Ok...Flame suit on here...in advance.
As a breeder...I know exactly where she is coming from. In a case like this, where Spike is admittedly a high maintenance breed (like newfs,in a way)...I suspect she has a strong preference that they go to homes that have sought out the particular breed. My feeling would be in this situation, the parents are taking the dog to keep their child happy, not because this is their "chosen" dog. Honestly? It's not an unreasonable thought process on her part. I know my mom LOVED my dogs, was happy to babysit them when I needed her to..but she was NOT interested in owning a huge hairy slobbering beast on an every day basis. Had I been forced into a position where I could NOT keep one of them..she likely would have taken the dog to keep me from being unhappy, but it would, in no way, be her "hearts desire" to have to cope with a breed that was not suited to her. Now...yes..your parents have been considering another dog anyway, but, in reality...had they ever considered contacting this breeder to get a dog like Spike? I think that's where the breeder is coming from, honestly. And for the most part, I understand her thinking.