Are you considering adding one of our fur babies to your family? Here's an overview of what the process looks like, so you know what to expect.
Pricing
Australian Shepherds (standard): $1,200 limited registration (pet price) + sales tax (Ohio 5.75%) regardless of gender or color. If you would like to have breeding rights, an additional $500 will be added to the base price ($1700 total).
Older puppies/adults: Any older puppies or adults will be priced on an individual/situational basis. If you see an older puppy or adult available that you are interested in, please contact us for pricing.
What is included with the puppy? All of our puppies are dewormed regularly and will have received any age appropriate shots before going to their forever home. We will provide you with a schedule showing what vaccinations and dewormings your puppy has received. All of our puppies will undergo a full physical by a licensed veterinarian at 7 weeks of age. We give a health guarantee with each of our puppies, which provides for any life threatening illness the puppy may have contracted while under our care, as well as any genetic defect which could shorten or alter the quality of the dog's life. We also send home a goodie bag with each puppy which includes a sample of NutriSource Grainfree puppy food, a blanket, favorite toy, training tips and registration information so that the puppy can have an easy transition. Lastly, but definitely not least, we are here to offer a lifetime of support for any questions, issues or needs that may arise regarding your puppy. Welcome to the RFCC Australian Shepherds Family! Our private Facebook group is a fun place for families of our fur babies to connect and see their puppy's siblings grow. Please note that this group is ONLY for families who have a deposit or have purchased one of our puppies. All other member requests will be denied.
Why do you charge what you do? You probably have an idea of how much money you want to spend on a puppy, but whether you do or not I'm guessing you wonder why the extreme range of pricing from different breeders. We are dedicated to raising healthy puppies, and that can be quite an expensive standard to have. We are working towards the health testing of all our adult dogs and we are constantly looking for ways that we can improve what we do. All of which takes a significant amount of time and money. Keep in mind as you search for puppies that you do indeed get what you pay for most often. When you purchase a puppy from us you can be confident that we have worked hard to earn every penny that we charge for our fur babies, and that we are proud to stand behind the health and quality of each dog that comes from our kennel.
Sales tax?? Yes, by law the sale of puppies in Ohio is a taxable transaction, and we are required to collect 5.75% sales tax on all puppies sold, whether they are staying in Ohio or going out of state.
Deposits
Why place a deposit on a puppy? If you have your heart set on one of our fur babies, there are a number of reasons why you would want to place a deposit. Putting a deposit down will guarantee that we have a puppy reserved just for you. No one else will be able to take it from you! Often our puppies are reserved before they are even born, or old enough to go home. Placing a deposit will allow you to make sure you get the puppy you want. By waiting until after the litter has arrived, or is ready to go home, you may miss out on the puppy that is right for your family.
How does placing a deposit work? A deposit is a payment of $300 towards the total purchase price of your puppy. This can be paid by cash, Venmo, or PayPal. The PayPal link is located at the bottom of our "Puppy" page. The deposit is your way of saying "We want to be a part of the RFCC Australian Shepherd Family!" and it is our guarantee to you that we will provide you with a healthy, happy, furry new family member! The specifics of placing a deposit will depend on what stage of life the puppies are at when you are placing the deposit.
-Unborn- If the puppy you would like to place a deposit for has not yet been born, your deposit will reserve your spot in an order of choice once the puppies are born. Please fill out the RFCC Deposit Contract Form. Our process once a deposit is placed is that your information will be recorded on our deposit list. The list will move from litter to litter with deposits dropping off as selections are made. The deposits at the beginning of the list will have first selection and selections will continue down the list in the order they were placed. Selections of puppies for those on the deposit list are required by 5-6 weeks of age. The choice can be made to wait until a later age, but the puppy will not be placed on hold/pending. We understand that gender and/or color preferences may change as litters arrive and for that we do give leniency and allow a deposit to change their preferences. However, we ask that you do give us a good indication of your potential preferences so that we may give accurate wait times for future deposits. All deposits are non-refundable except in special circumstances (please see "Refunds/What if I change my mind?" and "What if the gender/color I want is not available?" for more info on our refund policy).
-Newborn/Unweaned- If the litter you are placing a deposit for has already been born, but other families with deposits on that litter have not yet chosen a specific puppy, you will need to specify a gender/color at the time you place your deposit by completing the RFCC Deposit Contract Form, and then wait until it is your turn to pick out your puppy. Your deposit will not be refunded for any reason.
-Weaned/Older- If all families with deposits have chosen their puppies, and you are placing a deposit for one of the remaining puppies in the litter, we ask that you specify which puppy your deposit is going towards within 48 hours of placing the deposit. Your deposit will not be refunded for any reason.
What if the gender/color that I want is not available? Many families have a preference when it comes to the gender and/or color of their puppy, and if you are placing a deposit for an unborn litter you may be worried that you won't get the gender and/or color you would like. Ultimately, we don't get to decide or even influence how many males or females and color variations there will be in any litter, but our main concern is to provide you with a puppy that is healthy and well suited to your family. We encourage you to tell us ahead of time if you would prefer one gender and/or color variation over the other. All of that being said, if you have placed a deposit and the gender and/or color variation that you wanted is not available for you, you will be presented with the following: Option 1) Apply your deposit towards the opposite gender. Boys and girls alike are all wonderful, and we think that you will love any of our babies! But, we also understand having your heart set on something specific.... Option 2) You may apply your deposit in full towards any other puppy/litter we have available at that time or in the future. We will gladly talk through our anticipated litters and estimated time frames to figure out which upcoming litter will be suitable for your family. We will not refund a deposit if there are one or more puppies available from the litter, but you decide not to go through with the adoption due to gender or any other reason.
Refunds / What if I change my mind? We all know that life happens, you change your mind, find a puppy somewhere else, etc... The way this works is that a deposit is your promise to us as much as it is our promise to you. It's our promise to raise and care for a healthy puppy for your family the best we know how to do, and to walk with you through the entirety of your dog's life from conception to the very end. For us that doesn't just start when the puppy is born, or even when the puppy is conceived, but from the time that the parents of your puppy came under our care and every day since then. Another aspect of it begins the moment you first reach out to us as we help you navigate through this exciting step in your life and how that will look for your family. A deposit is also your promise to us, to care for the puppy that we have labored to provide you with. We take our promises seriously and invest an incredible amount of time into our puppies and their prospective families. If after placing a deposit you decide not to go through with the adoption process, your deposit will not be refunded. There are rare cases in which we refund a deposit, and those cases are strictly limited to us not being able to provide the puppy that we promised to you. The best example would be in the case of a miscarriage. In the case where there is no puppy available to you from the litter you placed the deposit for, your deposit can be fully refunded or transferred to any future litter.
Ok, I placed a deposit. Now what? If you have placed a deposit on an unborn litter, or a litter that is too young to go to their forever homes yet, this means that you have some time to prepare for your new family member. It is a good time to research methods of training, puppy classes in your area, line up a dog walker, buy necessary supplies, or whatever else you need to do to prepare your family for a puppy. Maybe it will be planning a big surprise for your kids! We love the excitement of this time of waiting. Of course you will be updated by us with pictures of your growing baby!
Choosing Your Puppy
Which one do we pick?! Here is how the picking process will work. Families with deposits typically start choosing their puppies around 5 weeks old. By this time they are very well developed into what they will look like and starting to show glimpses of their personality. Puppies will be chosen by order of deposit and specific to whichever gender/color the deposit holder has chosen. You may choose your puppy online through pictures, videos, and any descriptions of the puppies that I can relay to you from what I am able to observe. You are also welcome to come for a visit if that is a feasible option for you. If you would like to choose in person, you will be allowed to come only once the puppies reach 5 to 6 weeks of age. If you have a deposit, you must select your puppy by 6 weeks so the other available puppies can find their forever families.
Visiting Us
We love company! You are more than welcome to schedule a visit to our farm, to meet us and our furry companions! We would love to meet you and show off our fur babies! Before you schedule your visit there are a couple "FYI's" to keep in mind.
-Two of our reference sires are owned by other families. This means that they are owned and cared for by their own wonderful families and if you visit you might not get to meet them. If you are coming to visit and either one of the parent dogs of your puppy will not be available to meet, we will let you know ahead of time.
-Young puppies are very vulnerable to infections and diseases. Due to the delicacy of our young puppies, and how important it is for us to preserve their health and well-being, we do not allow visitors to meet or interact with the puppies until they are 5 - 6 weeks old.
Bringing Your Puppy Home
How should I prepare? The day has finally arrived!! You get to bring your fur baby home forever! When the puppies are about 5-6 weeks old we will begin scheduling take home dates. The take home date will be on or shortly after the day the puppy turns 8 weeks old. We are available any day of the week. If you are traveling alone, you will want to bring a pet carrier for the puppy to ride home in, otherwise they should travel best on a passenger's lap or on the seat beside another passenger. You will also want to bring a leash, as well as some paper towels and a plastic bag. You will also need to bring cash or a personal check for the balance due on the puppy, plus sales tax, or through PayPal prior to pick-up.
What should I expect? When you arrive, your puppy will be excited to see you and ready to go home! We will take time to go over the puppy's vet records and our RFCC Puppy Contract Form. I allow plenty of time in my schedule when you come so that you don't feel rushed and can ask as many questions as you have. I will send you home with a sample of NutriSource Grainfree puppy food, all of the puppy's health information, a receipt for your payment and a copy of our contract and health guarantee.
What if I can't pick up my puppy right away? Our hope is that if you placed a deposit on a puppy, you will be able to take the puppy home within 1 week of the puppy turning 8 weeks old. If you need us to hold your puppy for you longer than 7 days, we will be obligated to charge $25 per week, beginning the 8th day after the deposit was placed, plus $12 if an additional vaccination was required during that time. We want our puppies to be placed in their forever homes as quickly as possible so they can begin adjusting to their new life, and the older they get the more of our time and attention they require. If you place a deposit on an older puppy that is already over 8 weeks, we will allow 3 days for you to pick up the puppy and begin charging $25/week on the 4th day, as well as $12 for any additional shots that are needed.
Do you ship or deliver? If you live too far away to come personally pick up your puppy, there are many safe and convenient options for getting the puppy to you, and we would be happy to talk through all of those options with you! Many families opt for flying out and bringing the puppy home with them on the plane. An 8-10 week old puppy (or even older) can be safely and quite easily transported as your personal carry-on for a flight. We will gladly meet you at the airport with your puppy! (The Toledo Express Airport, Swanton, OH and DTW, Detroit MI are the nearest convenient airports to us). This has become increasingly popular, and has been a great option for many of our families! If flying is not the best option for you, we can drive to meet you part way at a location that is more convenient for you. If we drive to deliver a puppy we charge $1 per mile from our home to the place where we meet (not round trip). If you are purchasing or interested in one of our puppies and have concerns about getting your puppy home, please contact us. We would be glad to help you make travel arrangements for your new fur baby!
Anything we didn't cover? Just ask! We would be happy to chat with you!
Also see our Contract and Puppy Tip Sheet below:
- Puppy Contract Document
- RFCC Puppy Tips
Australian Shepherds (standard): $1,200 limited registration (pet price) + sales tax (Ohio 5.75%) regardless of gender or color. If you would like to have breeding rights, an additional $500 will be added to the base price ($1700 total).
Older puppies/adults: Any older puppies or adults will be priced on an individual/situational basis. If you see an older puppy or adult available that you are interested in, please contact us for pricing.
What is included with the puppy? All of our puppies are dewormed regularly and will have received any age appropriate shots before going to their forever home. We will provide you with a schedule showing what vaccinations and dewormings your puppy has received. All of our puppies will undergo a full physical by a licensed veterinarian at 7 weeks of age. We give a health guarantee with each of our puppies, which provides for any life threatening illness the puppy may have contracted while under our care, as well as any genetic defect which could shorten or alter the quality of the dog's life. We also send home a goodie bag with each puppy which includes a sample of NutriSource Grainfree puppy food, a blanket, favorite toy, training tips and registration information so that the puppy can have an easy transition. Lastly, but definitely not least, we are here to offer a lifetime of support for any questions, issues or needs that may arise regarding your puppy. Welcome to the RFCC Australian Shepherds Family! Our private Facebook group is a fun place for families of our fur babies to connect and see their puppy's siblings grow. Please note that this group is ONLY for families who have a deposit or have purchased one of our puppies. All other member requests will be denied.
Why do you charge what you do? You probably have an idea of how much money you want to spend on a puppy, but whether you do or not I'm guessing you wonder why the extreme range of pricing from different breeders. We are dedicated to raising healthy puppies, and that can be quite an expensive standard to have. We are working towards the health testing of all our adult dogs and we are constantly looking for ways that we can improve what we do. All of which takes a significant amount of time and money. Keep in mind as you search for puppies that you do indeed get what you pay for most often. When you purchase a puppy from us you can be confident that we have worked hard to earn every penny that we charge for our fur babies, and that we are proud to stand behind the health and quality of each dog that comes from our kennel.
Sales tax?? Yes, by law the sale of puppies in Ohio is a taxable transaction, and we are required to collect 5.75% sales tax on all puppies sold, whether they are staying in Ohio or going out of state.
Deposits
Why place a deposit on a puppy? If you have your heart set on one of our fur babies, there are a number of reasons why you would want to place a deposit. Putting a deposit down will guarantee that we have a puppy reserved just for you. No one else will be able to take it from you! Often our puppies are reserved before they are even born, or old enough to go home. Placing a deposit will allow you to make sure you get the puppy you want. By waiting until after the litter has arrived, or is ready to go home, you may miss out on the puppy that is right for your family.
How does placing a deposit work? A deposit is a payment of $300 towards the total purchase price of your puppy. This can be paid by cash, Venmo, or PayPal. The PayPal link is located at the bottom of our "Puppy" page. The deposit is your way of saying "We want to be a part of the RFCC Australian Shepherd Family!" and it is our guarantee to you that we will provide you with a healthy, happy, furry new family member! The specifics of placing a deposit will depend on what stage of life the puppies are at when you are placing the deposit.
-Unborn- If the puppy you would like to place a deposit for has not yet been born, your deposit will reserve your spot in an order of choice once the puppies are born. Please fill out the RFCC Deposit Contract Form. Our process once a deposit is placed is that your information will be recorded on our deposit list. The list will move from litter to litter with deposits dropping off as selections are made. The deposits at the beginning of the list will have first selection and selections will continue down the list in the order they were placed. Selections of puppies for those on the deposit list are required by 5-6 weeks of age. The choice can be made to wait until a later age, but the puppy will not be placed on hold/pending. We understand that gender and/or color preferences may change as litters arrive and for that we do give leniency and allow a deposit to change their preferences. However, we ask that you do give us a good indication of your potential preferences so that we may give accurate wait times for future deposits. All deposits are non-refundable except in special circumstances (please see "Refunds/What if I change my mind?" and "What if the gender/color I want is not available?" for more info on our refund policy).
-Newborn/Unweaned- If the litter you are placing a deposit for has already been born, but other families with deposits on that litter have not yet chosen a specific puppy, you will need to specify a gender/color at the time you place your deposit by completing the RFCC Deposit Contract Form, and then wait until it is your turn to pick out your puppy. Your deposit will not be refunded for any reason.
-Weaned/Older- If all families with deposits have chosen their puppies, and you are placing a deposit for one of the remaining puppies in the litter, we ask that you specify which puppy your deposit is going towards within 48 hours of placing the deposit. Your deposit will not be refunded for any reason.
What if the gender/color that I want is not available? Many families have a preference when it comes to the gender and/or color of their puppy, and if you are placing a deposit for an unborn litter you may be worried that you won't get the gender and/or color you would like. Ultimately, we don't get to decide or even influence how many males or females and color variations there will be in any litter, but our main concern is to provide you with a puppy that is healthy and well suited to your family. We encourage you to tell us ahead of time if you would prefer one gender and/or color variation over the other. All of that being said, if you have placed a deposit and the gender and/or color variation that you wanted is not available for you, you will be presented with the following: Option 1) Apply your deposit towards the opposite gender. Boys and girls alike are all wonderful, and we think that you will love any of our babies! But, we also understand having your heart set on something specific.... Option 2) You may apply your deposit in full towards any other puppy/litter we have available at that time or in the future. We will gladly talk through our anticipated litters and estimated time frames to figure out which upcoming litter will be suitable for your family. We will not refund a deposit if there are one or more puppies available from the litter, but you decide not to go through with the adoption due to gender or any other reason.
Refunds / What if I change my mind? We all know that life happens, you change your mind, find a puppy somewhere else, etc... The way this works is that a deposit is your promise to us as much as it is our promise to you. It's our promise to raise and care for a healthy puppy for your family the best we know how to do, and to walk with you through the entirety of your dog's life from conception to the very end. For us that doesn't just start when the puppy is born, or even when the puppy is conceived, but from the time that the parents of your puppy came under our care and every day since then. Another aspect of it begins the moment you first reach out to us as we help you navigate through this exciting step in your life and how that will look for your family. A deposit is also your promise to us, to care for the puppy that we have labored to provide you with. We take our promises seriously and invest an incredible amount of time into our puppies and their prospective families. If after placing a deposit you decide not to go through with the adoption process, your deposit will not be refunded. There are rare cases in which we refund a deposit, and those cases are strictly limited to us not being able to provide the puppy that we promised to you. The best example would be in the case of a miscarriage. In the case where there is no puppy available to you from the litter you placed the deposit for, your deposit can be fully refunded or transferred to any future litter.
Ok, I placed a deposit. Now what? If you have placed a deposit on an unborn litter, or a litter that is too young to go to their forever homes yet, this means that you have some time to prepare for your new family member. It is a good time to research methods of training, puppy classes in your area, line up a dog walker, buy necessary supplies, or whatever else you need to do to prepare your family for a puppy. Maybe it will be planning a big surprise for your kids! We love the excitement of this time of waiting. Of course you will be updated by us with pictures of your growing baby!
Choosing Your Puppy
Which one do we pick?! Here is how the picking process will work. Families with deposits typically start choosing their puppies around 5 weeks old. By this time they are very well developed into what they will look like and starting to show glimpses of their personality. Puppies will be chosen by order of deposit and specific to whichever gender/color the deposit holder has chosen. You may choose your puppy online through pictures, videos, and any descriptions of the puppies that I can relay to you from what I am able to observe. You are also welcome to come for a visit if that is a feasible option for you. If you would like to choose in person, you will be allowed to come only once the puppies reach 5 to 6 weeks of age. If you have a deposit, you must select your puppy by 6 weeks so the other available puppies can find their forever families.
Visiting Us
We love company! You are more than welcome to schedule a visit to our farm, to meet us and our furry companions! We would love to meet you and show off our fur babies! Before you schedule your visit there are a couple "FYI's" to keep in mind.
-Two of our reference sires are owned by other families. This means that they are owned and cared for by their own wonderful families and if you visit you might not get to meet them. If you are coming to visit and either one of the parent dogs of your puppy will not be available to meet, we will let you know ahead of time.
-Young puppies are very vulnerable to infections and diseases. Due to the delicacy of our young puppies, and how important it is for us to preserve their health and well-being, we do not allow visitors to meet or interact with the puppies until they are 5 - 6 weeks old.
Bringing Your Puppy Home
How should I prepare? The day has finally arrived!! You get to bring your fur baby home forever! When the puppies are about 5-6 weeks old we will begin scheduling take home dates. The take home date will be on or shortly after the day the puppy turns 8 weeks old. We are available any day of the week. If you are traveling alone, you will want to bring a pet carrier for the puppy to ride home in, otherwise they should travel best on a passenger's lap or on the seat beside another passenger. You will also want to bring a leash, as well as some paper towels and a plastic bag. You will also need to bring cash or a personal check for the balance due on the puppy, plus sales tax, or through PayPal prior to pick-up.
What should I expect? When you arrive, your puppy will be excited to see you and ready to go home! We will take time to go over the puppy's vet records and our RFCC Puppy Contract Form. I allow plenty of time in my schedule when you come so that you don't feel rushed and can ask as many questions as you have. I will send you home with a sample of NutriSource Grainfree puppy food, all of the puppy's health information, a receipt for your payment and a copy of our contract and health guarantee.
What if I can't pick up my puppy right away? Our hope is that if you placed a deposit on a puppy, you will be able to take the puppy home within 1 week of the puppy turning 8 weeks old. If you need us to hold your puppy for you longer than 7 days, we will be obligated to charge $25 per week, beginning the 8th day after the deposit was placed, plus $12 if an additional vaccination was required during that time. We want our puppies to be placed in their forever homes as quickly as possible so they can begin adjusting to their new life, and the older they get the more of our time and attention they require. If you place a deposit on an older puppy that is already over 8 weeks, we will allow 3 days for you to pick up the puppy and begin charging $25/week on the 4th day, as well as $12 for any additional shots that are needed.
Do you ship or deliver? If you live too far away to come personally pick up your puppy, there are many safe and convenient options for getting the puppy to you, and we would be happy to talk through all of those options with you! Many families opt for flying out and bringing the puppy home with them on the plane. An 8-10 week old puppy (or even older) can be safely and quite easily transported as your personal carry-on for a flight. We will gladly meet you at the airport with your puppy! (The Toledo Express Airport, Swanton, OH and DTW, Detroit MI are the nearest convenient airports to us). This has become increasingly popular, and has been a great option for many of our families! If flying is not the best option for you, we can drive to meet you part way at a location that is more convenient for you. If we drive to deliver a puppy we charge $1 per mile from our home to the place where we meet (not round trip). If you are purchasing or interested in one of our puppies and have concerns about getting your puppy home, please contact us. We would be glad to help you make travel arrangements for your new fur baby!
Anything we didn't cover? Just ask! We would be happy to chat with you!
Also see our Contract and Puppy Tip Sheet below:
- Puppy Contract Document
- RFCC Puppy Tips