As I file this report, I want to be
extremely, extremely clear my challenge with Julie Thomas (Windancer owner) has
to do with solely with her inability and/or unwillingness to stand behind her
contractual obligations - that being to refund the money for debilitating
events. Having to put down a year old puppy certainly qualified.
When informed of this Ms. Thomas rightfully asked for documentation of
Crusher's hip problems. We complied providing Xrays and all documentation
requested by Ms. Thomas. The evidence was overwhelming and Ms. Thomas and
her own vet even agreed that there were real & significant problems.

When this conclusion was reached the
next logical step was how to resolve. First Ms. Thomas offered us a replacement
pup, needless to say we declined. After that she said to bring back the
dogs and she would refund our money. We believed that was the best
approach for all. On the morning of our departure to Windancer (Arlington, TX
to Elkland, MO) I received a call from Julie stating she did not feel
well and to just have the dogs put down at our vet. Alternatively if we
wanted to drive to Missouri to drop the dogs off, Ms. Thomas told us to go
straight to her vet and they will be put down there - she did not want to see the
dogs. Obviously we were stunned and pursued another angle although
Crusher was put down about 2 weeks later.

Obviously with the dog return fiasco,
most cordiality drained from our discussions and shortly thereafter Ms. Thomas
did agree to make payments to us as the refund, for Crusher, since she did not
have that type of cash on hand for a complete refund. We agreed that her next
litter, which was to be born shortly, would be used to generate the funds for
at least a partial payment - we agreed to that. Approximately 2 1/2 months
after this agreement, with no check or contact from Ms. Thomas, I contacted Ms.
Thomas via email to ask for an update. We were pushed off a couple of
more months as she stated she had not had a litter.

Since then we have tried on numerous
attempts to get Ms. Thomas to live up to her contractual obligations - she
simply refuses. The email exchanges have been heated, as anyone reading
this can imagine and indeed I recognize my part in the heated exchanges.
Ultimately though when pressed hard about the refund she attacked me in an
email stating I obviously was not a "dog person", stated I
had a terrible attitude and she felt sorry for my wife, alas though no mention
of meeting her contractual obligations.

Again, having bad genetics is like a
bad roll of the dice. Ms. Thomas cannot play God and ensure all pups are
beautiful, healthy and guaranteed a full life - that is impossible and not
expected. Ms. Thomas can be expected though, at least in my case, to own
up to her responsibilities as a breeder and business person - that is the
issue. When pressed, again in my case, Ms. Thomas takes the approach of
"the best defense is a good offense" and simply kept my money.

Despite not being a "Windancer
approved dog person", it was nonetheless heart wrenching to stand there
while my vet put this beautiful puppy, Crusher, who could barely stand up, to
sleep. It is maddening when the breeder of that puppy, in my case, refuses to
stand behind her dog (and continues to use the same dogs in breeding)

As I re-read this post, I do see how it
could be spun that all I want is my money, and frankly that is the case, but I
have been driven there, by Julie & Windancer, as a place of last resort.
Coldly put, my family's dog is dead, I have the early death of our other
Newf because of the breeding issue to look forward to, the breeder has ignored
her contract, I do not want yet another pup from this breeder and while I would
much rather have our dog Crusher running around the house having fun that
simply cannot happen, therefore I simply want Ms. Thomas to adhere to her
contractual commitments and refund our money as well as warn potential buyers.

Sorry for the rant - but Ms. Thomas,
again in my case, is just a sad story.

Thanks for reading my story. Please,
please beware when dealing with Julie Thomas and/or Windancer Newfoundlands -
her business practices and speaking for my situation, her poor breeding
practices lend new meaning to caveat emptor - truly the buyer must beware!!