Puppy FAQs
Pricing:
Our puppy prices vary slightly depending on their color and gender. Our prices are generally:
$300 for Black Tri Males
$400 for Red Tri Males, Black Tri Females, and Red Tri Females
$500 for Merle Males
$600 for Merle Females
Actual prices are posted with the pictures of each puppy, those prices trump prices listed here. Paypal is accepted, but I do charge a fee for Credit Card transactions.
Deposit:
In order to hold your puppy, a non-refundable deposit of $150 is necessary.
Shipping:
I will ship within the United States with advanced notice. The buyer is in charge of the cost of the shipping crate and flight; prices vary depending on the actual cost of flights, but are typically $325-$375. From September to early June, I can only ship on Saturday mornings with the exception of Holiday weekends due to my career as a teacher. The airport is about two hours from home, so arrangements need to be made at least a week in advance. Full payment for the puppy and flight is expected before the shipping occurs. Unfortunately I have already been stung by letting the puppy go with only a partial payment made L If only we still lived in a world where everyone could be trusted!
If your puppy is being shipped, this is generally what I do. After receiving the deposit, I mail the Vet records, puppy registration papers, and the food kit. Then I expect the full payment before I will ship the puppy.
Health Guarantee:
Our puppies come with a one-year health guarantee. If, in the first year of owning your puppy, you find that your puppy has a genetic disorder or disease, we will either replace your puppy with a puppy of equal value OR refund your money in the amount of the cost of the puppy (not the flight).
We raise Australian Shepherds because we love the breed and want them to bless others as much as they have blessed us with happiness and companionship. We strive to provide healthy, genetically sound puppies that will improve the quality of the breed. I do not EVER want one of my puppies to end up homeless or unwanted; therefore, if your puppy does not work out for ANY reason, I will do everything I can to help you find a new home for your puppy/dog. Please keep my contact information and never hesitate to contact me if you are having second thoughts or circumstances prevent you from being able to provide for your puppy.
What will your puppy come with?
Each puppy comes with the following:
· Registration papers (See Current Puppies for more information on registration)
· Health Guarantee (1-year)
· A pack of starter food, which will be enough food for you to transition your puppy into eating whatever kind of food you would like to feed.
· Vet records, which will demonstrate current vaccinations and worming treatments.
· A lifelong commitment from us. We will support you and stay in touch with you as frequently as you prefer. We are not going to sell you a puppy and then never talk to you again; we want you to be happy with your puppy and your puppy to be happy with you.
· Many weeks of love and attention, preparing them to join your family.
What kind of training will the puppy have?
I do as much training with the puppies as I can, but it really depends on what time of year it is. Fall is a very busy time for me as a teacher, so although I give my fall puppies tons of love, they are less likely to be crate trained or house trained. I try to start training all my puppies in the following areas: crate training, house training, simple commands (sit, come, off), and leash training. I also socialize them as much as possible so they are used to new people and other animals.
How do you know if an Australian Shepherd is right for you?
Australian Shepherds are a wonderful breed and have so much to offer you and your family. However, I encourage you to do some research about the breed before purchasing one. Aussies are high energy and require daily exercise. Also, because they are so intelligent, they often need to “feel needed”; some people recommend finding a job for your Aussie, such as getting the newspaper each morning. The breed is intended for working and herding, so they can become destructive if they are not exercised, trained, or given the opportunity to use their intelligence. Currently none of my dogs are trained to work and I do not have any trouble with destructive behavior, but when I am not home, the dogs are outside.
Australian Shepherds can also become protective of their owners and family. This is actually a good trait and is what makes them wonderful cattle dogs; however, it is important that you socialize your Aussie as a puppy so she gets used to having new people over and going to new places.
Australian Shepherds have beautiful, thick, long coats that I find very easy to groom. I rarely have to bathe my dogs even when they run around on the farm and get muddy. Usually I put them in their outdoor kennels and within a couple of hours, they are completely clean again. I bathe about 3 times a year and brush 2-4 times a month depending on our activities. Although their coats are easy to clean, with three in the house, I can’t deny that they do shed!
In short, it is important that you read about this wonderful breed and make sure the Aussie is a compatible breed for your life style. They make wonderful companions and farm hands, but do require exercise, training, and socialization. If you have other questions, I’d be happy to help you to the best of my ability.