Breeding disappointment for dog owners?

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Imagine picking out the perfect puppy for your family, only to get it home and realize it’s very ill.

That's what happened to one Austin family who said they were misled by a local dog breeder.

"I found her on the Internet,” said Dina Northington. “I was just was Googling for a Maltipoo, and it just so happened that she was in Austin."

Northington and her 9-year-old son wanted to add another dog to the family, so they were excited when they found Molly, a young Maltese-Poodle mix, at an Austin breeding company called Amanda's Puppies .

But Northington's excitement didn't last long. Shortly after paying $600 in cash for her new dog, Northington realized something was wrong.

“It went downhill as soon as I brought the puppy home,” said Northington. “It wouldn't eat. It would barely hop around and move like most puppies would do.”

She contacted the breeder immediately, but when she didn’t hear back from her, she knew she had no time to wait before getting the puppy to a veterinarian.

“The vet was very grim with news that she was very, very ill and covered with worms and didn't expect her to live much longer,” said Northington.

Northington paid for a nearly $500 blood transfusion to save Molly, but it didn’t work, and the puppy died that night.

When she finally heard back from the breeder, she said she was told she shouldn’t have taken the dog to the vet, that she had violated her contract, and she wouldn’t receive a refund.

“I felt really betrayed,” said Northington. “We had spent so much time with her making sure she was the right person to buy from.”

Another local family says they were mislead by the same breeder.

Daniel and Suzanne Louzau also bought a dog from Amanda's Puppies that appeared to be just what they were looking for.

"My wife fell in love with this little puppy,” Daniel Louzau said. “We were told it was a Yorkie Pomeranian mix that would be about eight pounds or so."

They needed a small dog because they had little yard space, so Trixie seemed perfect.

Eight months later, the Louzau's love their dog, but it's certainly not the small Yorkshire Terrier mix they were told they were buying.

“Little” Trixie now weighs 52 pounds.

“It sort of became a running joke within the house,” said Louzau. “She's nine months old, and she's definitely not a Yorkie-Pomeranian that I've ever seen.”

In fact, a DNA test indicated that Trixie part Golden Retriever and part Rhodesian Ridgeback.

Both Northington and Louzau said they initially had a good feeling about Amanda’s Puppies. The facilities were clean, and the dogs appeared to be in good health. So, they were surprised when they didn’t get what they bargained for.

But, the Better Business Bureau said they’re not alone. They’ve received a handful of complaints about Amanda’s Puppies, prompting them to give the breeder an “F” rating.

Owner Amanda Schnell has denied the accusations , saying she has followed her contract to the letter and that her customers need to do so as well. She has also said she never got any dogs returned to her - which is the only way she can verify that they came from her, as stated in the contract.

And finally, Schnell said, the idea that she didn't return phone calls was impossible; she always answers her phone, she said. She responded to BBB officials in late August, after the bureau released a public warning about her shop.

BBB officials said buying animals from breeders is always a gamble. 

"In terms of getting a dog that's going to be healthy and not going to be sick, there really isn't any kind of guarantee except for what's going to be in the contract," said Erin Dufner, Senior Vice President of Communications for the Better Business Bureau.

Many, including Molly's owner Northington, believe the best way to find a pet is adopting one through an animal shelter - those pets are, depending on the shelter, likely to have seen a veterinarian and deemed healthy enough for adoption. Shelters are often populated with animals rescued from puppy and kitten mills, and bad breeders. Adult animals are often house trained as well.

"If you don't need a special breed (for allegery issues, for example, or other unusual circumstances), I would definitely go to your local pet adoption agency and find a dog that needs a home," Northington said.

But, Dufner said, if you choose a breeder, it helps to keep a few red flags in mind:

First, make sure the breeder lets you tour their facilities. If they don’t, that’s a bad sign.

And, do your research on the type of dog you're looking for, and quiz the breeder.

"If they don't know a lot about the breed, that's a red flag," said Dufner.

Make sure the breeder provides a contract, but remember a promise is only as good as the person giving it.

Both Northington and Louzau had contracts, but they say the breeder didn't uphold the terms.

That's why it's important to ask for references, too.

And, if you do run into a bad breeder, remember contact the BBB. That's what Northington did.

It didn't bring