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It has always been our policy to meet new owners in person at Timbreblue. Changes to the federal Animal Welfare Act regulations that took effect on Nov. 18, 2013 make it ILLEGAL for pet breeders without a USDA license (requiring a very expensive commercial kennel operation) to ship pets unless they have four or fewer intact females and never do rescue. We comply fully with these regulations, and since we usually have more than four intact females and rescue whenever we're needed, that means we don't ship under any circumstances.
It is sometimes possible to carry a young puppy home with you in the plane, but we do not allow our dogs to be shipped via cargo.
Our main consideration in selecting homes for our puppies is that we plan to stay in touch with the new owners for many years...so they need to be people we like and can imagine talking to or emailing regularly. We like most people who like whippets, so that part is not usually a problem! We're flexible on requirements for homes because we believe good homes come in all shapes and sizes.
We ask for a completed puppy questionnaire from a prospective owner, because knowing something about the family helps us make sure that both the new owner and the puppy will be happy with the arrangement. We do ask that companion pups be spayed/neutered at around 18 months to two years old for convenience and to prevent accidental breedings. We do require that you wait till 18 months before sterilizing. The latest research has proven many health benefits to waiting. If you're interested in breeding your pup when he or she is older, please let us know. We'll be glad to help you choose a suitable puppy and advise and help you through the process.
Our only non-negotiable rule is that we don't place young puppies in homes where no one is home for most of the day. Puppies require a lot of socialization, supervision and training. Some of our owners have worked around this by working at home for awhile, taking the puppy to work, etc. As a rule, though, if you are away more than five or six hours a day are much happier with an older puppy or adult whippet, and we'll be happy to help you find one. See Is An Adult Whippet Better for You?
We like to see owners involved with their dogs, and as encouragement, we offer small "rebates" for certain accomplishments: a puppy kindergarten class, a beginning obedience class, agility, Canine Good Citizen title and other AKC or UKC recognized titles, as well as racing or coursing accomplishments; details are in the puppy contract.
Timbreblue puppies are raised in our home, thoroughly socialized, and guaranteed for health and temperament. By the time they go to new homes, they have had car rides, met lots of people and dogs, and been handled and snuggled many times daily since they were born. Puppies are microchipped, current on shots when sold, and go with health records and instructions for future vaccinations and parasite protection.
We provide a health guarantee and are always available to answer questions by email or phone.
We maintain communication with our puppy and rescue owners through an email list and the Timbreblue Facebook group so they can share stories, ask questions, and compare notes on their dogs. Our extended family of puppy and rescue owners gets together every fall at the Timbreblue Reunion.
'Mom' and our other family dogs (we have an accomplished grandma and a variety of other canine nursery assistants) have a lot to teach a puppy before he's ready for the demands of a new home. We don't let puppies go younger than ten weeks and may hold them longer if we feel it is best for them.
If at any time for any reason, a whippet of our breeding cannot stay in his original family, he is welcome to come home to us regardless of age or condition...no questions asked. And if you return him to us, you will always get a refund of at least part of the purchase price, whether he is three months of 12 years when he comes back to us.
Let us know as soon as possible if you are interested in our pups. We don't take deposits or require a commitment till the puppies are three weeks old, but we always have a waiting list for the next litter. Our puppies are sometimes reserved before they're born, but people's plans and lives change, so we often have a puppy available when we didn't expect to. If we don't have one, we're always happy to talk to you about our future litters and we can refer you to other whippet breeders if you prefer not to wait.
Meanwhile, explore our site, join the Timbreblue Facebook group and the Pupwatch email list, and find out if a whippet is the dog for you. We don't ship our pups, but Mary Downing (
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), the American Whippet Club breeder referral contact, can help you find a breeder in your area, and our section on Finding a Whippet might also be useful.
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