Pumpkin Hill Farms Puppy Policies
Choosing Your Puppy
We do things a little differently here at Pumpkin Hill
Catahoulas, so I wanted to take a moment to explain our puppy picking
process. Most breeders allow, or even require you to
choose a puppy as early as two or three weeks of age.
Puppies are not all the same, and their individual characteristics are
still being established in the early weeks. For this
reason, we prefer to wait until the pups are about 7 weeks old so they
can be evaluated for temperament, conformation and suitability for
work. This enables us to provide you with the
information needed to make an informed decision, rather than basing
your choice on the color and cuteness. The flipside is
that you will have to make your decision quickly, between the ages of
7 and 8 weeks.
From whelping to delivery, we will keep you updated and be available
by phone or email to answer any specific questions. At about 7
weeks old, we will send you a detailed profile of each available
puppy (see note below) and post updated photos.
By the time the puppies are eight weeks old, you will need to provide
us with you first choice, and possibly second, third and fourth
choices, depending on your position on the waiting list, and your
willingness to accept other puppies. (If your first choice
pup is the only pup you will accept, do not list
a second or third choice)
We will go down the waiting list in order, reserving pups based on
each depositor’s selections. Your first choice pup will
be reserved for you if it has not been chosen by an earlier
depositor. If your first choice pup is unavailable,
your second choice pup will be reserved for you, and so on.
If none of the puppies you have chosen is available, your deposit will
be refunded.
Once pups have been reserved, deposits will not be
refunded. You will be expected to make full payment
and take delivery of your pup within 10 days (unless mutually
agreed otherwise).
Note Concerning Availability: We reserve the right to
remove any puppy from availability for any reason. This may
include, but is not limited to: holding back an exceptional
puppy for placement in a qualified show home or placement in close
proximity for future breeding access; or restricting placement of a
puppy with special needs, health or temperament issues to a suitable
home.
Taking Delivery
You will be expected to pick up your puppy from our
home near Jacksonville, Florida between eight and nine weeks of age,
unless mutually agreed upon otherwise. Puppies held beyond nine
weeks must be paid for in full and may be subject to a reasonable
boarding fee.
We can ship a puppy to most destinations serviced by Delta Air Cargo.
Puppies can only be shipped during moderate weather conditions, which
may cause delayed delivery and incur boarding fees. There are also
additional expenses incurred when shipping a dog, to include airfare,
the purchase of a crate, and travel expenses to the airport.
These expenses must be paid in advance.
Note: We reserve the right to
refuse delivery of a puppy if we become aware that the prospective new
owner or home is unsafe, inhumane or otherwise inadequately prepared
for the challenges of catahoula ownership.
Health Guarantee
All puppies are examined by our veterinarian and
guaranteed to be healthy and sound when they leave our premises.
We will provide you with a detailed record on your puppy to include
worming and shot records. Puppies will have two sets of shots,
vaccinating against Canine Distemper, Adenovirus, Parainfluenza and
Parvo. Pups will be on a regular worming schedule using Pyrantel
Pamoate, and will be started on Heartworm Preventative Medication.
We selectively breed to reduce the prevalence of hip dysplasia and
other genetic disorders. Most such disorders are polygenetic and
cannot be completely eliminated from any bloodline, despite our best
efforts. If your pup is diagnosed with hip dysplasia by the age
of 26 months (as confirmed by O.F.A. or Penn Hip), or found to be
bilaterally deaf (as confirmed by Baer testing) we will replace your
dog with a pup of comparable quality from a future litter.
Other health and soundness issues will be handled on a case-by-case
basis. We are committed to work together with you in good faith to
resolve any problem in a manner that is fair to all parties involved.
Note: It is your responsibility to provide routine
preventative health care, as well as proper feeding and exercise to
maintain a healthy fitness level as the puppy develops to adulthood.
Obesity and overly rapid growth due to improper feeding can contribute
to the development of hip dysplasia and other disorders.
Evidence of a lack of proper care may void this guarantee. Pups
found to be in an inadequate or unhealthy environment will not be
replaced.
Registration
The AKC (American Kennel Club) does not recognize
Catahoulas as a breed. Puppies are registered with NALC
(National Association of Louisiana Catahoulas), the primary breed
registry. You will be provided with a blue puppy registration
paper which you send in to NALC with a nominal fee to register your
puppy with a name of your choosing. NALC will mail your gold
registration certificate directly to you. By virtue of
their NALC registration, puppies are eligible to participate in NALC
and ACA (American Catahoula Association) events, and are also eligible
for registration with UKC (United Kennel Club) and ARBA (American Rare
Breed Association).
Note about “Pet/Working Quality” pups: Puppies who
don’t meet our high standards due to faults or other issues will be
placed with restricted papers, and an agreement that they will not be
bred. These puppies may still be registered with NALC and
receive a gold certificate, but a “Pet Only” designation will be
included. They are also not eligible for UKC registration.
These puppies usually display minor cosmetic faults and make very good
pets or working dogs. They are not eligible to compete in NALC
conformation classes. If bred, their offspring will NOT be eligible
for registration through NALC or UKC.
