I bought the most amazing and beautiful pedigree Boston Terrier.  Sadly yesterday he had to be put to sleep.  He had kennel cough which would not clear.  The reason it wouldn't clear was because he had outgrown his Trachea at the young age of 14 weeks.  His trachea was as narrow as a very thin straw.  As a result fluid built up in the lungs and he had Pneumonia etc etc as the fluid couldn't pass through the wind pipe when he was Coughing.  To cut a long story short.  We paid 750 for the pup, over 1000 in vet bills and emergency care etc.  I contacted the breeder before he passed to ask if there was anything in the patent dogs history that would help us understand Ralph's issues and assist with anything to help him.  I got no response.  I emailed again following the diagnosis of the Trachea issue which meant he had to be put to sleep.  Again no respnse.  I then found the breeder on social media and can see that she has ready message but still no response.  DLC said to give her time to respond.  Anyone else been in the same position that can offer advice?

If they breed dogs as a business/is council licensed, you can claim the pup was not fit for its purpose, i.e. as a pet, and take them to court. Unfortunately as the pup wasn't Kennel Club registered you're not likely to have found a good breeder (and the "registry" they used really will not be any help as it is not an official body), also the price of the pup seems very low for the breed -all red flags. If the breeder does not breed as a business then it's more difficult. There are two solicitors specialising in dog law if you decide to take it further.

I'm so sorry you and the pup had to go through this.

it does depend on wether the pups was fit for sale at the time you bought it.

As a  living being you are in effect buying a work in progress, not a finished item, so good bad or indifferent as the breeder may be, could they have been reasonably aware that there was a potential problem with the puppy.

If this abnormality was not something that could have been foreseen (as in a known genetic issue, or something  either parent had, then really it is just very sad.

If this problem was present at the time of sale then you have a case with trading standards if the seller was in business.  If a private seller, Then it's 'buyer Beware',  it was up to you to ensure the puppy was fit at teem of purchase, just as with a purchase of a second hand car bought privately.

Check if there are other adverts for other litters (anyone breeding five or more litters in any 12 months requires a breeders license from their Local Authority, you can check with their LA to see if they are licensed).

As has been said the only official registry for dogs in the UK is the Kennel club, all others are simply used for dogs that can't be registered with the KC.

The reasons not to register with the Kennel club are never good, it means either the parents are not registered, or have restrictions (endorsements) placed by their breeder not to be bred from,(might be to ensure they are health tested first or they are unsuitable for breeding), the bitch was too young, too old, or had to many litters (Kennel club will register a maximum of 4 litters in a bitches lifetime).

These other registries are primarily used by commercial breeders/puppy farmers, and purely commercially motivated back yard breeders with unregisterable stock, to give them an air of meaningless respectability (makes them more sellable).

Anyone with a serious interest and knowledge of their breed will be breeding within the Kennel club and breed club umbrella, sharing knowledge and information with other breeders and owners, in order to produce the soundest puppies in a breed that has the potential for health issues directly related to it's conformational traits, if over exaggerated.

We read about these issues on a daily basis  and it will continue until potential buyers realise that there is no such think as a " cheap puppy". So sorry for the heartache that has been caused to the OP but if research had been done and purchase of a puppy from a reputable breeder then it would have been avoided.
I do not want to add to the upset but how many more times do people have to be told?
I will probably be shot down for this post but the people who buy from BYB and puppy farmers are keeping them in business.

So sorry for you having to go through all this, but the bottom line is a good breeder would have been very concerned about what was going on, perhaps ask you to bring the puppy back so their own vet could be involved and certainly not just have ignored your contact with them.  And possibly offer to replace the puppy.  It is a buyer beware situation I'm afraid.   You could try suing, but that won't bring the puppy back and the only 'winner' is the lawyer involved.

Just, if there is a next time, go via the Breed Club - ask for names of known good breeder-members.

A good breeder would have been mortified by what has happened, but in this case can't see it being a legal requirement, a second autopsy opinion would be needed by any breeder also, from their own vet as one vets diagnoses isn't always the same as anothers, in fact they can vary greatly on their experience and disagree with the cause.......... a trachea being too thin could not be foreseen (if that really was the cause) kennel cough takes lives all the time.

Where did the pup contract kennel cough? If from the breeders premises then yes, I would go for a full refund for that reason alone, trading standards will back you up on selling a defective and ill pup, but not for the trachea.

If the kennel cough has come from another outside cause then it is terribly bad luck and no recompense via the breeder.

So sorry for the loss of your pup, you must be so devastated. {{hug}}

I'm so sorry for your loss. Unfortunately what has already been posted is correct. I have a friend who breeds KC registered Boston Terriers and what you paid for your puppy is half the cost of a puppy from her. Most decent puppy breeders would be devastated that this had happened to a puppy they bred, was he insured so you can at least claim back your costs?

It is a fact that there are a lot of people breeding puppies/kittens as a way of making money, with no concern for what happens once the buyer goes out their door.

Sometimes these unfortunate things happen. I bought a pedigree kitten that, as he grew, had a congenital problem with his kidneys. It was no ones fault, he was born like it and we had to have him put to sleep at 11 months old. He was insured and I was able to make a claim.

Sometimes these unfortunate things happen. I bought a pedigree kitten that, as he grew, had a congenital problem with his kidneys. It was no ones fault, he was born like it and we had to have him put to sleep at 11 months old.

Not PKD then that could have been prevented by DNA testing the parents? It appears in more breeds than just Persians.

No, not PKD.