Getting to Know You

After reviewing each application, I usually schedule a phone call so we can get to know one another better. This conversation allows us to discuss lifestyle, expectations, and timing so we can ensure the fit feels right for both the family and the puppy. I reserve the top pick position for my breeding program, and applicant pick spots follow after that reserved position. Pick spots move sequentially and are honored in order. I decide how and if I will use my reserved pick as the puppies continue to develop.

Selection timing is based on the needs outlined in the application. There are two structured placement paths within the program:

Path A — Companion / Preference-Based Selection

Families seeking a companion puppy without specific behavioral requirements select at the three-week stage. Pick spots are honored in order, and selection is made from the puppies available at that time, with color or sex preferences considered when available. Once selected under Path A, later evaluation results do not reopen or change that selection.

Path B — Evaluation / Matching-Priority Selection

Homes with specific behavioral needs may choose to wait until formal temperament evaluations are completed at approximately 8–9 weeks before making a final selection. Pick spot order does not change when waiting. What changes under Path B is simply when the final selection is made. If a family is early in the pick order, the puppies available at final selection will generally remain the same unless I decide to use my reserved pick. If a family is later in the pick order, puppies may be selected by applicants ahead of them before their turn, so the puppies available at final selection may be fewer. When selecting under this path, the best overall match takes priority, and a specific color or sex cannot be guaranteed.

Once a pick spot becomes active, families have 24 hours to confirm whether they are proceeding under Path A or Path B and, if applicable, which puppy they are selecting. Multiple holds or tentative selections are not offered. Once a specific puppy is selected and the reservation fee is received, that puppy is considered committed to the household. Changes in preference, timing, or personal circumstances after selection do not qualify for cancellation, refund, or transfer of the reservation fee. A breeder-initiated exception would apply only if a puppy is determined to be unsuitable for placement due to a significant health concern.

A $500 non-refundable reservation fee confirms commitment to the litter and is applied toward the purchase price. The fee is refundable only if placement cannot be completed for breeder-initiated reasons. A separate $500 spay/neuter compliance deposit is collected later, typically after formal temperament evaluations and final selection, when the main contract and compliance addendum are signed. This deposit is fully refundable once compliance is confirmed and is not applied toward the purchase price.