To refuse to sell this lady a puppy?

[ensete]

I have a litter of working golden retrievers, i collated a waiting list before I had our bitch mated and I spent a long time speaking to interested parties to find the best homes I could do - this is how I have dealt with previous litters.
Both parents are working gundogs and I stated that whilst I didn't need working homes I would only consider active homes with the space to accommodate a large working breed.
One of the families who is on my list contacted me today just to say "hi, my husband and I have decided to split up, I will still be wanting the puppy but my address will now by Flat4a XYZ Town"
I messaged back to enquire what sort of set up it was and she confirmed it's a flat on the top floor with no garden or outside space. I've confirmed with her that I'm not happy to sell a puppy to a home without any outside space and I will refund her deposit immediately and advertise the puppy. She's refusing to give me her bank details and says she wants the pup and will take legal action if required. My argument is that the home I vetted is no longer the home she's offering and therefore I'm not willing to sell her the puppy. To me, changing the home on offer isn't dissimilar to her changing the amount of money she is willing to pay for the pup. The homes I find for puppies are very important to me, I'm not a big breeder, I've just had a litter for my own purposes to keep the next generation and I need to know my puppies are going to the right sort of home.

[shallIswim]

Got a Golden and they need space. They're like energetic tanks.. plough through anything and go any distance. Amazing creatures. We have a big garden and land but I still take mine dear dog out for an at least 4 mile off lead walk every day.
They do not belong in flats.
I'm sure there are smaller less energetic breeds that would work well in a flat. Just not a Golden.

[muddyford]

YANBU and her reaction shows she should not be sold one of your puppies. Send her a cheque if she won't give you her bank details for a refund of deposit. What an unpleasant experience for you. You can't be forced to sell her one. Tell her the litter wasn't big enough to enable all the prospective buyers to have one. And keep all the correspondence in case she is stupid enough to pursue the matter further.

[ensete]

@Barbitchurate
"Very shitty time to breed a litter given all the lockdown issues - and it's very shitty to rehome any dog without doing thorough home checks which it doesn't sound like the OP has done."

Excuse me? Most of the people on my waiting list I have met at working gundogs trials or through friends who work gundogs - I have done more due diligence on my homes than most people would and I refute any suggestion I've behaved as though I'm cashing in, I take the breed very very seriously - they are my world.

[Eviethyme]

She sounds unhinged so based on that I wouldn't let her have a pup

[HugeBowlofChips]

Very few leases or landlords would let you have a dog in a flat anyway.

[AlwaysLatte]

A working golden retriever in a flat?? No way. Definitely send her a refund. At least it happened now and not after she took the puppy.

[Lovemusic33]

I would laugh at her and say “go ahead and take legal action” legally you don’t have to sell her a puppy, send her the deposit in the post as she has given you her address. I wouldn’t be homing any dog to someone without a garden let alone a active big breed.

[Skysblue]

Yanbu. She would be mad to consider ‘legal action’ but just in case, when you return the deposit I would send a cover letter saying something like on x date I agreed to sell you a puppy on the condition that I was satisfied that the home it was going to was suitable and appropriate for the breed and my decision as to whether I was satisfied was final. You have now changed the proposed home for the puppy and I have explained to you that the home is not suitable for a puppy of this breed. Therefore I am not satisfied and cannot sell this puppy to you and I am returning your deposit.

Please be aware thet a puppy of this breed cannot thrive in a flat with no garden and no responsible dog breeder would place a puppy in such a home.

[HOkieCOkie]

A flat is no place for a retriever! We have a 13 year old Labrador who still needs a good long walk everyday!

[1forAll74]

You are doing the right thing,and assessment of this woman. You would think that this woman would anticipate the problem she may have with this breed of dog in a flat, if she was proper dog person. There are far too many people,as you will know, who get taken up with a lovely little puppy, and don't realise.or even don't care about how the dog will fare at some later times.

[Alexapissoff]

You are right.

But I’ve just come on to say how much I love Golden retrievers from working lines. I grew up with them and had one myself as an adult. They are so intelligent and wonderful.

I’ll probably never be able to have one again, but I adore them.

[ensete]

Also, I haven't taken deposits before the puppies were born, the puppies are five weeks old now, I took 25% deposit at 3weeks which seems reasonable?

[youshallnotpass9]

If you are in that community, I may put a warning out to any other breeders. Or certainly try and have a conversation with her how difficult it would be.

The only other thing I would be checking is whether its a short term thing, ie she has bought a house and is just waiting to move in and whether you would be prepared to hold the dog till then. But I am not sure how you would go about having that conversation without maybe giving her ideas

I am in a top floor flat with my dog due to a change of circumstances and it is a pain in the backside not just being able to let him out and because he can't burn off energy in a garden, longer and more frequent walks are required and I certainly would not be doing it with a puppy.

[Newmumtobeee]

Not sure where it stands legally but to me, a deposit on something doesn’t mean you’re entitled to have to go through with the overall payment in the end. A deposit is more putting money to show your interest and seriousness in purchasing something. I don’t really see what she could do legally against you.

You’re totally not being unreasonable. She agreed with you on the conditions of how she would look after the dog and now she’s the one who’s broken that promise. You’ve offered the deposit back, nothing more you can do.

[LindaEllen]

Just send a clear message stating that you require her details to return the money, and that she will get it back as soon as she has sent them.

Her situation has changed.

You are under no legal obligation to sell her anything, and not a court in the land (as if it'd get that far!) would be on her side.

It would be animal cruelty. You could even say you plan to report her for intent to commit animal cruelty, to be honest.

[PyongyangKipperbang]

Even odds on her coming back with "But my children have been looking forward to getting the puppy and is the only thing keeping them going since me and their father split up. I hope you can live with leaving two children DEVASTATED"

[cruisecrazy]

Well done you, Even if she has access to acres, a flat is not a place for a puppy whatever breed. Has she ever had a dog before, because training a puppy takes lots of time and patience. You have done the right thing OP just send her deposit back she has no legal redress.

[PercyPiginaWig]

@ensete

Also, I haven't taken deposits before the puppies were born, the puppies are five weeks old now, I took 25% deposit at 3weeks which seems reasonable?

How did they pay the deposit? If it was a bank transfer you may have her details to save faffing with a cheque.

You sound like a responsible breeder, hope the puppies are all doing well.

[BeenAsFarAsMercyAndGrand]

@ensete

I have a litter of working golden retrievers, i collated a waiting list before I had our bitch mated and I spent a long time speaking to interested parties to find the best homes I could do - this is how I have dealt with previous litters.
Both parents are working gundogs and I stated that whilst I didn't need working homes I would only consider active homes with the space to accommodate a large working breed.
One of the families who is on my list contacted me today just to say "hi, my husband and I have decided to split up, I will still be wanting the puppy but my address will now by Flat4a XYZ Town"
I messaged back to enquire what sort of set up it was and she confirmed it's a flat on the top floor with no garden or outside space. I've confirmed with her that I'm not happy to sell a puppy to a home without any outside space and I will refund her deposit immediately and advertise the puppy. She's refusing to give me her bank details and says she wants the pup and will take legal action if required. My argument is that the home I vetted is no longer the home she's offering and therefore I'm not willing to sell her the puppy. To me, changing the home on offer isn't dissimilar to her changing the amount of money she is willing to pay for the pup. The homes I find for puppies are very important to me, I'm not a big breeder, I've just had a litter for my own purposes to keep the next generation and I need to know my puppies are going to the right sort of home.

YANBU in the slightest. If she won't give bank details, post her a cheque.

[PicaK]

To those saying she sounds a bit unhinged. Yes she probably is at the start of divorce.

Whilst you're absolutely right not to sell her the puppy I do think a bit of understanding about her situation wouldn't go amiss in terms of dealing with her batshit response kindly and politely albeit firmly.
To pp. Moving house and losing a puppy will actually be quite devastating for those kids. Doesn't mean they get a puppy but a little empathy wouldn't go amiss.

[Hoppinggreen]

As the owner of a lovely 5 year old Goldie I think you are doing the right thing

[NeedATan]

It just shows she doesn't know what she'd be taking on. Send a cheque to her new address and thank your luck you spared this puppy an unhappy life.

[BelleBlueBell]

How did they pay the deposit? If it was a bank transfer you may have her details to save faffing with a cheque

My bank doesn't show the details of where payments come from, just the name of the person

I would send a cheque by some kind of tracked service so she can't say that she didn't get it. What exactly would she be taking legal action for? I wouldnt worry too much about that

[Aprilwasverywet]

I remember cringing as a dc when we had mongrel dpuppies to rehome...( likely would have some swish breed name these days!!) - dm vetted the prospective owners like she was the manager of a children's home and they were coming to adopt a dc! This responsibility has definitely deterred me from ever breeding our gorgeous Husky..
Good on you for your moral code op.!!

[SunflowersAndLavender]

YANBU.