Puppy Purchase Process and Deposit If, After reviewing our web site, you're interested in a puppy from Northern Lights Labradors, please fill out our Puppy Questionnaire. THE PROCESS PLEASE don't just ask if we have a puppy; we need information regarding what type of Labrador you're seeking, for what purpose, lifestyle, facilities, plans for caring for the puppy and plans for the dog as an adult. We'd like to hear where you live, hear about your family, whether you've raised and/or had dogs in the past. We'd like to know specifically what your plan is for caring for a little puppy. Especially if both adults in the family work, you need a real plan ... you cannot leave a puppy in a crate for 7-8 hours while everyone goes to work and school.
We need to have both e-mail and phone discussions before I'm comfortable accepting a deposit and putting you on the list for a puppy. If you're close enough (within 4-6 hour drive), I highly recommend you plan on scheduling a visit to meet us and our dogs. We want to be SURE that you're going to provide a wonderful, forever home for one of our babies, with lots of love and attention and whatever health care ends up being needed throughout his lifetime. We want to be sure that both adults in the family are on the same page, wanting a nice puppy and able to give love and proper care. A puppy is not a disposable commodity ...s/he's a long-term member of your family, similar to adopting a child. They feel happiness or sadness, confidence or fear, well-being or pain ... just like we all do. But, they're vulnerable just like a small child, and it's up to US to protect them and give them a quality life. Neglect or abuse of any kind is never justified. While you need to be prepared for our inquisition and, hopefully, approval of you as a puppy family, we want YOU to know enough about our dogs that you feel confident that this will be the right type of dog for you and your family. You need to be honest with us, in that regard, and with yourself. THE DEPOSIT Once we've talked and/or visited enough to determine that one of our puppies is right for you, it's time to commit and get on the list for a particular litter. That requires a deposit, currently $400. This is a two-way commitment. We commit to you that we will put you on the list of buyers for a particular litter, and will not move other pet buyers in front of you. We will even do that as of the moment you tell me via phone (or e-mail) that you've made a decision and will be putting a check in the mail. You commit to us that you will follow through and purchase a puppy from the litter at the stated price. When you place the deposit, you do need to tell us specifically what you will accept as far as sex. The temperament and soundness of the bloodline is way more important than sex. But, we need to know so we can tell other people what may be available in the litter, and can determine how many deposits we should accept. When it's time for people to make selections and take their puppy home (about 8 weeks), we select the puppy that is best suited to the home in which it is being placed THE EXCEPTION to this is that, as the breeder, we always reserve the right to step in and pull a puppy (or several puppies) that we believe are destined for special things. Normally, this is a puppy that we feel should be shown, should be in a breeder home, and have an opportunity to perpetuate the best qualities of the breed. It may be a puppy for me to keep ourselves, or may go to another breeder/show placement. Occasionally, it may be a puppy for a service dog organization or search and rescue ... a dog with a talent for a special job. Those puppies would be identified at 7 to 7 1/2 weeks, and everyone else would drop down a notch on the list. Thus, you may initially think you will have 2nd of the litter because you're the 2nd deposit; but, if 2 puppies are pulled for show placements, you'd end up with 4th pick of the pet deposits. It doesn't happen often like this, but could happen. Your deposit is NOT refundable if you change your mind for any reason. If you find another puppy sooner elsewhere, you will not get your deposit back. If you end up getting a divorce, or have a relocation, etc. and find it's a bad time for a puppy, your deposit will not be refunded. However, it will stay on our books for the future. If and when you are ready for a puppy, we will apply the deposit to another litter. We invest a lot of time into dealing with puppy buyers, and often turn away other buyers because you're on the list and it leaves no more appropriate puppies available to them. If there is not an appropriate puppy available for you (based on what you've told us you wanted), you will have two options. If desired, we will refund your deposit. LIMITED REGISTRATION All pet puppies are sold on "limited registration" unless we've worked out another option and contract. Limited registration is an AKC full registration but you cannot register any puppies whelped by or sired by a dog with limited registration. You cannot show in AKC conformation classes with a limited registration, but can show in all other AKC events. The AKC encourages breeders to use this option to avoid irresponsible breeding and almost all reputable breeders do so. You can learn more about this at www.akc.org . PUPPY SELECTION AND PICK-UPS As stated above, we have to give priority to ourselves as breeders, and/or to other top show/breeder prospect puppy placements. Then, we give next priority to the order in which we received deposits. The most energetic, outgoing puppy may look like a "dud" when you come because he's already worn himself out! I will base my placements on what you've told me about your family and the type of personality that best fits. And, PLEASE, try not to fall in love with a particular puppy based on our pictures! . Puppies can start going to their new homes at 8 weeks. They will have had their first puppy shot (8 weeks), will have been de-wormed 3 times and vet checked. I normally have big bags of the puppy food I use here then, so you can buy one to get started with the same food. You will receive written medical records, the guarantee, pedigree and AKC papers. We do not ship puppies. We hope this answers a lot of the questions you may have. Jot down any other questions so we can discuss when we talk.