Puppy Information
Waiting List/Reserving Pick of a Litter/Price
We always have an extensive Waiting List. Names are added to the Waiting List in the order in which I receive them.
Once I am certain a female is expecting a litter, I contact people in order on the waiting list until I have three litter picks reserved with a $200 non-refundable deposit. Once all 3 picks on a litter are reserved, you are welcome to add your name to our Waiting List, and you will receive information and pictures on the remaining available puppies once the deposit holders have chosen their pups. You are only guaranteed a pick of a litter if you have been contacted by us about one AND a deposit has been received, and picks must be made by 4 weeks old (AKC litters are held longer for evaluation). Please do not just send money without contacting us first. Availability of remaining puppies is a first come/first served basis to everyone on the Waiting List. We reserve the right to hold puppies and/or entire litters for a longer period of time before making them available. If for some reason we do not have a pup to your liking, your deposit can be transferred to any other available puppy or upcoming litter, but no refunds on deposits will be given for any reason. All deposits go towards the purchase price of the puppy. Prices for ranch-bloodline (purebred but unregistered) puppies start at $400, AKC registered pups start at $600 for Limited Registration(see details below). I accept PayPal, cashier's/personal checks and cash. All payments for puppy and shipping must be received/cleared before puppy can be shipped or at time of pick up. Puppies can be picked up at the ranch at 7 weeks or shipped after 8 weeks. If you are on the Waiting List and find a puppy elsewhere, kindly let me know so your name can be removed. I am also happy to refer you to other breeders that have puppies available, although researching each breeder and their dogs is a buyer's responsibility. We reserve the right to refuse the sale of any dog/puppy to anyone for any reason at any time. If for any reason you purchase a dog/puppy from us and can no longer keep them, that dog/puppy is always welcome back at the ranch.
Tails & Dewclaws
Tails are left naturally long and dewclaws remain intact. If you are adamant about wanting a pup with dewclaws removed or a docked tail, there are many other breeders that can accomodate you.
Shipping or Picking up your puppy
You are welcome to pick up your puppy at the ranch anytime after they are 7 weeks old. If a trip to the ranch is not possible, I am happy to ship your puppy to your nearest airport. Puppies must be a minimum of 8 wks old to be shipped. Shipping is available for an additional $500 per puppy for any US domestic destination, which includes airfare, vet requirements (Health Certificate and Letter of Acclimation) and travel crate. We fly out of Casper, WY on SkyWest/Delta Airlines, or out of Riverton, WY on Great Lakes Airlines. Airfare is the same no matter where you are shipping to and from in the US, it is determined by weight and size of crate, not distance. Winter and summer months can prove to be difficult times to ship, so please be patient if the weather is not cooperating! We want you to get your puppy just as much as you do!
*Shipping Price Subject To Change Depneding on Airline Fares *
Health Guarantee
KS Ranch Heelers provides lifetime support for those families that take our pups home. I have a one year guarantee on puppies against terminal genetic disorders that gives you either your purchase price refunded or equal credit for the purchase price only of your puppy towards any other puppy or pick of upcoming litter. Puppies are sold as working/pet quality with spay/neuter contracts unless other arrangements/contracts are made. All purchased puppies from KS Ranch Heelers come to you current on shots and worming and with this guarantee.
AKC Registration
Puppies are registered with the AKC only and with Limited Registration. Limited Registration means the dog itself is registered but that no offspring of this dog/bitch are eligible for registration. We therefore expect these pups to be spayed/neutered at the appropriate age, they are not to be used as breeding stock. Once proof of Spay/Neuter is furnished to KS Ranch, we will transfer your pup's AKC registration papers to you.
Breeding
Our most serious consideration when breeding our dogs is working ability. It is, after all, what this breed was bred to do! Our dogs must have the physical confirmation, intelligence, temperament, endurance, work ethic, and implicit devotion to their job to be our great working partners AND family companions. We have both AKC registered dogs and ranch bloodline dogs that have been bred and raised here on the ranch for generations, they all work cattle and are our family companions. When it comes to working cattle, this breed has no peer. Preserving that part of the breed standard before any other "ideals" is essential for us as cattle ranchers with a large herd. We love our dogs as much as anyone, but we also expect them to be at our side when there is work to be done. It is amazing to watch them work, and how much they love to do so. However, our dogs are just as happy to go fishing with us as they are to trail cows! They are part of our family whatever we are doing, work or pleasure. All pups are guaranteed to have a natural desire to work stock and can learn to the best of one's ability to teach them. I STRONGLY discourage people to use these dogs to work/herd horses. If they are allowed to heel a horse, gather and herd them, how can you ever be 100% certain they won't do it with a rider aboard? Its just asking for serious trouble, and a big no-no on our place.
Many of our puppies have found homes on farms and ranches working with their families, some are having fun competing in conformation, herding, agility, obedience, disc other performance competitions, while others are just as happy providing loving companionship to families in many states. We have many references available upon request from families that use our dogs for work and pleasure.
If you have never owned this breed of dog, please do your research-they are a great breed IF they fit your lifestyle, as they require a substaintial amount of daily mental and physical activity. www.australiancattledog.com and www.cattledog.com are two great websites that have a wealth of information about ACDs.
Socializing puppies
We are just as excited to have puppies as you are to get them, and we make certain they have the best start in life possible. When mother dogs come into the house to have their puppies, it is with great excitement and audience! Puppies are handled by my kids from the minute they are born- we refuse to own a dog that is not tolerant of children. All of our dogs have been raised with our kids, so they all are happy to jump on the trampoline, go down the slide, do chores, watch TV, walk on a leash, pull a wagon, and tend to follow the kids around, especially if I am not out with them! The pups follow the big dogs and learn by example.
Mother and pups are moved outside to the "dog barn" when weather permits or the puppies are around 3 weeks old. The dog barn has 3 roomy indoor kennels, each has a heat lamp for the colder months, a fan for hot weather and is thickly lined with clean straw with a doggie door leading to a fenced run. The runs are only shut at night or if we are driving trucks or heavy machiney near--pups and mother can come and go as they please and the mother dogs teach the pups to "go" to the bathroom out of the kennel when they are big enough. This really makes housetraining a lot easier for the new families. The pups are used to lots of noises and sights, both inside and outside- vacuum cleaners, slamming doors, radios, TV, kids, tractors, horses, cows, cats, goats, pickups, other dogs, etc. We spend a lot of time with them- having puppies is lots of fun for all of us! They are socialized to all aspects of life on the ranch-my kids often have a "puppy train" behind them once the puppies get big enough to follow us around. We learn each pup's individual personality and quirks, and this helps us better inform a buyer about each puppy's qualities.
We also use the Bio Sensor program (AKA, the Super Dog), on all our puppies. It takes only a few minutes each day, but I think really makes a difference.
Our Goal
I proudly raise and offer for sale happy, healthy, well socialized puppies. Our dogs are part of our family and we treat them as such-they live, work and play with us on the ranch. Our pups have gone to working, companion, agility, obedience, disc sport and show homes with terrific success. I encourage you to ask any (and many!) questions so that you will be confident one of our pups is a good fit for your family. All purchased puppies come to you current on shots, worming and with our Health Guarantee.
All of this information is provided because it is important to me that you are well-educated on my policies and puppies--that way no one is surprised, confused, or disappointed. If we all know what to expect, then a puppy gets a new, loving home and everyone involved in that process is happy. I am so excited to receive updates from puppies and their new families. We consider these pups part of our family until they reach yours, so it is always fun to hear what they are doing and see how they have grown up !
Please Contact Us with any questions, concerns or to be placed on the waiting list for our upcoming litters.