Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where are you located and how do I get my puppy?
A: We are located in White Post VA. It is a small town just south of Winchester about 1-1/2 hours from Washington, DC. Our farm is easily accessible from Route 66, Route 50 or Route 81. Get directions here.
We want you to pick out your puppy here on the farm. We do prefer not to ship our puppies if possible. We do have some out of state shipping but they are on a case by case basis. We ask for you to visit with us, at some time during the process. We really think most people should make the trip to the farm. This way your family can pick out the puppy that is best for you. We do ask that all parties that are in the “puppy picking” process, attend at the same time and that you call/email ahead to make an appointment. This helps make it a smooth transition. Since there are too many puppy mills that sell “sight unseen puppies” and/or are just a scam, we want you to feel secure in your purchase. You will need to bring a crate or have an adult able to hold the puppy for travel home. We want a safe trip home for everyone.
Q: Do you have a health guarantee and if so for how long? Will they have been seen by a Vet? Will they have had shots and worming?
A: Yes, we do have a full health guarantee. We guarantee all our puppies to 1 year of age. We will go into detail on this subject in our purchase contract. We do vaccines at 6-7 weeks and worming at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks of age. All our puppies will be vet checked before leaving but will need more vaccinations and worming as they get older.
Q: What type of puppy food do you feed?
A: We start all the puppies on Costco’s Natures Domain (Chicken and Pea puppy) which is the same formula as Taste of the Wild. As the puppies grow, we keep them on Natures Domain, as it is designed for all life stages. We don’t require you keep them on this, but we have found it to be a great food for the price. A bag of Natures Domain will be sent home with you to get you started. We do this so you don’t switch your new puppy’s diet in the first month of being in a new home. It just makes the transition easier on your new puppy.
Q: How long have you been breeding?
A: We started breeding dogs over 43 years ago. We love what we do and hope to be breeding for another 40 years. We do work hard every day, 7 days a week and rarely get to take a vacation. But, we feel it is worth the sacrifice to have a life most people dream of. We have been lucky to meet some really nice people and put a new family member in their home.
Q: Have the puppies been started on potty, crate, or house training?
A: The age of the puppy determines how much training they have before they leave. All of the puppies get a good start on potty training by watching their mom go outside to go potty. At 8 weeks old, it is still very difficult for the puppies to be able to “hold it” for a long period of time. As the puppies get older, we will start them on crate training, which helps with potty training. We try to make the transition from our home to yours as easy as possible, but the training time varies with age and breed. Some breeds catch on a lot faster than others.
Q: Do you accept deposits to reserve a puppy?
A: Yes, we accept non-refundable deposits of $500 to hold the puppy of your choice. Most deposits and picks are made at or before 6 weeks of age. Should an accident or incident occur and your puppy is no longer available, you can choose to get your deposit back or you may choose another puppy.
Q: What are the different payment options?
A: We ONLY take CASH or PayPal payments. Deposits can be made by a personal check as long as there is time for it to clear before pick up. Payments that are made with Pay Pal will have an extra 3 percent charge added due to the charge they charge us. Puppies will not be released until the puppy is paid for in full.
Q: Do you have any hypoallergenic breeds or suitable breeds for people with allergies?
A: Yes, we currently have two breeds that would make great pets for those who have allergies, but would still like to have the love and companionship of a puppy. These breeds are Goldendoodles and Bernedoodles.
Q: What does “Limited AKC” mean? Do we sell puppies with “Unlimited AKC”?
A: Limited AKC (American Kennel Club) means that the puppy will come with AKC registration papers (if the puppy is a purebred), but the puppy will not be eligible to enter any AKC dog shows and his/her offspring will not be able to be registered with AKC. We do provide Unlimited registrations on a case-by-case basis, but in general, all pet puppies must be neutered and will have Limited registrations. All registration papers will be held until neuter certifications are received.
Q: Do you do health testing on the parents?
A: Yes we have testing done on almost all parents. They include the Hearts, Eyes, Hips, and Elbows. BUT even though we do testing on our parents it has been found that only 20 percent of dogs with health issues can be considered genetic. So this means any dog can come up with a health problem even if parents are clear of such problem.
Q: What age do you release your puppies? What do you expect in people for your puppies?
A: We let our puppies go home at 8 weeks or older. No exceptions. Sometimes we may require a little longer stay with us if a puppy isn’t quite ready to go at 8 weeks. It is what’s best for the puppy not what’s best for you.
We want people that are ready to add a new family member in their lives. We want people who have time to spend with their puppy. We want people that are good hearted and that will treat one of our puppies with kindness and understanding!
Please make sure you have this in mind before calling us. We want to be as happy with you, as you are with us. Puppies take a lot of time and understanding. They need direction and guidance. But they are worth the effort for the love you will receive!