Am I entitled to my money back for a puppy I can't keep?

[cordonbleugh]

basically, I have a puppy I can't keep, he is 13 weeks old, and has done exeptionally well with training etc, knows quite a few commands already, is very clever etc, apart from one issue - the biting, it's not just normal biting and rough play, but is actually very agressive.

Before you say anything, I have tried EVERYTHING to train him out of this, no techniques work, and when his agression is directed at my 3yo DD, I just cant take the risk that he will grow out of it.

It's not fair on her, DD can't be a normal 3yo, do anything she norally does for fear of getting attacked!

So, the breeder has agreed to have him back, but says she has no money to refund to me!

I'm assuming that she used the money for the sale of the puppies to pay off a large debt, because 8 puppies at £250 each is a lot of money!!

He is not purebred by the way, so he is not kennel club registered or anything like that.

I have asked her to have him back asap, otherwise he will go to dogs trust or somewhere similar, but now she is getting a bit nasty towards me (via text!) about the whole situation.

I made a mistake in getting the puppy and fully admit to that, now i just want him gone before he hurts DD again. I did a LOT of research, and waited months before getting him btw, so it was definately not and impulse decision, it just hasn't worked out

Anyone got any advice?

garden is secure lucky, but again, my DD plays out there, so not fair to say she cant go out there cos of the dog.

No friends or family can keep him for a few days otherwise he would be there already!!

I'm only asking about rescues because of what other posters have advised.

CB the dog is A victim, Your DD is also A victim.
If the dog had a more knowledgeable owner the bad habit would never have been allowed to get that far and therefore never been classed as "agressive" which is going to make it harder to rehome.

i have arranged for my stepdad to take him back to breeder on friday morning lucky. I have no way of getting him there before that.

I know its cruel to keep him in his crate, im not completely cold hearted! it is extra large size crate though, he is not cooped up.

CB - I'm sorry but your sounding really cruel now.
You dont want the dog so your effectively torturing it.

Your DD isn't outside all the time so he can spend the time your DD isn't there outside. When your DD is outside (and I'm assuming your out there with her) shut the door let the dog loose inside the house.

How would you like being cooped in a cage all day?

I'm trying to see your point I really am, but I must admit I'm struggling.

thats just it though, i did start trying to train the behaviour out of him when it first became apparent that it could become an issue. As i have said many many times in this thread already, nothing I have tried has worked, I have listed all the things I have tried, and you'll find that they are the standard things people in this situation are told to do. So if they havent worked, and believe me, I have been determined, persistant, and consistant, then there is obviously something deeper than just normal puppy behaviour.

no, im not always out there with her tbh. Im not being deliberately cruel, but i dont see any other option. If I could have had him gone at the weekend then i wouldnt have to do this, but i really have no choice.

oh ,and he can get through the cat flap, so unless i constantly hold onto his collar, i would have no way of stopping him coming in or going out

You do have a choice but you dont want to see it.

I just hope that someone can come pick that pup up sooner.

I'm gonna try to walk away from this thread now as I can't be arguing with you and getting myself all het up here when there is nothing I can do about it.
If I was closer to you I'd take it in an instant just to stop it being cooped up.

Good luck pup.

SHUT THE CAT FLAP AND PUT SOMETHING IN FRONT OF IT!

Grrrr - goodnight!!

look, if you really wanted to try to keep the bloody dog youd be phoning a trainer, so please stop trying to justify your decision to get rid. at least be honest about it!

my friend did the exact same thing - paid £500 for a boxer, had it a few weeks, couldnt cope, cried, wailed, whinged and finally gave it away. at least she has had the sense never to get another dog, dog ownership just wasnt for her. fine. she was honest about it!

a dog nipping IS normal puppy behaviour. you ve just not known what to do with it so its got out of hand, and now your your DD has gotten nipped the dog is suddenly the devil incarnate. please dont get another dog, that would be totally irresponsible. people do my head in with this type of thing they truly do.

why why why do people get dogs thinking they will come fully trained, fully housetrained, fully obedient, perfect little packages?!?i think dogs are like children, they never grow up and are bloody hard work. i wish to god people would realise this before they get them.

i dont have a choice though do i?! if the only way i can keep them seprarated is by keeping him in his crate then thats what I have to do.

Yes its sad that hes in there all the time, but I do not want my DD to be attacked again! why cant you see that?! He is nasty to her, and to me even. I would honestly rather he was shut in there most of the day than have him hurt my daughter, because thats what will happen! I want him gone now, but that is not an option! I am trying to do my best ffs do you suggest i keep DD shut in her room just so the poor puppy doesnt have to be in his cage?! I understand that from an outsiders point of view, it looks cruel towars the dog, but he cut her lip open for gods sake!! If it wasnt a puppy you would all be telling me he is dangerous and to get him out down. But because he is a puppy, you dismiss it as "just what puppies do" and feel sorry for him!

FFS! i DONT WANT TO KEEP THE DOG!! I HAVE SAID THAT IN PRETTY MUCH EVETY POST i HAVE WRITTEN!!!!!

i DIDNT THINK HE WOULD COME FULLY HOUSETRAINED AND FULLY OBEDIENT - i KNOW THAT IT IS HARD WORK AND I WAS PREPARED FOR THE COMMITMENT - ARE YOU NOT READING ANYTHING i AM SAYING?!

yES, NIPPING IS NORMAL PUPPY BEHAVIOR - IT IS NOT NIPPING, IT IS FULL ON ATTACKING FOR NO REASON!!

i DID KNOW WHAT TO DO, I TRIED EVERYTHING - NOTHING WORKED!!!!

And i have not once said i will be going out and getting another dog! Please read my posts before you start spouting crap.

no CB. your being horribly transparent. you made a purchase, you regret it, you wanted your money back, the only way to jusify that is make out a boisterous puppy is now some child attacking devil dog. just let the breeder take it if thats what youve arranged with her, but do it soon for all your sakes. your making that dog 10X harder work for the next person who takes it on.

my animals are rescues, they are hard work when theyve been abused or mistreated.

i had already arranged for him to go back before i asked her if there wans any chance of getting any of my money back. I did not suddenly change my mind about wanting a dog, I didnt get bored of him or decide I cant be bothered.

He is aggressive - he attacks my dd, he cut her lip open!! I've only regretted getting the puppy since he hurt her like that! Not before.

Why would i lie about him attacking my child, if i just coudlnt be bothered to keep him, i wouldnt come on here and start a thread about it.

He is not being abused or mistreated.

look, I realise that for many of you, a 13 week old puppy being aggressive is hard to believe, but unless you've actually seen him in action, you cant comment.

I have had puppies before, so know "normal puppy behaviour" and this is most definately not it!

Cordon, I can see you are feeling a bit tender after some of the posts here and, tbh, I can see why. You have come in for some pretty severe comments. I am not going to lie and say that I think the above posters are all wrong but I do think that berating you will not really help at this stage.

I have sat and read the whole thread and was not going to post at all until I got to the last bit because I don't want to be drawn into a row with you or anyone else here.

It is clear that you have tried the usual techniques for dealing with this behaviour, it is also clear that you are not dealing with "usual" behaviour. Some dogs are worse than others, some are a lot worse. Whether that could have been better handled by someone else is difficult to say without seeing the dog, as you rightly point out.

Taking him back or to a shelter is the only option left to you at this stage and I am gla that you have taken the decision to do that. I would ask that, if you do take him to a shelter, you don't label him as "agressive" but say that you are having problems with training him not to bite and you are concerned he will hurt your dd as he has already caught her - not to lie to them because (as I read it) that would be the truth but, simply, so as not to put the word "agressive" to him. If you state your concerns they will be very catious with their apporach to him and he will get all the help he can get, if you just take him and say he is aggressive he may well not get the same help, his end may not be a good one, regardless of which rescue you take him to.

WRT what happens between now and friday, well, I know your dd uses the garden and you are not always with her but could you try this? If you put him oit in the garden, shut and lock the back door so dd cannot go out there. Block the cat flap up with something, possibly some kind of box you can put some heavy bits and peices in? That way you can let the dog have some time out and about whilst keeping dd safe? Possibly a good time to try it may be after she is in bed or is having a nap? I know you are using a big crate but even the largest will have him getting frustrated before long. What will happen is that he will be more and more desperate to stay out of it and may well end up being properly agressive when you try to get him back in after a toilet break. If you can manage to give him breaks out in the garden as much as possible you are less likely to run into trouble - and so is he.

offs.. will some of you back the hell off.

Cordon, you're doing the right thing, if your child is in danger of being seriously injured by the pup, then it has to go.

I'm bewildered that people think you should be putting a small child at risk for a dog.

It doesnt matter wether its a lab/rottie pup or a tea-cup terrier.. if its acting agressively towards a child, the child is at risk of serious injury.. there is no grey area.

I think the point is that at 13 weeks it is highly unlikely that the dog is being agressive towards the child - more likely what he sees as playing.

At 13 weeks he will be growing pretty rapidly and I can understand how a small child would get hurt through this behaviour (my lab is 10 months and seems to have been enormous from he was about 5 months). FWIW 5 weeks training isnt very much and I do agree that given time or specialist training his behaviour would improve.

I think you are doing the right thing Cordon, whether rightly or wrongly you dont want the dog anymore and it will be kinder for him in the long run to find a home just now rather than when he is bigger.

Being honest, had I realised how much hard work my lab was going to be I probably wouldnt have got him. Although we love him now and could never part, he has wrecked my house and needs unanticipated specialist care/trips to the vet due to a health complaint and he can be quite boisterous (although thankfully we havent had any aggression issues).

you know what? I'm frankly disgusted by the fact that some posters have either branded me a liar, accusing me of making up the fact that my puppy attacks and hurt my DD when really, I just can't be bothered to keep him anymore (which is the biggest load of bullshit I have ever read) ........ or I am apparently some kind of cruel heartless witch, for simply choosing to put the safety and welfare of my DD over that of the puppy!

Seriously, I want to keep my child safe, what is wrong with that? Bearing in mind the fact that i asked a simple question where a straightforward yes/no would suffice, a lot have you have proved to be extremely judgemental, flaming me for something that I didn't even seek advice for.

The reason my OP was so long and detailed, was because I knew full well that if I HAD just asked that simple question, I would have been bombarded with questions so I thought it best to set everything out from the start.

I was entirely prepared for the responsibility and commitment that raising a puppy entails, as I have stated in previous posts, although saome of you seem unable to read and absorb that information.

I am human ffs, I made a decision which I thought would enhance our lives, I always grew up with dogs and have many many happy memories with our family dogs, and wanted my DD to have the same experiences.

But despite my good intentions, for whatever reason, despite all the training and hard work i put in, and no, 5 weeks is not a great length of time, but when you consider that I had taught him to sit, lie down and come when called within the first week of having him, you may be able to see just how intentsive that training was, what with me being at home with him ALL THE TIME.

Anyway, the behaviour he displays which I believe to be aggressive (disagree if you wish, you havent seen it with your own eyes) and is NOT normal puppy behaviour, has led to him hurting my DD, for which I will never forgive him, and sadly, do not feel the same love and affection towards him as I did so much before this incident.

Even when several family members confronted me and told me in no uncertain terms that he was dangerous, had a nasty streak, that they couldnt stand him for how he behaved and that they were seriously worried for DD's safety - I brushed it off and said, it wouldnt be a problem, that I could sort it with some help.

But then he attacked DD and cut her lip open and it was like a switch being flicked on. I saw red.......the red of the blood pouring form my childs mouth as she screamed hysterically.

So forgive me for not wanting the puppy who did that to remain in my home. He is getting bigger, and if I cant control his aggressive tendencies now, at 13 weeks, then what chance do I have when he is as big as me when he stands on his hind legs.

I made a mistake, I am human, I am putting it right. Those are the facts, believe what you like.

Oh, and thankyou for those who have actually taken a minute to read my posts properly and therefore fully understand what I am saying.

Probably too late now, but did you try any Labrador Rescue people? Sometimes they will help out with dogs who are almost pure bred. They wouldnt be able to take him necessarily straight away, but may have homes lined up, especially ones that want a puppy. Without trawling back, can't remember where he is being taken to on Friday. Hoping its not the breeder, I was on a thread with you when you were asking if you should get 2 puppies and the breeder sounded pants then and I did make a point about her at the time.

Hi cordinbleugh, i just want to let you know that i think you are doing the right thing. Your child should come first. I think the posters that are giving you such a hard time are totally out of order. You've been totally upfront and admitted that you don't want him anymore.

A few years ago i got a collie/lab cross, i did'nt know anything about dogs to be honest but i was naive and thought i'd cope fine. However after 2 months of trying to train him and do everything right i just had to give him up. My ds was 10 at the time and every time he walked in the livingroom the dog would pounce on him, and literally attack him, growling and snarling. I've no idea why this was but my son was terrified and i was'nt prepared to live like that. I beleive that some dogs can just have a nasty side to them, even as pups.

I now have 2 dogs, an 8yo and 14 week old cavalier king charles spaniel. The pup is driving us all the round the bend but i have no desire to give her away, her biting and nipping is quite excessive but i know that she is playing. If she started to act aggresively or was to hurt one of my children i would seriously have to consider rehoming her.

hi wags, yes, at the moment it is arranged that he is going back to the breeder on friday morning.

Am also considering contacting a rescue though. The thing is, she is very insistant that she wants him back, and that taking him to a rescue is the worst thing I can do. Perhaps thats the case with the RSPCA, but not with others such as dogs trust?

I just dont know to be honset, to be frank, my main concern at the moment is getting him out of here asap. Because while I'm putting DD's needs first, i am still aware that it is not nice fror him to be kept in a house where he is not loved or wanted.

Also, I'm having doubts about the breeder myself now, a lot of things she has said to me before, she is now going back on......when I have the emails to prove what she said.

She told me she used to be a vet nurse, and was also a dog trainer for dogs trust and has lots of experience........but then she added me on facebook and I discover shes only 20 years old!!!

She does not look that young, im only 22 myself but she looked and acted older than me.

but I've already agreed to take him back to her, can i just turn round and say "sorry, but I've changed my mind, hes going to a rescue instead?"

CB - yes, you can take him to a rescue as long as you didn't sign a contract with the breeder to say she must have him back if anything went wrong .
Why not give Dogs Trust or Labrador Rescue a call ?