Desert Dawg Beagles

Frequently Asked Questions

        Q.   How often do you have puppies available?

        A.     At Desert Dawg Beagles we have a breeding program planned for several generations ahead of what we have today. This means that we breed only when we are ready to add another dog to our kennel to meet our objectives for our show/breeding stock. Of course, we have more puppies than we can keep from each litter which is the reason for offering puppies for sale to pre-qualified homes. Generally, we breed once a year.

Q.  How can we get on your  puppy list?                                                                                                      

 A.  You can call or email us to start the interview process.  If we “connect” in the initial discussion, I will place your name on the puppy list. After that time, we request that you visit the kennel to meet our Desert Dawg Beagles in person and give us the opportunity to get to know one another.  We do not ask for a deposit because we generally have a waiting list.

Q.  Why do we need to visit the kennel?                                                                                                 

A.  Sometimes people think Beagles are bigger/smaller or quieter/noisier etc. than what they experience when they visit our kennel. It is crucial that people interact with the Beagles so that we can see if their temperaments are going to be a good mix with a Desert Dawg Beagle.

We are proud of our dogs’ temperaments and encourage the whole family to visit. We have Dawgs that love to play ball. We have Dawgs that just want to get loved. They are trained for the show ring and they are all very friendly and loving. They give great kisses!

Visiting our kennel also helps a prospective puppy owner get to know the puppy’s parents and get involved with the pregnancy and subsequent birth of the puppies.  You will see our “family room/whelping room/puppy rearing room” where all the real activity of giving birth to your puppy and rearing it to 9-10 weeks takes place. You will see that we have our living space in the middle of all the puppies activities so that they are accustomed to televisions, vacuum cleaners, washers and dryers, as well as social times that we provide to the puppies with visitors throughout their lives.

Q.  What is the process after we are “approved”?                                                                            

 A.  When you make your visit to the kennel, you will be introduced to the mother and father of the upcoming litter. Once the pair are bred you will be invited to visit mom during her pregnancy, you will receive updates and photos of her pregnancy and photos of the newborn puppies. As the puppies grow, you will get weekly photos and reports.

Q.  When do we get to select our puppy?                                                                                              

 A.  We have our “Meet & Greet Days” at 3 weeks of age and at 6 weeks of age. At this time you will be able to meet the puppies and start to get to know them. We make our actual selection for show puppies at 8 weeks but we often start to earmark puppies for certain buyers before that. Through our initial conversations and visits, we come to understand your personality and preferences and we do our best to match the right puppy to the right family.  After the 8 week “show” evaluations that we have done by other breeders, we will be able to identify which puppy will be going to which home.

We also will begin to call your puppy by the name you have chosen so that you will be able to call the puppy right away when you get home. This helps you bond even more quickly when you get your puppy home.

The “Meet & Greet Days” also help you to know other puppy buyers that can help you connect with our greater “Desert Dawg” family in years to come!

Q.  How old are the puppies when they come home?                                                                         

 A.  We allow the puppies to go home at 9-10 weeks, depending upon the litter. We have a complete veterinary examination and the puppy’s first shots at 8 week. We believe it is important to give the puppies a week after their first shot to gain some immunity prior to going to their new home.

We also watch our puppies closely and know when they are ready to start to bond with their new human family. It is a subtle shift that one sees when they really know their dogs.  At 9-10 weeks the puppies will settle in with very little need to worry about “separation anxiety”.

Also, by 9-10 weeks of age we have taught the basics of No!  and No Bite! And the puppies are pretty good about tinkling on paper to assist you with housebreaking.

Q.  What kind of support do you provide after we take our puppy home?                                    

 When you take your puppy home you will have a “Care of Your Desert Dawg Beagle Puppy” packet with you. This will contain the puppy’s AKC registration form, the puppy’s four generation pedigree, your contract (discussed later) and our puppy care booklet. You will receive information about contacting us at home or on our cell. By the time you take your puppy home, we will be very well-connected with you and you will be accustomed to e-mailing us on a frequent basis! We will always call you within 24 hours of your phone call to us (sometimes we are away at dog shows).

Q.  What does your contract say?                                                                                                                

A.  Our contract protects you and it protects us. You may ask for a copy of our contract prior to purchasing a puppy from us. If your veterinarian finds that your puppy is sick or has a congenital problem the first week after purchase, you may return the puppy for a full refund. We also ask that if you cannot keep the dog at any time during its life, you return the dog to us. Please feel free to request a copy of our contract if you desire!

Q.  How much will I pay for a Desert Dawg Beagle?                                                                         

A.  A Desert Dawg Beagle puppy is $800. That is the same whether we believe the puppy to be a show or pet quality puppy and whether it is a male or a female. We do not believe in “guaranteeing” a 9-10 week old puppy to finish its championship. We put the same amount of love and care into EACH of our puppies because we believe that being a loving part of your family is equally important to having a great ring career!

Sometimes we have an older puppy that we may be willing to sell as a show dog that will cost more money. At times, we have a puppy that did not turn out to be a show dog and we will sell that older puppy, complete with all of its shots, for $600.

Occasionally, we have an older Beagle that has had its show career and it is ready for a forever home just to be loved. Most of the time, these wonderful Beagles go to people who already have a Desert Dawg Beagle and have proven themselves to be great homes for our Dawgs!

       Q.   Can we call the people you

        quote on your website?

A. Yes! We ask our Desert Dawg Beagle family of owners for permission to use quotes from our emails and photos they send on our website. With that permission they also allow us to give their email addresses and phone numbers out to potential buyers.  We encourage you to speak with different people to learn even more about raising a Desert Dawg Beagle puppy and what support the owners receive from us.

Q.  WHAT NEXT?                                                                                                                                                

A.  Please feel free to email us or call to connect with us and start the process of you becoming one of the Desert Dawg Beagle family members!

Dr. Susan D. Sammarco

suesammarco@desertdawgbeagles.com

Home: 928.999.1075

Cell: 928.499.8426