Reputable breeder switches dog?
 

I have often read many of the threads here and have found them useful -- I have just become a member and have a question. If I think a breeder has sent me the wrong dog what are my options. I live in Canada. The breeder lives in the southern states -- so I can't just drive over to look at the dogs at her kennel. She has already denied that it is the wrong dog. But the dog in the picture on her website had a very light face -- the dog I received has a rather dark face. I've tried taking several pictures outside, overexposing the face to see if I can get the dog to look similar to the one I asked for but it does not. I paid alot of $ for her ($3500) and she was called a "show prospect", so would have appreciated getting the one I asked for.

Wow you paid a LOT of money :eek:. Is this a dog that you plan to show? I'm not sure I would pay that kind of money for a pet quality puppy. :confused: Is this a breeder that you found on YT? I don't think that I have ever seen a puppy on YT that was priced that high.
Not sure how to handle your situation but I personally would never purchase a puppy from a breeder that I could not meet in person, visit with the puppies and see the parents. There are way too many shady breeders on line that make certain precautions necessary.

Just a question is the dog with the very light face still posted on her website? Had she sent you any interim pics of your choice?

Is there any other defining characteristic of the dog you purchased that might serve to ally or help to support your claims. Look at paws and markings, chest and or face/forehead markings,

Is it at least the same sex that you wanted?

I have had the Bait and Switch done on me as well. Did you get a pedigree for the parents? If so I would have your baby DNA'd and report your suspictions to the AKC.

I hope you get this problem settled.I would show the breeder too your comparison photos and explain the light in which it was taken it. Going from lighter to darker is harder when photo is taken in outside light. Could we see the comparison?
What age is the pup when you got it? Do they have champions of their own? How did you get the pup - I am assuming it was sent to you by air. Was it sent cargo? It is always best to go to the breeder's home to see the pup and the adults they have.

Can you post pictures?

Oh no, i hope it turns out to be the lights...:confused:

This breeder shows her dogs and I have heard good things about her, so am myself having a hard time believing this. I'm just a hobby breeder, and just have a few yorkies, but have bought ones that have come from champion parents(hence the expensive price tag). This girl apparently came from champions and yes I have just started to learn how to train and show, so I would have liked to show this girl. The odd thing when I got her she was suppose to be 5 months (I believe that to be the case), however the vet certificate said she was only 12 weeks old the day before I received her. I phoned the vet office -- they insisted the breeder brought in a dog that she told them was 12 weeks old. Also the shipping certif. says the dog is 9 months old not 5 -- I saw the shipping cert. b/f I received the dog and asked the breeder about this -- she insisted it was an error and told me of course I would get the dog I asked for. In one picture, there is a another puppy in the background with a darker face -- I wonder now if there were a few girls in the litter and I got one from the same litter but not the one I asked for (ie DNA testing wouldn't help). The breeder didn't remove her picture from the website until I asked about it. I tried to attach but it says the pics exceed the websites limit. Is there a way for me to attach pics?

Wow -- it worked. I followed the instructions under the "yorkie talk how to" (guide to upload pics). That picture above was the one on the breeders website -- the girl I bought. Now I will try to upload the girl I have (and love -- but she just looks different) --

Attachment 322801

Attachment 322802

Since you were buying a show prospect, I assume you saw the puppy's pedigree before. Is the paperwork you got with this puppy the same? How about vet records?

I saw the puppy's pedigree -- but haven't received the papers (I am told they are in the mail) -- nor did I receive vet records. The vet that did the health certificate so the puppy could fly (the one who insisted the breeder brought in a 12 week puppy -- not a 5 month old puppy) told me this breeder "vet skips).

How much time has gone by between the breeder shot and the ones you took? The one in the breeder photo looks to taken at a younger age as the hair is not as long.

I am no expert, but if you look closely at the tips of the ears, the shape looks differently (along with other differences that I see)....but my eyes could be playing tricks on me. ;)

Also, the length of the ears look different in the top picture versus the other ones that you posted. Her eyes also look spaced differently in the younger picture (further apart than the other two pictures).

This is just an odd situation. Nothing seems to line up. It is my understanding that a show prospect cannot be evaluated at 12 weeks, let alone sold as a show prospect at such a young age. I hope you clear things up. This one is a head scratcher.