Well this is a strange one from me:

I have a litter of puppies large breed, at the weekend i had 2 girls left for homing, we are keeping a puppy ourselves. A family member visited us who had been talking to me for a while now about getting a pup from me in the future (when they had saved up). They stayed with us for the weekend and we talked about nothing else but the dogs. Their 2 children were fantastic with my dogs (the adults) and were not at all bothered by their imposing size, the youngest 11 sat on the floor with 3 of my adults and was just in ore of them all.
The more we talked the more it became clear that they had being doing their research in the breed and were very committed. Anyway to cut a long story short, he suddenly hit me with the question 'how much would one cost us?'  I replied with a figure that was half the price of what i am selling them for to see the reaction, he was more than happy to pay and then i said to him that as long as they would all love her, look after her and that she comes back to me if ever that situation was to arise (which i dont think it will) that i didnt want anything for her just a permanant loving family home which is what i want for all my puppies.
Now he was over the moon and the kids were extatic and they have been calling me everyday telling how she is, the 11 year old has been sleeping on the sofa with her and feeding and cleaning up her accidents which is great that he wants to be responisble for her in everyway not just the fun part.

Anyway i am waffling now, i am now getting myself stressed out that everyone in the family will be queueing up for a free puppy and its not that it am at all worried about the money issue that was never the issue, but there are some members of my family that i would not give a puppy full stop as they are not suitable for various reasons. i have already had one aunt say 'i can give her one' and she would never get a dog from me no matter what.

So the question is who thinks i have made a big mistake and may of caused a nightmare situation that could offend family or who thinks there is nothing wrong with what i did. The fact that my puppy now has a home and will get love and socialisation that she needs is very important to me but i am such a worrier now i think i will offend others who will think 'Well she has never given me a puppy'. Should i have taken something for her then no-one could say anything?

Silly i know but i get myself really upset and stressed out thinking about what others will think of me :(

Any support welcome lol x

Sounds like your pup has a lovely home. You may just need to stand your ground or tell fibs with any more litters that they all have homes lined up.

Why do they have to mention the money aspect to anyone?  It's no-one else's business.  If it were me, I'd just say I didn't want to discuss the money, end of story.

You've given your pup a good home, that's what's important IMO.  :)

> Should i have taken something for her then no-one could say anything?
>

could you 'arrange' with the ideal family to say that they thought it over and felt that they couldn't take pup for nothing and had 'paid' you market price or even 'mates-rates'....even tho no money changes hands. It would help to get the others off your back.
Chris

try not to worry about what others think, you know you made the right decision at the time and thats what counts. i think most of use waist time worrying about what people think and it's hard not to do but your puppy is in a loving home so try and just keep that thought in your head.

I am afraid I have a cast Iron policy. I do not and never will sell/give a pup to a family member or a close friend. I will do all I can to help them find the right pup from someone else but my friends and family are too important to ever run the risk of falling out over one of my pups and no matter how much they promise to be great owners, it is not always the one you let have the pup that causes problems...
I do now however have some good friends who were not untill they became puppy owners. LOL I think the emphasis is on the "Close friend" aspect. I can fall out with a friend...but not the very few who are "Close Friends"
Aileen

I 'give' pups away all the time.

No ones business but our own and we dont have to explain our actions to any one.
But I will to you ;-)

My reasons are slightly different.... maintaining genetic diversity and the need to keep tabs on my health tested puppies in case they prove to be the healthiest.... but the Best home is the overriding priority for me...always has been.

> but the Best home is the overriding priority for me...always has been.

Thats always been the case for me too and thats why i gave them the puppy because i really feel she will be a huge part of their family (literally)

Thanks everyone, and i know you are right tooolz i dont have to explain my actions to anyone i think i am just being silly and over sensitive.
I have had no problems telling people before that they are not suitable for one of my babies and the same will apply family or not.

You have made a family very happy with your kind gesture.
I think its lovely what you have done and its your pup to do as you wish with.....if you are happy thats all that matters.

Bless you it looks as if you have found the perfect home, dont stress its your decision what you charge or if you dont.

Your doing what we all do worrying about what if ! what if someone asks why I gave her away for nothing - because its your pup and your decision!!

If its a real problem just ask them not to say how much the pup cost, Im sure they would be happy to support you in a white lie?

As others have said, it is no ones business but yours, however what if you charged them the full price, gave a receipt for the the money and then very quietly gave it back. This way you have been completely honest as they DID pay for the pup, the fact you gave the money back does not need to be discussed at all.

I think like everybody else Mandy.  Your main priority was finding a lovely suitable home for your pups, and whatever you did/didn't charge the family concerned, relatives or not, it is between you and them and nobody else! 

I would have done the same had I thought that the family were more than suitable to have my particular breed. 

She is a lucky girl to have found a good home and thats the main priority, not the money aspect of it.  Anybody that knows you, should know you are passionate about your dogs and only want the best possible homes you can find for them.

I'd be telling them that its none of their business too :) (in a polite way of course lol)

i gave one of my puppie to my sil who daughter has special need the bood with the adult and dog are great,

i would do it again

What a fabulous gesture.

I would have put in the contract (perhaps a separate secret contract!) that they are not to tell any family members about the gift, and if it's known in the family they maybe couldn't afford to pay out that much in one go, when asked they are to say it's in instalments over a year or two. That would effectively shut up any nosey parkers. This is between you and those family members, and nobody else. No different if you were entering a contract of gift or sale with anyone else.

How lovely sometimes in your heart you know what is right and thats good. Now dont feel guilty feel proud!!

Mandy. What a generous, big hearted thing to do. Why should you beat yourself up or stress what other people think, difficult I know when it's family or friends. What matters more is that you have found a family who will cherish their new pup and care for her as you would do yourself. If others pass remarks, that really is their problem and not yours, it dosen't always bring out the best in people when they hear of 'something' for free. Repeating myself again - what a generous person you are - be proud of yourself. PS we have family who I wouldn't leave in the same room alone with our two!

I think what you did was right for everyone concerned and shows (even thoughyou dont need to) how you care so much for your babies.
If you are worried about the rest of the family I would have a little word on the quiet with the pups family and say the money issue was between you two and that you came to a suitable agreement that suit all concerned. After all its not their business (although that often doesnt help with a family !)and there are different ways to make payements to people than money.if you see what I mean.
Good on you sounds like you baby has a lovely home and thats most important.

Thanks everyone, we are saying they have paid some for her and that we have come to an arrangement that suits us all.
Thank you for all your support.
Little honey is very happy and her bond with their youngest boy is amazing so the most important thing is that she is very happy in her new loving home and the bonus that we will get to see her too.

> Little honey is very happy and her bond with their youngest boy

A treasured present from a loving Auntie ;-)