Please read this page as it answers most commonly asked questions. I am very happy to speak with people by phone if interested in my puppies, but due to time constraints, I've decided to limit calls to those who have filled out my puppy questionnaire and have read the links.
Breeding goals: My goal is to produce healthy happy puppies that have great temperaments and get a good start at life. All of my breeding dogs are health tested prior to breeding for hips, elbows, heart (by cardiologist) eyes (by opthmologist) and DNA testing specific for the breed. What to look for in a good Breeder.
Do you require a fenced yard? I do require a securely fenced yard with access to it via a door from the house. The fence does not have to be expensive, but it has to be secure. I don’t consider invisible/electric fencing secure. I will not consider applications if you do not have a securely fenced yard. There are no exceptions. This is for the safety of the puppy. As I believe this breed needs a yard to run and play in I will not place puppies into high rise apartments/condos. Fencing - What is Acceptable
Do you ship puppies? I do not ship my puppies.
Are your dogs health tested? All my dogs are checked for hips, elbows (OFA - Xrays), heart (Cardiologist) and eyes (Ophthalmologist), and breed specific DNA testing. Copies of parents health test results are provided.
Do you have a guarantee? I warranty my puppies up to 24 months of age against some hip and elbow dysplasia conditions, and some hereditary heart and eye conditions.
Are your puppies registered? Yes, all my puppies are registered with the Canadian Kennel Club on a non-breeding agreement. They are sold with a spay/neuter contract, unless you are part of my breeding program.
What is involved in participating in your breeding program? Briefly, you purchase the puppy, he/she is your dog. I pay for all breeding related expenses; you pay for any pet related expenses. You must live within one hour from Perth to participate. There is financial compensation for participating in my breeding program. For more information, please see this link: Breeding Program.
How are your puppies raised? My puppies are raised in my home. I am fortunate enough to be able to stay at home, so my time is devoted to them and their needs.
Please see How I Raise My Puppies page.
YouTube link to a video from a previous litter of my puppies: Golden Retriever Puppies
How much are your puppies? My puppies are $3,000.00 + 13% tax. Puppies are veterinary checked, receive 1st vaccine, are dewormed, microchipped and registered with the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) on a non-breeding contract. They come with 1 month of free pet insurance (Trupanion), information on how to take care of your puppy, a 5 generation pedigree, health tests and photos of the parents, and a lifetime of support.
Do I get to pick my puppy? I work with the families to pick the best possible match. Through the application answers, interview, and puppy visit, I am assessing the families to see which puppy is most suitable. The time of assessment is between 7 and 8 wks of age. That is when I make my decision on which puppy goes where. If there are a couple of puppies that stand out to you I will take that into consideration when choosing. I tell everyone when you come to visit the pups you just have to love them all.
The adoption process? People contact me early hoping to get in line a year or more before a litter is even bred. I like people that plan; however, I don’t like to make commitments this far in advance. Too many things can change, both in my life as well as with potential puppy people. So, if you are interested in adopting a puppy within the next 6 months, please watch my Puppies page where I will announce future breeding plans. Once it is announced, I will be accepting applications, interviewing, opening a reservation list and accepting deposits.
Reservation List – deposits only: Once the litter announcement is posted, please fill in the appropriate Application (see links below) and provide me with information about yourself/family and lifestyle. This information will allow me to get a better idea of what type of puppy you are interested in. If I think one of my puppies would be suitable, I will contact you via email to set up a phone chat. If we both decide to go ahead with the adoption, I require a $400.00 nonrefundable deposit to be put on my reservation list, this goes towards the purchase price of the puppy. If I can not provide you with a puppy (if there are not enough puppies born), I will gladly refund your deposit, or you can choose to wait for my next available litter.
On the very rare occasion someone must back out of a litter they have a deposit on, I ask that you please let me know asap. You will have the option to move to the next available litter, but only once. After that you will lose your deposit, so please plan accordingly.
Why take deposits? It shows a sign of commitment from people in that they are ready to take on the responsibility of a puppy within a given time frame. Puppies are a lot of work, especially at 8 weeks of age! They need to be going off to their new homes as they need extra attention, training, socialization and bonding with their new families. A lot of people with only one puppy can find it overwhelming, try having 8 large breed puppies! So, before I breed a girl, I like to know that I have people that are committed to taking a puppy from that litter.
When someone commits to taking a puppy and then backs out, it leaves me scrambling to find another good home. This takes time, I want to best start for my puppies! So, please consider this when adopting a puppy.
I typically take reservations for 3 males and 3 females per litter, depending on the sire or dam. If your preferred sex isn’t available, you will have the option of the opposite sex. In every litter I reserve the right to choose a puppy for myself.
Most of my litters are bred with the intent to keep a prospect to go forward with. Often, I am looking to place this puppy into a home that is willing to participate in my Breeding Program
I reserve the right to offer full refund on any funds exchanged if I decide placement of a puppy within a specific family situation is not in the best interest of the puppy, family, or my breeding program, before puppies go home. All deposits are fully refundable in this situation.
Waiting list – no deposit
If there are more puppies available than reserved, I will contact people on my waiting list (not reserved, no deposit, no interview) to let them know. At that time, we will proceed with the Adoption process. Most of the time my reservation list is full before the litter is born.
Can we visit your puppies/dogs? You are more than welcome to come for a visit to meet me and my dogs if I don't have puppies and pregnant dams at the time. No visits are allowed during this time due to things such as parvovirus and kennel cough being easily transmitted on individuals, footware, clothing etc. These diseases are highly contagious. I have to be very careful about dog diseases being brought into my house and onto my property, as puppies' immune systems are very weak at such a young age and so are pregnant dams. If a visit isn't possible at that time, I would be more than happy to provide videos of my place and my dogs if requested, I also have a lot of good reviews on my Facebook page if you are interested. Families that have placed a deposit on a puppy are able to visit the litter they have put a deposit on. I start to schedule puppy visits at about 6 to 7 weeks of age.
Do you stand behind your puppies? After a puppy is placed in its new home I like to keep in touch with the owners and hear how the puppy is progressing, pictures are always welcome and enjoyed. If there is anything you need help with I am a phone call/email away.
What happens if I can't keep my dog? If for some reason you aren't able to keep your puppy/dog I have what is called "First right of Refusal" in my contract. This means that you have to contact me first to let me know you can't keep it. I have the right to take the dog back before anyone else! If I can't take it back at that time I work with the you to find the dog a new home. I want to know where all my puppies end up!! If you are having issues please contact me immediately so we can hopefully work through them. More often than not breeders are contacted when people have exhausted every avenue and now want to or have to give up their puppy or dog. You have had time to plan for this. Breeders have lives also and it isn't always easy to take a dog back at a moments notice. Please give us a chance to accommodate you and your puppy/dog. We want the best for our puppies/dogs and it can take us some time to find the right placement.
What is the current availability of your litters? Please see the Puppies’ page. Sometimes I have older puppies or adults available for adoption or to remain as part of my breeding program, I will post this on my Home page or on my Puppies page.
Questions for you.
Is this the right time for you to get a puppy?
Puppies' first 16 weeks of life require a lot of attention. They go through different stages of development and need lots of exposure to the world to develop into great dogs.
From the time of breeding/mating till the puppy is ready to go to its new home is about 4 months total. Pregnancy lasts about 9 weeks, then puppies are raised in my home for another 8 wks. before going off to their new homes. For the following 2 months after they leave my place, puppies will need to be vaccinated, dewormed, trained, socialized etc.
Do you have the time? The first year with a puppy is very time consuming. Can you take a puppy home when required? Can you take holidays to look after the puppy, are you planning a vacation in that time frame or a big event that would not be good for a small puppy? Puppies cannot be boarded at a kennel facility or be around other dogs until they are fully vaccinated at around 16 weeks of age. Please ensure you have adequate time to spend with puppy, or consider waiting for another litter whose timing suits you better.
Please visit my webpage Puppy Basics for more information regarding all things puppy/dog related.
If you are interested in a Glenbern puppy or adult, please fill in the appropriate Application.
Pet Application
Breeding Program Application
*I am no longer breeding Bernese Mountain Dogs, so please do not fill out an application requesting information about Berners.