Is this normal?

[Aworldofmyown]

A breeder is requesting a deposit before you are able to see the puppies or parents. The puppies are little at the moment so I understand they don't what to upset the mum etc

I'm a bit nervous in case I visit and find i'm unhappy with something and then lose £250.

Not normal in my experience and no I wouldn't be happy to do that either.

No, that’s dodgy...

That's just ridiculous. It's like a shop charging you to come in and look.
A decent breeder would quiz you on the phone, that way they could decide if someone was suitable for one of their precious puppies.

No, not normal

Definitely not normal, run a mile.

Thank you - I thought so!

I paid deposit for my first pup without actually meeting pup. However, after my initial call and both myself and breeder agreeing we thought it worth meeting, I went to meet breeder we both asked more questions, I saw all parents paperwork and paid deposit at the end of that meeting (I was given receipt and a contract stating that if I wasn't happy with the pup chosen for me by the breeder that I could back out and get a refund at the visit to meet my specific pup). My pup had actually been born the day before my visit so I got a little peak through the glass door into the room where mum and pups were. I actually met the pups properly at 5weeks and breeder picked my pup at 6weeks - I visited again at 6.5weeks to meet my pup from the litter. That's when the deposit became non-refundable. I paid balance on collection and receipt of pup and paperwork.

I wouldn't pay deposit based on a phone call only though. That would be a great conmans scheme. Wouldn't even need to own a dog, let alone have a litter of pups available, to make money doing that!

This sounds like it has the potential to be a form of false deposit fraud - common in renting houses, but entirely plausible with puppies given how shady some of the sellers are.