When to Place a Deposit

If you are on a search for your next furry companion, a deposit is part of the process. You might be wondering what the best timing is to place a deposit. Take a look at the options and the benefits of each to see what is the best fit for you.

An important element of being an ethical dog breeder is to produce puppies that have loving homes waiting for them. Deposits help breeders make sound choices as they make plans for breeding. Deposits for me also help establish a good breeder/puppy buyer relationship. The time between placing the deposit and adoption of the puppy gives me time to help you prepare for success to be ready to train your puppy to be a great addition to your home.

Placing a deposit with a breeder means that you have selected the breeder as the one from whom you will adopt your next puppy. A deposit is placed AFTER you have done your research to be sure we are the right fit. To help, here is a checklist:

Early-bird Deposit:

An "Early-Bird" Deposit is when you place a deposit BEFORE a litter is born.

Benefits:

Qualify for the "Early-bird" discount. Anyone who places the deposit before the litter is born will receive $100 off the final price of the puppy. This is to say thank you for your trust in our program.
You will be higher on the pick list.
You have more time to prepare for the puppy.
I can better plan breeding pairs and timing.
The early-bird deposit is 75% refundable. (Deposits after puppies are born are non-refundable, but transferrable if needed.)

Drawback:

I can't special order the genders in a litter to match what each deposit holder is looking for. For example, what if you want a girl and I have a litter of all boys? Or, what if the planned pregnancy did not take? While the chance of these circumstances are small, they could happen. If I can't offer you a puppy in the gender you were hoping for, you can 1) consider the other gender, 2) defer to the next litter, or 3) receive a 75% refund on your early-bird deposit ($375 out of the $500).

Deposit (after puppies are born):

If you place your deposit AFTER the puppies are born:

Benefits:

You know the number of puppies, genders, and colors available in the litter.

Drawbacks:

You miss out on the $100 early-bird discount.
You may be lower on the pick list.

Which option is right for you?

You get to decide! Hopefully explaining the options to you with the pros and cons will help you know when you are ready.

I highly recommend an early-bird deposit if you:

are looking for a puppy as a potential service dog.
would like full AKC registration for a prospective breeding dog.
have a specific size preference. IE: The puppy most likely to mature the smallest.
have a specific color that you really, really want.