Please provide some basic information about your lifestyle, your experience with dogs, and your plans for a new puppy. It's also helpful to let us know where you are located.
Families that stand out to us are families with experience with dogs (first time puppy families please think about regularly pet sitting for friends and family in order to test allergies and to see how the family routine adapts to caring for a canine companion); families that have read books or researched puppy training and canine behaviour; and families that have looked into local options for veterinary, grooming, and training services. Please feel free to include pictures of your family so we can get to know you!
Feel free to ask any questions about our programme and our dogs.
The date that you initially email us is used to determine how long each family has been waiting.
Wait for an Open Reservation List
Reservation lists are specific to each litter are opened for one week after puppies are born. There will be a limited number of reservations as per the number of puppies available. Reservations are not first come, first served. We may hold reservations for breeding or therapy purposes. Once a wait list is opened, interested families must contact us to confirm their interest in a reservation for the litter and/or submit an application.
Reservation lists will be announced on our website under 'available & upcoming puppies' (www.cobberdogsontario.com/available--upcoming-puppies.html) and on our Facebook page at Hillmeadow Cobberdogs. There will be updates posted once a mating has been achieved, when pregnancy is confirmed, and when puppies have arrived. Dogs are bred approximately 2 weeks after starting their heat, puppies arrive 9 weeks after ovulation, and puppies are ready to go home 8-9 weeks after birth. Due to the volume of emails that we receive we are not able to contact each family individually about reservations and availability.
Priority for reservations will go to the families who have applications that demonstrate their readiness for the responsibility of a puppy. Of these qualified families we then look at the date that they initially contacted us to determine who has been waiting the longest. The families who have great applications and have been waiting the longest will be the ones to receive reservations.
We are happy to have families fill out an application for us to review prior to a wait list opening. We will carefully go over your application and provide feedback. However, if you have filled out an application in the past you must still contact us to confirm your interest in a specific litter when a reservation list opens. This is how we know families are still interested in a puppy without receiving deposits in advance.
We will only accept families onto our reservation list that we feel have demonstrated through their application a readiness to provide a loving and responsible home for our puppies. What do we look for in an application? We like to see that families have absorbed credible resources on puppy training and canine behaviour, and we are happy to recommend our favourite reading materials and websites. It is also very important that an applicant understands the concept of early socialization and a puppy's critical socialization window. Applicants should have identified positive reinforcement training options, and be planning to take obedience class with their puppy during its socialization period. We would also want to see that applicants understand and have made a family plan for raising a puppy (socialization, training, housebreaking, crating, etc.) Applications should demonstrate the intention to adhere to the responsibilities outlined in the MDBA's Reponsible Dog Ownership Code of Conduct:
What qualities demonstrate responsible dog ownership (adapted from the MDBA's Responsible Dog Owner's Code of Conduct):
Owner will comply with provincial and municipal legislation concerning the ownership of dogs
Owner will only house the dog indoors with appropriate means for containing the dog either by fence or by leash when outdoors
Owner will provide dog with appropriate food, water, mental stimulation, companionship, grooming, & exercise
Owner will set up their dog for success for life by providing it with early socialization, obedience training, & manners
Owner will ensure that dog will receive appropriate veterinary care including vaccinations, parasite control, and prompt treatment of injury/illness
Owner will not allow dog to roam freely unless in designated off-leash areas (and only then with supervision and responsibility)
Owner will take responsibility for any mess or excrement caused by dog in both private and public places
Owner will not allow their dog to cause a problem or lessen the quality of life for any person in their community by barking, destroying property, threatening or mauling humans or other living beings.
Owner will lead by example and advocate for responsible dog ownership within their community
Typically families with qualified applications will wait several months between first contacting us and bringing home a puppy- this wait could be longer or shorter depending on nature providing us with healthy puppies to share. We use the date that families initially emailed us to determine how long they have been waiting.
We will email families to confirm their reservation once puppies are 1 week old and thriving. Only families with a confirmed reservation will be asked to sign contracts and submit a deposit.
Submit Deposit of $500 Canadian to Secure Your Reservation.
We ask that all deposits be submitted by e-transfer or bank transfer. Deposits are non-refundable but may be transferred to the wait list of a future litter. Deposits are valid for 2 years after the date they have been received, but may only be transferred to a future litter due to unexpected life circumstances necessitating the postponement of bringing home a puppy. Deposit contracts must be signed and dated to complete your reservation. Deposit contracts will reflect the date of pickup.
Our weekly updates are thorough. They will provide families with details about the individual puppies, information about puppy development, concepts of canine behaviour, and describe how puppies should be cared for once they have joined their family. This is unique to us as a breeding programme.
We post almost daily videos and photos on our Facebook page at Hillmeadow Cobberdogs so that families can watch the puppies grow and can feel included in the entire puppy process. We also do our best to post regularly to our 'blog' page on the website and on our Instagram page at hillmeadow_puppies. This is unique to us as a breeding programme.
While our puppies are with us we do our best to facilitate early socialization, start handling and grooming experiences, introduce open and closed crating, begin potty training, and introduce basic obedience (conditioning to a clicker, sitting for attention, following, and recall). We spend time with each puppy individually so that they can build their confidence away from their litter-mates in preparation for going home to their family.
Veterinary Visits
At week 6 your puppy will have its first vet check-up and first set of vaccinations.
At week 7 your puppy will have its second vet check-up and their spay/neuter.
Puppies will be de-wormed at week 2, 4, 6, and 8. They will have a fecal test done to ensure that they are all clear of any parasites before going home.
Puppies will have a final veterinary check within 48 hours of going home and will receive a health certificate at this time.
Puppy Matching
Socialization testing occurs close to day 49 (seven weeks of age) with our trainer to provide us with further information about the character qualities of each puppy. (http://www.volhard.com/pages/pat.php).
We do take into consideration a family's colour, gender, and temperament preferences when matching puppies to families which is determined by a puppy preference questionnaire that is sent out and filled out by each family before week 7. We look at each family's application, correspondence with us, and puppy preferences combined with our daily observations of each puppy and socialization testing results before making any decisions about which puppy fits best with each family. Puppies are then matched by us to their families between week 7-8. This is the best way to make sure that all families are the most happy (puppy pick is only fun if you have the first pick!), and so that we can ensure that each puppy is matched to the best family for them.
Prepare for Homecoming!
We will send families a supply list to give you an idea of what supplies are needed, and what items we like as experienced dog owners.
Contact your vet office to set up appointments for a wellness check and next vaccinations.
Contact your trainer to enroll in puppy class so that you can start class as soon as your puppy comes home in order to optimize your puppy's experiences during their critical socialization window. We recommend a minimum of basic obedience. Please consider a positive reinforcement trainer supervised puppy socialization classes or a few sessions of trainer supervised doggy play groups so that your puppy can learn how to clearly and confidently communicate with other canines. Taking intermediate obedience is a wise idea to solidify skills such as loose leash walking, recall, and prolonged sit/stays.
Puppy Pick-up!
We do require the full payment after allocation and before your puppy leaves our home. Payment is received via direct bank transfer, interac e-transfer, or cash. Receipts will be provided.
We will have puppy packs that include a puppy collar of your choice, a blanket with mom's scent, a soft toy to snuggle with, vet information, and food to get your puppy started at home.
We will set a Saturday for pick-up. We feel it is kinder for the puppies to all go home on the same day.
Let us know!
No question is too big or too small! We loved these puppies first and are more than happy to help!
We love updates! We would love to know how our puppies are doing, and we love getting picture updates!