I recently accepted a small deposit on a one-year-old pup and spent numerous hours answering LONG emails and hours on the phone with this lady and then she says she doesn’t want him because he might lift his leg in their house and either I train him to NEVER lift his leg or the deal is off.

I was thinking this wasn’t a good home because one of her children has a disability and wants to RIDE the dog like a horse and she has a 1 year old and that was another promise I had to make…that this puppy would Never think of biting her kids ..even if they were sitting on him like a horse or pulling his tail

I told her I could never promise her that any dog wouldn’t have an accident and I would refund all of her monies except the deposit. I took him off the market for 1 whole month and turned people away.

I really bent over backwards with this woman was going to give her all kinds of free things including a crate.

Now I’m getting 20 emails a day from this lady..very weird. I have blocked her and I’d advise others to be wary of her. She's in Ohio.

Even a dog who has been trained to never mark might try in times of stress. A new home at age one is a stressful situation.
I hope you find someone else nice for your pup.

I assume she is asking for her deposit back? Did you have a written contract with the deposit or just verbal?

I'd be inclined to give her the money back regardless, move on and get her off your back. it sounds like you put lots of time with this placement but the right home will show up and this will just be a memory. Good luck!

In many states it is illegal to accept a "deposit" on an animal.

It is a very common practice and I have known several people sued who LOST and wound up paying everyone's legal fees as well.

Feel fortunate you screened them well (your time and effort) and decided to not place a dog with them.

In some states you can also be sued for taking a "deposit" and NOT turning over a dog as promised.
Seen this go bad as well. They got the dog AND legal fees paid.

So many laws are actually being broken in the dog "hobby" it is scary. Don't stir the pot up.

I would most certainly make them as happy as possible and return their monies. Small price to pay to end the "relationship".

I'd give her all her money back and thank God she doesn't have your puppy living in her house. Sounds like an accident waiting to happen. Somewhere out there is the perfect home for your boy......Best of luck!

I've finally made my deposit and payment and refund policy firm:

Deposit and Payment Policy

Deposits will be accepted at any time after a puppy questionnaire is completed. Deposits are fully refundable until three days after the puppies are born, or three days after the deposit is made, whichever is later. Deposits are also refunded if we cannot give you a puppy for any reason. Unused deposits may be used on a future puppy. Deposits may be made by check, money order, bank check, or PayPal (which allows credit cards.) The amount of the deposit will be 25% of the purchase price of the puppy.

The balance of the payment for the puppy is only by money order, bank check, or PayPal.

In this case, I would give the deposit back because I cannot give the woman the puppy. I wouldn't want to deal with her either!

I too would return the deposit and get her off your back ..be thankful that your your boy isn't in her home..Lisa

Interesting how the name of the disgruntled buyer is also Lisa...hmmmm

I strongly disagree with giving the deposit back in the particular case.
If it were a deposit on a puppy prior to the puppies being born that would be different.
If there were not enough pups to go around or not the gender desired I always refund deposits. In fact I don’t even take deposits any more on puppies. I have so many inquires that I don’t need to lock buyers in to a sale.

In this case I believe it’s a bit different. It’s a young adult and the seller bent over backwards in every way. I do think it’s somewhat more difficult to sell young adults and therefore if you take that young adult off the market for 30 days and spend quite literally hours upon hours doing everything in your power to make someone happy and offering help in every area …and then to have the buyer become extremely unreasonable and demanding things because they feel they can take advantage of the seller…I would not return the pittance of a deposit that was put down on this young adult. I’m familiar with this situation and there is no way I would refund this buyer her money. The buyer truly overstepped her bounds and took advantage of the breeder that I happen to know is a very reputable breeder. This buyer had unrealistic expectations of the young adult and was buying a dog for all the wrong reasons and wasn’t honest about her living situation and family issues. She was very dishonest with the breeder.

I would truly advise other breeders to be very careful of this buyer, she’s very deceptive and has her own agenda and is a very good actress. As one poster stated…this pet person is from Ohio and has mini horses and can be very persuasive to get what she wants. You will be bombarded with emails and she won’t speak on the phone …a big red flag!

No..I am not the breeder.

What would everyone do if they had a similar situation, but instead the buyer had paid for and taken the dog, then returned it?

OK, Scenario: Buyer inquires about older pup, comes to see the dog, wants the dog. Ok great! Good people, nice home. Seems perfect.
They then explain they are building a new home and can't take the dog for 2 months, at LEAST, when the home is scheduled to be finished.
Hmmmm.........ok, fine, really like the family, seems perfect for the dog in the long run.
Breeder agrees to hold dog for buyers until they are settled and requests 50% deposit.
Buyers pay half and are not heard from for about 2 months.
They call and say they can take the dog in 2 weeks.
Ok so total time dog has been off the market, 2.5 months.
Family comes, picks up dog, pay balance, all is well.
1 week later, family calls. Must return the wonderful dog, family lifetsyle change. I won't get into details. Nothing wrong with dog, love the dog, but can't keep it.
Of course dog comes back to breeder, same day.
Breeder does not refund money immediately.
Ok stop.

What would you have done here??
`Refund on the spot?
`Refund in full when dog is placed?
`Refund partial price due to time breeder held dog for these people and the time it will take to find another good family?
`Not refund at all?

What did your contract say?

Deposits are good faith offerings so that you will hold that pup/dog for them. What if you could have placed the pup/dog but did'nt because you had a deposit holding it.Could offer to tranfer deposit.
As far as taking the pup back after 2.5 months of holding it and then they take it and dont want it, surely bring it back with all paper work, but no refund.
JMO

If there was a contract, you follow it. If there is no contract, give the money back and cut your losses.

My contract said no refund if the dog is returned, all of my contracts say that, and also that they cannot be sold etc, must be returned and so forth.

My question is I guess more an ethical one.
They made me wait 2.5 months, however, they only had the dog for 1 week

My rule is "for the good of the dog"...get the dog back and do whatever you have to do to get rid of this woman. She sounds awful to me listening to this side of the story.
A