PUPPY RESERVATION INFORMATION
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Finding the right breeder to purchase your puppy from is as important as the puppy itself. Your puppy's breeder can be a valuable resource, providing help and support for you and your puppy throughout it's life. You should be comfortable with how the breeder treats his dogs, how he conducts his business, and understand his policies and why he has them.
To learn about us, our policies, and how we raise our puppies, please read all the information on our website. If you have any questions, please email us and we'll be happy to discuss them with you. To reserve a puppy in a current or upcoming litter, please submit a puppy application form. We will review it and reply by email about the availability for your color and gender preference. Once your application is approved you can send your deposit payment, which will reserve your puppy. The balance can be paid when you take your puppy home. Once the litter is born you'll receive photos and updates so you can follow the puppies' growth and development. We also offer live 'puppy cam' broadcasting directly from our nursery. Your family will be able to watch your puppy grow from birth up until he/she joins your family.
SELECTING YOUR PUPPY FROM THE LITTER
If you are reserving a puppy from a future litter or a litter under 5 weeks old, your application will hold your place for a puppy from the litter. We will send updates and photos of the puppies as they grow and you'll be able to watch them live on our puppy cam. Once the puppies are approximately six weeks old we start the process of matching them with a family. By this age we can begin to see differences in personality and coat types. Puppy selections are made in the order that applications are received - those who reserve a puppy first will be first to select their puppy from the litter.
We've worked with many different types of families and feel we've been very successful at matching each family with the puppy that is perfect for them. Because we interact with the puppies every day, we get to know their individual personalities much better than what a family might learn by just visiting with the pups for an hour or two. Generally, families are allowed to select their own puppy, unless we feel there is a definite personality conflict between the puppy and the family. Most families choose their puppy without ever meeting him/her in person, while some families who live close enough visit in person. We use the information you have provided to us to recommend a puppy (or puppies) that will best "fit" with your family situation. We'll discuss each puppy with you, and agree upon the right match for your family based on temperament as well as color, gender, and coat type that you prefer. Most of our puppies have temperaments that are very similar, but occasionally there is a subtle difference between pups. For example, a bold puppy may be an excellent fit for a household with several pre-teen children, while a milder puppy may be a better fit for an older, retired couple.
After a puppy has been matched to your family, you will receive email updates and photos of him as he continues to grow. When your puppy reaches 8 weeks of age he will be old enough to join your family. Please review your family's plans for the time frame that your puppy will be turning 8 weeks old. If you have a vacation or other events scheduled during that time then it may be better to wait for a later litter.
VISITOR POLICY
We encourage you to visit, but the health and safety of our puppies is our first priority! We do everything possible to minimize our puppies' exposure to deadly diseases. We normally limit visitation to those who have either reserved or purchased a puppy. Visits are allowed only after the puppies are 5 weeks old. If you'd like to visit to select your puppy from the litter, we need to schedule it for when the pups are between 5 - 6 weeks old. Visitors meet with puppies in our special 'meet and greet' room, but visitors are not able to tour our nursery. We try to keep our nursery as free from outside viruses/bacteria as possible. We own our breeding dogs, but some of them live in guardian homes, so they may not be here for you to meet. You'll be able to watch the mothers with their puppies on our puppy cam.
If you're planning to visit and will have a little extra time, we can send you information about some beautiful hiking trails nearby in the Shawnee National Forest.
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PICK UP and DELIVERY OPTIONS
If you live close enough, you are welcome to pick up your puppy in person once he is 8 weeks old.
Because we are located in the remote southern tip of Illinois, most families living in the Chicago area, northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin, or parts of Indiana, take advantage of our puppy delivery service to Champaign, IL. When the pups turn 8 weeks old, we make one delivery trip per litter to Champaign and meet with the families from the north. This is always a fun day, usually with several puppies being delivered so you'll get to meet some of your puppy's littermates. For families in the St Louis area, we meet in Mt Vernon IL in the morning on our way to Champaign.
We do not ship puppies by air but you do have the option of flying here in person and then flying home with your puppy. If you do this, your puppy gets to fly in the cabin of the plane with you. You'll need to buy a regular flight ticket for yourself, and pay an additional fee to the airline for the puppy (usually $75 - $100). Not all airlines offer this option so you'll need to verify it with the airline of your choice. Please contact us ASAP if you are considering flying here to pick up your puppy. Your puppy must be small enough to fit in a soft carrier that will stow under the seat.
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YOUR NEW PUPPY
Included with your puppy will be a sample of the dry food he's been eating, a "comfort blanket" that smells like home, a toy, a harness/leash set, his/her health guarantee, health records, and written details about his/her daily routine.
We encourage you to keep in touch with us as your puppy grows. We love to get updates and photos to see how our puppies mature.
We have a Facebook group that is only for people who have one of our puppies. We'd love to have you join this group and share your puppy's adventures with other families. We are always here for you if you have questions about your puppy.
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