Mumsnet Talk

We had a litter, we managed to get homes for all of them bar one that we decided to keep. One of the families brought their dog back to us to be brought on whilst their daughter went through her transfer test. We brought the pup on for about 3 to four weeks. They picked their pup up on Sunday. The pup is now back along with all the paperwork, toys, food and bowls. Less than a week the mother cites health issues for bringing the dog back, a dog which was meant to be her daughters pet. The daughter is distraught and in floods of tears and now we have the pup back again. He is a really good dog house broken, good on walks and very friendly he has no issues. I find myself annoyed by this turn of events. I'm very sorry of the daughter does anyone have any advice?

Yes

Don't breed any more dogs

And be grateful that they brought it back to you rather than put it on Facebook/ free ads / gum tree

Or dumped it in the pound

What's a transfer test?

I agree, this is common. People take on puppies not knowing the full extent of commitment.
What sort of puppy is he? Will you keep him?

To clarify, our dog was bred without our consent, and we were not informed until she was too far along to prevent the pregnancy. I have posted about that here before. She is being spayed this week, but thank you so much for your knee jerk reply...

I already have a lifetime return agreement with each owner, and just feel sorry for the DD who was in bits...

I went over the amount of care needed, even pointed them to local shelters and training clubs so they could talk to other people with dogs before they decided on getting one.

He is a labrador collie cross. We are not rehoming him this side of xmas anyway.

I would be pleased that he was brought back to you and not dumped/sold via free ads or cruelly treated.

I really would not be annoyed. Less traumatic for the poor dog to be brought back quickly.

I think it was the fact that they were on the phone yesterday arranging to meet up for walks with us, and then today no longer wanted him that got to DH. I sort of expect people to act like this, tbh...have yet to be surprised, sadly.

Pup is happy enough.

Now tell me not to keep him...

He is better off with you then- they sound flakey . You keep him

Who are we talking to? Ullena or Greymalken? Do you have two logins? Either way, I'd just be grateful that the puppy came back to you. Who cares what the DD thinks or what a transfer test is? If they weren't really in a position to take on a puppy why did they, and why did you let them?

Here's hoping that you find a more responsible second home for the puppy.

Good point- I didn't notice that

Talking to us both - Graymalkin is my DH!

The family assured us that they had time for a puppy: wife was SAHM, husband had had dogs all his life, they signed up to a training club, loved to go walking, oh and had no medical issues that prevented owning a dog when they took him on...that part was only mentioned later.

What a pain! Collie lab x is bound to be hard work, but hopefully he is only one to come back

Toughasoldboots - yes, flaky is the word. But the DD was very upset and we felt sorry for her. Not fair to get your kid a pet and then return it.

Plus, they initially wanted to take him at 12 weeks. I said fine. Then they decided they could manage to care for pup and support DD through transfer test (11+) so took pup at 8 weeks. They returned him to be run on after ten days - needed more time to focus on DD and her exam. Which was again, fine. I took the opportunity to teach him to sit and to work on his toilet training.

So they took him home at 12 weeks. And were keen to go on walks together, etc. Then out of the blue, decided not to keep him. Hence tearful goodbye. Not nice to witness.

We are glad to get him back, there was never any question of him being sent to a shelter as far as we were concerned, etc. But it just seems crummy...

Lisa123, thanks, yes lots of energy, but not as much as his dad! All the other owners are perfectly happy with their pups but then they are all used to active dogs. Several have children too, btw.

I turned a lot of people down - am cross at myself for saying yes to this family.

tbh I think the op is being given a hard time unfairly.
if someone was posting here that they'd taken backk a puppy not once but twice they would be slated for it and rightly so.

Op if you're not planning to breed the dog again then put it down to bad experience and just be glad that they didn't abandon the dog. but yanbu to be annoyed...

Wannabe, thanks. I don't think DH is coming back on...

I know what it's like when your parents buy you a puppy and then take it back, my DM made a habit of it So it was less shocking for me. DH comes from a family who never give up on any animal. It's part of what I love about him. So he's really annoyed that anyone would do this. He's sitting cuddling both Returned Puppy and Runty Puppy at the moment

Yes, our dog is being spayed this week. The dad has already been done, but no chances are being taken!

Might it be worth contacting any of the other families who applied and explaining the situation? What a flakey thing to do - but at least the owners realised early on that they werent cut out for dog ownership, and then were able to return to you - probably the least-worst scenario all round.

Quodlibet, we have a facebook page where everyone meets up and posts updates. I put training tips and reminders for jabs, wormer etc up. I have informed the rest of the families that the pup is back. Didn't like to rant on there as seems impolite...and that's what anonymous forums are for

My vet is going to help us rehome him. Now to get onto the microchip company and be run in circles for days trying to change ownership details back to us...arghh!

Sadly the families I turned down are not suitable homes, that is why they were refused.

Both pups are now asleep on the sofa next to me. I needed some time to think things over. The transfer test is the 11 plus or whatever it is called these days. The mum is booked in for spaying. I was always taught to never give up on anything so it came as a bit of a shock to me.

Sorry to hear that Ullena. I remember your tale from the puppy thread of how the puppies came about. Must be hard when you have bent over backwards to try and make right a situation that wasn't of your making.

I hope you get your pup settled soon. Shame that people aren't always what they seem.

situation for poor pup going hither and yon and their poor daughter. However as said, he's back in a safe and secure environment and because he's with you you can make sure he is a well mannered and brought up young man.
He'll be happy as Larry which is the main thing!
Expensive decision landed on you there by whoever decided to do this for you and thank goodness it resulted in a healthy bitch and litter - I haven't seen your thread, will try and find, but I would have been incandescent.

I'm not surprised, but it never ceases to frustrate me that people are so rubbish.
Still, while not much consolation, it could have been worse - our middle dog is a giant breed who was privately rehomed and then sent to rescue and returned a total of 9 times - he had spent much of his first year locked in a shed because he grew too big and bar about 8 months the rest of it in a rescue kennel, he was in a bad way. I also know lots of breeders and many of them have found out second hand, out of the blue their puppy is gone with no heed paid to all the paperwork signed, it's horrible to wonder how that dog is and have no idea if they are in a loving home, everyone makes a judgement call though and if the family seem like the right people, give you good answers, interact well with the puppy, pass the homecheck and you don't get a gut feeling then what more can you possibly do? Hope you find the family he deserves, I expect the other lot will do it again to someone else if they hadn't already before you. Not the best example is it?!

How on earth can your dog be bred without your consent??

You should have had her spayed before anyway. Yes, the people who returned the puppy are quite rubbish.