You want to make a deposit on a puppy before birth
So you have decided that you are ready to start planning for a puppy——We are so glad you are here! What an exciting time! Our program is a little different than many other programs in that we work almost exclusively off of a waiting list. Our waiting list is made up of families who have placed $500 toward their puppy from us, and are now waiting for their newest family member to be born and ready to go home! There are a few things to keep in mind about the deposit list, and I hope to help make this part of the process clear and easy to understand here. If you have ANY questions after reading, do not hesitate to contact us! :)
I think the best way to start this is to clarify a few things that a deposit with us is not.
A deposit is not time specific.
There is so much that goes into the timing of taking home a puppy——-a female’s heat cycle timing, a successful breeding, a successful pregnancy, a successful birth, how many puppies are in a litter, and how many males and females are in that litter just to start! To be very honest, there are more things out of our control in this process than there are in our control! Although we can estimate, all we can go by are averages and although this usually gets you very close, we just want to make sure you understand that there is no way we can guarantee a specific timing.A deposit is not color specific.
Although we do not mind at all when families have preferences, we do want everyone to understand that the hair color on a puppy doesn’t change the quality of that puppy. Although we try to have a nice variety of colors available, color is only the “icing on the cake” and cannot be guaranteed. For more information on the colors that are possible in our program, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page :)A deposit is not litter specific.
We work off of one deposit list as it is the way we feel that we can be the most fair while moving families through in a timely fashion to receive their puppy. Therefore, a deposit is on our program, and not on any particular parent or litter. You can be assured that any dog we breed will meet the standards of our program, and we are always working toward seeking the highest quality in the puppies our program produces!
Now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk about what a deposit with us is!
A deposit is the entrance to our program.
Making a deposit means you have had your questions answered, and you know that we are the breeder for you. Please understand, no matter how much we visit, no matter how many emails we send back and forth——-if you haven’t made a deposit, you are not on our list yet. We will visit and answer questions for as long as you need, but your spot is not reserved until your deposit is received. Once you make your deposit, you are part of the family! You will be updated as anything happens, and be the first to hear news and see pictures of new babies :)A deposit with us is the first payment on your puppy.
When you make a deposit, you have already made your first payment on your new little one! Although they may not even be born yet, this deposit is our understanding that you are serious about giving a home to one of our puppies, and our promise that we will have a puppy for you! After your $500 deposit, the remaining balance on your pup is $4300.Your deposit order is the order in which puppies will be selected.
As each litter of puppies comes along, we work through the list in order to know who receives puppies. This is why you don’t want to hesitate to get your deposit in once you are sure we are the breeder you want to work with! Deposits seem to go in waves, and while we may go several weeks with no new families, it isn’t uncommon for a busy weekend to add three to four new families to the list! If you are wanting your new puppy as soon as possible, you will want to make your deposit as soon as you have all of your questions answered :)A deposit can be made at any time.
I mean this in a couple of different ways:
—-Some breeders only take deposits on puppies of certain ages, or litters after a confirmed pregnancy, etc. We take deposits at any time, and you simply have your name added to the bottom of the list. As we have litters fairly regularly, we feel that this is the best way to structure our waiting list.
—-Also, if you know you want a puppy from us, but aren’t able to get that puppy for quite some time, it is not a problem to get on the list now! All you need to do is let us know the date that you are able to take a puppy, and you will move up the list while you wait! This situation is a great option for those planning in advance to bring home a puppy as it gives you the best chance of having the puppy you want available in your time frame. It is not uncommon for families to plan 12 to 18 months in advance to get a puppy. Again, we recommend placing a deposit as soon as you decide that you want your puppy to come from us :)Your deposit is a time to think about whether you want a male or a female puppy.
If you are absolutely sure that you know which gender of pup you want to bring home, deposit is the time to make that known. Note that choosing male or female will bind you to choose among only those puppies in the litter. This cannot be changed later on. You are bound to the gender of puppy that you choose at deposit. So, if you are not 100% sure, PLEASE choose “no preference”. This will leave your options open, and you will have selection of all of the puppies available in the litter when your turn comes.Your deposit is non-refundable.
PLEASE make sure that you have your questions answered and you are sure about working with us prior to making your deposit, as it is non-refundable. Like I said earlier, a “deposit” in our program is a first payment on a puppy. It means that we are reserving a place in our program for you. Your name being on the list also changes the timing that we tell potential families. Because of this, we do not return deposits if you change your mind about a puppy. If you have something come up and, for whatever reason, you do need to remove your name from the list, we do ask that you let us know as soon as possible. Having the list accurately reflect the plans of the families on it is critical to finding puppies their homes. Also, know that we are absolutely not upset with you if your plans change——-you do not need to be afraid to tell us or say you are sorry! Also, you are welcome to come back at any time in the future! Your $500 deposit will always have your name on it, and will be honored against whatever the price is at the time you are again ready for a puppy. Just let us know when you want your name to be placed back on the list!And one last thing:
Your deposit needs a follow-up!!
We have many families who make a deposit and don't ever touch base with us. This can make confusion in trying to contact you! Many PayPal email addresses and phone numbers are out of date, and this can lead us on a wild goose chase! Please email, Facebook message, or call us after placing a deposit and let us know:
Your name
Your best email
Your best phone number
This will make things much easier, and ensure that we can get a hold of you for communication in the future!
3 day old puppies
Once the litter that you will be getting a puppy from arrives, we will send you an announcement and pictures! We will then update you weekly with pictures of each individual puppy. Specific selection of puppies begins at 3 to 4 weeks old, in order of deposits received. This helps us make sure all puppies are going and growing strong before selection, and allows you to see pictures of, and get a feel for, each puppy.
In order to lock in your puppy selection, we require your second payment within 24 hours of selecting. This will combine with your $500 deposit toward the total price of your puppy. This helps us to be confident in your commitment to be a family for your new puppy. Our first commitment is to our puppies, and we must make sure that they have a home to go to!
From the 4 week mark on, your weekly pictures will be focused on your new little one!