Monday, February 15, 2010

Our Experience With Rutland Manor Labradoodles

In December 2002 we moved from Florida to Dallas and were considering adopting a puppy.  In our search for an allergy friendly dog we found a website in Australia called Rutland Manor, they were a "research centre" developing a new breed of dogs called "Australian Labradoodles"; the purpose of this new breed was to work as assistance and/or therapy dogs for people with allergies.

We were so excited, and just as we were about ready to fill out an application for a puppy I found out I was pregnant... our puppy plans were put on an indefinite hold.

But life is unpredictable... and who could have imagined that we'd actually move to Australia?

When we accepted the position in Sydney, my husband and I agreed that if it didn't work out-- at least we'd finally get our Australian Labradoodle from Rutland Manor. And in June of 2009 I hopped back on the Rutland Manor website and a few days later we were officially on the "puppy waitlist".

Seven months later an email arrived... we had "exciting news", our Labradoodle puppy had been born and we were allotted a black female with a white diamond on her chest.   Her name was to be "Andie".

One day during our wait for the Andie's arrival, we received a strange voicemail that sounded something like this:
"Hi, um, I wanted to speak to you, um, regarding the temperament testing of the puppy we've allocated for you. She's... well, um, if you can call me back, I just want to make sure her personality, um, is going to work for your family. Ok, thanks."
The message was full of angst, it was bizarre.  She had also sent a similar email.

When we called her back she was nonsensical. I put her on the phone with my husband to see if he could decipher what exactly she was trying to get across to us.

At this point our comfort level was being severely challenged. Our priority was to adopt an easy-going dog and we were getting concerned maybe the puppy's personality was going to be an issue.

Then I came up with the brilliant idea that perhaps the breeder, Beverley Manners, would consider coming to Sydney and doing some puppy training with us and our small children. When she sounded keen to do it we were shocked, but relieved. We agreed to buy her airfare and pay her $400 to spend a few hours at our house showing us the ropes.

I'll pause now to interject that... I know, I know, I know... that I should have known better-- on all of this. It's just further proof that you must pay attention to the signs-- the signs are our friends.

So our puppy Andie finally arrived! She ate well that evening and slept through the night without crying or any drama whatsoever.  Hooray! We must be incredible puppy parents, yay!

The next morning Beverley arrived and greeted Andie.  Andie seemed completely indifferent to her, as though she hadn't a clue who Beverley was.

Beverley kept saying Andie seemed so calm, we needed to get her riled up so she could demonstrate how to work with her.  She had no actual plan for our training session, she was basically winging it... and not well I might add.  In the two hours she spent with us, she basically demonstrated how to use a slip-collar (aka choke chain), by tethering Andie to our swingset, which was accompanied by a warning from her that it is never safe to tether a dog on a choke chain to anything, but she was going to do it to get the puppy to try and pull on it-- um, huh, wtf??? After a couple minutes of watching our little puppy getting strangled I took Andie off the chain and explained that we would not be using a slip collar in her future, so best to move on.

When her lovely friend came to pick her up for a lunch break, I had had enough, it was not the professional training we had expected her to come do with us and our two young boys.  And only because I'm so freaking nice, I told her that there was no need for her to come back after lunch. Thanks, but no thanks... we're good... um yeah, we're all set... bye bye.

The next two mornings Andie vomitted when she woke up and there was a little pebble in the spit up both days.  The next night Andie was up during the night vomiting a couple times, I assumed this must be pebble-related but could not figure out where or why she was eating pebbles, so I emailed Beverley for advice.

In the meantime, we called the after-hours vet and took her in to make sure all was okay. The vet said he'd probably need do an x-ray to see if we had a pebble-in-stomach situation.

Within a minute of examining Andie, he indicated that that she had a very distinct heart murmur which was not normal (as puppies commonly have small heart murmurs); we needed her to be seen by a cardiology specialist.

They proceeded with an x-ray that same day and found two small pebbles, fortunately they were not a problem as they were small and would be "naturally eliminated".

Later that day, not having mentioned the heart murmur they had found to Beverley, we received this bizarre email from her:
How is Andie? What did the vet say and what have they done for her? Is she going to be all right? I am so worried about her.
Laura, I’d like to offer you a full refund and take her back if that is okay with you.
Your thoughts?

My husband and I were in shock, we hadn't even told her yet that they believed something was seriously wrong with Andie's heart.

The next morning a veterinary cardiologist did the heart scan. The veterinary cardiologist found that Andie had a serious congenital birth defect called PDA, requiring open-heart surgery as soon as possible.  *(Update May 2010:  It is widely known that dogs which produce puppies with PDA should not be bred, but yet Knossos and Ava continue to be listed on Rutland Manor's website as "breeding dogs".   Since posting this other people with sick Knossos puppies have found my blog and are searching for answers about the health of Knossos).

And there's something else, Andie, was kind of a bitch (pun intended).  She was food aggressive, and very rough with us and our little boys.  I am an experienced enough dog person to know she was certainly not the easy-going personality we had stressed was important to us, and not the kind of gentle, easy-going dog Labradoodles were known as.  And I believe Beverley must have thought so too when left us that initial bizarre voicemail about her temperament. 

So Andie's been gone almost three weeks.  Rutland Manor's response to the whole situation has been beyond inappropriate.  We have numerous bizarre emails from Beverley (none of which we've ever responded to at the advice of our attorney), which included accusing us of neglecting the puppy and even suggesting we sent her back a different dog.   We still have no refund and are out tons of money in vet bills and all things required to properly pamper a new pet.

Do you know how sad it is to walk around a house filled with puppy stuff?  Beverley claims Andie is alive and well, playing with all the other dogs there. Our vet thinks otherwise.

And you can all judge me right now for not adopting from a shelter, or for supporting breeders, or for returning the puppy to get a refund. Trust me, I've already judged myself, so thank you very much.

*Update July 2010:  We did ultimately receive our refund by working directly with American Express and Paypal to reverse the charges on our credit card.   Since this blog post was written she has also sent an email threatening to sue me for "defamation"; perhaps she is unaware-- it's not defamation if it's the truth.



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60 comments:

ray said...

i hate sydney ,i hate australia!i hate their food ,i hate their way of thinking...... soon ill be back i good ole florida, been here since 2007. while i must admit i have made a few friends here i still hate it im ready to get back to ft pierce

ray said...

i have to ask.but did or do you find that doing anything in australia is a hassle?

Laura said...

Ray- Hi, why so disgruntled? I have found doing so many things here can be a hassle, BUT I finally am enjoying it here. My kids are happy at school, I've made friends, blah blah blah.

I still do prefer most of the food in the U.S., but Florida is just soooo freaking hot ALL THE TIME, I hate that part. Good luck with your move home.

ray said...

i havent got there yet lol na im not disgruntled just really home sick have you ever tried www.usafoods.com.au they have alot of american food

Laura said...

They sell USA Food's stuff at David Jones too! It's just so expensive, it's ridiculous! I think I paid like $15 for a box of Lucky Charms-- and I don't even like them that much!

Anonymous said...

give them a try .thats where i get my drpeper and other foods either by mail or as im a truckdriver and go to melbourne i just stop in. my wife and i love the pict pf your bubs eating hotdogs wow wheres a dairy queen when ya need one also try aldis and minto fresh carries alot of american foods alot of the asian shops carry american foods aswell =)

Laura said...

Anonymous and Ray- Aren't you guys even going to have a go at the psycho dog breeder I wrote about??? What's goin' on here? haha

anonymous ray lol said...

lol i didnt tick the name thing lol oops sorry bout that.hmmm another thin i hate .....computers lol thats where the hassle thing came in

Mama Bird said...

That breeder sounds NUTS. I have no idea what I would have done in that situation, but might consider having the RSPCA investigate her, especially if I was worried about the dog, other buyers and didn't get my refund. She sounds whack. And I support both buying from a breeder and from a shelter. I think both have their merits. Growing up I had a poodle and a maltepoo, both from breeders. And now my parents have another poodle. Most breeders are pretty strange though, in my experience. Have you seen Best In Show? Not breeders but along the same lines. Hilarious movie. Hopefully you can get a new puppy soon from a relatively normal person. Good luck.

And Ray...come on! Give it a chance mate. You're never going to like it if you don't open your eyes to the beauty of the country and the experience of something different. You'll regret it one day if you don't. Good luck to you too.

Unknown said...

that is crazy...
the trainer sounds absolutely insane!
i hope you get another puppy soon, i cant imagine how hard it would be to get a puppy and then have to return it but i definately understand why you needed to!
hope it all works out and soon!
xx

The Baker Family said...

The trainer sounds like a goose and it sounds to me like you have been more than reasonable - funding her trip to Sydney to have lunch with a friend (and "train" the dog on the side).

Please can I write her a mean letter to get your cash back???????? and hopefully you will have a lovely new little puppy very soon.

Laura said...

Mama Bird- Yes, I'm in total agreement, she's a nut. I did see Best in Show, but after this whole situation I may need to see it again!

rinniez- Such an awful situation, I never imagined I'd get a new puppy and have to return it!!

Baker Family- We've already disputed our credit card charges with Amex, but thanks for offering. It might be fun just to have you draft something really obnoxious just to cheer me up? When will we see our fave Aussie family? we miss you.

Paul Steckler said...

Sounds like the breeder lady is a dingo short of a dog pack. Can I copyright that phrase?

I miss the USA, but I think I'll wait until some of the snow has melted.

Meanwhile, I'm off to Tasmania for a bike ride next week. I only wish I could find a Warner Bros. Tasmanian Devil bike jersey to enhance the experience.

Laura said...

steck- Haha, you so need a Tas Devil shirt for that! I was actually really trying to come up with a witty one liner about what a wacko she was-- and I just couldn't get it together-- thank you! You must copyright it.

Kate said...

Dog breeders always seem to be on the eccentric side. When I was 7 a breeder promised our family one dog and when we came to pick him up she said she'd decided another dog (who we'd met and universally didn't like) was a better fit for us, and that we could take it or leave it. That was the first time my parents ever openly called someone crazy in front of me. Anyway, I'm amazed by how calm and measured you are throughout this excellent post, and I really hope you and the fam are able to come to a satisfactory resolution!

Marvin said...

That's so sad, I'm sorry your long-awaited puppy turned out to be a dud! How frustrating! (and expensive.)

In my experience, unless it's a licensed AKC breeder (very expensive), dog breeding seems to be a popular career choice for mentally-deficient trailer trash. I think it's because there's not much licensing or skill required to pretend you're a breeder - just some cages and food, and let nature do the rest.

And in my experience, even the most meticulous breeding still creates genetic defects. The hardiest, healthiest, most loving pets seem to be mutts from the shelter. We've always had the best luck with mutts (both dogs and cats). We're not the type to care about what's popular or rare or sought-after... only what's effective.

Laura said...

Kate- Your use of the word "eccentric" was very generous! They sure are an odd bunch!

Marvin- Yes to all of that!

Emily said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Emily said...

To: Florida Girl in Sydney, Sorry to hear about the disappointment with the AU Lab, Andie. The breeder sounds very wacky.

Ray: I can't imagine Sydney being less desirable then Ft Pierce. I live in Fort Lauderdale since 1977 and may be moving to Sydney next year. Why such a hassle to get anything done?

Laura said...

Emily- I'm also from Ft. Laud-- but Ray is right about things being harder to get or do here, everything you want isn't at Target or Costco, Australian Target is not at all as awesome as the U.S. ones. But there are so many gorgeous places here and so much to do-- it's so family friendly. Now that I'm not so homesick anymore, I love it here-- I can't believe I actually said that! ha.

Anonymous said...

Oh, my god-I'm so sorry!

I cannot believe this nutso woman even had the cajones to do this to you! Besides disputing the charge, can you file in something like small claims court? That's a ton of cash to just let sit out there. How are the boys doing with all of this?

Laura said...

kileigh- The boys were actually scared of the dog, because she was much rougher than we were hoping for. I guess it could be said that it all worked out for the best-- except of course for all the drama and craziness, and I was sad to see Andie go (though I may have been the only one).

A Free Man said...

Yikes, quite a mess. I've had some bad experience with breeders in the past. The problem is that most of them don't know anything about genetics, so you end up with dodgy inbred dogs carrying lots of recessive defects. Shame, really, they should have to do some training before they start mating dogs. We have to go through a load of animal ethics training before we start messing with research animals but all you need to be a dog breeder is a dog and a bitch and some Barry White.

Re the Florida/Australia discussion - the only way I would go back to Florida is bound and gagged. I made the mistake in the UK of choosing to hate it for the first couple of years I was there and I regret that massively now. You've got to make the best of a place, immerse yourself in the culture. You're as happy as you make up your mind to be.

Finally, really glad to see a post from you! I've missed you on the internet!

Grumpy said...

ALL breeders are strange. We tried to get an airedale through one lady and she was very odd, saying we were on a waitlist and had to fill out a form and then 2 days before we due to pick him up she said she had given him to someone else because we wouldn't be home enough to look after it. WTF?

But we found another nicer, but still slightly batty breeder. She said the other lady IS a bit odd and her dogs are too 'inbred' and starting to look like th eoriginal otterhounds airedales come from.

Whew. So anyhoo. That was a long-winded way of saying that I agree with you.

Melissa said...

You didn't say where the breeder was from? If she's from California, by law she has to provide you with a full refund of payment and all costs incurred if the dog is found to have a defect within one year of purchase.

If she fails to refund you, you can report her to the AKC and they may well revoke her ability to claim she sells defect free dogs.

Again, that's only in California, but other states may have similiar laws.

However, let me say the information I am providing here is given second hand from a friend who had a defective dog just pass away a few weeks ago. I take her at face value, but you may want to look into it yourself. I hope it helps and sorry about your puppy. :(

Laura said...

Free Man- With all the beginning of the U.S. trip/school starting/ puppy chaos, I really couldn't bring myself to be blogging-- but who knows, maybe I'll have a blogfest now? Hope you and the fam are good-- and how are those gorgeous babies? Oh-- and you said "bitch"-- can you hear me giggling, clearly I have an immature streak.

Grumpy- That sounds terrible-- but then good. Oh, and you're actually quite funny. I enjoyed your comment!

Melissa- She's in Australia-- can you help me bring the bitch down? no pun intended.

lilDdownunder said...

Oh man, that must be so rough to wait and wait for a puppy, get her, and then have to give her back. Hurts my heart to think about! Hope your kids aren't too upset.

Now will you guys consider saving a life and getting a pound puppy? (haha, that was my way of not lecturing on the subject) ;)

Jill Stevens, Licensed Acupuncturist, Chinese Herbalist said...

man. I am just so sorry you had to go through all that. it's just awful. but i was really glad to read your post- i feel like your writing can be so healing. are you getting a new dog? i hope so- help heal some of this craziness from that crazy bitch of a breeder. i love you sis!

Laura said...

lildownunder- Very subtle, thanks for that-- I have a child who is allergic to nuts and has severe eczema-- I also have very bad allergies, this was the reasoning for the desperate attempt at a hypoallergenic dog. But yes, I know I know what the right thing to do is.

Jillycakes- Thanks sissy-- yes there will be a new dog-- better luck next time right?

Melissa said...

ha, I should have guessed she was from Australia. Obviously I completely missed that. You should be entitled to a refund or a new dog though. What a bitch, Pun totally intended.

lilDdownunder said...

I'm just teasing, I promise! Not here to lay a guilt trip on anyone, especially on anyone with allergies and eczema-my sister has it and I know how not fun that can be to deal with! We even got one of our pets from a breeder for the same reason. I hope your next pup works out better for the fam and I hope that you get your refund.

formerly fun said...

Sorry about the puppy snafu, you can have mine if you want b/c I'm resigned that I am actually a cat person and not a dog person and they are all together too much work. Still, sorry yours was such an ordeal.

Laura said...

Melissa- Yeah total bitch.

Kelli- Thanks Kelli Kell. Mwah. Btw, How's Arkansas? It would have been nice to see you during the FL trip!

Lildownunder- It does make me feel bad though... not you-- the buying a dog thru a breeder.

FF- Well is she housetrained?

Dina Roberts said...

Sorry : (

I think that would be a horrible thing to go through. I feel sad for you guys, and I feel sad for the puppy.

It was very unfair of her to be dishonest like that.

I'd lecture you on getting a pet from a shelter, but I don't want you to slap me. I totally know you'd forward a slap via my parents.

Laura said...

Dina- On your next trip here you can totally slap me, you should-- because we have a new puppy coming Friday-- from another breeder. Apparently once wasn't enough for us.

Paul Steckler said...

Just to follow up ... I've finished my bike tour of Tasmania. No Taz bike jersey available, but I did get a plush toy Tasmanian Devil on the ferry and carried it on my bike rack.

Pictures available here.

Unknown said...

Hi. Short (sorry, this now seems long after writing it) intro: my husband and I moved to Sydney 3 months ago and are expecting to stay for a few years. We're both from Southern California. Decided to live abroad now before we got too old for big moves. Been struggling a bit to adjust to living here but trying to enjoy all the outdoor activities available as a distraction to my homesickness. I found your blog and it's been comforting in a way that you have no idea. I read your story about the dog and felt very sad for you and the dog. We have our 2 dogs coming from California in April and will be quarantined for a month (uugh...can't describe how terrible I feel for putting them through this but I want them with us). Question: how did you find a rental that allowed dogs? Seems like landlords hate dogs here. We had to beg to get permission in our new place but downside is the weekly rent at this place is ridiculously expensive. I want to move after the year lease is up but it seems almost impossible to find a decent place that allows dogs in a nice location close to Sydney. I fear that by the time we leave here, we will have spent over $200K on our rent if we stay in the current place...WTF. Any advice on finding a rental allowing dogs? thanks.

Rassles said...

Okay, okay, this is going to be mean. I'm going to be mean, here.

WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU BUY A DOG FROM A BREEDER WITHOUT HAVING SEEN THE CONDITIONS IN WHICH THEY KEPT THEIR DOGS? IN PERSON? DID YOU CHECK HER BACKGROUND?

Never do that again. Ever. ALL OF YOU: Never give money to a breeder without extensive background checking. "Breeders" in general are a bunch of shady fucks who don't care about their dogs.

Yes, of course, some breeders are in it for legitimate reasons. I shouldn't generalize. But those breeders would never, ever, ever sell you their dogs without meeting you. Never buy from a breeder that doesn't show you around their place of business, or one that keeps the dogs in outside kennels at all times, or one that sells too many different breeds, or one that doesn't ask YOU for references...jesus, I could go on.

Because FUCK...like Freeman said, most of them don't know what they're doing. The price of those dogs OUTRAGEOUSLY outweighs their worth.

...

Sorry. When it comes to dogs I kind of lose my head.

I'm sorry that you had to go through all that, though. It must have been frustrating, and uber depressing.

Sydneysider said...

I am so glad I found this blog, I thought it was just me who hated Sydney! I have set up a blog based on the reasons why I hate it... would love some of you to add to it! http://whyihatesydney.blogspot.com/

Laura said...

Liz- So sorry for the delayed response! We rent our house and told the owner we planned to get a puppy soon. He was okay with that, there had been a dog here before. He wanted us to pay a massive pet deposit, we basically got him to forget about that and now he loves our puppy! I would think you'd have better luck in a house rental with a dog than trying to find a apt? Good luck with that and welcome to Sydney-- hope you get over the homesickness quicker than I did!

Rassles- Correct on all that.

Sydneysider- What did I say to make you think I hate Sydney?

Unknown said...

Hello,

It looks like you got a second labradoodle. Who did you buy it from? I am interested to know what you know about Knossos, and health issues. Thanks, Tracy

Laura said...

Hi Tracy, I'd be happy to share with you what I know about Knossos as I am now aware that other Knossos puppies also have had PDA. You can email me your phone number and I will call you. My email is flgirlinsydney@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Thanks. I just sent my number out to you. You can call me anytime. I am in Florida.

Laura said...

Tracey- I deleted your comment that said, "Why don't you tell the real story Laura, you couldn't wait to get rid of that poor puppy. People like you make me sick."

I had my heart set on a Rutland Manor Labradoodle for SEVEN YEARS, so when you say "people like you"-- well you don't know us and you should really reconsider who it is you're attacking.

We are a family with two small children who waited for this puppy for months, only to have her arrive with a major heredity birth defect in her heart. We spent over $1000 on vet bills to find out what was wrong with Andie. In the end, after Beverley had the puppy back we called her two times (once after the puppy was sent back to make sure she arrived safely and once a week later).

Sadly, Beverley's response was an email accusing us of harassing her, and at that point we contacted our credit card company to have the charges reversed.

If you are keenly interested in hearing more about Andie's condition or the numerous inappropriate emails we received from Beverley, I would welcome you to email me at flgirlinsydney@gmail.com. I also would be happy to put you in touch with the veterinarian and/or cardiologist who diagnosed her if you are needing more information.

Laura said...

Note the above comment was for Tracey, not Tracy...

Lisa J Ryan said...

Poor bloody dog !

Anonymous said...

I am so sorry you had the awful experiences by not only Bev the cruel puppy farmer but one of her best trolls Tracy!! The lying these people due and the harm is beyond any normal compassionate persons' capabilities. Many of us are all aware of what this woman is capable and behind her glossy website is just another money gubbing evil puppy farmer. The fact she even sold you a puppy with a heart defect without telling you is a crime, well at least here in the USA. The word is getting out all across Australia as well as USA, ENGLAND, HOLLAND and anywhere this evil person tries to sell her dogs over the internet to. Join us in the stoprutlandmanor fight against one of the most dreadful puppy farmers out there. Again, sorry you had to go through this, a very painful and upsetting experience for your family...

heike allison said...

Sorry didn't mean to post anonymous, your new puppy looks wonderful and seems to be a great fit in your familys' lives, enjoy!!

Laura said...

Lisa- Yep, though Beverley claims she's with a family... I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for photos of her.

Heike- Yes on all of that, thank you.
You wouldn't believe how many people have contacted me about problems they've had with Rutland Manor since this post went up.

Joyce Tabor said...

Is it possible to share who the other people are that have problems with RM dogs - especially the ones that have used Knosses and have pups with heart issues. If you can, then I will email you privately. Thank you.

Laura said...

Hi Joyce, you can email me at flgirlinsydney@gmail.com, thanks!

boutique hotels in hong kong said...

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Unknown said...

hey, i am so glad to come across your blog i am not sure of u still write or look on here but i was interested in purchasing an australian labradoodle and a breeder i researched told me rutland manor isnt that great the dogs have been found to be highly agressive which is not the trait im looking for , any more behavior you experienced with RM dog i deff would love to know, and i cant believe her sight is up and running - romi in ny.

Laura said...

Romi- Well definitely steer clear of Rutland Manor and Beverley Manners, it's all bad bad bad there! We got our Australian Labradoodle from Tamaruke and she is the best!!! In fact we just got a new puppy yesterday from them-- a little brother for Ruby! If you want more info please feel free to email me at flgirlinsydney@gmail.com

Laura said...

There is a new update on this post, Beverley Manners gets wackier by the minute.

Frank said...

WE had a very different expierience with Rutland. Six years ago we got a wonderful labradoodle named LUCY from Rutland. She is the more than we ever dreamed a dog could be. She is beautiful, healthy with the best personality you can imagine. Rutland did an amazing job in delivering exactly what we asked for. I recommend Rutland very highly

Food Fan Frank said...

So glad you were able to get your money back from that crazy breeder! I can't believe the post above me (from another person named Frank) is praising Rutland on this post. Probably Beverly's husband or something. I hope this post has encouraged many to stay far away from them. Find a reputable breeder, not one who tries to pull crazy stuff like this!

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

To Ray
All I could read from your comments was HATE HATE HATE so as the rest of you people who created their own blog to write reasons and their own reasoning to hate Sydney. WTF ?

Questions

- What are you guys doing here?
- If you hate this place so much then why are you still here ?
Sorry but you are not in America you are in Australia learn to adopt their culture.

Who Am I ? an anonymous who grew up in Canada, lived in India for 5 years, got married in Malaysia to beautiful Australian girl, traveled the world with her, currently living in sydney with all its beauty this place has to offer and nice friends and people who I've met.

I think you need to find your happiness :) Just go out and enjoy the life :)

Anonymous said...

Hate to tell you this but Labradoodles aren't a real breed. They are a mutt. And all 'breeders' of them are back yard breeders (ie not registered). Therefore you never know exactly what you are getting.
And since registered breeders with good quality dogs do not cross breed their dogs (they are not allowed to), only the low quality dogs (which may not even be labradors or poodles to start with) would be used to cross breed.
If you want a low allergy dog, get a Poodle.