Q: Can I sue a dog seller for not making sure the animal was delivered to me?

A: It depends on the terms of your agreement. Most sale transactions of this type are very simple. The Buyer chooses a dog from the Seller, pays the Seller, and leaves with the dog (and any paperwork).

When "delivery" is involved, a Seller may satisfy its duty by delivering a good like a dog to a third-party carrier. It is then incumbent on the third-party carrier to transport the dog to the Buyer. If something happens to the dog during shipment, the risk of loss falls on the Buyer subject to the terms of the shipping contract which typically limits the liability of the third-party carrier and subject to any insurance the Buyer may have purchased. This is actually how the entire insurance industry began back in the day when goods were frequently transported by ship.

On the receiving end, it is usually incumbent on the Buyer to insure that the Buyer or an agent of the Buyer is present at the location to which the goods are being shipped to receive, inspect, and accept the goods when they are delivered (as long as they are delivered at a reasonable hour). This is one reason modern Buyers are disappointed when "porch pirates" steal packages left on their doorsteps.

Now, if the Seller never delivered the dog to you, your agent, your address at a reasonable hour, or a third-party carrier, but mistakenly delivered the dog to someone else at a different address than yours, the Seller would be liable for not delivering the dog to you.