FAQ's
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How do I reserve a puppy and how does the process work?
Under the puppy link here on my website it is a very clear and straight forward process to place your deposit using PayPal or Credit. That $500 deposit will reserve your placement for a pup in one of our next available litters. If there is not an available pup in any of my next litters for any reason your name is moved to my next available litter. There is no guarantee at any point that a certain # of pups will be born or a certain gender, so keep this in mind.
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Can I come and visit your dogs and puppies?
Home visit are always welcomed to our committed buyers upon a pre-scheduled appointment basis.
Pending an incoming new litter, our doors close to outside visitors for a few weeks to keep everyone as healthy and safe as possible.
Once you have been contacted and designated to a certain litter you will be invited in at the 4-wk. mark to take part in an optional group puppy visit. This will give you the opportunity to meet a few of the other families in your litter and to meet and snuggle all the pups. Your individual puppy visit will take place at the 6-wk. mark and is the most important as this will be your puppy selection visit. Both these visits are set to be 1 hour long to make sure the other families have equal time to have fully rested happy bouncy pups to view.
Please keep in mind, these puppies are not ours to risk – they belong to the families that are taking them home and we are just their caretakers for a brief period of time. It is our duty here to keep them as healthy and as safe as we possibly can. If there are any concerns whatsoever about current disease outbreaks or any other similar biosecurity issue or puppy/dog health concerns these visits will be canceled.
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Do you ever have puppies available for adoption immediately?
No, we never have puppies here just waiting for homes. Before breeding, we make sure that each pup has a screened, loving and eagerly awaiting family for them. Usually all our litters are fully reserved at least 6 mths in advance. We have worked incredibly hard at creating a solid program here with a strong connection based extended family that so many people love that we have been blessed with quite a following. Because of this, puppies will need to be reserved at least 6 mths. in advance. At times when we have a bigger litter than expected, I will give you the option to be bumped up to an earlier litter. Also, at times families will bump their reservation further out due to life changes, opening up a puppy placement. Watch my website for these unexpected openings. Keep in mind, this time flies and will be used to get to know you better, for you to do your puppy research, get prepared and to make the end goal just a bit sweeter. I promise, the wait will be worth it!
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How are puppies assigned and how does your puppy selection work?
I absolutely love to help and guide my families in finding their perfect match. This process is a joint effort with input from both parties. Here's how my process works - Once a litter of pups are born and I know how many pups I have to allot to families, you will be contacted and asked if you are ready to be assigned to this litter or would like to be bumped out to the next. I assign families to pups by the date they committed to working with me and what date their deposit came in. I always put breeders choice, service prospect pups and special needs families first and foremost. You will know your placement # from the start but keep in mind this list may shift slightly as sometimes families bump out. This is only a benefit to you. From there we will have many conversations along the way discussing your lifestyle, desires/needs, and what your vision is for this next fur family member. From the very beginning, I note every behavior from every puppy and watch them closely for repeat behaviors. I will get to know these pups extremely well but could never know you well enough to make the final call on what you are truly looking for. We will discuss which pups I think will be best suited for your family through open communication throughout this process. At your 6 wk. visit I will have pre selected 2-3 pups for you to choose from. From there the final selection will be in your hands. My hope is by having input from both parties, everyone will feel involved, respected, heard and excited in being part of selecting this perfect pup. By the end of this visit you will know who will be your forever after pup.
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Can I request a certain gender of pup?
No, I do not take in gender specific reservations. This opens up the option for you to find the right pup from the whole litter and not be restricted to one gender. This is a huge benefit to you and in no way a downside. You will be free to change your mind on gender if you so choose up to the 6 wk. mark. If you have a gender preference by all means let me know and together we can try our best to select your gender you hoped for. Please know, there is no way for me to guarantee the genders of pups or how many of each will show up.
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What all is included in the adoption of one of your pups?
Everything listed under our puppy page + lifetime breeder support, endless Golden love, and unimaginable immense joy in to your hearts and home.www.hoekemahomesteadgoldens.com/puppies
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Are deposits refundable?
A puppy deposit here is non-refundable. The process to get a pup into your home starts years before that pup is yours. I pour endless hours and effort into my program here to ensure the healthiest and happiest dogs to be able to bring to you all the best pups possible. This process starts long before even a dam is considered for breeding. Multiple trips to health clinics, Vet offices, evaluation specialists, stud owners homes, and more are all poured into each dog here. I spend countless hours of my time getting to know each individual family I work with to make sure they feel 110% confident in their decision moving forward with us here. I make sure each puppy has a solid and committed family to take it in before they are even conceived. This all ties into the non-refundable deposit amount. Please be all in before placing your deposit so both parties feel confident and secure that this puppy will have the home it very much deserves in the end.
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Do you ship puppies?
No, we do not ship puppies but you are more than welcome to fly in to pick up your pup in person and show documentation that you are going to fly pup back in cabin. I have had multiple families have perfect success with flying their pup back home to many different states. Another option is to have one of my trusted team members here deliver pup to you as a puppy nanny. There is a delivery fee associated with this service.
Can I buy a pup from you if I live in Canada?
Unfortunately, as of Aug. 1st 2024 it is now required that all puppies and dogs be at least six months of age, have all vaccines on board, be microchipped, have an export document signed by a licensed veterinarian and have a CDC dog import form. Unfortunately, this makes an 8 wk. old puppy adoption through us impossible.
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Do you ever have older dogs available for adoption?
Yes, we occasionally have older puppies and dogs returned to us here that our families can no longer care for. I also retire my breeding girls out once they are finished their time here with us. If you are interested in an older dog adoption, please contact me to get placed on this list as once these dogs come back to me the turn over is almost immediate.
Will I get updates and photos of my puppy as it grows up?
I write a blog every week with updates and photos that gets posted to my website of new news happening around here. From notification of heat cycles, breeding’s, pregnancies, births and puppy updates. If you sign up to my mailing list at the bottom of the front page of my website you will receive these notifications in your email. You will also get added to a WhatsApp group chat once you are assigned a litter. This is a more personal platform so you are connected to each and every family in your litter. This is extremely beneficial for future support, not to mention future playdates/puppy sitting with your local littermates! It is also a quick and easy way for me to send out photos to everyone all at once within a litter. I flood this group chat each and everyday with new puppy photos.
What kind of training will my puppy come with?
Individual crate training will be started and well established by the time pup goes home to you. They have spent endless hrs. in their crates and will have learned that it's a great place to be. Your pup will be capable of sleeping a solid 8 hrs. throughout the night without having to get up to go potty soon after going home to you. Daily potty training will also be started and well established. Patience, contentment, search and find, confidence and water training have also been started. Exposures and desensitization training take place daily. As long you continue in my practices of what I have started here you should be well on your way to success in your training journey.
How big will the puppies be?
All our puppies go out the door around the 10 lb. range. They will fill out and continue to grow for 2 full yrs. Males will end up being around 70-75lbs and females around 65 lbs.
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How many puppies are usually in a litter?
On average our litters have 7-12 pups.
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What Brand of dog/puppy food/supplements do you recommend?
We feed and recommend Diamond Naturals Large Breed Lamb & Rice dog/puppy to all our dogs and puppies here. You can purchase this at any feed store, Chewy or Amazon. Make sure you buy a bag of this food before your pup comes home.
We also supplement all our dogs and litter of pups with NUVET supplements. Both the daily supplement and Joint supplements. All our dogs have benefited highly from this product and wouldn’t ever raise another dog without it. I bottle of this supplement is required to be purchased with your new pup as it has raised the level of success and lowered the digestive stress during the puppy transitional stage. Here is my Breeder link for this product. www.nuvet.com/521409
Can I contact you if I have questions along the way?
I welcome any and all communication and love every single family that contacts me. Feel free to call, text or email me anytime.
or
hoekemahomesteadgoldens@gmail.com
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