Hi all,

I have a litter who are now almost ready to go to their new homes, all but the one I am keeping have been booked and I was happy with every home and liked the families and the homes they could offer my babies. However I have just had one family tell me with no notice, that they have booked a last minute holiday and they would like to collect their pup just under a week later. Now I have no problem keeping pups longer obviously, I would be happy to, and it's only a few days. However I am a bit upset and concerned that they have booked a last minute holiday knowing it would interfere with collecting their puppy. I know if I had booked a puppy I would be very excited and would not book a holiday when I was due to collect the pup. I would have appreciated it if they had asked me first. I am worried it is a red flag, showing a lack of commitment before they have even picked the puppy up. Am I over reacting and being unfair to feel this way? If not what is the best way to handle this?

Thanks.

I think I'd prefer it the way they are doing, rather than take pup home for a few weeks then have to try and find somebody to look after it.  Maybe they booked their holiday now, ok a bit short notice, knowing she/he will be in safe hands with you,  they can then spend the rest of the summer with their pup

Could have been booked for them, could be a family member who now can't go last minute, anniversary surprise or something.  I would not worry too much about it as they have at least told you and the pup is better with you for longer.

Maybe they saw a good offer and figured it was their last chance for a while. :)

Are you over reacting? Possibly. :-)

Are you being unfair in feeling this way, absolutely not!

The trouble is, it may very probably be as others have already said, but it could also be that they are like many new dog owners very fickle and selfish putting themselves first and the pup/dog always last, we know that there are many owners out there who we would not wish our pups to go to, and as well as we may vet people, we often are only left with our instincts as people tell little fibs to outright lies all the time and can hide their true natures.

The only way to put your mind at rest is to be honest and explain just as you have here, honesty is always best between breeder and owner otherwise resentments and unease can set in between both parties.

Just call and tell them of your worries and allow them to put you at ease...... or not. Not doing or saying something when we know we should have can cause many sleepless nights when it need not. :-)

Just make sure that they realise the serious undertaking they are about to receive.

Excellent post Carrington, agree with openness and honesty.
You will probably feel better about the situation if you have a chat with the new owners and find out exactly what the reason for the late holiday was.
When I had my last puppy who was quite a lot of money (talking four figures) I agreed with my husband that we would also book a holiday. I was spending a good deal of money on what I wanted, it was only fair that he got something that he wanted as well.
Perhaps the new owners have decided on a similar deal, and decided to take a break now so that they don't have to leave the puppy once it has gone to it's new home, which does seem entirely sensible.
We all worry about our babies when they are about to leave us, but it is very important to keep lines of communication as open as possible.
I would  just ring up for a little update chat, make some excuse, I know when I was about to have my last puppy I was always happy to chat to the breeder and get as many updates and news of what my baby had been up to as possible. Just slip it into the conversation, and I am there may be a perfectly valid explanation.

Excellent posts Carrington and Dorcas. We worry so much about our babies, any hint/sign of a potential lack of commitment from their new owners is worrying. Think I would have to mention it to them, to give them a chance to put the other side of the story (or not) and then you will hopefully feel easier about things.

I would have serious doubts about letting this family have the puppy in the scenario that you have described. Partly because I would now view them as being unreliable but mainly because I would have expected them to have been excited about the puppy's arrival and all organised for it. I would be very disappointed that they had made this decision.

Have you got buyers queueing up for a puppy?  Have you received payment for this puppy?  If not, get them to pay before they go on holiday.  Charge them kennel fees.  Were they on your waiting list? What happens if they don't return from this holiday? Ask this type of question and you will then see if they are commited. 

>I am worried it is a red flag, showing a lack of commitment before they have even picked the puppy up.

It could also bee seen as being responsible; recognising that they're not going to be able to take (possibly their usual?) family holiday later in the year due to being committed to the pup and not wanting to leave it in a few weeks time. By taking the holiday early and have the pup stay with the breeder during that time assures the least possible stress for the puppy, which is a Good Thing. Best to ask them; as far as we all know they've just cancelled their usual holiday and are taking this one instead. :-)

I too would have doubt about their commitment.

In my opinion if they want a late booked holiday before picking up the puppy they should have found one which allowed them to return in time for the collection date.

Although on saying that, from my last litter I kept a puppy because the buyers had a holiday booked, but that was mentioned on their first enquiry. In fact they came home 5 days early to collect him, they just couldn't wait any longer!

I also had one couple who collected their puppy on Sunday and called me the following Wednesday saying they had a wedding to attend the following week, which meant they had to stay over in a hotel for three nights, could we take puppy back to be minded.
Now you don't tell me they didn't know about that wedding before hand!

Call them to see what they have to say and take it from there.......

>By taking the holiday early and have the pup stay with the breeder during that time assures the least possible stress for the puppy, which is a Good Thing.

We did this and collected her on the way back from our holiday :)

>they should have found one which allowed them to return in time for the collection date

Things don't always work out exactly as we want :) We couldn't take our holiday until our daughter had finished her GCSE exams - then managed to squeeze a week in before collecting the puppy. We then had three months when both my children were home from school/uni to help with puppy while I worked part-time.

but mainly because I would have expected them to have been excited about the puppy's arrival and all organised for it.

They may well be all excited. It may be one family member wanting the holiday and a compromise having to be made. Last summer I had a puppy booked for myself and then realised the weekend when she was due to be collected clashed with a show I wanted to go to. I simply explained to the breeder and asked to collect pup a week later -no problem. It didn't mean I wasn't excited about getting her, and one week made no difference whatsoever.

I find a fair few of puppy and kitten buyers go on holiday just before collecting, which I think is very sensible -get it done with BEFORE.

It's a tricky one. If I was going to collect a puppy there is NO WAY I would be persuaded to book a last minute holiday and it's a bit off that they didn t ask you first - perhaps you hinted at some stage that the collecting date was a bit flexible. However, not everyone is as dippy about their dogs as we are and just because they are putting their holiday before the puppy doesn't mean they won t be caring owners. Perhaps you could just ask them the circumstances. It could be that there are compromises being made within the family about the holiday. After all they are leaving puppy in good hands.

I find a fair few of puppy and kitten buyers go on holiday just before collecting, which I think is very sensible -get it done with BEFORE

Of course it is very sensible to get a holiday "done with" before collecting a puppy, but this should be discussed with the breeder if the prospective puppy buyer wants the breeder to keep hold of the puppy for a longer period. If the home was right, I wouldn't have the slightest problem with this. My concern about this case is that the holiday has been booked AFTER the commitment was made to collect the puppy from the breeder. It just doesn't feel right.