I had a choice of 3 puppies.   Black and Tan, Blue and Gold and a Gray one.   I chose Gray. The official paperwork said Blue and Gold and she said nothing to worry about as there was a bit on her. (There is a lot more than that.)   She then brought the puppy out.  I was hesitant but accepted the pup without a word.  When me and the person I was with got in the car the person I was with queried the pups eyes as they had altered, but then again is was 2 weeks. I was at home alone for the rest of that day and the next and now today I'm convinced I have the Blue and Gold.  Nothing to worry about except I know the breeder wanted the Gray.  | just hope that at the vet's check he didn't find anything wrong and that was why it was swapped.  What would you do?

Well the breeder should have been honest of course but why would they even have offered the pup they wanted to keep for sale? That sounds very odd. When I had my first pups chosen this time I had FOUR set aside that I said they could not pick as I had not chosen my own yet and was picking between those four. My choice comes first! As for the health, you will be taking the pup to your vet for a check up, won't you? Most contracts will state you have to do so within 7 days. Get it done tomorrow and reassure yourself the pup is fine as if it isn't, it's better you find out sooner and can return it than later when you have got attached.

In breeds like Yorkshire Terriers, Lhasas etc puppies change colour quite considerably in their first few months.
I agree with Marianne, get it health checked ASAP unless colour is important then take it back.

I'd agree that the breeder should have been up front with you and not, if this has happened because puppies do change, lots, as they develop, just given you, perhaps, one of the other puppies.    I also agree that you need to have your new puppy checked by your own vet - best within 48 hours, leaving a day between coming home and seeing a vet so you know it's healthy.   Could be as the litter developed the breeder changed her mind about which of them to keep (if she's keeping any?) or perhaps somebody pushed her into letting them have the one you'd reserved?

Bottom line - until sold and the full money changed hands, the puppies belong to the breeder, but again she should have been up front with you.   This would be what I'd not like.   Who knows, if she did do a switch, you may yet end up with the 'best puppy'!!!

ps   If the breeder 'wanted the Grey', why did she offer it to you I wonder???

Collected pup Friday went to vets Saturday.  Might have a slightly stiff leg.  Definitely the one the breeder was going to have as legs are gold and chest is gold whereas the one I had was completely grey all over.  More later.

Well, your paperwork coincides with the pup you have by the sound of it, should have been the first clue you had (apparently) the wrong pup eek!

For me and sorry perhaps legally too, it is too late for you now, you were given the pup in your hand, and as you say you accepted the pup without a word, you were given coinciding paperwork, which you seem to have queried but yet again you accepted the explanation along with the pup, you paid and left with said pup, you can't really say now that you have the wrong pup, you missed your chance there.

Even if you have e-mails detailing your request for the Grey pup, it is all too easy for the breeder to say that she now offered you the Blue and Gold and you took it, it would be your word against hers. Alas, you took the pup.........

Although colours in some breeds do change most breeders do know which colour they will end up and often wait to make sure, so that paperwork and colour coincide, I don't understand why anyone would advertise Grey and then put Blue and Gold on paperwork, something is not right here, you are right to query, but in taking the pup, I don't know........

If you paid a deposit on the Grey and have e-mails to prove you chose the Grey, then you should have had it, it's the breeders mistake if she chose the wrong pup for herself, she has legally sold it to you once a deposit is paid, unless she wishes to hold out for her day in court, if you paid no deposit lkj, then I'm really sorry but the breeder has no contract with you and does not have to sell you the Grey, even if she firstly agreed, she can pull out anytime,

TBH lkj the only defense I think you can seriously use if you paid a deposit, is that you forgot your glasses (even if you don't wear any) or took the wrong pair so it wasn't until you got home that you realised your pups colouring. I can't think of any other way you can get out of taking the pup and paying for it, you can't use the excuse that you felt hesitant, especially when the paperwork matches the pup. You've also allowed time to lapse, the worst thing against you of all......you've kept the pup and taken it to the vet.....you should have done an about turn in the car and immediately gone back to query things.

Also with the time lapse......... if a deposit was paid, you would still have to prove that you did not agree to take a different pup as the paperwork is not for a grey...........

It's all very messy.... and your legs are getting shorter and shorter here as time passes...........

I too do not understand how you know the breeder wanted the grey, but it was on offer to you, were there more than 3 pups, more than two greys? **scratching head**

It's an interesting one, but I have to be honest, if I had taken and paid for the pup, I'd be cross with myself for not saying anything at the time, but it would be on me, my mistake, I'd just love the pup I'd taken and tell myself I must speak up next time. (Unless the pup were for showing or part of a potential breeding programme, then you have to stand up for yourself if you've paid that deposit)

Many moons ago....I went with a friend to collect a female lab she'd reserved, in chatting to the breeder so much, the breeder had popped the pup in my friends carry crate, we'd left, all was well and then low and behold half way up the motorway (an hour into our journey) the pup my friend was fussing over in the back seat rolled over on its back, well...........definitely a boy!!!!

We did an about turn and went back, the breeder was mortified, mistakes happen, but my friend said if we had got all the way home and the breeder hadn't had a home for him, she'd have just kept him, (pet dog only)  as she'd already began to bond.

These things happen, and the longer you are with this pup the harder it will be to give it up, in fact it probably is already anyway.

I would just suck it up I'm afraid, unless there is an underlying health issue here.

But, I'm very interested in your outcome........we can always live and learn,

I hope you'll be happy whatever choice you make here.

Do puppies although registered as one colour go onto change colours? Is it the fault of the breeder? Or can this be easily mixed up? Your Black puppy turns out to be Blue Roan?
We on one previous pet as a puppy had her marked with four spots of varnish on bottom of pads. We matched up varnish colour a week later and again when picked up.
Surely an honest, decent breeder wouldn't swap a puppy and not tell the owners?

I agree an honest breeder should have pointed out their mistake, it is possible saxonjus that an inexperienced breeder could mistakenly colour a roan as black and white/orange and white, a lemon for orange, a blue for grey, a red for gold, a tri for two colours etc, it happens.

Definitely the one the breeder was going to have as legs are gold and chest is gold whereas the one I had was completely grey all over.

Above is why I don't personally think so in this case, gold and grey are hard to mix up along with solid colours on a chest and legs.

What has happened is not right, the breeder, well, there is something wrong here, but......that paperwork said Blue and Gold and unfortunately the pup was taken, the paperwork should have said grey, alarm bells ringing loud and clear,

There are always surprises though, maybe the breeder really can't tell their colours, or accidently wrote Blue and Gold on two registration papers by mistake, but I think lkj recognises a different puppy and colours which I tend to believe.

Maybe, maybe, just maybe if lkj turns up on her doorstep, she may change the pup to the grey, but if the breeder is deceitful there will be a big problem.

Lets see what happens............

> Do puppies although registered as one colour go onto change colours?

YES they most certainly do. 

> Is it the fault of the breeder?

No it certainly isn't.  Even if they do own a crystal ball.

I have a breed that isn't judged on colour.  I had a cream coloured bitch who whelped a cream pup, a peachy coloured pup, a white pup, and a very dark gunmetal grey puppy.  Naturally when the first people came to view this litter, they went overboard for the dark pup.  He looked stunning, but he would wouldn't he?  He stood out from the crowd. 

I was wanting to keep a bitch, so was happy for this little guy to go as pet.  I wasn't however letting him go if he had been chosen for his colour.  After the family had been here for a while, getting to know my gang, I made it clear to them that this puppy was not going to be a dark puppy.  (I've only seen truly dark pups bred out of black tricolour bitches.)  And was up front, telling them if they thought I was wrong, and that he would stay dark, then I wouldn't sell him to them, as I was right. 

They promised that they would love him even if he turned green.  And at 7 years old I still receive updates on this much loved boy.  He didn't reach his final colour until he past 2 years old.

And his colour?  He is a light fawn with a dark mask. 

All a mistake, puppy is mine.   Woman's first litter with no help.  Panic all round but came right in the end.  Everyone happy.

We chose our puppy mainly on how we felt when meeting him. We did NOT have a colour preference at all (same when we adopted two kittens we advised colour not an issue just two healthy kittens☺)
Our breeder used same stud dog a litter after ours and had one puppy a girl.She had three people wanting a puppy so contacted them but they said no because she wasn't chocolate! A beautiful blue roan and she went to a lovely family in the end.
I'm on a waiting list with a breeder hopefully spring/summer next year again we have only specified a boy puppy no colour preference. I'm not sure if a girl puppy would get on with my boy? But I'm sure that's another topic in the forum I can look up

Glad it worked out for you Happy many years of bonding and enjoying each other.

All a mistake, puppy is mine.   Woman's first litter with no help.  Panic all round but came right in the end.  Everyone happy.

So what happened? What was the mistake, you getting the wrong puppy or thinking you had the wrong puppy? How did it get sorted? Sorry just very curious.

same when we adopted two kittens we advised colour not an issue just two healthy kittens☺)

Now there's an instance when colour COULD matter, as typically in cats different colours have different characters.

I'm really pleased for you.........we shouldn't always think the worse should we.

I'm too confused though, seeing a pup at 6 weeks one colour and two weeks later with different markings and naming the colour differently on the paperwork, she should have told you that your pup was not actually grey, sometimes camera's do not represent colouring well, I guess that may have been the biggest problem here, it did not show the colour differences or potential shading well, it is why seeing pups in the flesh is the best way to go.

So very pleased all is well and may you and your puppy have a wonderful life together.

Yes, I learned the hard way about the 'naughty torties'. Although she mellowed a lot in her later years I still have permanent scars from her. I'll never forget the poor vet I took her to who explained the term to me as his face was pouring blood all over the consult table, I did warn him she was feisty and he just gave a knowing smile as though he could deal with anything, I guess he should have taken my warning more seriously. 

We did love each other though, and I still miss her dearly.

Just to add that puppies most certainly can change colour as they develop - Basset puppies are either born black and white with very little tan yet (tricolours), or white with darkish splodges (lemon and whites) or darker tan (red/white).   And some lines of tricolours can fade as they move into middle-age, so they look more like red and whites.

And as far as my experience has been, tricolour and bicolour Bassets can have different temperaments.   This is from their origins, the two different strains of the breed.    And we had just one lemon/white boy in an otherwise tricolour litter - he'd lie up the other end of the whelping box as soon as they were 'mobile'.  Temperamentally he was really unique too.

Hope this puppy 'swap' situation has worked out well and the one you have turns out way better than the one you thought you were getting.

Just to add, much as I didn't take deposits, for me ownership doesn't pass to the new owner until ALL the monies have been paid.

Just to add that puppies most certainly can change colour as they develop -

Indeed. Both my breeds do. Malinois puppies are born very, very dark brown, some almost black, and then fade to fawn or red (or sometimes grey) with the black masks. The final colour is not seen until around 2 years of age. Papillon puppies almost always all look black and white at birth, and again the sables fade over the next months to become more and more red, and tan markings in tris can be really difficult to spot early on and so it isn't unusual for dogs to be registered as a different colour to what they turned out as.

My two cats characters are very different indeed! One black and one black and white! Always had ginger tabbies in childhood they were very feisty!  Not had a totally nortie torties!  When I was asked did I have a colour preference and I advised no! The man who ran the shelter was overjoyed! He kept advising many want Ginger or Tabbies only!
I'm curious too re can a 6 week old puppy colour change vastly in 2 weeks? I've been checking back on photo's I had of mine at 4,6 and 8 weeks and not a lot of change however by 12 months yes a difference!
My little darling decided to roll in fox poo this am so yes colour change, smell and a bath! Btw any tips apart from tomato juice re smell? Had clean bathroom for 20 minute's!

Blue fawn whippet pups are born blue and then over the weeks the fawn hairs over take the blue ones in number.  At 2-3 weeks old they can still look blue to the eye but the fawn shows up in photos.  Parti colours the patches of white can change they can move or disappear.  Black or blue masks present at 6 weeks can be gone by 8 weeks as can white marks on the face.  Fawn changes as the amount of black or blue hairs in the coat change.  With brindle the pups often start off very black or blue and the fawn between the stripes grows over the weeks. The most amazing change comes with cream or (tea stained) and white because they can be born almost white and then the patches develop.  The tea staining gets darker as the pup gets older (i.e. cream and white at 8 weeks) and can become the most beautiful fiery orange at around 2 years old then unfortunately the sequence reverses with age and they fade to a pale cream.

> I'm not sure if a girl puppy would get on with my boy? But I'm sure that's another topic in the forum I can look up

Opposite sexes are the pairing most likely to get along.

In many breeds same sex males will not get along at all, in others the same sex is a problem, and others it is down to individuals only and both sexes can be kept with their own amicably as long as there is a decent age gap.

So your only issue would be for the bitches first season or even second, until she was mature and you could have her spayed.

There are more positives for neutering a bitch than a dog.

In my breed the final colour (other than it will be grey) is impossible to predict.

Puppies will be born almost black, and in fact the legs are the last to lighten, they have black masks and ears.

By 8 weeks they are often just oatmeal with black mask, with ears gone paler.

When the guard coat starts coming in and the true undercoat by 3 months they look like Elkhounds in body colour but the head still can be mealy.  By 4 months they are mini adults in colour but the ears will take a while to be really dark starting with the edges as the baby mousey coat moults out.

They often have a sandy patch of the fine baby coat on their heads that gets smaller and smaller.

Thank you Brainless I did wonder re same sex pairing or a mixed set. We always have had girls and spayed when matured. I had been advised to leave my male entire until at least 3? Even then to think not to neuter him. I would have loved his sister but he was then only 13 maths and the brother/sister link made me uneasy in case of an accident.

"The most amazing change comes with cream or (tea stained) and white because they can be born almost white and then the patches develop.  The tea staining gets darker as the pup gets older (i.e. cream and white at 8 weeks) and can become the most beautiful fiery orange at around 2 years old then unfortunately the sequence reverses with age and they fade to a pale cream. "

Ditto with Bassets.   It happened like that with what was our only lemon/white Basset - and having been a glorious orange as an adult, by the time he died, he was almost white again.  Ghost.  Bless him

Also with my Blue/brindle Whippet, she was more blue as a young puppy, but especially in the summer, the 'blue' goes to mainly fawn.   Over-winter, the blue becomes more obvious again.  

This all kind-of makes a nonsense of their given registered colour  LOL.

I think the colour change in Chow Chows is very interesting.  There is a breeder near by and we dropped in to see the boarding facility when his litter was 12 weeks old.  Chows are the breed with blue tongues of course, but it's like their tongues and their coats trade colour.  His puppies were going to be red but were born black and red patches were coming in.  The tongues go the other way, starting out pink and then the blue patches start coming in.  He showed us how both colour changes, coat and tongue, were underway in his puppies.

That's fascinating Jetstone Jewel, I had no idea -you learn something new every day!

My 2 shaded red Chows were both born nearly black, by the time they came to me they were a kind of sable colour with a black mask, by 6 months they were red with a black mask and by a year the black mask was completely gone and the blond shading had come in. My blue boy was born blue and only had his eyes change from blue to brown when he was around a year old.

Just an update Goldmali.  I thought there were only 3 girls.  There were 2 others.  Two looked alike.  I chose the one that could have bad hips or at least bad legs.  My vet has checked and cannot confirm for a few weeks.

Any update from vets yet?

I chose the one that could have bad hips or at least bad legs.

Oh dear. What makes the vet think the hips are bad?