OT: lied to again by the breeder

Got a call from the Chow breeder tonight. No red males in that last litter of the year. She offered me a red female or a black male (again), but I said that i really wanted a red male. Very disappointingly, but not entirely surprisingly, she did NOT follow through on her last email message and offer me the red male they held back for breeding... instead she told me of upcoming litters next year that MIGHT have red puppies in them. That means that it will likely be late March or April before I get a puppy... and I will have waited almost a year for a replacement (for a dog that I waited 10 months for the first time around)!

I don't understand... I not only don't understand why (once again) they told me something that they did not follow through on, but also why -- when red puppies have been so scarce in their litters for OVER A YEAR (!) -- they don't breed some red males and red females to GET some red puppies instead of breeding cinnamon and cream or red and black...??? It's basic genetics!   As if I needed to feel any worse, the woman they they SOLD the red male to this summer bred her female (not with the puppy... he isn't old enough) and so she now has 6 new puppies in addition to the adult female and the male puppy that should have been mine.   That also means that I now either have to get my knee replaced before I get the puppy or I have to take a chance on not having a job and/or insurance next summer when the puppy is housebroken and able to be outside in the yard unsupervised.   I want a cookie...   Lora

I know it's not what you want to do - but you should consider getting an attorney on this.  This is insane!

The only thing I could sue for would be what it would cost me to get a red male from someone else since a court cannot force them to give me a puppy that they (claim) they don't have.  The way things have been going with this, though, I would invest money in an attorney or court costs only to be told that their emails are not binding, that the only thing that is binding says only that they have to provide a replacement puppy... and I am right back where I am now... waiting for a puppy. Or, even worse, the judge could say that since they have offered me a red female and TWO black males, they have met their legal obligation, and that since I declined those puppies, they don't HAVE to do anything more (even though *I* would expect a red male to be replaced with a red male).

Lora

Look to more breeders and if none available, have her sign a contract that you will be given the red in10 months and get the knee done.  You are gonna need it with that puppy!

I have already been waiting 7 months... and she cannot guarantee that she will have any red males at ANY point in time...

 

Lora

Maybe this is your sign you should consider a different color puppy. Why is red so important??

Way back in May I told her that I would also consider a cream if it would be faster than waiting for a red, but they didn't have any cream males in the next few litters, but WERE expecting reds... 

I like the red ones the best because of the shading (all of their reds are shaded reds (with cream on the tail, withers, etc.) as opposed to full reds without the shading), don't like the cinnamon (a mousy brown) and blue ones at all (the blues look like blacks that spent too much time in the sun), and the black ones have no discernible facial expression (so they don't take pictures well and look a little scary even to me, LOL).  I also already have a black Scottie.  That leaves red and cream.

I will, though, send her an email letting her know that I am still willing to take a cream male if she gets one of those before a red male.

Lora

Reply back to the old email offering the older pup.... tell her when you will be there to collect and list a number to an attorney if she needs any follow up information

I sent an email asking about the older pup (and asking why, since there had been SUCH a drought of red puppies for almost a year, they were not breeding red males to red females to get red puppies).

She sent a very nice reply indicating that a dog that they had to put down unexpectedly about a month ago (the grandfather or my Khan) was the last of their adult solid (unshaded) red males. Khan's brother Simba is red, but is heavily shaded (has a lot of cream) and came from a cream sire so he breeds more as if he was a cream. They have one red that will be available to breed in the spring, but that still leaves them short, so they need to keep the red male she had said they would offer me if they ever want to get enough red puppies to provide to people on the waiting list. Their list of people waiting for red puppies, especially males, is growing quite long.

I told her that I was disappointed but understood... And that I would still be willing to take a cream male if one became available before a red male (but that red was still my preference).

Lora

I am not happy with my breeding pair and their current lack of puppies.  But I do not promise a pup to anyone for any reason.  I learned that lesson with a woman that bred my female to her male.  First she wanted pick of the litter, a black male German Shepherd.  I had one and thus picked out the females I was to keep.  Then she changed her mind and wanted pick of a female after I promised the black female to my son She wanted the black female to breed for herself because her customers were asking for black German Shepherds.  Then she scrapped that and wanted the money instead.  And as you can imagine, my first litter that I couldn't sell full price because I had no papers until she signed off on the stud portion of the litter registration.  So... I got burned, had to come up with the cash fast and then washed my hands of her.  I will never do business again with regards to my dogs (that is breeding, selling or buying) unless and until I have a signed contract.  Everyone I spoke to told me I should have had a contract.  You can search the web and find one for the next person.  Good luck though..... I know how you feel.