Approx. 1 1/2 yrs. ago my family bought a pure breed bitch puppy from a well known
breeder. We had her for approx 7 months. We had one main problem with her and it was with chasing and biting the children. She just wouldn't stop. She also didn't seem to bond with us and vice versa. Any way, we had been keeping in touch with the breeder over time and decided the best thing for us and the dog was to return her and get another in the future when the children were older. The breeder would not return our money but said we could have a puppy at no cost at a later date. It turns out now that this bitch is (even according to the breeder) quite a handful and is similar in temperment to her aunt and probably wasn't the best puppy for a first time dog owning family. A bit on the hyper side and quite headstrong. She has also turned out to be a champion show dog! She is only 1yr 8mo old and she has 2 bob's. Now, we don't want another puppy from this breeder as we don't feel she breeds with temperment as a priority. She will probably have more than a few litters from the returned bitch. I feel like not only did she get 400.00 from us but a champion dog to boot. We are glad she is in a good home but are feeling a bit ripped off. Should we/ can we ask for our money back or is it a hopeless cause? It's not about the money, more the principle of the thing. Any comments would be very welcome!

I doubt that you have any come back but would suggest that you contact Citizens Advice Bureaux to discuss your options.

Leigh

Think this is a good reason to do your research before deciding on your breed, must say this one sound very much like my own breed, from one litter your will get some puppies that are hell hounds and some that are bidable, bit like people really. The only thing you can blame the breeder for is if they refused to offer you support particulaly in the early days when the puppy first went to you. If the breed is selfwilled and difficult, perhaps you would be better advised to cut your losses and go for a different breed. I don't see that the fact that the bitch is doing well in the show ring has anything to do with her behaviour when she was with you or the breeders future plans for her, she has obviously learned her maners now.

When you owned this puppy did you take it to any kind of puppy socialisation classess for training, it sounds to me as this was a normal puppy for its age, all pups no matter what breed do go through a phase of chasing and playbiting, when the pup started to chase your children at first, when it was very young, did your children think this was "great fun" then the "greatfun" started to get serious? with the pup "going for trouser legs and ankles" my pup is now 7 months old and went through these phases as well, but, we have had her at puppy classes and she is doing a lot better now, we have been very firm with her and she knows what "Ouch and No" means and also the word "leave". You will probably find the breeder once she got this pup back did take it to training classes and it is now a well behaved dog, and next time you go for a pup whether it is the same breed or a different breed, please go to training classes run by ADPT trainers they have a web site www.adpt.co.uk have a look and see if there is a trainer near you, go and have a look before you get another dog, very few breeds are "untrainable" it sounds as if the breeder has put a lot of work into re-training this dog. I know from having lots of children coming in and out of the house, what kids are like with pups at first all the play biting and chasing after them is fun, but if you as the owner does not correct this behaviour, the pup does not know it is doing anything wrong it is being encouraged to do this it is up to you as the owner to stop this behaviour from the early age of 8 weeks onwards. hope this helps if you need any more advice just post a message, oh! what breed did you have, I have westies and they can be very wilfull little dogs, you have to "be on top of them all the time as puppies" they are not the cuddly, cute, breed, at lot of people think they are, once they are properly trained they will give cuddle, lots of love etc, but mostly when they want to.

Hi, I must say I agree with Irene. Its a shame if you were a first time puppy owner and this has happened, but if you had good support from the breeder with advice as to how to handle the puppy you really dont have much comeback. Did you buy/read any "puppy behaviour" books to learn how to train your puppy? I think you will have to put this down to experience and promise to yourself that before you have another puppy that you will take the time and trouble to learn about how to handle/train it and take it to puppy socialisation /training classes. There are always clubs within reach, where ever you live. As it has now been re-trained and is doing well in the ring, just goes to show that it does have an acceptable trainable temperament and that it was not the breeder's fault. Its a bit like having badly behaved children and wondering whose fault it is! Good puppy books are "the Perfect Puppy" by Gwen Bailey ( I think its Bailey) and anything by Ian Dunbar, read and digest them before you have another puppy, and you will understand much more about how a puppy's mind works and what you can expect from it. You didn't mention the ages of your children but I would wait until the youngest is at school, and get a puppy at the beginning of a school term so that for the first couple of months they are not around much in the daytime, so that you can train him without constant distractions. PS the children have to be trained, how to be with puppies, just as much as vica versa! When you returned the puppy, I assume you signed something referring to the terms of refund/another puppy in the future?

none of this actually answers the question asked! Its too late for socailisation classes now,the pups gone back!
Regarding the question itself, try & get the money from the breeder but if all else fails, do what I know someonelse did & when she has a litter, take up the offer of a pup, but ask her to sell it for you whilst its still with the breeder when she sells the rest of the litter., that way you get your money back.

Sam, I would think that the breeder offered them a puppy in a few years time realising they were out of their depth, and not ready for the work required in bringing up a puppy properly, and that this would be easier once the kids were older and they could devote more time. I have had puppies back as a responsible breeder, often feeling sorry for the well meaning, but inept owners, who seemed so sensible when enquiring for a puppy. The breeder is then left with the rehabilitation, and will receive nothing for the rehomed puppy. All pups that have ever returned to me, in every case due to lack of any training, in spite of advice given, have gone free to selected experienced dog owners, through my doggy grapevine! the only occasion that money has ever gone to the erstwhile puppy owner is when i have passed on a puppy enquiry, in the case where they would be happy with an older dog, usually those who have recently lost one of our breed. I think your suggestion somewhat immoral, the owners made a mistake and returned soiled goods.

I have to agree with the others I'm afraid - the fact that you have maintained good contact with the breeder & that she was willing to take your pup back is a sign to me of a reputable breeder not somebody trying to rip you off. Most commercial breeders would not have wanted to know & it would have been left to you to find your pup another home. You seem to have been unlucky in that perhaps your pup was too strong-willed for a family new to dog ownership but that does not mean you are entitled to a full refund of your money - I'm afraid you are going to just have to put this down to experience. Temperaments in a litter can often vary & the fact that some of this breeder's dogs are more headstrong than others does not make her a bad breeder - probably your pup would have done very well in an experienced home with older children. It's sometimes difficult to match up puppies' different personalities with the personalities of people wanting to buy a pup - it happened to my parents a few years ago when the giant breed pup they had bought turned out to be too much for them to handle. The dog was eventually returned to the breeder after much heartache, but at no time did my parents even think they should be getting their money back as they felt they had to take some of the "blame" for things not working out. I agree with the others that the fact the breeder has trained your dog & is successfully showing her isn't relevant here.

Regards

Jane

It sounds like a normal thing for any puppy to do. It's the job of the first time dog owner to teach them not to, and supervise the kids around the pup both for the pups protection and guidance, but for the kids training in animal handling development.
I have trained service dogs for the handicapped. I have trained Search and Rescue dogs.
I have a current puppy in training (7 months) who finally quit nipping and biting , she is of the sweetest , most stable and lovingnest of dispositions. Yet even in the hands of a trainer, she went through puppyhood growing pains. NEVER did I consider her abnormal. Yes, she IS biosterous... she is a PUPPY.(that's why service dogs arent placed until they are older, to allow them to outgrow their puppyhood) Certainly you don't expect your small children to behave as grown adults, do you? You have to TEACH them, as you guide and teach your puppy. Probably all this is intuitive to a dog owner, and as a first time dog owner, you probably didn't realize this.
The trainer took the puppy back and in her experience, she realized there was a mismatch and most likely an older dog to match youtr family would be most appropriate. The fact she took the puppy back is a sign she is a very reputable breeder.
Ask the breeder if she might have an older dog that she might replace the puppy with. Chances are the dog will be trained, and more suited to your family than a puppy from ANY breed or breeder. She will have the experience to know if she has one available that would be suitable. If she doesn't have one now, It is fair to ask her if she might have an older more suitable trained dog in the future, and if so, would she consider your family as a potential home for it. Consider yourself grateful you are in the hands of a responsible breeder.

One more comment. Since the dog went on to be successful,It probably doesnt have a temperament problem at all. It probably only needed training as i see it.
If a problem is trained out.. it's a training problem...NOT a temperament one.

Welcome to the forum diddy.

Had you thought that the breeder was trying to spare your feelings by agreeing the pup was hard work. It is no fun to realise we cannot cope, with what is normal puppy exuberance. A dog is an animal and it is the people, including the children who must act in such a way as to enable the puppy to grow into a well disciplined, and acceptably mannered canine citizen, as a first time dog owner training classes are essential, to train you!

Every new dog I have owned has gone to training classes regularly, and I am only interested in basic training and socialisation.

this doesn't answer the question. when you returned the pup for rehoming, did you think the breeder would have a queue of people waiting to take on an unruly adolescent at the full puppy price, no, pups are bought as a clean page, and paid for accordingly. those who take on a rescue or rehomed dog will normally not expect to pay for the priveledge of having to undo the bad habits due to someone elses lack of training.

If the pup had not gone on to be shown, and had remained in obscurity, would you be now asking this Question? A year ago you were happy to offload the problem child!

Also your assertion that the breeder does not breed with temperament as a priority, what were the breeders other dogs like, you must have thought them what you wanted, how much experience of the breed character do you have as first time owners to make such an assertion. You have only the one unsuccessful experience to go on.