Ninebark Aussies Contracts
Companion
Most puppies in a litter will be best suited to a companion or performance home, depending on temperament and drive. Companion puppies are available from Ninebark Aussies on a spay/neuter contract with a health guarantee and lifetime support. Companion puppies are $3000, due to ever rising costs in all areas, from stud fees, food, and especially vet care.
Show/Breeding
We rarely sell show/breeding prospects and we do not ship overseas.
Ninebark Aussies Puppy Policy
How Do I Get a Ninebark Aussies Puppy?
Ninebark Aussies puppies and dogs are available to approved homes only. Preference is given to homes experienced with dog ownership, preferably herding breeds or breeds that require strong leadership. We do not consider the Australian Shepherd to be a suitable entry level breed for most people.
Preference is given to homes willing to adhere to healthy lifestyle practices, such as:
• following the Dr. Jean Dodds DVM 2014 Vaccination Protocol
• spaying/neutering as late as possible to avoid complications such as spay incontinence
• minimal administration of chemicals, such as flea/tick, heartworm, and other agents
• avoiding pet obesity
• excellent nutrition
Ninebark Aussies requires a $200 non-refundable deposit to reserve a puppy. This deposit will be deducted from the purchase price of the puppy and is non-refundable.
You can expect some email correspondence and a telephone conversation as part of the interview process to help both parties determine whether it's a good fit. Ninebark encourages a visit to our premises if possible. References from Ninebark puppy owners are available.
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What's the Process?
Ninebark puppies are placed based on suitability and purpose, rather than by color and/or gender. While we understand that you may have a specific colour or gender preference, and we do try to accommodate preferences if possible, it's not our primary concern when matching owners and puppies. Puppies are evaluated at 7-8 weeks of age for temperament and structure and from there, we determine what type of home each individual puppy is best suited for. Because of this, we cannot guarantee a particular puppy's availability before 8 weeks of age. Please note that show prospects are selected first from a litter and companion prospects are selected after this. If this is a struggle for a potential home to wait until 8 weeks of age, we encourage finding a breeder with different placement standards and procedures. Ninebark reserves the right to not place a puppy in a home for whatever reason.
How Much?
Companion pups are $3000, due to ever rising costs in all areas, from stud fees, food prices, and especially veterinary services. Veterinary care and services are now exorbitant, hugely adding to the cost of producing and raising a litter over 8 weeks. Just to get a female bred in 2023 cost me $4300 CAD. Did you know that a gestational ultrasound is now over $400? Vets now charge $300 just to inject microchips? Over $1000 to do first shots for a litter of 8? Over $1000 to check puppy eyes? One bag of dog food is now $100, and we go through many of those over 2 months. The list goes on, we are barely scratching the surface of costs, and don't even factor in our time, effort, sleepless nights, and more. We are not gouging on puppy prices, we are trying to not lose our shirts. The alternative is cutting corners to control costs, and we prefer to stop breeding instead of compromising on our standards.
What Will I Get With a Ninebark Aussies Puppy?
Most importantly, you get 20 years of breeding experience, a demonstrated track record in all facets of dog breeding and matching to suited homes, high ethical standards, and lifetime support.
All pups are registered with CKC and are eligible to be registered with ASCA and AKC; are vet checked at 8 weeks; are microchipped; receive their first set of immunizations (Distemper and Parvo) no earlier than 8 weeks; are wormed a minimum of four times with Strongid T; have their eyes checked by a board-certified canine ophthalmologist before they leave to check for inherited eye problems. We encourage keeping in touch, via FaceBook, emails, telephone, and puppy reunions.
Puppies are home-raised. Beginning at 6 weeks they are exposed to a variety of sights, sounds, textures, and other animals on our 23 acres. This means that they will start their lives well handled and socialized. Puppies are temperament tested in different situations and environments to help us assess their approach to the world.
For more information, reach out to Ninebark Aussies on the Contact page.