Our Puppy Bible
What you need to know when considering a puppy from us
Your Puppy Buying Bible
I get tons of phone calls and emails every week regarding our puppies. This is great for business but I find myself hearing the same questions popping up again and again.This page has been created to help the buyer (YOU) understand the process of buying a puppy from a breeder (US). Our goal is to become well known for the exemplary temperament of our dogs while maintaining the excellent health and international conformation . There is a lot involved in raising and socializing high quality dogs while independently running a business, juggling the family life, and going to the REAL 9-5 job. Browse through the information below and reach out via email or phone with any questions or clarification. We rarely communicate via text message but will be responsive with instagram messages, email, phone calls, and FB messenger. IG is BEST
www.instagram.com/iheartminiaussies
Reserving a Puppy:
We want to get to know you! Submit an application – found at the bottom of the CURRENT PUPPY PAGE. We will make an initial intake phone call within 24 hours or you may reach out to us directly. If you wish to reserve a puppy after the screening phone call, a deposit is required to hold that puppy/place in line.
Deposit:
A $500 deposit holds a specific puppy or a place in line for an upcoming litter. The deposit goes towards the final price of the puppy. A deposit is NON REFUNDABLE unless a puppy passes prior to pick up, or the pregnancy does not succeed. We are very transparent on the health and status of the puppy there will be no surprises! You may transfer your deposit to another puppy or litter prior to 5 weeks of age. This must be done in writing. If it is after 5 weeks you can ONLY transfer $250 towards a future puppy, and the remainder of the deposit is lost.
We only do paperwork/confirmation emails of payment on THURSDAY OR FRIDAYS. If you do not have a confirmation email on payment by saturday morning give us a call on MONDAY morning. Please be kind to us on the weekends for family time and the well earned adult beverage.
Thank you for understanding that being with the dogs and puppies are a priority - NOT PAPERWORK. We have . And also also... I hate sitting at the computer and despise paperwork .
**Placing a deposit on a litter not yet born**
This is extremely common and also the reason why most puppies are marked as reserved. When you submit a $500 deposit via zelle and you will be placed
" in line" for the upcoming litters. You can specify a specific pairing. You are placed in the order the deposit was received. We do not take into consideration what color or gender you are looking for when you are placed in line: Your place is determined by the order the deposit was received. We do not disclose to others what deposit holders preference is (color/gender/ect) but will disclose if WE are considering a puppy from a certain litter. If we have more deposits than puppies we will roll your deposit to the next available litter.
If you are a deposit holder and your litter is born:
- Within 48 hours post delivery we post up newborn photos on INSTAGRAM . We always post to IG first as this is part of the business model (advertising) and also we are excited to share our litter with everyone.
- Deposits holders need to reach out via IG message to get additional photos. We will continue to accept the deposits based on the number of puppies born but we will not allow selection until after 4 weeks old (eyes open at 3 weeks FYI).
- At 4 weeks old we can see eye color, coat, and milestones much easier than as a newborn. Selections are made based on order deposit was received. We as the breeder have the to first pick should we wish to do so.
- If you wish to move a deposit to an available puppy or future litter after 6 weeks of age there will be a $250 transfer fee.
- We do tag you on IG throughout the pregnancy and first 8 weeks of life but it your responsibility to reach out for the additional photos.
- If you don't have instagram... it is time to get an account. We do not text or email photos. We post on IG
Deposit Payment:
Current we only accept ZELLE or bank wire for deposit. We accept Western Union for international clients. ZELLE is a bank to a bank transfer. You can find this option on your online banking (app or computer). Once you submit a payment via zelle it will clear on your end immediately. It will take 1-5 business days on our end. There are various factors on how quickly the payment will clear but because it is NOT always instant we do NOT accept ZELLE for same day pick up (or Fridays).
To send ZELLE to us, use the following information:
Whitney Charisma
floridaaussies@gmail.com
DO NOT PUT IN A PHONE NUMBER WHEN PROMPTED. EMAIL ONLY EMAIL EMAIL PLEEEAAASSEEEEEE
(please make sure the puppy you are reserving is still available – 386-402-1892 or IG message)
To wire transfer: Inquire directly
Final Payment:
CASH at pick up. No check. No money order. No credit card. CASH is KING.
You can also ZELLE or bank wire the final amount but it needs to be done 7 business days prior to pick up. We issue a bill of sale via email within 24 hours of pick up.
Purchase Agreement:
This must be returned prior to pick up via email. No exceptions. See sample copy of contract at the bottom of this page. Do not fill out the water marked contract, we will send you a contract for you to sign once application is on file and deposit is placed.
Visits:
There are no puppy visits prior to pick up. No exceptions. This is for the safety and security of the puppies and the humans involved in raising the babies. Please do not ask as there is no exceptions to this policy. Following us on Instagram will give you the best snap shot of our life raising your puppy.
**If you are someone who MUST meet or choose or visit their puppy prior to reserving them***
WE ARE NOT THE RIGHT BREEDER FOR YOU
There are many other breeders across the United States – please contact one of them. We will NOT be adjusting this policy as this is OUR comfort level in regards to safety.
Pick Up:
Puppy pick up is typically between 8-12 weeks. This is dependent on OUR schedule, the puppies age and development, and the state mandatory final vet visit and health certification. Please understand that the pick up date MAY change. We do not discount or cover your travel expenses if a puppy needs to stay a few extra days or week. We do not allow you to get your deposit back because the pick up has changed. If you have a plane ticket to pick up – make it refundable or transferable! Be flexible as often a delay in puppy pick up is OUT OF OUR CONTROL.
We do puppy pick up at a public location in the Lake Mary Florida area. Everyone picks up directly from us - we do not deliver or meet you halfway. We provide you with the estimated date in your welcome email / personal puppy page. You MUST follow us on Instragram as we provide updates on our STORIES. Do not finalize your plans until you see the confirmation on Instagram. If you need transport please arrange this yourself and let provide us with the information.
Shipping a Puppy: Basics
We often ship puppies to clients out of state or international. We will meet at Orlando (MCO), Sanford (SFB) or Daytona Beach (DAB) airports for a fee. This must be around OUR schedule. We do not meet at the airport on mondays or tuesdays UNLESS it is for cargo shipping first flight of the day (5am drop off). We also do not typically meet between 5pm-7pm due to heavy and dangerous rush hour traffic.
Cargo
The most common way to ship a puppy is cargo transport. This means they will be in an air conditioned designated pet area UNDER the plane. American Airlines is our preferred airline but we have used Delta, United, and Alaska Air. We will arrange cargo shipping. If temperatures are over 86 degrees we can not ship a puppy out of Florida per airline policies.
Flight Nanny
A flight nanny is someone who will transport your puppy personally in the aircraft as a passenger. The puppy stays by the feet or on their lap during the flight. A flight nanny is a separate service and should be arranged by the buyer . A flight nanny is suggested during the hot florida months.
You Fly to Us
Meeting at the airport: we can meet you at the airport if you are flying in and can not rent a car to pick up from us. We will still provide you with a superbill of estimated expenses. Balance must be paid one week prior to pick up.
Shipping a Puppy: Financials
Shipping a puppy is an pricey, tedious and time consuming process. There are additional requirements for transport which means there are additional expenses. Even when using a flight nanny there will be additional expenses compared to picking up the puppy from us at our pick up location. As breeders, we DO NOT cover these expenses. We do charge a fee for service hourly rate. It is $100/hr and the first 1.5 hours are free of charge. Most domestic shipping will not exceed the 1.5 hour time frame.
You are 100% responsible for covering any costs. We provide an estimated Super Bill to you to help you see the possible expenses that may occur. We do not start ANY travel related work until a travel retainer is paid. The retainer is $500 for domestic shipping and $1000 for international shipping. The travel retainer is in addition to the $500 deposit to hold the puppy.
I am going to repeat this again: YOU are 100% responsible for any and all transport costs.No one likes to work for free – especially a breeder who works long days and is on call 24/7. If you plan on shipping a puppy DO NOT ask us to lower the price. We would rather sell the puppy to someone local who can pick up and save us 2-6 hours of our valuable time.
Medical:
When you buy a puppy you are buying a live animal. A breeder’s job is to keep the puppy healthy while building their immune system. We do not expose our puppies to surfaces outside of our house and back yard until they are over 12 weeks old. Our puppies core vaccines at 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and 16 weeks. Rabies at 6 months or later. Puppies are dewormed at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks with FENDABENDAZOLE. We also use a prescription grade dewormer, flea preventative, and heartworm preventative between 6-8 weeks called Sentinel. All puppies will be microchipped with our vet at no cost to you. Your puppy will have a negative fecal examination for worms, parasites, giardia, coccidia, and parvo as stated on the health record. We do have viral coughing that goes around from time to time. Coughing is very common with breeders who keep their dogs living in their house and not a health concern with our vet. Also please understand that while a negative fecal for parasites is only specific to the date, time, and sample at exam. Puppies and dogs naturally have parasites (worms) throughout their lifetime and this is NORMAL. You must deworm a dog multiple times per year especially in the first 12 months. If your puppy has a positive fecal at their first vet visit do not freak out! Use a prescription grade dewormer and follow up with your vet within 4 weeks.
Microchip:
Your dog will have a microchip placed between the top of the neck and the shoulder blades. Please check your vet record at pickup for personal identification number. I recommend verifying the chip number with your vet prior to registering. You can do this at your first well puppy check within 3 days of purchase. Microchips are notorious for wandering and we do not compensate for additional microchipping
https://www.freepetchipregistry.com/
Health Certificate:
All of our puppies have been vet checked, up to date on vaccines, and comes with a written statement and clean bill of health. Any puppy sold in the state of Florida MUST have a health certificate and core vaccines. Core vaccines in FL include: Distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza, parvo, and bordetella ( bordetella is intranasal). Rabies will not be administed on any puppy under 4 months. You will have this document at pick up.
Genetic Health:
We do genetic testing on all of our adult dogs. This information is available to the public. While most of our dogs are 100% clear on the aussie panel there are a few whom are CARRIERS. A carrier means the dog is not affected by the condition therefor there is no health concern for the parent or puppy. We color test many of our breeding dogs for our own benefit and research. It helps us know what coats we will get on potential litters. The color testing is also public knowledge. If you do not see a dog on our public PAWPRINT genetic profile it is because they are Cleared by Parentage, tested by someone else and on their profile, tested by a different reputable company, or testing is pending.
Orthopedic Foundation of Animals (OFA):
OFA is a data base comprised of various health components. Breeders and pet owners may submit their documents to the organization on a voluntary basis. The health checks consist of hip/elbow/patella diagnostics, eye certification exam, hearing exams, blood work, and cardiac clearance. We do participate in OFA recommendations.
Genetic Health Guarantee:
We stand behind the health of our dogs. Every puppy has a one year genetic health guarantee. Please refer to the purchase agreement. We have not had anyone come back to us with a genetic health concern yet.
Spay/Neuter:
Sterilization is the responsibility of the buyer. We recommend waiting until a minimum of 18 months before sterilizing to allow your puppy to fully develop. Many vets will recommend an early spay for the convenience. This is a GARBAGE recommendation and evidence based practice shows that early sterilization can snowball into a variety of health and behavior problems down the line. You will VOID your health guarantee if you spay before age 1. Please do not use this excuse as a reason to "accidentally breed your dog". Be responsible as a pet owner and keep your pet's safety in mind when going through a heat cycle.
Nutrition:
All of our puppies are weaned to RAW diet. This means they will be eating raw meat that has been formulated to provide all the necessary nutrients without any of the processed fillers. This is something we are proud to do. Most people are not familiar with raw diet which is why we transition the puppies to high quality kibble called Life’s Abundance. You must purchase a bag of Life’s Abundance prior to picking up your puppy. Please feed slightly LESS than what is recommended on the bag of dog food. If you notice loose stool cut back! We also recommend the dog shampoo on their website
Click here for your puppy's food. No recalls EVER
Dog Treats:
All of our dog treats are homemade in house. We will send you home with a few treats and you may buy more from us at pick up. We also recommend looking at the Life’s Abundance website as they have high quality treats and chews which will be healthier than what what is sold in major pet stores. Dog treats are different from training treats!
Sleep:
All of our puppies sleep in a play pen at night time. We spend weeks working on noise control and independence away from mom. Your puppy will NOT be crate trained. This is a responsibility you will undertake as a pet owner. Puppies can not hold their bladder through the night until 16 weeks old.
We put puppies to bed between 9-10pm. Puppies take 2-4 naps per day. We keep a pine pellet litter box in the puppies sleeping area for potty training.
Potty:
We potty train our puppies to use an inside litter box. This is NOT cat litter but pine pellets, or horse bedding. We will also use corn cobb or newspaper pellets. You can buy a 40lb bag from tractor supply or a local farm and feed store to continue this technique. Place a thin layer inside a hard plastic bin or rabbit pan. We take our puppies outside for play time and potty after 6 weeks old.
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/tractor-supply-pine-pellet-stall-bedding-40-lb
Bath Time:
Puppy baths are great to do for long term desensitization but the truth is they are not really necessary. In the first few months only bath your puppy when he is dirty. After six months give him a bath 1-2 times per months. We recommend the shampoo from Life’s Abundance as it keeps the healthy oils locked into the skin while giving your puppy a fresh clean smell.
https://lifesabundance.com/Category/Products/Dogs/PetCare/RevitalizingShampoo.aspx?realname=20713014&cat=0&hdr=&Ath=False&crt=2&Category=DogShampoo_v11(Pet_Base)&Sku=101022
Shedding Control:
Australian Shepherds will start to shed around 9-12 months. This is usually their first shedding cycle. To help manage the shedding remember these 3 things:
- Good Diet
- Good hygiene
- Good vacuum
Clicker Training: Youtube Dog Trainer ZAK GEORGE is my favorite
Set your dog up for success by doing daily training. I can not stress this enough. Follow the link below to find short videos on basic puppy tips. We will provide a clicker at pick up and recommend you start SIT and LIE DOWN within the first 24 hours. Not only does it build good manners but it creates a bond between you and your new puppy. Recommend ground hamburger meat for clicker training
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZzFRKsgVMhGTxffpzgTJlQ
Sleep Training:
Puppies do not receive individual crate training while being raised by the breeder. The exception is if they are more than 16 weeks. All of our puppies sleep in a play pen group setting with a potty area. It is YOUR responsibility to transition them your desired sleeping quarters. Most puppies can not hold their bladder through the night until around 16 weeks. We do work on good bedtime manners, noise control, and establishing a routine. Be patient with your new puppy. Night time is the hardest.
Temperament:
The goal is to raise friendly and social puppies. Our focus is temperament and personality. We consistently get wonderful feedback on temperament. Expect a medium drive dog who enjoys the company of humans and is willing to work for treats. We have children and other animals that interaction with the puppies and dogs daily. We are hands on every single
Registration: MINI AND TOY AUSSIES ARE A RARE BREED DOG
Miniature and Toy Australian Shepherds are NOT AKC recognized. They are considered a RARE BREED dog. All of our dogs and puppies and litters are eligible for ASDR paperwork. We are a ASDR verified breeder. This registry specializes to the working/herding group of canines. ASDR is the gold standard registry for mini and toy aussies. AKC IS WORTHLESS TO MINI AND TOY AUSSIE BREEDERS. Any puppy will be eligible for AKC PALS registration which will allow you to compete with your dog in events. This is at your expense and we do not need to submit.
We are very honored to be featured on the ASDR Breeder's Page as a recognized good breeder.
We only provide paperwork with proof of spay/neuter from your vet. You will need to send us the proof of spay as well as $30 via zelle. We will submit everything to ASDR. We reserve the right to be placed as a "co-owner" on the paperwork for purposes of showing/competition/events/recognition. A co-owner does not have legal rights to the dog but receives credit when titles or events are won. If you are buying a puppy at a discounted rate we will not provide you papers.
Breeding Rights:
Not every dog is born to be bred. Not every pet should have a litter / stud. This is a misconception among the general public. Please enjoy your pet for who she is. Take a step back and realize that EVERYONE thinks their dog is the best and therefor should have one litter. THIS IS NOT THE CASE. Do not water down what breeders such as myself have worked so hard at improving. There is much more to breeding that a sweet and friendly dog.
And I am going to be 100% honest with you.....
I do NOT enjoy selling to breeders. I spend 5x longer dealing with a breeder than a pet buyer. I only offer breeding rights to those who EARN it. This is though conformation championships and evaluation, temperment evaluations, health testing, and so on. As breeder stamping my name on the lineage, you must meet my expectations for breeding MY lines.
Please only inquire on breeding rights if you have followed our breeding program extensively. Following on instagram will give you the best look. If you have more than 6 dogs we will NOT sell you a puppy for breeding - small breeders only. I will consider doodle breeders looking for an aussie. I have no problem with a more hypoallergenic version of an aussie - they make wonderful pets and therapy dogs - but both dogs need to be well bred and meeting breeding expectations. I expect your poodle be be championed, conformation correct, and a completed OFA file and pawprint (or other) genetic report.
I will consider co-ownership with newer breeders who would like to be mentored. This option I enjoy 1000x more than breeding rights.
But even so THIS becomes business. It will be a contractual business agreement
Photos and Updates:
The main focus of raising your puppy is not to be a professional photographer or videographer. The most frustrating buyer is the one who wants photos every 3 days. We release new photos every 1-2 weeks. Sometimes it is every 2 weeks. They will be posted to INSTAGRAM . If there is an opportunity for a video it will go to INSTAGRAM. Since our puppies are split up between a few households the photo quality may differ. Videos are NOT standard and and please do not ask to be sent videos. I repeat: I DO NOT SEND VIDEOS TO PUPPY OWNERS. This is way too time consuming and technologically draining on the devices and storage. Message us on instagram if 2 weeks have passed and you havn't seen an update. Nothing will be sent via text message. BY the end of the 8-10 weeks with a litter I get very tired of of taking photos. Follow on IG as you will see videos of your almost ready to go puppy and less photos. www.instagram.com/iheartminiaussies/
Sharing photos:
Only photos with a WATERMARK may be shared. A watermark says CHARISMA STUDIOS in the corner of the photo or @iheartminiaussies. If you do not see this watermark do not share this photo. Photoshoots are time consuming and not something every breeder does. If people break this rules then high quality photos will not be taken anymore. Please just utilize a photo with a watermark!! If you see a photo that you would like to share and it has NO watermark just reach out to me on instagram. Problem solved.
Returning a Puppy:
There are no refunds or returns on puppies. You are buying a family member. Think of puppies like babies: They cry, they don't sleep perfect at night, you need to feed them, change their diapers (accidents), and teach them EVERYTHING!!! On top of that an 8 week old puppy may revert back slightly when arriving in their new home. Patience and commitment are important for your puppy.
Pet Insurance: 30 day coverage accident/incident: Trupanion
This is ZERO cost to you. It covers for the "oopsies" and "uh ohs". Please activate it the day you get your puppy. Please do it ON THE WAY to pick up. Doing it online is the easiest. We will not release the puppy to you until it has been activated. Please refer to the flyer.
Breeder's Pick:
I have added this disclaimer here so people can be fully aware that it is a Breeder's right and honor to keep a puppy back. A Breeder spends countless hours with these puppies and has spent so much time with the parents they picked to breed. A puppy kept back for a breeder is PRICELESS. Making the decision to keep a puppy is not done lightly. There are so many factors that go into the decision and it can't necessarily be put into words. The most important part is temperament. Unfortunately we can't evaluate temperament until 6-8 weeks.
Here is the Most Common Scenario:
If we feel like we want to evaluate a puppy (or multiple pups) we will let deposit holders know this prior to families picking their puppy (usually prior to birth but sometimes it will be within the first few weeks). Before selections are done the puppy (or puppies) will be placed ON HOLD PENDING EVALUATIONS and can not be reserved. If you have a deposit and specifically want the puppy on hold...... we will kindly ask you select another puppy or move to another litter. If we decide to make the puppy available then we will go through our deposit list in order deposits were received. If you were Deposit #1 then we will ask you first. But if you were Deposit #5 you will have to wait to see if someone before you will want to move their deposit to that puppy.
If we keep the puppy then you can keep your current selection or move your deposit to a future litter.
We do not refund a deposit back because we ended up keeping the puppy. As a consumer you must understand this can happen with any litter and Breeder evaluations are common as well as good practice.
The Uncommon Scenario
I will explain this potential scenario but please understand this has NOT yet happened to any family. One time it almost did but I felt so terrible I did not follow through. I'll never forget Puppy Olive from Moon Pie in 2019... that dog looks f&*%^% fantastic. I tried to Trump but holy shit that family came at me with the wrath from hell. And they were right... it was just not right. I have never tried to do again.
But the Uncommon Scenario is called: Trumping. If you were raised in a card playing house you will know from the games Spades that trumping is both good and bad. Trumping occurs when a deposit has been placed on a specific puppy for some time but the Breeder ultimately decides to keep that specific puppy. The Breeder has just trumped the puppy.
No one... I repeat NO ONE wants their puppy to be trumped ( no I am not getting political in here lol) by the breeder. But unfortunately this will happen at some point in my professional career. And I am not the only breeder to contemplate a situation like this. All breeders face this dilemma at some point. But this is your disclosure.... Remember... a breeder can trump any puppy at any given time.
Unfortunately if this happens it is usually after the 6 week mark because as a breeder, evaluations after 6 weeks are more important that color, coat, and eyes. Please keep in mind that the business of breeding is very time consuming and to continue excellent quality we have to make the hard decision to Trump a puppy.
In the event your puppy gets "trumped" you will be offered the option to move the deposit to another available puppy, litter, or received a full refund on the deposit.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
If you have actually read this entire Bible then you are in my Good Book. I appreciate you taking the time to look at this page. It has been written and edited numerous times to provide more information and transparency to a prospective buyer. TA lot of effort has been put into the website and screening process to make both me and you feel confident in giving a puppy a home. As a Breeder I have the responsibility of matching a puppy with a family. These puppies are living, breathing, beautiful creatures. They become your family member and you will never want a life without one. The aussie breed is an AMAZING breed. An aussie forces you to grow as a person and family. You will learn more about yourself than you ever thought you would by taking care of an animal.
Being a breeder is A LOT of work and ethical breeding is a lifelong profession.
Thank you for reading the Bible and we look forward to speaking with you.
Click the instagram logo below to follow up and get updates
Example of health certificate.
this puppy is a little older and has 2 rounds of puppy shots
this puppy is a little older and has 2 rounds of puppy shots
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