Return a puppy to a breader or other options.
Discussion
Hi all,
We had a boxer \ staffie cross for 7 years and we had to have her put to sleep a few weeks ago due to her getting cancer. We exhaused all the posible tretment options (As she was fully insured) but to no avail. We were really heartbroken and vowed never to get another dog as it was too upsetting.
After a week we were really missing her and decided we could not be without a dog in our lives. So we decided we would go for a completly different breed so that we were not always being reminded of the other dog.
We decided on a particular breed of dog and started looking around. We found a VERY reputable breader (i.e. previous crufts winner etc) they had a puppy for sale (6 months old) and we fell in love and had to have her.
We collected the puppy on saturday and took her home. We noticed in the evening that she was limping on her back leg, (I susspect canine hip dysplasia) I emailed the breader and was told that it was probably just a strain as she had been running around a lot with the other dogs.
We are now in the following situation.
1. The breader did not provide any insurance for the puppy.
2. We have not got any insurance for the puppy as we only just got her.
3. If I take out insurance now, it will not cover any pre existing conditions and it will not cover anything for the first 14 days
4. She was very expensive.
5. I have delibretly not named the breed or breeder
6. I have emailed the breeder again to find out what she would like us to do.
We are already very attached to her even though it is only 2 days, what would you do in this situation.
1. Return her to the breeder and ask for a refund.
2. Take out insurance and then wait to take her to the vets. But I susspect that the insurance company would not pay out under these circumstances.
2. Keep her - take her to the vet and just swallow the bills (bearing in mind it would be for the life of the dog)
3. Get the breeder to pay the vet cost relating to this condition.
4. Any other suggestions.
My wife is distraught as she feels that the loss of the first dog combined with this would just make her give up ever having a dog again.
Please give me your honest thoughts.
We had a boxer \ staffie cross for 7 years and we had to have her put to sleep a few weeks ago due to her getting cancer. We exhaused all the posible tretment options (As she was fully insured) but to no avail. We were really heartbroken and vowed never to get another dog as it was too upsetting.
After a week we were really missing her and decided we could not be without a dog in our lives. So we decided we would go for a completly different breed so that we were not always being reminded of the other dog.
We decided on a particular breed of dog and started looking around. We found a VERY reputable breader (i.e. previous crufts winner etc) they had a puppy for sale (6 months old) and we fell in love and had to have her.
We collected the puppy on saturday and took her home. We noticed in the evening that she was limping on her back leg, (I susspect canine hip dysplasia) I emailed the breader and was told that it was probably just a strain as she had been running around a lot with the other dogs.
We are now in the following situation.
1. The breader did not provide any insurance for the puppy.
2. We have not got any insurance for the puppy as we only just got her.
3. If I take out insurance now, it will not cover any pre existing conditions and it will not cover anything for the first 14 days
4. She was very expensive.
5. I have delibretly not named the breed or breeder
6. I have emailed the breeder again to find out what she would like us to do.
We are already very attached to her even though it is only 2 days, what would you do in this situation.
1. Return her to the breeder and ask for a refund.
2. Take out insurance and then wait to take her to the vets. But I susspect that the insurance company would not pay out under these circumstances.
2. Keep her - take her to the vet and just swallow the bills (bearing in mind it would be for the life of the dog)
3. Get the breeder to pay the vet cost relating to this condition.
4. Any other suggestions.
My wife is distraught as she feels that the loss of the first dog combined with this would just make her give up ever having a dog again.
Please give me your honest thoughts.
Sorry to hear of your troubles with the new addition.
Do most reputable breeders not provide 6wks free insurance via the KC? Both of ours came from private home breeders and had this.
Whilst it is not strictly the done thing, if the pup has not had treatment in the past for the condition, it is not, strictly, a pre-existing condition. Get insurance ball rolling and see how things go when a claim is entered. I do not endorse this as a method to take, but if you have the peace of mind that anything else is covered, get the dog checked with the vet, who may be able to say if it is serious, and warrant returning the dog to the breeder.
Do most reputable breeders not provide 6wks free insurance via the KC? Both of ours came from private home breeders and had this.
Whilst it is not strictly the done thing, if the pup has not had treatment in the past for the condition, it is not, strictly, a pre-existing condition. Get insurance ball rolling and see how things go when a claim is entered. I do not endorse this as a method to take, but if you have the peace of mind that anything else is covered, get the dog checked with the vet, who may be able to say if it is serious, and warrant returning the dog to the breeder.
The breeder normally provides 4 weeks insurance. In this case two puppies were sold to the original owner who has returned one of them as they were finding two of them a bit too much to handle. She is six months old, which suits us better as it had already been toilet trained and had all the vaccinations etc.
Being a sceptic a wonder if the previous owner had an inclination
Being a sceptic a wonder if the previous owner had an inclination
Thom987 said:
You`ve been sold a pup.
Did you not ask yourself why the breeder still had the dog at six months? That would have been my first question, then I would have expected 6 weeks insurance with the pup.
Phone the breeder, emails are easy to ignore and ask her to sort this out.
We did ask why she still had her, and as per my previous response it was due to the fact that the previous owner bought two puppies from the breeder when they were young (i.e. 8 weeks etc) and just could not handle two of them. (Or at least this is what we were told)Did you not ask yourself why the breeder still had the dog at six months? That would have been my first question, then I would have expected 6 weeks insurance with the pup.
Phone the breeder, emails are easy to ignore and ask her to sort this out.
hidetheelephants said:
6 months old isn't really a puppy anymore, and it will be difficult to socialise into your household. My parents bought a 4 month old that had been returned to the breeder, and they had problems with her.
Our dog that recently passed was this age when we got her and she settled in perfectly and was the best dog anyonce could ask for. And so far th epuppie has also settled in beautifully, very well natured, and has really attached a bond to the wife and I. I certinally do not forsee any issues with her integrating with us.
What would you expect a breeder to do in this situation?
Thanks
hidetheelephants said:
6 months old isn't really a puppy anymore, and it will be difficult to socialise into your household. My parents bought a 4 month old that had been returned to the breeder, and they had problems with her.
bs, I got a 4yo dog out of an asylum and with some patience he became very well adjusted to our household.Op, I'd try and settle with the breeder to pay the VET bills, maybe even part (half?) of them.
hidetheelephants said:
My parents bought a 4 month old that had been returned to the breeder, and they had problems with her.
The problem lies with your parents I am afraid not the mutt - a 4 month old animal is still working out the boundaries. We've rescued an 18month old mutt without problems and our most recent acquisition was 6 years old when we took him in. No real problems there either.bholleran said:
We are already very attached to her even though it is only 2 days, what would you do in this situation.
1. Return her to the breeder and ask for a refund.
2. Take out insurance and then wait to take her to the vets. But I susspect that the insurance company would not pay out under these circumstances.
2. Keep her - take her to the vet and just swallow the bills (bearing in mind it would be for the life of the dog)
3. Get the breeder to pay the vet cost relating to this condition.
4. Any other suggestions.
Odd (as per other posters here) that no insurance was provided if the breeder was, as you asssert, reputable. What breed is the dog and is this a common problem with the breed? Did the breeder show you any health testing for the Dam and Sire? 1. Return her to the breeder and ask for a refund.
2. Take out insurance and then wait to take her to the vets. But I susspect that the insurance company would not pay out under these circumstances.
2. Keep her - take her to the vet and just swallow the bills (bearing in mind it would be for the life of the dog)
3. Get the breeder to pay the vet cost relating to this condition.
4. Any other suggestions.
In being able to provide a response, it is necessary to ask: is the dog in any pain? If so, swallow the bill and get yourself down to the vet. If not, a short answer is #2 (insurance, you seem to have 2 x #2) and if that fails, #2.2 but try to get something back (#3).
Thom987 said:
You`ve been sold a pup.
Did you not ask yourself why the breeder still had the dog at six months? That would have been my first question, then I would have expected 6 weeks insurance with the pup.
Phone the breeder, emails are easy to ignore and ask her to sort this out.
my thoughts completely, take it back demanding a full refund.Did you not ask yourself why the breeder still had the dog at six months? That would have been my first question, then I would have expected 6 weeks insurance with the pup.
Phone the breeder, emails are easy to ignore and ask her to sort this out.
mrssmokinv8
She's too ypung to be diagnosing hip dysplasia and you need a vet to do it.
Get vet to assess and give you advice then decide on course of action
the breeder doesn't sound so good, these days 6 weeks ins from a decent breeder is the norm, aswell as a return policy (sounds callous I know) if a problem diagnnosed but this needs to be by a vet.
Good luck.
Get vet to assess and give you advice then decide on course of action
the breeder doesn't sound so good, these days 6 weeks ins from a decent breeder is the norm, aswell as a return policy (sounds callous I know) if a problem diagnnosed but this needs to be by a vet.
Good luck.
Sorry due to rushed earlier reply I missed that she was 6 months old, so yes that would be questioning and whilst 6 months is still too young to necessarily be hip dysplasia it is still a concern 
I hope things work out for you and her but there may be some very hard decisions ahead
That could poss explain lack of ins. Free puppy insurance is often only upto 5 months.
I hope things work out for you and her but there may be some very hard decisions ahead
That could poss explain lack of ins. Free puppy insurance is often only upto 5 months.
All good breeders will take a puppy back.They should care about their puppies. I get calls every couple of months from my dogs breeder. Both me and my Mum had to sign to say that We would return the dogs, no matter what ages to the breeder, whatever the situation.
I was thinking about buying a pup from a show breeder once. She wanted a deposit before I saw any puppies. I was first on the list for a puppy, but if I chose one that one of her friends wanted they would get priority. The breeders are so important to me, they are the ones that look after my dog for their most important 8 weeks of their lives.
I was thinking about buying a pup from a show breeder once. She wanted a deposit before I saw any puppies. I was first on the list for a puppy, but if I chose one that one of her friends wanted they would get priority. The breeders are so important to me, they are the ones that look after my dog for their most important 8 weeks of their lives.
Hi All,
Thanks for all the replies, I spoke to the breeder today by phone and email and various options were discussed and agreed.
It has since come to light that the puppy was kept with some bigger dogs during the last week and that there is a posability that some rough play might have caused a pulled muscle or slight injury.
I have taken out insurance for her today so that we will at least be covered for anything else in future.
We have booked her into the vets for a check up tommorow. So we will see how it goes.
The breeder has offered to take her back and refund in full the purchase cost. But to be fair I could not do this as I dont think it is fair on the puppy, as she has already been let down by the previous family. My concern here would be that if the breeder took her back and it is found to be something serious that the breeder would just have her put down.
The breeder has been very concerned and genuinly wants to try to resolve the situation. I think that if there is something wrong with the puppy other than a sprain \ pulled muscle etc. That they would be willing to reimburse some of the vet costs that are not covered by the insurance.
Thank you all for you comments.
I know that for the next few weeks we are going to be worried over every little thing. But I suppose that goes with the job.
Thanks
Thanks for all the replies, I spoke to the breeder today by phone and email and various options were discussed and agreed.
It has since come to light that the puppy was kept with some bigger dogs during the last week and that there is a posability that some rough play might have caused a pulled muscle or slight injury.
I have taken out insurance for her today so that we will at least be covered for anything else in future.
We have booked her into the vets for a check up tommorow. So we will see how it goes.
The breeder has offered to take her back and refund in full the purchase cost. But to be fair I could not do this as I dont think it is fair on the puppy, as she has already been let down by the previous family. My concern here would be that if the breeder took her back and it is found to be something serious that the breeder would just have her put down.
The breeder has been very concerned and genuinly wants to try to resolve the situation. I think that if there is something wrong with the puppy other than a sprain \ pulled muscle etc. That they would be willing to reimburse some of the vet costs that are not covered by the insurance.
Thank you all for you comments.
I know that for the next few weeks we are going to be worried over every little thing. But I suppose that goes with the job.
Thanks
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