Moonshine
03-23-2011, 08:53 PM
Last September I bought an Australian Shepherd (Aussie) puppy from a breeder in Kopperl, Tx named Linda Konrad who runs a place called Vintage Colored Ranch, www.vintagecoloredranchaussies.com .
I thought I had done my due diligence before deciding to buy a pup from her. I went down in May and visited with her, I met the sire and dam, I checked multiple references, and everything seemed on the up and up. I paid a deposit and picked a pup out of the litter, eagerly looking forward to September when the pup would be weaned.
Citing ongoing computer problems, she had difficulty producing things like a purchase contract, but I thought "Hey, she's a dog breeder, not a computer wizard." At any rate, she kept stalling on producing promised documents like the OFA and CERF certifications for the sire and dam (VCR's Show Stopper Chicago and VCR's Gossip Girl Serena, respectively). And when I went to pick up the pup she cited recent heavy rains, a roof leak, and more computer problems as the reasons why she didn't have the AKC registration papers ready. Stupid me, I believed her and paid her in full without getting those documents.
She promised to send them immediately and said she was embarrassed, as she was usually better prepared for a buyer to pick up their pup. Well, the days became weeks, and the weeks became months, and despite repeated phone calls, emails, and excuses I never did get any of the promised paperwork.
Meanwhile, the first visit to the vet showed the pup had intestinal worms. When I called Linda to let her know, so that she could notify/warn other litter purchasers, she was very dismissive. After reading about a genetic disorder called MDR1 that herding breeds are prone to have I decided to have my pup tested. Sure enough, my pup is a double mutant for the MDR1 genetic disorder, meaning that at best, both sire and dam each carried at least one mutant gene. At worst, both could be double mutant. The MDR1 genetic mutation is manageable, as long as you know about it, but a responsible breeder should be breeding to eliminate the mutation, rather than perpetuating it.
After a final email requesting documents was ignored I finally filed complaints with the Better Business Bureau and the American Kennel Club. Neither organization received any response from her, so both were forced to close their investigations. AKC did inform me that I cannot register my pup as a purebred without the paperwork from her. So, essentially I'm at a dead end, other than trying to warn other potential customers.
Linda Konrad also runs a place called Lake Whitney Pet Resort, www.lakewhitneypetresort.com . Although I can't comment directly on Lake Whitney Pet Resort some caution might be appropriate given that she owns both entities.
I love my pup and wouldn't part with her for the world, but I am very frustrated that I paid $800 for a purebred Aussie and I ended up with an un-registerable pup with an unnecessary genetic mutation. As always, caveat emptor!
I thought I had done my due diligence before deciding to buy a pup from her. I went down in May and visited with her, I met the sire and dam, I checked multiple references, and everything seemed on the up and up. I paid a deposit and picked a pup out of the litter, eagerly looking forward to September when the pup would be weaned.
Citing ongoing computer problems, she had difficulty producing things like a purchase contract, but I thought "Hey, she's a dog breeder, not a computer wizard." At any rate, she kept stalling on producing promised documents like the OFA and CERF certifications for the sire and dam (VCR's Show Stopper Chicago and VCR's Gossip Girl Serena, respectively). And when I went to pick up the pup she cited recent heavy rains, a roof leak, and more computer problems as the reasons why she didn't have the AKC registration papers ready. Stupid me, I believed her and paid her in full without getting those documents.
She promised to send them immediately and said she was embarrassed, as she was usually better prepared for a buyer to pick up their pup. Well, the days became weeks, and the weeks became months, and despite repeated phone calls, emails, and excuses I never did get any of the promised paperwork.
Meanwhile, the first visit to the vet showed the pup had intestinal worms. When I called Linda to let her know, so that she could notify/warn other litter purchasers, she was very dismissive. After reading about a genetic disorder called MDR1 that herding breeds are prone to have I decided to have my pup tested. Sure enough, my pup is a double mutant for the MDR1 genetic disorder, meaning that at best, both sire and dam each carried at least one mutant gene. At worst, both could be double mutant. The MDR1 genetic mutation is manageable, as long as you know about it, but a responsible breeder should be breeding to eliminate the mutation, rather than perpetuating it.
After a final email requesting documents was ignored I finally filed complaints with the Better Business Bureau and the American Kennel Club. Neither organization received any response from her, so both were forced to close their investigations. AKC did inform me that I cannot register my pup as a purebred without the paperwork from her. So, essentially I'm at a dead end, other than trying to warn other potential customers.
Linda Konrad also runs a place called Lake Whitney Pet Resort, www.lakewhitneypetresort.com . Although I can't comment directly on Lake Whitney Pet Resort some caution might be appropriate given that she owns both entities.
I love my pup and wouldn't part with her for the world, but I am very frustrated that I paid $800 for a purebred Aussie and I ended up with an un-registerable pup with an unnecessary genetic mutation. As always, caveat emptor!