Deposit for puppy ??

[freddyp]

Several of the breeders i am considering have a "non refundable deposit" policy. Be it $300 or $500 the deposit is "non refundable"!

Can somebody help me understand this?

I understand that to many breeding/showing is their business but since there is clearly a waiting list for quality puppies why the policy of non refundable.

it's not as if the breeder will be stuck with a puppy. Clearly if someone were to back out on a purchase there would be others to take their place in line for a puppy.

It just seems a bit much to have somebody put down a deposit in good faith and than for a valid reason (we decided we just could not afford the dog, I lost my job, family illness etc) have to back out and lose hard earned monies.

Again it's not as though there is an abundance of puppies and few buyers but rather the opposite. IMHO I would be put off and am put off by a breeder who tells me to give them a deposit and no way in hell will I get back my deposit if i need to cancel. Sometimes things change in life and this just seems like an unfair policy.

Anybody?

 

[PrinceLorde13]

Many breeders will not even start the process of having a litter until there is enough puppies spoken for with a deposit. You have to remember these are lives you're dealing with not an object. Yes many waiting lists exist but that doesn't mean that last minuet the breeder can now match your dog with someone who wants it at the asking price, and if that doesn't happen now the dog has to stay with the breeder adding to their daily costs and not the happy life the dog was born to have. So the deposit is there to not only protect the breeder, but also you to ensure your puppy is yours, but also for the best interest of puppy which is most important. I'm sure if you were diagnosed with cancer or something most reputable breeders would be willing to work with you, but past that if a $500 deposit is that scary maybe mastiffs aren't the way to go for you, everything is more expensive because of their size, collars, food, meds, some vet trips, beds, toys, etc all are super sized with a price to match. What would be your contingency plan if 8months after having the dog you lost your job or had a family illness?

 

[freddyp]

Many breeders will not even start the process of having a litter until there is enough puppies spoken for with a deposit. You have to remember these are lives you're dealing with not an object. Yes many waiting lists exist but that doesn't mean that last minuet the breeder can now match your dog with someone who wants it at the asking price, and if that doesn't happen now the dog has to stay with the breeder adding to their daily costs and not the happy life the dog was born to have. So the deposit is there to not only protect the breeder, but also you to ensure your puppy is yours, but also for the best interest of puppy which is most important. I'm sure if you were diagnosed with cancer or something most reputable breeders would be willing to work with you, but past that if a $500 deposit is that scary maybe mastiffs aren't the way to go for you, everything is more expensive because of their size, collars, food, meds, some vet trips, beds, toys, etc all are super sized with a price to match. What would be your contingency plan if 8months after having the dog you lost your job or had a family illness?

Good points.

I know that come hell or high water i would not give up my dog regardless of occurrences. They would eat before I would!

 

[irina]

In our case the opposite was true. The breeder would not take a deposit to secure a puppy because she wanted to see what temperament they turn out to be and whether or not there would be one that would be a good match for us. We were on pins and needles until about 6 weeks old when their personalities started showing and then she said this one is most likely going to be yours, but still not 100%. We actually did not even know 100% if we were going to get a puppy at all until the day she dropped him off. She was trying to decide until the very last moment if she wanted to keep him for her breeding program.

 

[Brinsdad]

Agree with you freddyp read so many times that people need to rehome there dog because they have moved house and the dog is not aloud , then sorry I wouldn't be taking that house
And work seems to be a good reason to rehome your dog too ! Same again would take a new job or what ever if it ment I had to get rid of my dog


No love like a bully love

 

[Smokeycat]

It also makes the breeder more confident that the buyer is serious about getting a puppy (meaning that they have already done the research to know that they can afford the dog). Too many people will agree to or want to do something and then change their mind at the last minute. Yes their are plenty of puppies but say that the breeder agreed to sell to person A and therefore had to tell person B that there were no puppies available, then person A changed their mind and no longer wanted the puppy. Now the breeder lost the sale from both parties.
As someone who didn't make sure that the breeder did things correctly the first time I will gladly pay a deposit next time because a breeder that is serious about getting good homes means the costs later should be lower. My EM has bilateral elbow dysplasia which is genetic and expensive to treat (surgery on one leg was around $6000). A $500 deposit is nothing in the life span of one of these giants even if they are healthy.

 

[cayeesmom]

I personally would not mind pay a deposit if it was refundable if the breeder could not deliver with the planned litter. So much can go wrong and for me example, a male would be a must. Absolute non refundable would scare me to.

 

[irina]

Yes, I did not like how one breeder wanted a non-refundable deposit that would carry over to another litter if we could not find a suitable dog in the current one. And you don't even know when that new litter is going to be. so if I wanted to try to purchase from another breeder, my deposit with the first one would be lost. I agree with cayeesmom. I don't mind a non refundable deposit for an upcoming litter, but it should be refunded if there were no suitable puppies available or the litter did not materialize for whatever reason. Keeping a person's money and making them wait for a puppy indefinitely does not seem right.

 

[WalnutCrest]

In my strong opinion, non-refundable deposits before the pups are on the ground is a sign of someone to avoid.

Deposits after pups are on the ground can be refundable or non-refundable, depending on the specific situation.

It's not uncommon for a reputable breeder to require a deposit after the pups are on the ground, and for those deposits to be non-refundable ... but, if the breeder decides to not place a pup with you, then to refund the deposit ... however ... if the buyer backs out then the deposit stays.

All that to say, I know more than a few highly reputable breeders that refuse any deposits because then the puppy applicants feel entitled to a pup. So, I'm a fan of not taking any money until I, the breeder, am 100% sure that a puppy buyer is getting a pup and the pup is ready to go to it's new home.

 

[BlackShadowCaneCorso]

I think it depends entirely on how you view things.

I know some breeders who take deposits well in advance as people want to make sure they have top spot when looking at a dog from breeders. I know some that wait until the pregnancy is confirmed and some that won't take anything until the pups are on the ground.

If taking a deposit I think it is as important to have a written contract for what is expected in regards to it. Deposits I believe show a breeder the buyers willingness to commit to that puppy/litter and allows the breeder to be evaluating the litter for what that particular buyer is looking for in a pup. If that type of puppy is not available in the litter then the option being to move the deposit forward to the next litter or a refund being given would be a valid option.

We take deposits should someone wish to leave one before the puppies are born but for sure we collect them once the puppies are born. Our contract clearly lays out the type of puppy that the individual is looking for (pet or show) but also details how we evaluate the litter. Puppies are split by quality and temperament, should either of those things not be available then the buyer has the option for a refund or to move the deposit forward. Also I should note that preferred gender is also something we will refund or move a deposit for. One thing that drives me nuts and we have a huge number of them is buyers that want to leave a deposit for a particular colour, we do not take deposits based on colour and will not guarantee any particular colour in a litter.

Non-refundable I think is a way to test people's commitment, are they willing to take that plunge and say yes this is the pairing for me and I am willing to wait for that correct puppy. Far too often I hear of someone leaving a deposit as they thought they wanted a pup from this breeder, but then they found another breeder that had puppies right now, or another breeder could guarantee a colour, etc. and now they want their deposit back to purchase a pup there. There are pros and cons to both sides but in the end we take non-refundable deposits and the buyers are sent the contract in advance to understand exactly what it entails. If they choose not to leave a deposit then they are likely to have to look else where when it comes to a puppy which for most people doesn't seem to be an issue. If you aren't happy with the deposit aspect then I would look for a breeder that has a policy you agree with and dogs you like so that you are both happy.

 

[WalnutCrest]

After having read the excellent post immediately above, I wish I could edit my comments above to more accurately reflect my views...so, since I can't...here is my restatement below:

*****************

In my strong opinion, non-refundable deposits without a signed contract before the pups are on the ground is a sign of someone to avoid.

Deposits made after pups are on the ground should only be made with a signed contract and can be can be refundable or non-refundable, depending on the specific situation.

It's not uncommon for a reputable breeder to require a deposit (per a written contract) after the pups are on the ground, and for those deposits to be either refundable or non-refundable, depending on the specific written agreement.

All that to say, I know more than a few highly reputable breeders that refuse any deposits because then the puppy applicants feel entitled to a pup when the due diligence isn't quite yet done.

To wit -- a breeder I know had multiple phone calls and emails with a prospective buyer ... and told them to come get their pup. Upon arrival, one of the young kids kicks a pup and the dad congratulates the kid for 'toughening up' the pup. The breeder promptly sent them packing ... a 3hr drive home w/o a pup. Now, if there had been a signed agreement before them driving 3hrs to get their pup, then the breeder might have been contractually obligated to deliver the pup.

I don't mind doing due diligence all the way to the very end. Accepting money is accepting consideration, and consideration is a requirement to make a legally binding transaction.

Too often, I've seen breeders spend deposits on stuff and then be unable to give the money back ...

As a puppy buyer, always insist on a written agreement before coughing up your hard-earned money...and...don't be surprised if the breeder requires you to sign a contract regarding their hard-earned reputation and the stewardship over the pup as a representative of their breeding program.