Puppy Adoption
So, you’re thinking about adopting one of our adorable puppies. You’ve watched all of the videos on our website, looked at all the pictures and read (hopefully!) all of our blog articles. And you’ve picked out The One. Now it’s time to shoot us an email at Maple Hill Doodles!
But wait. It’s not that simple.
Adoption of a Maple Hill puppy takes thought, and planning, and preparation. If you’re the only family member, and no one else lives in the same house with you, the decision really is up to you. However – if you’re part of a family, please make sure that EVERYONE is on board with adding a new puppy, before reaching out to us. We cannot emphasize this enough. Working out the details beforehand will save a great deal of stress, and time, for both parties.
Do your Adoption Homework
Take some time to read over our website, including our FAQs and blog posts. Also, please study our Puppy Application very carefully. It will give you a good idea of how serious we are about the well-being of our puppies. We invest a great deal of love, time, and expense in our puppy friends, and want them to find the perfect forever family to spend their lives with. So, our standards are high.
Study the steps for our Adoption Process for more information and a handy guide to our expectations.
Consider Becoming a Guardian
If you’re local to our area in northeast Ohio, you could qualify to become a Guardian Family. Follow the link for more information. If you think your family would make a good fit for our Guardian Program, go straight to the Guardian Application. Upon approval, we’ll get in touch with you by email and get the process started.
Sure, it may seem like we’re being picky. But we want you to be as prepared as possible to welcome a new puppy to your home. There is a list a little further down in this post to help you get ready for your puppy, when your application is approved and your reservation is made.
Some Things to Remember
Please read our Visitation Policy before making a commitment to adopt. For many health and safety reasons, we no longer allow tours for the purpose of meeting our puppies. We post frequent videos and photos of each puppy (have another look at them all) so you can get an idea of their temperaments. And our reviews speak for families who have already had the pleasure of adopting their own Maple Hill puppies. (All reviews are genuine. We do not pay for testimonials.)
Our strong belief is that raising puppies in our own home is the ethical thing to do, and it has consistently produced the best possible results. Maple Hill Doodles are well adjusted, friendly, inquisitive and active. We don’t maintain a separate kennel building or office outside our home because raising our puppies is part of our family life. It’s an unfortunate reflection of our times that stranger danger is real in today’s world.
Approval Is Not Automatic
Bear in mind that there are reasons for which we cannot approve all applications. Work hours might be one reason that would prevent our approval. Because if a new puppy would be alone all day, he’ll miss out on so much interaction with his new family. A bored, lonely puppy can become destructive just to get attention – any attention. Or can develop anxiety and other related issues. We strive to set our puppies up for success, and part of that is placing them in homes where their new has plenty of time to spend with them.
Another common reason is the applicant is really looking for a conventional breeder, versus a holistic breeder. We are the latter and do things quite differently than most. We don’t vaccinate our puppies before they leave us, feed kibble or microchip. You can learn more about that reading our useful links section.
Please don’t take a declined application personally. As our puppies’ first advocate, it’s our duty to find families that align with our core beliefs. There are times where we are simply not the right breeder for you. There is a lid for every pot and we can’t always be the lid that fits.
Because of the number of applications, we’ll only notify you of approval, similar to filling out a job application. If you’re wanting to confirm that we received your application, please check your email, including the junk folder. Once the application has been received, you will get a confirmation email. And please remember, approval of your application is only the first step. The next step is a scheduled phone interview. Once that is completed and we feel like we our breeding program is a good fit for your expectations, you are added to the ‘approved’ list. At that point, you are welcome to reserve your puppy when we have availability.
We Do Not Keep a Waiting List
Speaking of waitlist, we don’t keep one! Yes, you read that right, and have probably read elsewhere that “all reputable breeders have a waitlist”. Obviously I’d argue that that’s just not true. Sure, a puppy mill probably doesn’t keep a waitlist. But there are valid reasons why a reputable breeder doesn’t keep a waitlist and I’ll go over a few of those.
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Most breeders require a sizable fee or deposit to be added to their list. This money is sent to the breeder well before they have puppies born or even due. You may have to wait 12–18 months for puppies to become available. I personally don’t feel comfortable essentially becoming the ‘bank’ holding funds for a puppy that has not yet been born. Too many things can happen that are out of our control. Dogs bred under ideal conditions can still miss a pregnancy, have miscarriages, or a myriad of other unknowns.
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When you’re on a standard waitlist, you are a number. For instance, you are 3rd or 6th pick for x litter. This means you may fall in love with a specific puppy and when the families before you picked, that puppy was chosen. Now you can either choose a puppy that may not be the best match for you or skip that litter and wait for the next one. With our process, no money changes hands until you see a puppy available that you personally chose. When we open our reservation list, every single family has an equal chance to pick which puppy they want.
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Once you pay a fee to be added to a list, you are committed. But what if meanwhile you have come across another breeder who you feel is a better fit? Or life circumstances have changed and are no longer able to add a new puppy to your home? A lot can happen in the average 12-18 month wait.
Your application is approved!
When you receive your notification of approval, and you would like to reserve a specific puppy, we’ll send you a copy of our health warranty/contract for your review. Please ask for clarification on anything if you need to.
Once this document is read over and agreed to, we’ll send you an electronic invoice to place your $300 NON-REFUNDABLE reservation fee. Please be 100% sure and committed to welcoming a new precious puppy into your life, before sending this.
When we receive your funds, here are some important things to do while you’re waiting for your puppy to be old enough to leave our home for yours. In the meantime, we’ll send weekly updates about your little precious, until she’s 8 weeks old and ready to come home with you!
FIRST OF ALL:
- Coordinate your schedule with us for puppy pick up day. We are only able to hold up to 2 days beyond that, and must be cleared first.
- Let us know what method you need to get your puppy:
- Pick up here in Burton, OH (not far from Cleveland)
- Meet us up to an hour away from Burton, at no charge
- Deliver to your door up to 200 miles from our home, with us driving, 85 cents a mile round trip
- Use a flight nanny to deliver your puppy to your nearest airport. We can help connect you with a reputable nanny and also meet them (free of charge) at our local airport. Price varies, and you would contact them for details.
AFTER THAT’S DECIDED:
Use our videos and photos as your foundation resource. The easiest transition for a new puppy from our home to yours will happen when your environment and routine is as close to ours as possible. We will send home a blanket with mom and littermates’ scent and also a sample of the food they have been eating while here. You’ll want a small – yet not too small — crate for naps and night time as well as a Snuggle Puppy to take the place of their siblings they’re accustomed to sleeping with.
- Read up on holistic dog care, including raw feeding, vaccinations, early spay and neuter
- Visit our Puppy Supplies page, to have everything ready before bringing your puppy home
- Line up your groomer, holistic vet, and professional trainer
- Puppy proof your home and yard (here’s a great list for puppy proofing from the AKC)
- Order your puppy’s raw food and store it in your freezer (let us know if you need help deciding what to purchase)
ON PICK UP DAY:
We book appointments 30 minutes apart. Please make sure to be ON TIME, neither early nor late, to be considerate of other people’s time slot.
- Due to health concerns, we are doing curbside only pick ups. Please remain IN your vehicle and we will bring your puppy out to your vehicles. Masks are optional.
- We only accept cash at the time of pick up. If you forget the cash, please be prepared to drive to the bank or reschedule for the next day.
- Bring a crate or another person to help hold your puppy on the drive back to your home. Also, you’ll need towels and wet wipes in case the puppy gets car sick.
There’s a lot to remember about adopting a new puppy, and we hope that these points will be a handy reference and checklist for you. We’re looking forward to getting to know you and welcoming you to our Maple Hill family!
