Available Silken Windhounds
How do I get one?
I pride myself on doing my best to make sure the right puppy goes to the right home so that everyone involved is happy and that the puppy has found a family for life, but doing that can be quite a process on both sides, I'll try and detail here so that prospective buyers have an idea on what goes on behind the scenes.
1. The Application. The online application gives me a beginning of an idea on what you are looking for, how far away you are and what your experience level is. Some puppies are easy and would work for those in appartments with good access to exercise and some puppies are much more busy or have special requirements. By filling this out I can do the first run through of what I may have that would suit a particular person or family. This application also goes into the puppy's file that I keep here since it has important contact information for the purchaser. If I don't have anything available, I can forward the application to another breeder who may have puppies available and thus shorten the time for that breeder to evaluate a potential home.
2. Phone Conversations. Expect that we will talk several times about which puppy and what exactly you are looking for. As the puppies mature their personalities become more apparent and so it may be that the first choice puppy isn't right for you or that you decide on a boy instead of a girl. These conversations are all part of making sure I'm doing the best I can to find a puppy that will fit in with your needs and lifestyle and what you have as a goal for you and your silken, whether that's a champion couch potato, performance dog, therapy dog or show dog.
3. Deposits. Once a litter is born I do take deposits on the quality and sex of the puppy, such as looking for a companion female or show/breeding male. Your place in line is determined by the order that the deposits are received. Deposits are not required, but all people with deposits will be served first and then those without a deposit will follow. I do not take deposits on a particular puppy. If someone wants a particular puppy that puppy must be paid for in full at that time to be held, I do not encourage this practice as the purchaser may be unhappy with that puppy as it may not suit their lifestyle well. Deposits may be refundable if I, as the breeder, cannot fulfill the obligation of providing the puppy. If the purchaser backs out, the deposit is not returned, but may be transferrable to another litter depending on the reason for backing out. Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the Breeder. I do try to be as fair as possible, but when someone has taken a puppy off the market for several weeks and then changes their mind when I may have had to turn buyers away, there is a consequence to breaking that agreement.
4. House checks. I or my representative will need to visit your place of residence if you have never had a silken before from me. If you have one from another breeder, or have had other sighthounds, then it should go smoothly. If you aren't familiar with sighthounds then you can take this chance as a learning experience from some eyes who are good at picking out spots that a sighthound can slip through. Try not to think of this as an invasion of your privacy, but as someone trying to come in and make sure your puppy's new life will be as safe as possible. The last any of us want is to have a horrible accident happen. You can't prevent every accident, but we can reduce the risks.
5. Vet references. I encourage people to send me vet references, these are helpful because I've often had to talk to someone's vet about a silken issue that their vet was unfamiliar with. If they do not have a vet, I try and find one through silken contacts in the area that is good with sighthounds.
6. Health Testing or DNA Testing. Some litters, due to their parentage, may need to be tested for their genetic status on either CEA or mdr1, or others as the need in the breed arises. This will be done prior to selection, so that the status is available for the purchaser to know. Since the puppies are not identified by names when they are tested, they are identified by parentage, collar color and sex on the forms. All results forms will be provided to the new owners. Also in some instances a female may have been bred to two different males, and the parentage DNA testing will be done prior to placements as well so that the puppies will have the correct parentage on their registration forms. Again for testing, puppies will be indentified by collar color and sex. If needed all parentage testing will be performed prior to any genetic testing.
7. Contracts. The contracts are for both your protection and mine as well as the puppy's. The big issues are if the puppy has a genetic problem, you are entitled to a full or partial refund. If you can no longer keep the dog, you are to return it to me for evaluation and vet care and possible rehoming. You are to treat this puppy with love, and provide the care it requires throughout its life. I'm always open to discussion on what I mean by a particular phrase and I try to send the contracts in advance to allow people time to read them before signing so we can make sure we all understand what it says.
8. Contacting me. I'm always available for puppy after care and questions throughout the life of the puppy and beyond :-). However, my job schedule is such that it may take me a couple of days to respond. If you have an emergency medical request, first get the puppy to your vet, then call me. If I don't answer I will check my messages as soon as I can and get back to you. Emails may take a few days longer, but I will get back to you.
9. Shipping. With a rare breeds, shipping a dog is often part of the process. However, due to new APHIS regulations I will be requiring new owners to either meet me to pick up their puppy face to face or they will need to appoint a representative to meet me and the puppy prior to the sale. The guidelines from APHIS are still somewhat nebulous so I'm doing my best to interpret them. If things change then we may be once again able to ship puppies to their new homes. I apologize in advance for any inconvenience this causes. Any shipping related costs are the responsibility of the purchaser and are not included in the purchase price of the puppy. The purchaser may also be charged for mileage if I need to travel to a distant place to meet them or to a distant airport to ship a puppy, if we can in fact ship.
10. When can I get my puppy? Puppies leave here around 12 weeks of age, I don't let them leave until they have had at least two vaccines and are past the 10 week fear period. Puppies need the extra time with their mom and other dogs before they leave, my litters are often still nursing to some degree at 8-10 weeks of age as their mom allows and I won't send out a puppy that is still nursing.
11. More Support. I encourage all Silken owners to get involved with their local and National club as well as one of many emails list. There are several Facebook groups, some designated by Region and some by interest, but one of more of them may be of interest and help when I'm not available. The joy of Silken owners and breeder is that by and large most are very welcoming to new comers and want them to find the joy in the silkens that they do.