Malshi Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 Hi all, its my 1st time buying a new puppy. A month ago our beloved furbaby passed away, he was a rescue dog / owner giving him up. We absolutely loved him to bits. So today after weeks of grieving came across a post on a social media site puppies for sale Maltese x shih tzu $750, there are 5 available will come with vaccination, 1st worming, vet check and microchipped, ready mid October. Her bin number clearly listed. So I messaged her and said we are keen on having one. A female as we'd felt another boy would stir us up a little(still not over the lost of him quite yet) But we are absolutely positive she will bring us a HUGE abundance of joy and happiness. The Owner was quick to respond and said sure. I asked if we could come and checkout the puppy. Owner said the weekend would be good, she also noted the we would have to pay a non refundable deposit of $250 to secure our girl. Now my question is... do I pay her the non refundable deposit? Or do I wait til later? when shes maybe 6- 8 weeks old . I've saved her post because what she is charging for her pups are ridiculous low. I definitely dont want to bail out let alone miss out on this puppy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbedWire Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 Welcome to the forum. I am so glad you started this topic. I am so not sure about these non refundable deposits some breeders are asking for but then I am a cynic. I would love to hear from others. In your case at least you have spoken to the breeder and you are going to meet the dog. Recently on the internet I have seen so many breeders - the ones I am speaking about are backyard breeders - asking for non refundable deposits on pups when the breeder is interstate and the purchaser has not even met the pups or the breeder. No way would I be paying a non refundable deposit in these circumstances. What is there to stop the breeder collecting several non refundable deposits on the same pup and that is assuming that pup really exists. Malshi at least you have spoken to the breeder and are going to meet the pup but I would still be cautious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 I wouldn't put any money down until you have physically sighted the pup... T. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 (edited) Personally I would NEVER take a non-refundable deposit. I don’t take deposits at all. The last thing I want is a pup I’ve loved and raised to go to a home because the people felt financially obligated to follow through. I’ve given full refund to someone who was overwhelmed and wanted to bring the pup back after 24 hours. It worked out perfectly for all involved as difficult as it was at the time. Edited September 7, 2018 by The Spotted Devil 7 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 up to you if you pay the deposit or not. I never take deposits on my pups. What happens if something goes wrong between now and pick up date? Will you get the deposit back? From what I've seen on the pet pages most byber's are asking for deposits. I wouldn't be too worried about missing out. Those cross breeds are always being advertised. But most want deposits. If you go ahead make sure you get a receipt and I would be asking for a copy of some ID. At least take down the rego numbers of any cars in the driveway. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 We dont take deposits . We take a holding fee strictly AFTER pups first vet check & people have visited & we are happy its the right pup for each person .That holding deposit is receipted & microchip number of the puppy selected is all listed ,upon pick up chip number confirmed . I believe any breeder taking deposits at such a young age should have the terms clearly written out if there pup does not meet the needs you want . If the nature is not suitable,doesn't pass a health check .This should apply to any breeder . Also check your state laws about the percentage of a deposit that can legally be taken to the price. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 Sorry you lost your dog ..it's always hard. the cross you are looking to buy is one frequently advertised , As for the non refundable deposit , I wouldn't . With living creatures, there are way too many variables .. IMO they ask for deposits as they really want their pups GONE ... and a non refundable amount pretty much guarantees this . Ethical breeders will make an effort to match pups with prospective buyers ..and usually not be in a panic to offload pups as soon as they reach the magic age ( though they are most often booked well in advance ) . perhaps take a half step back;breathe ...... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 36 minutes ago, persephone said: Sorry you lost your dog ..it's always hard. the cross you are looking to buy is one frequently advertised , As for the non refundable deposit , I wouldn't . With living creatures, there are way too many variables .. IMO they ask for deposits as they really want their pups GONE ... and a non refundable amount pretty much guarantees this . Ethical breeders will make an effort to match pups with prospective buyers ..and usually not be in a panic to offload pups as soon as they reach the magic age ( though they are most often booked well in advance ) . perhaps take a half step back;breathe ...... Sadly there are ethical breeders asking very big deposits ,we have big issues within our breed some asking between $500 to $750 ,pups not born so yes the breeder does very well in the bank balance & they tell people non refundable even though they take too may & when not enough pups your put on the list for the next litter .There method of hogging the market & ensuring people feel they cant ask for there money back although a few have seen there being sucked in .We know people who have waited 18 months & the breeder holding there deposits & enjoying nice holidays in between . I have no issues if people want to do a deposit system but it needs to be clearly written about what is non refundable & what the breeder guarantees when the pups aren't even born or survived ,passed vet check or the nature of said pup not even known or if the right fit for each family or even is a potential show pup,performance pup or a pup that needs to fit into a special kind of home set up . Sadly buyers feel if they don't do the deposit they will miss out because thats the whole point of it but people need to ask more questions & if the breeder gets all pissy about it walk away 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grizabella Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 (edited) To be honest, I think $750 is too much to pay for a mixed breed puppy from your average backyard breeder. I'd want to know before committing that much- deposit or not- whether appropriate health testing was done on both parents, what the reasons behind the breeding decision were, and if the breeder is committed to take the puppy back for rehoming at any age should your circumstances change and you be unable to care for her any longer. I'd expect these things from a purebred breeder, and wouldn't take a pup from anyone who could offer less. A breeder should allocate homes based on suitability; if it feels as though the monetary deposit is their main interest, I'd look elsewhere. Especially considering you are recovering the loss of a beloved pet, I think it is really wise to make sure you purchase a puppy from someone prioritising health. The last thing you want is to go through another heartbreak. For the breeds in the mix you're looking at, I'd like to see that the parents have been tested for the following: eye exams to check for entropian, retinal atrophy etc., renal dysplasia testing, hip and elbow certification, and potentially heart screening. I think you would be rather more likely to find such a commitment to health in a purebred breeder, but it's something to ask about whichever route you choose. Here are some recommendations from the American Shih Tzu Club: http://americanshihtzuclub.org/breeder_guidlines Edited September 7, 2018 by grizabella 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juice Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 I agree Griz, i wouldn't pay that much for a mongrel, but people do, its the in trend. If you want a rescue Denise at Paws has lots of those cross's normally, but they would be older. If you want a pup i'm sure you can find one without having to wait and pay a deposit, then you can see a bit better its temp, they are everywhere, but probably more money , this " breeder" clearly doesn't care where they go as long as they are gone by 8 weeks. Why don't you go and look at them and suss out both parents. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animal House Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 Welcome to the forum, sorry to hear you lost your dog, it's so hard. But this a great place for advice on all things to do with dogs, and also from knowledgable people who can help before you potentially buy a puppy. I wouldn't buy from a backyard 'breeder', because they don't test for health, and you'll have no idea of what the parents temperaments are like, what genetic faults they may have (which will cost you money and heartache if they do have them). There's plenty of rescue dogs, including puppies I'd rather be giving a home to, and my money to. $750 for a backyard bred mutt is ridiculous, and no, I wouldn't pay a holding deposit. Just an example from here on the breeders pages (if you are in Qld) Pure Bred Shih Tzu's and on Pet Rescue Website, here's the list of small dogs available for adoption in Qld, some beautiful dogs there. HERE 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandgrubber Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 In the days when I bred dogs I had a few buyers back out in the last week or so... after time wasting...so I started take deposits. Refundable if there was a serious reason (health problems, divorce...one of my buyers got murdered) but non-refundable if they simply forget or got another pup and forgot to cancel. $750 is very cheap for a designer dog puppy, but as others have suggested, the bargain bin may not be the best place to buy a puppy. See what you can find out about the sire and dam's health (have they been tested for anything) and make sure they have temperament that suits you before making a commitment. Ask for recommendations from past buyers. Hybrid vigor may or may not be real, but it won't fix everything. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuralPug Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 I understand why some breeders take deposits but in my opinion any non-refundable portion of the deposit should only be enough to cover re-advertising if the would be buyer changes their mind. Asking such a huge percentage of the total price as a non-refundable deposit seems to indicate that money is the object, getting the product out the door ASAP, and not the health of the future family member. A red flag to me.$250 is too high in my mind and the total price is too low in my mind, indicating to me that the breeder is not likely to have had both parents undergo the responsible health tests to cover the known problems that can occur in both parent breeds. Some cross breeders are so ignorant about genetics that they firmly believe that all crosses with automatically inherit only "good" genes and all the problem genes are flushed away by the cross. Sadly a high school biology student could tell you why that ain't so. Some are even more ignorant and advertise mutt cross mutt as a pure x pure, not realising that each parent has to be purebred to result in a cross breed. Anything else is a mixed breed, aka mutt. You may ask which parent was maltese and which parent was shih tzu and be told that no, both parents are maltese shih tzu crosses and so were all of their parents!!!! There are wonderful mutts out there but it is a risk purchasing a puppy from someone so completely ignorant about the species they are breeding. Taking pot luck on a mixed breed should be reflected in the price, which is why some advertising sites will not allow crossbreds to be advertised at more than $500 per pup. I'm sure that there are breeders of crossbreds out there who do breed for health foremost, but they are (a) in the minority of cross breeders and (b) are easily identified because they proudly state the tests results of sire and dam in their ads. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westiemum Posted September 8, 2018 Share Posted September 8, 2018 19 hours ago, Animal House said: Welcome to the forum, sorry to hear you lost your dog, it's so hard. But this a great place for advice on all things to do with dogs, and also from knowledgable people who can help before you potentially buy a puppy. I wouldn't buy from a backyard 'breeder', because they don't test for health, and you'll have no idea of what the parents temperaments are like, what genetic faults they may have (which will cost you money and heartache if they do have them). There's plenty of rescue dogs, including puppies I'd rather be giving a home to, and my money to. $750 for a backyard bred mutt is ridiculous, and no, I wouldn't pay a holding deposit. Just an example from here on the breeders pages (if you are in Qld) Pure Bred Shih Tzu's and on Pet Rescue Website, here's the list of small dogs available for adoption in Qld, some beautiful dogs there. HERE I agree with Animal House. The issue in my mind isn't the deposit or size of it or price of the puppy. Its that this is a Backyard breeder and I'd run a mile. Go for a proper registered breeder (see the DOL breeder pages) or a rescue here. No offence Animal House - but I think Rescue Network is the more reputable site these days 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animal House Posted September 9, 2018 Share Posted September 9, 2018 On 9/8/2018 at 11:18 AM, westiemum said: I agree with Animal House. The issue in my mind isn't the deposit or size of it or price of the puppy. Its that this is a Backyard breeder and I'd run a mile. Go for a proper registered breeder (see the DOL breeder pages) or a rescue here. No offence Animal House - but I think Rescue Network is the more reputable site these days No offence taken WM, it's good to know that there is something better out there, I'll save that site so I can refer back to it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YOLO Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 Yes, this thread triggers a few issues, but to answer the OP's question: Asking for a deposit is not uncommon. It's probably just something the breeder learnt to do/ thinks is good business. I can understand the arguments for and against. Once you have met the breeder and dogs, and selected your puppy, I would not be put off by a deposit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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