This unbelievably bad experience with a puppy purchased from Kingsden Kennels/K-9companions.com is really a testament to the old addage, buyer beware.
K9-Companions.com / Kingsden Kennels is a breeding and training facility located in Southern California, in Riverside/Perris area.
It's unfortunate for the purchaser of the puppy, and quite sad for the poor puppy who is terribly ill because of a disease that she apparently contracted while at the facilities of the Breeder (Kingsden's Kennels/Karen Duet). Read the story and see what you think
The Facts and Opinions (as Documented including signed letters from a certified Veterinary Doctor):
This couple purchased a German Shepherd Puppy from the Breeder/Trainer/Owner of Kingsden Kennels/K9-Companions.com on February 14th.
One of the new owners' had done protection training for 3 years with police, and the couple was looking for a dog to do Schutzhund (protection) training with. They specifically requested (3 times via email and numerous times over the phone) to only be shown a puppy if it was an Alpha Female with very high drives.
The puppy was advertised to the couple as the most dominant of the litter, as personally tested by the breeder 3 times.
Breeder also mentioned twice via email that there were no runts' in the litter.
The couple was told that there were many people excited about the pups, and these were the last two remaining. Despite the interest', breeder had reduced the price for this puppy to $1,000, and wanted a deposit to keep all the other people from taking the puppy before we could see her.
Upon driving 2 hours to see the puppy, the first impression was that she was noticeably smaller than the other remaining female puppy. Breeder told the couple that they grow in spurts, so she'd catch back up, and it wasn't really noticeable.
Upon bringing the puppy home, the couple began to notice many issues that didn't match up with Breeder's description of the pup. The puppy was not only very shy, timid, and insecure (as described by friends and the veterinarian), but the puppy refused to eat almost anything, was vomiting and had diarrhea continually, and howled like it was being murdered if ever left alone.
The vomiting and diarrhea, as well as refusal to eat which has almost killed her, turned out to be a result of an infection of Giardia which she contracted at the Kennel. Naturally it's unethical to sell a sick animal, but it's also our understanding that this is illegal in California.
The puppy, who remember is NOT a runt, was supposed to weigh approximately 26 lbs when purchased (according to german shepherd growth charts widely available online). She was only 15 lbs when taken to the vet 2 days after purchase. That is, according to online growth charts for german shepherds, 10 lbs underweight!!!
It turns out the puppy was infected with Giardiasis, which will be part of her for life, making her a carrier. This disease is also communicable to other dogs, cats AND HUMANS.
The puppy was already in enough of an advanced stage of Giardia infection when sold that she was 40% underweight, vomiting and had diarrhea. These are symptoms that don't appear for 1-2 weeks after infection, meaning the dog was infected VERY early on in her little life.
The day after picking up the puppy, the couple contacted the breeder to let her know that they had serious concerns about the puppy's character, and were looking for something VERY specific (dog for Schutzhund training), and this pup was not only displaying non-alpha characteristics around people, but was outright timid, shy and insecure Signs of being highly unsocialized.
The Breeder told them to wait it out' with the pup, whose condition got progressivley worse puppy was vomiting and had diarrhea, refusing to eat for days on end. At this point they told the breeder that they felt they should return the pup. This was within the first 48 hours (the monday following picking up the pup on Saturday).
The breeder then informed us that she would take the puppy but would keep the $500 deposit (50% of the price of the puppy), and required the puppy to be returned before 5pm, with a health certificate from the SAME day. Essentially requiring the new owners to take the entire work day off to return the puppy The breeder also relayed that no one else at the kennel was authorized to receive the puppy The couple's opinion was that this was to make it as difficult as possible for them to return the puppy (driving from 2 hours away on a week day before 5 pm with a health certificate from the same day)
The couple tried to take the puppy back but were unable to make it in time, and called to notify the breeder of this fact, leaving a message. (The breeder later claimed to have not received this message). We were shown a call log of this call at 6:12 PM on February 18th to the breeder, verifying that the call was made.
The next day, the couple received test results back from the Vet who explained that the puppy was refusing to eat and had severe diarrhea and vomiting due to an infection of Giardia which she had to have contracted 1-2 weeks prior to sale. (you can look up more on Giardia on the CDC website it's a protazoa that, while treatable with antibiotics, forms hard cysts and is never truly eradicated, meaning the animal is subject to future outbreaks for life, endangering the owners and other animals as well.)
At this point, the couple requested to return the puppy, with a signed letter from the Vet that the puppy was clinically ill at the time of sale (this is in violation of state law, and entitles the couple to a full refund within 15 days under such circumstances according to the California Puppy Lemon Law).
At this point, the Breeder described this as no big deal and has refused to take the sick puppy back, claiming that it's not a reason that someone returns a puppy to a breeder.
The breeder not only refused to take the animal back once discovering that it was sick at the time of sale, but went so far as to recommend that the couple can sell her yourself.
The veterinarian wrote a letter explaining to the breeder that the puppy was infected with a disease she contracted from Kingsden's Kennels. She explained that it was a pre-existing condition, and that the puppy is clinically ill from it. She also explained that it is a violation of state law to sell a puppy in this state, as it was unfit for sale.
The breeder refuses to take the puppy back.
Quite the opposite
You have had the puppy for a week now (yes, because you said to slow down and give her time to adjust) and continue to drone on with a variety of complaints. I take a risk in her return that you have exposed her to illness while you have had her (uh YOU sold the sick dog, and exposed the purchaser and THEIR animals to this disease nice reversal) and I have many puppies and dogs to worry about here. (clearly you're not worried about the sick puppy you sold)
My position now is that the puppy is yours. I don't have a problem standing on my contract with you (you mean the contract that you seem to be in violation of, as well as state law?) and if you don't like it I'll be happy to see you in court. (that's the spirit!)
The at 12 weeks old the puppy weighed 12 lbs less than half the target weight for a female puppy this age.
Our opinion is that this is completely outrageous It's one thing to have a misunderstanding, but another to be totally unwilling to work with someone when it's just not working out in the first couple of days. And even MORE to refuse to take the animal back when you find out it was sick when you sold it.
This also happens to be in violation of California state law.
Beware Kingsden Kennels, K-9Companions.com and Karen Duet.
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