has decided against it.

then on a Sunday night we get the contract and it is all fairly standard to do with not breeding, taking care of the dog if any health issues occur etc.. except there is one little paragraph right at the end that says "i will have co-ownership and be entitled to one semen sample"

I reply back that the wording is vary vague and that we wouldn't be particularly comfortable signing this and we would like to stick with our original agreement and have the puppy on limited pedigree papers.

the next morning i get a text message saying "I'm sorry but this isn't going to work out, please send me your bank details so i can refund the money".

after many messages and pleading from me she has refused to answer any questions or try to sort this out.

we were due to pick up our puppy in 5 days and this has thrown our world into a spin. my partner and i have both taken time off work, bought crates, collars and everything you need for a new pup but more importantly had our hearts invested in our new puppy. we have been looking at photos every week, going out to visit him and planning our new future.

I'm not sure if there's anything we can do or if we have any rights in this situation but it seems highly unprofessional and unethical.

 

Is there anything we can do or are we helpless in this situation??

thanks in advance for help offered!

 

 

 

 

 

[asal]

incredibly difficult situation, having been a breeder since 1978 I sure have sold a puppy to a pet home that I later regretted. Although in my case I never reneged on the sale, just hoped one as good would turn up in the next litter.  Although in hindsight it rarely does happen. Also tend to console myself with the fact that so many people will see what a stunner it is can come looking for one as nice and they sure have.

 

 put it down to the fun and the frustration of being a breeder. Every litter is a new book, as is every puppy.

 

This looks like one breeder who has had second and third thoughts after the event and decided she can't go through with the sale.  I can understand why she has done it, but she had first pick in the first place, so pretty unfair to renig now, I don't think she has done the right thing by you.

 

I expect your too upset about all this to even think about taking a second look at the puppy she had intended keeping originally? how  cute is he?

 

it could still turn out he could end up the best puppy too, and if you get him end up still having the last laugh...... its sooooo hard to accurately asses puppies under 8 weeks. the story of the ugly duckling has a basis on fact remember.

Edited June 28, 2017 by asal

[Rebanne]

If this is the puppy you must have then you could reconsider the co ownership. But the contract needs more details re the semen collection. The price you pay should be discounted as you would be keeping the puppy entire for the breeder's convenience, the breeder would pay for all health tests and semen collection and the pup should be signed over to you once he has been collected. No more then 2 collections and within a month. Sometimes the first one is not good quality. Microchip to be in your name. 

Otherwise pick another pup. 

[Dogsfevr]

No sane breeder allocates puppies at 5 weeks especially if planning to run on a pup.

I would suggest moving on and finding a new breeder ,having a good breeder to support you is very important ,the relationship is gone now 

[RuralPug]

The breeder is an idiot, sorry. But they have tried to make the best of both worlds - letting you have the pup and still keeping him available for their breeding on the most minimal and least obtrusive basis.
Other breeders wouldn't have even given you the chance to have the dog at all once they had changed their minds. A giant breed should not be desexed until growth is complete anyway, so I don't think you would really have been inconvenienced much by allowing one semen sample to be owned by the breeder.

But it's too late now. You've scared off the breeder by not agreeing enthusiastically to their compromise and they will no longer trust you to stick to any contract. Take the refund that has been offered - you can't force someone to sell you something if they choose not to. 

I am very sorry that you got stuck with an idiot breeder who allocated puppies to buyers too early. I am sorry to have to advise you to start all over again and choose another breeder.

Edited June 29, 2017 by RuralPug

[persephone]

  how disappointing. 

Hopefully soon you can find a breeder who will act a bit more responsibly! 

[sandgrubber]

On the other hand, a thoroughly disreputable breeder would have just lied and said sorry, the puppy died.  If the person hasn't been breeding very long... beginners make mistakes.  There are too few people going into hobby breeding these days, and it's good to be helpful to those trying to get off the ground. In your position I would have agreed to the idea of giving the breeder limited stud rights, but insisted on very clear definition, and perhaps some financial compensation (or a pup) for drawing semen.

[Dogsfevr]

4 hours ago, sandgrubber said:

On the other hand, a thoroughly disreputable breeder would have just lied and said sorry, the puppy died.  If the person hasn't been breeding very long... beginners make mistakes.  There are too few people going into hobby breeding these days, and it's good to be helpful to those trying to get off the ground. In your position I would have agreed to the idea of giving the breeder limited stud rights, but insisted on very clear definition, and perhaps some financial compensation (or a pup) for drawing semen.

I disagree new or not you know when you commit to a sale ,sending a text message to say oops is just poor form as well as not making an effort to explain the process is again bad .

My dogs are all co owned and the breeder has stud rights but this is not how you deal with a potential puppy owner especially after a sale