I am wondering if any of you have experience with this in any of your puppy buyers over the years. These would be the owners that bring their dogs in for everything and anything even if there is not necessarily something wrong with the dog, or those that after being seen and treated bring the dog back over and over again. Their dogs are always "sick" with something. You can't say they aren't providing adequate medical care, in fact it is the opposite, they get too much.
The reason I am asking is that I have an owner who is like this, it's not just the one she got from me but the other dog that they got at the same time. Both of these dogs have been in the vets for every imaginable malady and then some over the years. Their other dog just passed away from old age of 12 1/2 which is unheard of in that breed to live that long and surprise! the one they got from me is sick yet again.

They have been asking about getting another puppy and I have pet them off for years and will continue to do so, but how do I discourage them from even getting another dog?

Years ago I knew a Breeder like that. Her vet bills were astronomical, and never for anything sensible. All she ever talked about was this little nick and that little burp (or whatever) each dog had. She switched their foods quite a bit and I"m sure she made them sick (if they were) with her stress.

I never heard of it with dogs but it makes sense, it's a mental illness that could be in people with dogs or children. It's sad for all but they don't belong having another dog.

You could tell them you won't be breeding much in the next few years. If a breeder calls you for a referral, I would be honest about some of their past activities. Then their guard is up.

I had an owner like this. I swear she made the dog sick. She even held the water dish up to his mouth for him to drink. It was awful. I am so glad she never came to me again for another dog.

Munchausen By Proxy usually involves child abuse and/or neglect that results in actual illness or injury to the child (or dog). Because child abuse is more common than
we ever want to imagine, I presume that dog abuse is also more common than we want. Child abuse must be reported to Child Protective Services; dog abuse can be reported to Animal Control.

I hope that the owners are simply especially concerned and anxious about the health and well-being of the dog--a very different problem from abuse and neglect.

I have had it in a couple in many years. Am just glad I never have to let them have another of my pups. They do take them to the vet all the time. Call you with things you explain and they still go. Vet is happy to charge them. One fixed a female who only had the small vulva and she was never right again. He did surgery on her. Her rear looked awful, she leaked all her life. I always felt sorry for the dog and yes, offered a couple of times to take her back. Yes, spoiled but put through heck. The other just questioned everything the dog did. Crazy.

When I bought my first 2 labs I had not had pups for at least 30 years when I was a child. So I was in the Vet's office for every little thing! Then I met my mentor (who I just love soooo much!) and my life became easier! Even if you don't breed and show mentors are still needed. JMHO

I have an owner who takes the dogs to the vet if they so much as sneeze. In the beginning, I tried to coach him and convince him not to worry about every little thing. At last I stopped obsessing over the man's obsessing. He has a monumental vet bill and I have peace of mind.

From Holland this time. I had this happening with one of my puppybuyers. They called me twice a week with all kind of problems with their puppy. I tried to get them informed about puppybehaviour, noices a puppy makes ect. They took her to the vet every week, saw problems every time. I took them with the puppy to my vet who stated nothing was wrong with her, "very healthy puppy". I thouhgt that was the end of it but after two weeks I got a call again: "this puppy is not healthy"...I told them to bring the puppy back to me. They did after some presure from me. She is a lovely, healthy girl, no health problems what so ever. She is now placed in a family with a disabled child, being a friend and help for them all.
Just don't understand why I didn't see this before I sold the puppy but so happy she is with this nice family. The disabled child started talking to the puppy....what more do you want.

I have a very dear friend that is like this. The vet LOVES her! ChaChing! Luckily I have never placed a puppy with her and never would. OP, I would suggest to your past puppy buyers that they look into giving a rescue a loving home. Let them dote on a dog they can't blame anyone for.

They hid it well from you. Don't blame yourself. It was meant to be, look what the outcome was for the disabled child. You did a wonderful job rehoming the pup!

That is where the grey area is, I don't think it's that she runs to them for every little sneeze because of doubt on her part, it's as if she looks for reasons to take them to the vets, just as she looks for reasons to be treated by doctors. There have been times that due to actions on her part the dog has then come down with some mysterious sickness (ie let the dog eat something while out on a walk, knowing said dog will scarf up stuff she can reach) or the over treatment of illness,multiple treatments with antibiotics (3 courses) for undiagnosed illness,though I have wondered if the vet actually prescribed some of them at times since she has access to them.Swearing that she thinks the dog has some disease and subjecting them to testing. I agree that her vets must have a love/hate relationship with her, she's generated thousands upon thousands of dollars each year for both dogs, and I know what her bills have been.

I believe it is more of an attention behavior as this person is always sick, injured or needing of multiple surgeries either for repair of a joint or cosmetic,fatigue, fall etc. Since they did adopt a rescue mix when they bought the puppy from us I will suggest that route,they are too close to us for her not to know when we are having puppies, though I'm not even comfortable with that knowing the dog will have a lifetime of unnecessary medical treatment.

I sold a show prospect puppy to a person like this several years ago.
She would literally sit on the floor and pick through every hair on the dog every day. Looking for what, I haven't a clue. She was convinced every pimple was a deadly tumor.
She ran to the vet every time the thing farted and accused me of not caring about my dogs because I don't do the same.
I am glad she didn't like the dog and spayed and placed.
Feel sorry for the dogs she has now.
What whack job.

I know of an owner like that also but she doesn't have a dog of mine thank God. After reading your post {yes} I now understand what was wrong with her also. Unfortunately she still has the dog and another really young pup. I didn't hang around to find out what else was next wrong with the 2 year old dog when nothing was wrong at all but a tale, a long tale. As in Munchausen's By Proxy these sickos want attention; Good or Bad. Idk why someone wants attention but this person got it until breeders got tired of hearing it. I feel stupid for not realizing it earlier. I sat and listened. Just what she wanted.

Tiffany, if the person is exhibiting Munchausen by Proxy, the medical treatment of the child (or dog) is NECESSARY. Muchausen by Proxy is a form of child abuse and/or neglect and the child (or dog) has actual illness and injury caused by the adult.

Many more people suffer from anxiety than from Munchausen by Proxy. People do *not* suffer from anxiety in order to get attention from others. Their anxiety is real and unpleasant and undesired. What they do to decrease their anxiety may seem extreme to you and get your attention, but they do not have anxiety in order to get your attention. In many cases people with anxiety get dogs hoping to decrease their anxiety. Unfortunately, getting a dog is not often sufficient to decrease their anxiety and the dog becomes yet another reason to be anxious.

Compassion is the appropriate response to both Munchausen by Proxy and debilitating anxiety.

So you would have the compassion for a person with Munchausen by Proxy and place a pup with them due to their anxiety?

Tiffany is looking for a good reason to tell these people why she can't give them another puppy. She isn't comfortable knowing the dog will have a lifetime of unnecessary medical treatment.

Please read my message more carefully. Debilitating anxiety and Munchausen by Proxy are two different
things. Neither need result in unnecessary medical treatment.

Compassion does not necessitate giving a puppy but might help you be a little kinder to the people who have your puppies and make more effective choices in dealing with them. Always a good thing.

I knew a breeder who does not take their dogs into the vet for even Rabies shot. Lord forbid a dog was taken to the vet for a baseball size tumor, it would sit there til the puppy profits could pay for care. I do not make my decisions whether my dogs need vet care based on if I have money this month to pay the rent. If my dog is passing large amounts of blood in its stool, well its time to see the vet even if its not a paycheck week. I am glad none of my dogs or my friends' dogs are in a home like that. I would rather a dog I placed go to the vet for every fart, then to never get a CERF in 3 years.

I feel sorry for the dogs she has now. I think breeders who have zero vet records for dogs who are 3-5 years old are whack jobs.

I can't help but be compassionate to this person, she is not only one of the kindest people I know, she is also a good friend and I have tried to steer her in the right direction over the years. It just pains me to see this over and over and not be able to do anything, other than offer advice and hope for the best.

I have had a few owners that take their dogs in for every little thing, these are usually inexperienced owners who don't know better and don't always want to trouble us. To which I tell them there is no stupid question, only the question you didn't ask. I will go out of my way to help anyone that has a puppy from us, and even ones that don't but have been referred to me.

I don't think that their dog is going to live much longer, I can only give my love and support to them all knowing that no matter what they've loved her deeply over the years and hope that they decide against getting another dog.

Sounds like you've done just the right things for an owner who has anxiety. For more knowledgeable reassurance (which is usually what anxious
people want) the owner must rely on her vet to listen and evaluate carefully what she says and then "do no harm" when it comes to treatment.

On the other hand, if you truly worried that the person had Munchausen by proxy, by all means call animal control.