I agree with Diane.
I haven't bred many litters; nor will I.....but; I do take deposits when I'm planning a breeding.
Likewise; I expect a deposit when reserving my stud dog (when I have a stud dog..lol).
One of my best friends in the entire world and I co-owned a dog together. I trust her with my life and the lives of my dogs and kids.....but we ALWAYS left a paper-trail even between US.
Verbal contracts are NOT good business.
In the case above; your deposit reserved a puppy from a particular breeding. You failed to get that in writing. Now; you're stuck with "your word against his".
I have my own contracts that I take with me when I'm putting a deposit down so if the breeder doesn't have or use "Deposit Contracts" then I'll have one handy.
It's very simplistic. It gives the amount of the deposit and on what breeding. It also lists what pick of the litter my deposit guarantees. (I got caught once....... I put a deposit for "pick male" and didn't realize that the "pick male" would be the pick AFTER the stud dog owner picked HIS male and female out of the litter. I happened to pick the puppy that the stud dog owner chose; and imagine my surprise when I was told "sorry; that one is taken"
Taken? How could that be? I HAVE PICK MALE....... yes.....AFTER THE STUD DOG OWNER gets HIS payment for the breeding..... $400 lesson learned. I walked away without taking home a puppy or my deposit.....but.....I walked away a helluva lot smarter too ;) )