Ok saw this on FB....What would you do?

Ok so one of my FB "friends" posted that she was in the process of purchasing a puppy from a breeder out of state. Was supposed to be getting this baby end of Dec. She just got an e-mail stating that the breeders husband decided that they were going to keep this pup back. However they wont give her a refund, told her they she can have one of this puppy's pups. She has made 2 payments through paypal, but the breeder had her send them as "personal" because she said she wouldn't be charged fees this way. Of course, this leaves the buyer with no protection via paypal.

So what do you guys think of this? Any advice on course of action, in the event that it ever happens to one of us?

I know most people say the deposits and such are non-refundable but surely that doesn't apply when the breeder decides to keep the puppy!!

So very very sad...I know there are 2 sides to every story, but this just seems so wrong told this way! Just very very wrong . I truly think the breeder should honor the original agreement. If they don't, I'd truly mark them down as one not to do business with. Breeders have got to quite doing these types of things, it's just getting out of hand. There truly are very few you can trust now days

Once a buyer puts money down on a certain puppy with us, that is there puppy. Now if I decide later, i want to keep that puppy, I may ask the customer if they would mind changing puppies, but if they said NO, then once again that is there puppy. I just would never want that to happen to me, so i would never do that to someone else. I'm sorry your friend is going through this. I hope in the end all can be worked out peaceable.

I haven't been on so not sure who this is about.....reguardless~~
Every breeder has the right to hold any puppy back out of a litter for themselves....however......this should be disclosed to the buyers, via website, email or whatever. With that being said.....if the breeder made no implications pryor to the buyer and money other than a depsoit was taken towards this pup, then I feel, IMHO, that the buyer should be refunded in full or refund all monies except the deposit and they can choose from another litter. I also would like to state, every breeder has every right to deny a buyer a puppy! I have denied many but not after taking money from them, always before!! I would refund the buyers money but first I would see if they were possibly interested in another pup from another litter of equal or higher value! This is just "ME" and my opinion!! But I do have the right to hold every puppy in a litter until I decide which one I want to keep back.....after all....we never know how a pup is going to turn out until it is older and as the owner of the dogs, this is our right. Again....however....I would really try to work with this person to make them happy so as not to lose respect and to keep them coming back to me for future pups! I also try to make a wrong a right!

Well here are my thoughts on this. I would say it's one thing if the breeder has say 2 or 3 pups in a litter, same color/sex/coat etc, and they say I am going to keep one back but am not sure which one yet. Then a buyer may put down a deposit on the remaining pup(s) not knowing exactly which one they will get. This would be ok, the buyer knows in advance what "type" of puppy they are getting just not exactly which one. I realize that we as breeders have the right to first pick of any litter, as well as refusal of the sale of any of our puppies. But if I am going to want to look at a puppy at an older age and it's the only one of that type, it will be listed as on hold for evaluation and no deposits would be accepted on that puppy. Maybe I will miss out on sales doing that, but that's ok. I have seen breeders hold back puppy A, take a deposit on puppy B and then B turn out to be much better. It's just something that happens, IMO.

I have no problem turning someone down for a puppy and yes I would try to do that before any money is sent. However, if something comes to light after they have sent a deposit or payments that I feel warrants a denial, then they will get their money back. If all breeders were unscrupulous and took deposits, then turned around and decided you weren't worthy/they were keeping the puppy or whatever the case may be, and then keep the deposit as well since the buyer agreed to place that "non-refundable deposit", how would anyone ever be trusting enough to get a puppy? I just don't see how that is fair. The buyer didn't break the contract, the breeder did.

I agree that the buyer may be willing to pick a different puppy if asked and that may be a solution, but if they have their heart set on that puppy then they get it. I would hate to think that they had to "settle" on something when they really wanted another, especially with the amount of financial/emotional/medical commitment involved.

Again, all just my opinion, and I realize I am playing devil's advocate here, LOL, since I've been more on the buyer's end than the breeder's end thus far!!
After these few litters I have coming up, I may think differently

At the very least, this customer is due her money back. I took a deposit on Junebug, but made it clear verbally to the customer and in the deposit receipt that the deposit was for "a" puppy, not a particular puppy, because I wasn't sure when or if Junebug was going to be ready to leave due to her health situation. As it happens, she only wanted Junie and when her health still wasn't good at 12 weeks, I just gave her the deposit back. At the time I took that deposit, I still had three puppies, and I would have let her have Ladybug as a pet if she wanted her, despite the fact that she was evaluated as pick of the litter and show quality.

This breeder sounds like a horrid person to do business with. I don't know who it is, but I'd like to know, so I can avoid them.