Bought a dog - person wants it back..aibu?

[mrsdaz]

I bought a dog 2 days ago from a lovely lady who was finding it hard to manage him due to working full time etc.

Agreed sale on Tuesday, collected him Thursday evening. All well. She has been in touch since by text to see how he is.

Yesterday got a text saying she's missing the dog and would have him back in a heartbeat.

Today I've had a text message from her daughter asking for the dog back. Plus subsequent phone call that I didn't answer.

Aibu to keep the dog? He's so happy and isn't pining for previous home etc. He will be with someone all the time rather than alone all day and has a companion dog here.

Who would give the dog back?

Absolutely keep him if he's not pining. Please say they don't have your address! But if they do, take photographs of him in detail in case she tries to steal him back. Get his chip changed at once, as others have said - if she even bothered to chip him. And block their number on your phone. It's out of order for her or her daughter to treat the poor boy as though he was a piece of walking furniture with no emotions and expect him to put up with being handed from pillar to post. What did she think, getting a dog if she knew she'd be working all day??? He'll be much, much better off with having a person of his own around all day (you sound lovely btw) and canine company.

I think they have had a better offer for him. 😉

This happens quite a lot. Often it is just while people take a holiday and then want the dog back.

I would keep all your evidence of the sale and ignore all calls.

Yeras ago people did the opposite to me with 2 cats. They asked me to look after them while they moved house and then said they didn't want them back.

He is your dog now. She has not looked after him if she has not toilet trained him. Under no circumstances give him back.

I would give the dog back. You can't be as attached to him as the previous owner is, after having him for two days. It sounds like she needs this particular dog more than you do. I would not want to think I had deprived an older lady on her own of a loved companion.

Definitely keep the poor dog without a doubt! Anyone who takes on an animal without thinking it through properly and who is willing to then essentially get rid of their animal by selling him/her on doesn't care properly about the animal.

Poor dog still isn't toilet trained at his age which is shocking. Like what has been said, I suspect it is price related. Which makes it even more sickening.

At least the dog will have a good life with you and your children. And actually wanted properly

Keep him, from what you have said he will have a better life with you.

a dog is an animal, not a human!

And animals are sentient, feeling creatures which form emotional attachments and feel fear, pain and distress.

They aren't toys; they aren't accessories; the shouldn't be swapped back and forth like a book you've read and passed on.

If the first owner has decided she can manage a dog after all, she can buy another one. This one is settling into his new home where he is being trained, has both human and canine companionship, and a chance of a good and happy life.

Given back he will most likely be sold on - or if not IF she genuinely misses him, he will be kept in the same conditions - untrained, unsocialised, unattended, and may one day become one of those dogs that bites someone out of fear or frustration, and then half of mumsnet will be up in arms saying "Get him destroyed".

There is no way the first owner would get that dog back off me. OP has evidence of buying the dog in good faith - she should keep him.

The fact that she sold him to you ...a complete stranger without checking your home etc suggests she has had a better offer ! Definitely do not give dog back and change all his chip details!

No way. Ignore the calls. Why is her daughter getting involved?

Agree with previous poster- screenshot all correspondence and get it registered in your name.

Keep him. A deal is a deal. Shame for her, but she will know better next time. A lesson learned for both parties.

Consequences of actions I am afraid on her part. Tough luck she doesn’t sound like a responsible owner anyway if she’s so quick to sell her puppy.
Forget all about her, block all their numbers & block them on fb you don’t have to be a person’s friend to do this & get on with enjoying your new dog. 😊

It’s your dog, keep him. Block & ignore.

You can't be as attached to him as the previous owner is

So attached she hadn't housetrained the poor animal.

@Localocal

I would give the dog back. You can't be as attached to him as the previous owner is, after having him for two days. It sounds like she needs this particular dog more than you do. I would not want to think I had deprived an older lady on her own of a loved companion.

She's not deprived the woman of anything, she's paid for the dog that the woman wanted rid of 🙄

@DianaT1969

They've probably been offered a better price for him. Idiots.

This is exactly what I thought when I read the OPs post.

Do not feel guilty she sold the poor mite then changed her mind. she only wants him back to resell for full £500, bet she has had someone ask about buying.
DO NOT GIVE HIM BACK. Give him a cuddle from me

@mrsdaz

Thanks everyone for the speedy replies!!

I have text communication as proof I bought him. I have his chip documents too.

She doesn't have my address and lives in another town - I drove 1.5 hours round trip to collect him.

He's 9 months old and not house trained but since being here he's had no accidents because he's always got company and is following other dog outside etc.

I paid a reasonable amount (£300) which I did knock down as she wanted £500. He was expensive initially due to covid prices so I know she's lost a lot of money.

She states she didn't think it through properly but had 2 days between sale and collection to change her mind.

I just fell for his loveliness and wanted him. The children love him already.

Ahhh I still feel guilty though and sad for her!!

She's probably been offered more money by someone else. If she doesn't know where you live, get his chip details changed ASAP and block her number.

I commented yesterday but I just wanted to add that it is cruelty to leave a dog alone all day. He has a better life with you OP, please dont give him back.

Either they're being sneaky and want to get more money OR they're being genuine and are idiots. Who doesn't think something like that through? They've purposely tried to put you in an awkward position. It's not fair on you. A reasonable person would be annoyed at themselves and move on.

If I was you I'd send one final message back saying the dog is well looked after and settled now. The sale has gone through so they're being unreasonable. Then just block the number.

I hope the OP has sorted this and sought legal advice if necessary.

For those who are not dog professionals, blarting on that not house trained at 9 months means the previous owner never bothered - that is a potentially false assumption.

Lots of dogs are not reliably, solidly housetrained at that age, I have a bitch here who was 10/11 months before she was sorted and I can assure you, training was put in, every single day, what took the time was getting her to come and find us to ask to go out rather than assume we knew via telepathy, that she needed to go.

Many young dogs at adolescence will hit a backslide in housetraining and of course many dogs who are only recently toilet trained will have a bit of a wobble on moving to a new home.

I think its entirely likely the original owner simply didn't think through owning a dog, found the beginnings of adolescence FAR harder than expected and decided to sell.. and is now having a wobble about that, has had a better, higher offer, etc etc. They may be an arsehole or they may just be a bit naive.

I stole a dog once from a person's garden. It was stick thin and tied up. Changed her name. Changed details on her chip by just saying I had moved and got married. Hence the name change. You have legal ownership then. But move fast. @mrsdaz

Keep the dog OP and ignore this CF.

There is no amount of money that would make me sell my dog.

The dog is yours now. Sort out the chip, send a final text saying how he has a forever home and will be loved then block them.

I would feel sad in her position too, and a bit awkward in yours, but he is your dog now. I imagine the reason she couldn't manage the dog is still there, I think it is a case of being firm and stopping contact with her.