Local dog owner's experience with a potential labrador breeder
Thank you. Wish we had seen this earlier. This verifies why I’ve had a bad feeling since about a week with a breeder we’ve been dealing with for the past couple of months. Zero interest in us. Zero questions. Answered initial questions and sent Venmo request for deposit with no invoice. Didn’t hit me right, but what do I know. They were going to train as a starter puppy meaning potty, crate training. At six weeks said they would send an invoice. No invoice, but did get a Venmo request for thousands. No contract, had not met the puppy or parents and had two photos. It felt like a scam. We did not do that as we did not feel comfortable. Breeder was not happy, but agreed to pick up date at 8 weeks. Five days before pickup we ask what kind of food they are giving him so we can be prepared and get no response. Instead, four days before pickup (in another state mind you), we get a text saying one of the puppies has a heart murmur. One of the staff was supposed to tell you last week. We are going to the cardiologist tomorrow. It’s usually no big deal and resolves itself. We ask for update after visit and crickets. Two days before pickup we don’t know what grade murmur nor if it’s even our puppy. He picks them out (another thing we don’t love). You’re buying genetics, he says. (Um, no- were adding a member to our family that is healthy with good genes.)
Thank you. Wish we had seen this earlier. This verifies why I’ve had a bad feeling since about a week with a breeder we’ve been dealing with for the past couple of months. Zero interest in us. Zero questions. Answered initial questions and sent Venmo request for deposit with no invoice. Didn’t hit me right, but what do I know. They were going to train as a starter puppy meaning potty, crate training. At six weeks said they would send an invoice. No invoice, but did get a Venmo request for thousands. No contract, had not met the puppy or parents and had two photos. It felt like a scam. We did not do that as we did not feel comfortable. Breeder was not happy, but agreed to pick up date at 8 weeks. Five days before pickup we ask what kind of food they are giving him so we can be prepared and get no response. Instead, four days before pickup (in another state mind you), we get a text saying one of the puppies has a heart murmur. One of the staff was supposed to tell you last week. We are going to the cardiologist tomorrow. It’s usually no big deal and resolves itself. We ask for update after visit and crickets. Two days before pickup we don’t know what grade murmur nor if it’s even our puppy. He picks them out (another thing we don’t love). You’re buying genetics, he says. (Um, no- were adding a member to our family that is healthy with good genes.) . We specifically chose the parents of this litter and do not want some replacement from another litter (which he may or may not even have.). It feels like it was set up so that he says we are backing out and he keeps the deposit. Not sure what we can do about that, but need to walk away.
