I’ve been the proud owner of a Pomeranian puppy for a few days now.
I bought my dog for quite a high price from a breeder who had ads on various Facebook platforms... the description and photos said the parents could be seen on-site, and she guaranteed the puppies were fault-free. I went there myself and picked out my puppy.
She gave me all her paperwork, and everything for the puppy is in order. I also saw both the mum and dad there.
Both were gorgeous, and I’m just waiting for the pedigree papers to confirm she's a purebred.
Out of a litter of seven, she sold me the smallest one, telling me she’d only reach about 18cm (7 inches) as an adult and would be a 'true' miniature Pom. That’s why she was so expensive—I paid more for her than for the others in the litter. However, it turns out I’ve just been to the vet, who told me she has a misaligned jaw, so the bottom part is shorter than the top. They also said the puppy has crooked back legs, so when she runs, she has 'frog legs'. My puppy is also cross-eyed in both eyes, which is even more noticeable in the left eye. After this vet visit, I have to admit I’m quite upset. The breeder gave me a signed health guarantee and assured me the puppy was healthy and guaranteed to be fault-free. Now, with all this, I feel like I’ve been ripped off on the price, and above all, I’m worried about her future. She sold me a supposedly healthy, fault-free puppy for around £1,500 with a pedigree. What do you think? I really need some advice; I’m completely lost as this is my first dog.
Translated from French
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It’s not even a question of the puppy’s adult size here, as you can’t guarantee that 100% even if the parents are KC registered and measure 20cm and 22cm; the vet just gave an estimate based on its weight and height at two months. Yes, the breeder is reputable. But the real issue here is selling a puppy that was advertised as being without defects.
Around £1,550 for a dog advertised as a toy is not a high price at all—usually, you’d expect to pay double that... That said, I agree with everything else: have the defects (squint, leg issues, undershot jaw) officially documented in a vet’s certificate and ask for a price reduction via recorded delivery, and request a referral to a consumer ombudsman (is one mentioned in the sales contract?). Besides, I don’t know any serious breeders who would dare guarantee the size in this breed, especially when it comes to distinguishing between 'toys' and 'smalls'. Is it a recognised breeder?
You’re very welcome, I’m sure...
I’ve fully understood that the issue isn’t so much the size, but the breeder’s professionalism. The fact they’re claiming the dog will definitely be a 'toy' shows a lack of seriousness. You can make an educated guess with this breed, but you can never state it as a fact just to use it as a selling point.
What’s more, for a supposedly reputable breeder, selling a puppy with an undershot jaw, poor leg conformation (which could point to a more serious problem), and a squint—well, it’s a bit dodgy, isn’t it?
As an aside regarding the price, if she were so sure of the dog's quality, it’s strange she’d sell it at that price.
Is there really no mention of it on the transfer of ownership papers ('sold as a pet') or on the vet’s health record? And are you actually in Belgium, then?
"In France, for instance, they have the LOF (Livre des Origines Français), and in Belgium, it’s the LOSH (Livre des Origines Saint-Hubert). These breed registries — essentially their version of **The Kennel Club** — record all pedigree dogs and their ancestry. To be officially recognised as a ‘pedigree’, a dog must be registered in an official Breed Register."
The issue here isn't even the puppy's size, as you can't guarantee that 100% even if the parents are Kennel Club registered and measure 20cm and 22cm. Based on its weight and size at 2 months, the vet has given an estimate. Yes, the breeder is reputable. But the main problem here is selling a puppy that was advertised as being "fault-free". It's:
"Around £1,500 for a dog advertised as a toy isn't the top price at all; usually, you’d expect to pay double that... Otherwise, I agree with everything else: get a vet’s certificate to confirm the defects (squint, leg issues, overshot or undershot jaw) and ask for a price reduction via recorded delivery. You should also request a referral to a consumer mediator (is one mentioned in the sales contract?). To be honest, I don't know any reputable breeders who would dare to guarantee the final size in this breed, especially when it comes to 'toy' versus 'small' sizes. Is it a licensed breeder?"
Around £1,500 for a dog advertised as a toy isn't a high price at all; usually, you’d be looking at double that...
That said, I agree with everything else: get a vet to document the defects (the squint, the legs, the underbite) and ask for a partial refund. Send the request via recorded delivery and ask for a referral to the consumer ombudsman (is one mentioned in the sales contract?).
Otherwise, I don't know any reputable breeders who would be bold enough to guarantee the adult size in this breed, especially when it comes to the difference between toy and miniature. Is it a well-known breeder?
I’m waiting for the pedigree papers and, at the same time, the vet carried out a DNA test on every puppy in the litter; the result will be shown on the pedigree document. Apparently, this proves that the puppies are definitely from the sire and dam, who are both Kennel Club registered Pomeranians.
Hi, even if you don’t want to breed your girl, you might still be interested in breed confirmation – this involves having a judge at a dog show confirm that she meets the breed standard set by the Kennel Club. Looking at the faults mentioned, you already know that won’t be possible. If the parents are KC registered, your breeder should have registered the litter and given you your dog’s pedigree. But what lab tests are you talking about?
