Puppy deposit question

[Mario149]

We're in contact with a breeder who seems very respectable etc. However they want, it seems from their email, a non-refundable £300 deposit (fine in itself) but appear to want it to secure an initial viewing of the pups & parents (not so fine). Is this standard practice?

I have no problem viewing a puppy, liking it and paying a deposit there and then, but paying a deposit before even viewing on the assumption everything will be fine seems 4rse about face to me....

Edited by Mario149 on Tuesday 14th October 12:05

[Cliftonite]

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Run.

[Cliftonite]

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Run.

[AdiT]

Non-refundable? So you look at the puppies and either agree to buy one or loose your money?

Personally I'd... RUN!

If they're registered breeders, it might be worth checking with the KC to see if this is normal/accepable practice. Never heard of it before though.

[Cliftonite]

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All you need to know and much more besides can be found via:

http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/fi...

[Mario149]

Cliftonite said:

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All you need to know and much more besides can be found via:

http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/fi...

I can't seem to find anything on there regarding deposits....unless I've missed something?

[Cliftonite]

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At one puppy farm (which are to be avoided at all costs!) a punter was told that if a pup was handled, it would be rejected by its mother and would have to be bought!

If your heart is set on a pedigree dog, use only Kennel Club listed, or even just Kennel Club Accredited breeders.

(My wife bred Cavalier King Charles Spaniels for some ten years and we still have four of the fabulous perishers)!

[Mario149]

AdiT said:

Non-refundable? So you look at the puppies and either agree to buy one or loose your money?

Personally I'd... RUN!

If they're registered breeders, it might be worth checking with the KC to see if this is normal/accepable practice. Never heard of it before though.

Apologies, I've just realised my initial post was not 100% clear:

1) My assumption is that it is non-refundable since all other material I've seen on the internet relating to deposits for puppies indicates that they are non-refundable.
2) I have not specifically asked when the deposit is due, I am just inferring from the email I received from them.

Basically, I'm trying to work out how to phrase my reply i.e. I don't want to go in "guns blazing" and end up offending them if I've misunderstood their email, equally if they are asking for a deposit before we've even seen them, I want to make it clear that that is not acceptable to us.

[Cliftonite]

Mario149 said:

I can't seem to find anything on there regarding deposits....unless I've missed something?

In the downloadable 'Buying a Puppy' guide?

Anyway, we used to ask for non-returnable deposit of £100 when puppy was selected, that is decided upon after viewing. A good breeder will be as much interested in making sure you will look after her pup as you will be in selecting one. So don't be put off by searching questions!

[Mario149]

Okay, here's the pertinent part of the email chain, caps are my words to protect privacy etc.

---

Hi BREEDER,

Thanks for all the info!

DATE works for us, can we book in to come then please?

Best,

MARIO149

---

Hi MARIO149,

I will need a deposit to secure like everyone else did please.

DATE is fine but cannot spend any more time than up to Midday because I have feed AND CLEAN OTHER DOGS ETC.

OTHER UNRELATED STUFF

I will need your address and phone details for the file and to send the deposit receipt out.

Thanks

BREEDER

---

Hi BREEDER,

A deposit should not be a problem. This is our first puppy purchase so apologies if this is a obvious question: I understand from your website that the deposit is non-refundable, so presumably the deposit is payable once we have come to see the puppy (and mother) and are happy? e.g. we would bring a cash deposit with us when viewing or arrange a bank transfer shortly after etc at which point you would confirm the puppy is reserved for us?

Thanks,

MARIO149

---

Everyone pays the deposit before viewing as secures the pup usually. I do not want to be wasting my time for over 2 hours if you or anyone is not 100%. I do not choose the pups til 7 weeks old because I know them individually etc and the puppy test the Assessors do backs up what I know about each puppy and they do a sheet for each puppy which a copy of goes in the puppy pack. I then send photos of the pups out to the owners. In all my years I have *never* allowed anyone to choose because you just see a cute puppy you do not see who it is in the litter, dominant, submissive etc.

You can bring the cash deposit with you.

BREEDER

---

Thoughts? Deposit is payable prior to seeing them from my understanding of it, which I don't like. To me the breeder seems legitimately concerned for puppies' welfare and sending them to a good home. But it also seems that you don't get to choose a specific pup (beyond gender) which to be honest I'm not massively fussed about so long as I can see all the pups together and can see that they're all happy etc. But it still seems weird to me....

[Liszt]

What breed?

I'd walk. You need to be happy with the breeder, the parents and the puppy. You need to see the puppy in the litter and how it acts. It's not a 2 minute "I'll take the one with the wet nose."

The breeder will want to make sure that the pup is going to a good home too, so be prepared for questions on you, your jobs, house, lifestyle etc.

Then when you're both happy you agree which pup and pay the deposit. When they are old enough you pay the balance and get the pup.

This is a commercial breeder so think of it abit like buying a specialist car. Are you going to put a deposit down and then let the salesman tell you which one you are going to have? You put up with that if you wanted a Bristol, but for a BMW?

[waterwonder]

File in B1N

[Butter Face]

So they choose your puppy for you?

You pay a deposit, they send a puppy out to you?

Sounds stupid. Go elsewhere with normal people. Some breeders are just plain fking weird IMO.

[Mario149]

Liszt said:

What breed?

I'd walk. You need to be happy with the breeder, the parents and the puppy. You need to see the puppy in the litter and how it acts. It's not a 2 minute "I'll take the one with the wet nose."

The breeder will want to make sure that the pup is going to a good home too, so be prepared for questions on you, your jobs, house, lifestyle etc.

Then when you're both happy you agree which pup and pay the deposit. When they are old enough you pay the balance and get the pup.

This is a commercial breeder so think of it abit like buying a specialist car. Are you going to put a deposit down and then let the salesman tell you which one you are going to have? You put up with that if you wanted a Bristol, but for a BMW?

Rottie (I grew up with one and adore them)

Thanks for the info, I thought that's how it should go

[Mario149]

waterwonder said:

File in B1N

Lol!

[Liszt]

Mario149 said:

Rottie (I grew up with one and adore them)

Thanks for the info, I thought that's how it should go

Lovely dogs. Not a huge amount available near London, but be prepared to travel to get a good breeder.

http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/fi...

[essayer]

Walk away for sure

[Kateg28]

If the OP were to substitute any other item for puppy and then read it themselves, they would know the answer.

"Dear Currys, I want to buy a tv, here is £250, pick one for me"

"Dear Tescos, here is a tenner, send me fruit and a loaf of bread"

Sounds more to me like an ebay trade than buying a puppy.

I do not breed dogs, do not even have a dog (current lifestyle precludes it) but I can see right through this.

[JDiz]

walk away imo, plenty of puppies available

[CAPP0]

We recently bought a pedigree pup (yes, I know, but before anyone starts, this is the first pedigree pup I have purchased out of 7 dogs I have owned, we had good reason….), from a breeder who has bred the past 7 generations of the line our chap comes from - so, she's been doing this a while. We spoke to her on the phone at some length, agreed a date and time to view, the remaining pups were all available together as were mum and dad and we sat with the breeder and the pups for probably getting on for an hour, assessing, discussing, deciding - and then MrsC stayed with the breeder and "our" pup whilst I had to be away for an hour getting the cash because the local bank branch I had planned to use had closed down!

There certainly wasn't any rush, any pressure, or any diktat from the breeder about how the selection session would proceed. I would say that yours sounds completely wrong on all fronts.

I didn't check the links above so apols if I am reposting but both of these links this seem a good place to start:

http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/fi...

http://www.champdogs.co.uk/breeds/rottweiler/breed...