**Last Updated: June 19, 2008 **
DUE TO THE LARGER NUMBER OF PEOPLE asking to be notified about available puppies than the actual number of such puppies, we can no longer accept application forms from people who wish to be on a "waiting/notification list." However, our policies regarding a deposit are as follows...
The deposit is $250 and will be applied to the purchase price of a puppy. Deposits will only be accepted from people who have been pre-screened and who qualify (please see the "Restrictions" list below) to adopt one of our pups.
A deposit is to show a commitment to purchase. Please think carefully before sending a deposit. If you decide not to purchase a puppy, your deposit will be forfeited. All deposits are non-refundable.
In the event that the puppy you've chosen is critically injured or dies before you come to pick him up, you will get the next available puppy.
The adoption fee is the purchase price of the puppy, minus the $250 deposit.
Deposits and final payments must be made in the form of either a cashier's check, money order, or cash... there will be absolutely no exceptions! To make a deposit, print out and complete the Deposit Form & mail it to us along with your payment.
People who submit a deposit will be either e-mailed or notified any time when there are available puppies. If more than one person wants the same pup, the breeder will decide who is best suited for that particular puppy. The breeder will take various factors into consideration in this process, including the personality & size of the pup, whether the potential owner's home environment will suit a particular puppy, and how long a person/family has been waiting since they submitted their deposit.
All sold puppies are to be picked up by their 8-week birth date or the weekend immediately following their 8-week birth date, unless prior arrangements have been made with Mulberry Farm owners. It is up to the buyer to contact Mulberry Farm owners for arranging a pickup date/time. Additional time that the puppy is here prior to pickup will be considered board and subsequently billed at $25.00 per day.
* RESTRICTIONS *
- Families with more than one child under 6 years old, unless we can see
- The children interact with our puppies (click to find out why!).
- People who are away from home for more than four (4)
- consecutive hours per day (Click to find out why!)
- Families that already have two (2)* or more dogs in their home.
- *(This is subject to a case-by-case review.)
- People who smoke tobacco (i.e., cigarettes, cigars, and/or pipes)
- People who would need a puppy shipped to them by air; however... OR...
- We, the breeder, reserve the right to cancel the sale of any puppy prior to the pickup date and time set forth by us if it becomes apparent to us that a prospective client is unsuitable for one of our dogs.
We, the breeder, reserve the right to cancel the sale of any puppy prior to the pickup date and time set forth by us if it becomes apparent to us that a prospective client is unsuitable for one of our dogs. General visits to Mulberry Farm are by appointment on weekdays between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. and weekends when no puppies are being picked up (and the weather conditions are favorable).
We will not place our puppies in homes with more than one child under 6 years old, unless we can see the children interact with our puppies. This is both for the safety of the puppy *and* your child(ren).
When the puppies leave our home, they typically weigh between 3 and 5 pounds. Children can easily hurt a small puppy. Even with the best of intentions, accidents happen. Please trust our judgment on this.
These restrictions are made in EVERYONE'S best interest!
The breeder does not sell dogs to people who need to leave the puppy alone all day because a puppy is similar in intelligence and needs to a one- or two-year-old child. To leave a puppy alone all day... either in a crate or enclosed in a room... is similar to leaving a toddler alone in a crib or a room. With no (human) socialization, companionship, or interaction all day, the puppy will be frantic and frightened by the time someone comes home. The caregiver... now home from work... has to cook a meal and take care of many things. There is not enough time to take proper care of a puppy. For example, an 8-12-week-old puppy needs to be taken outdoors or put on paper every few hours to be properly house-trained. At the same time, the puppy needs socializing and obedience training to become a good member of the family. All of these things need to be started immediately... or certainly should be... when the puppy is brought home from the breeder. Young puppies can be waking up and needing to go out at 2 A.M. or 3 A.M., and later will last perhaps from an 11 P.M. walk till 5 or 6 o'clock in the morning. After their "walk," they need at least 30-45 minutes of playtime, then feeding, then "walking" again and more playtime.
We do *not* ship puppies because of the great risks involved
(e.g., extended layovers at airports resulting from stepped-up security), but we WILL refer to some selected breeders in other parts of the country.