You are welcome to contact us for additional information, however, only those families/individuals on our waiting list are guaranteed a puppy from an upcoming litter. Families are added to our waiting list only after we have confirmed a pregnancy(see Planned Breedings page for announcement) and the family has been interviewed(either in-person at our home or via phone), has read, understands and are committed all aspects of our puppy contract, and are serious about adding a Luvakis Rhodesian Ridgeback as a family companion to their home. Those added to our waiting list are specifically interested in a puppy from our family, not a first-available/quick purchase puppy. Those on our waiting list also understand that should we not have a large enough litter or an appropriate/compatible puppy to place with them, they may need to wait until our next litter. This often times can mean a one year wait or more for the right puppy. Families on our waiting list also understand that once a litter arrives, they must visit our home to meet and interact with the litter at least once, when the puppies are between 8 and 11 weeks of age. This allows us to match the most suitable puppy with their family.
No, we do not accept deposits prior to litter arrival.We do not want a family to feel financially obligated to take a puppy in the event a major life change has occurred between placing a deposit and the litter's actual arrival. Deposits are only accepted after both an interview has been completed (via phone or in-person) and the dam has successfully whelped the litter. Until then, please do not hesitate to phone us with any questions you may have!
We also do not allow puppies to leave early. Our puppies are only released to their new homes at the developmentally appropriate age of 11-12 weeks old. Please refer to the Puppy Culture Program for more information. Once a litter has whelped, we select a departure date for our puppies and organize a Puppy Party. Our Puppy Party allows all the families to meet each other and ask questions of us as a group; it also allows the pups to leave in a mass departure which reduces stress on their dam, other dogs in our home who have helped rear them, their littermates, as well as us. Meeting the other families also allows puppy families who reside relatively close to each other to potentially raise their puppies together (attend the same puppy classes or play groups, organize outings to the park together, or even pet sit for one another). All adopting families must be able to attend our Puppy Party to pick up their new puppy.
Lastly, we do not allow families to "pick" their puppy. We place our puppies based on personality, temperament and compatibility with a particular family. Although we take gender preferences into account when possible, choosing a puppy based on photos, physical attributes (ridge, nose colour, etc.) or a particular collar colour does not often render an ideal fit. Be mindful, this new addition to your family will likely be your constant companion for the next decade or longer; trust that we have come to best know our puppies and can determine which puppy will be a good fit with your family. All families on our waiting list must have visited the litter between 8 and 11 weeks of age before we are able to determine the ideal placement for each puppy in the litter.
Copper
Dax
Here's a quick overview of when/how to contact us about one of our puppies being placed with your family:
Watch the website! Announcements about upcoming breedings, active breeding updates, and pregnancies are posted on our Planned Breedings page. ►What should you do? This is the time to phone us (take the time to call, emails can often experience a delayed reply due to our busy lives... family, work, dogs, kids, 4-H, school, shows, trials, etc.) with any questions you may have about us, our dogs or our upcoming breeding plans. If you reside geographically close to our home, feel free to make arrangements to meet us and our kidz.
A pregnancy's been announced! Once we've announced a pregnancy has been confirmed (this typically happens about mid-way through a bitch's pregnancy, around day 30-33, and is done via ultrasound... watch for fun photos to be posted!), we'll post this update to our Planned Breedings, as well as our Facebook page, and our Current Litter page will become active. ►What should you do? Contact us via phone to let us know you're interested in being added to our waiting list. You can be interviewed at this point (in-person at our home or via phone); be sure you've read our contract and ask any questions you may have.
Puppies have arrived! Once we've posted updates to our Current Litter page announcing the puppies' arrival, we're ready for families to visit, finish the interview process and be matched with their new puppy. ►What should you do? Contact us to arrange a puppy visit - no, you cannot visit too often or too early... and yes, the WHOLE family is welcome to visit! Be sure you have at least one visit scheduled for when the puppies will be between 8 and 11 weeks of age (the dates for this will be posted as part of the "Mark Your Calendars" section on our Current Litter page; your entire family must attend this visit) so we may match your family as a whole with the most appropriate puppy. Ensure you've read our contractual obligations to socialize, train and health test your puppy in the coming years. Arrange to submit a deposit; we require a $250 deposit (this will be applied towards puppy's placement fee).