Updated 5/26/2010
Questions and Answers
I get many, many questions and I do my best to answer them all thoroughly but it is very time consuming. So I will post some emails here in order to save my time and hopefully you'll learn something new today! Please let me know if you don't find what you are looking for here and I will be happy to add it . Also, if there is something that does not look right please let me know.
Q: How do I pick my puppy, They are all so cute?!
A: Consider what you want your puppy for i.e. pet, show, work, etc... Do you want a hyper Jack or a mellow one? There is quite a differance in personality and wit from pup to pup. I will provide my costomers with a score from the PAT test as well as recommend which pups would most likely do well in your home. For more info on this test visit: http://www.volhard.com/pages/pat.php
Q: What's the difference from shorties and long legged Jacks?
A: Alot! Shorties are under 12 inches tall with a longer body than they are tall. They shed much less and they obey more readily. They prefer to be on your lap or chasing a ball, small animal, or a bug. The long legged Jacks were bred for hunting small game and digging into small burrows. They love to please their human, especially if they get a treat and they keep the bears at bay.
Q: Do I have to put down a deposit on my Puppy?
A:We do requier a non refundable deposit of $250 for pick pups or you can wait to see if there are remaining puppies after pick pups are chosen although I wouldn't recommend it as they can go very quickly.
Q:How should I pay?
A: Cash is an all time favorite but, I can accept Credit card, PayPal, money order, or a check as long as all of your current info is on it and I will need to see your I.D. A small fee will be charged for Pay Pal and Credit card transactions to cover their charges. Normaly it is 3% but rates change so the actual fee will be determined at time of purchase.
Q: How long do I have to select my puppy after I place a deposit?
A:Please don't feel rushed to make your pick. You have plenty of time for that. They can't leave their mother prior to 8 weeks. I do recommend waiting until the puppies have been tested @ 49 days of age to choose your pup but it is not requiered.
Q: Will this puppy have a smooth coat or will it be rough?
A: Determining coat type i.e. smooth, rough or broken coat can be difficult to do in the first couple of months. You can take a wild guess at which will have what type coat but most of the time you just have to wait for their second month to get a good idea. If you breed smooth coated Jacks you will most likely have the same in your pups but, there are acceptions.
Q: How much are they?
A: Pick pups are priced at $1000 with a non refundable $250 deposit. If you don't want to pay pick price you can wait until they are 7 or 8 weeks old and we will have the remaining pups priced according to quality
Q:Why are your puppies so much more expensive than other breeders?
A: First and foremost, most other "breeders" in Alaska are either, back yard breeders, or not "reputable" breeders. The difference from my breeding program and others is that I have gone through the trouble to find the best possible dogs from the best bloodlines in order to offer you the best quality pups available. I desensitize, socialize, and handle my pups every day with their own individual temprament in mind for the smartest, healthiest, most well balanced puppies available. I also monitor their diets very closely and they get suppliments when they start eating solid food so there is no lull in their health or growth. Each of my breeding stock is checked for breed specific health concerns and they all get the best care for optimum health.
Q:Do you know anyone who is looking for/has a stud?
A: I would not recommend anyone. When looking for a female/male to breed to, be very careful! Most Jack Russell breeders, and owners here in Alaska are not reputable breeders and do not bother checking their dogs for the breeds common health issues, researching the bloodlines, registering the pups, screening the new homes for their puppies, making sure the buyer is completely aware of the possible traits their new puppy can have as a Jack Russell (if they even know), making sure the dog will have plenty of room to roam in a safe, secure enviroment with the proper attention...the list goes on and on. Most importantly, dogs can get STDs just as easily as humans can! So, make sure any dog you decide to breed to and your own is thoroughly examined by a licensed vet prior to any breeding. If you do find a Jack to breed to, be sure you cover your bases and have a very clear contract in order to protect both parties from any legal action that may come up. And for the sake of everyone involved place the pups in homes with no cats, no hyper or anxious people and no submissive people. These dogs read their family very well and will dominate their family if allowed. They need an owner that is firm yet calm.
Q: How much do you charge for stud service?
A: I do not offer my male for stud as he is by far the best I have ever met. I would not comprimise my breeding program for a few dollars. Most often if there are any pups that have some type of condition or are born dead, the owner of the female tends to blame it on the male in order to save face. It can be very complicated so I choose to keep my bloodlines pure.
Q:Do you know anyone else that has Jack Russell puppies cheaper than yours?
A: Quick answer: Probably
Long answer: I do know of a couple breeders that are reputable and breed on a very small basis here in Alaska although their prices are very comparable to mine. I also know of quite a few people who breed Jacks of questionable decent and should not be breeding at all. If you want to risk getting a pup from one of these people I would be more than happy to give you their info although I can not vouch for their pups.
Important Note: One breeder that you should NEVER purchase a pup from is Brian Stillings. He also goes by William Stillings or just Bill. This person stole his stud from me and has a very negative criminal record. He lives in Nikiski just past the pool although he calls it Kenai. He drives a blue 4 door Toyota Tacoma or a ratty little car. His pups tend to have submissive peeing problems as well as very questionable tempraments. I have helped rehome and rehabilitate several of his pups. Their problems ranged from overly aggressive and high strung to a little girl who thought she was a cat. She was excessivly submissive with OCD and she was scared of all dogs.
Q: How do you determine their price?
A: The pups are evaluated as they grow according to their bone structure, personality traits, stance, etc....
This is done by using the Volhard Puppy Aptitude test (PAT) for more info on this test visit:
http://www.volhard.com/pages/pat.php
Q: How do you pick a pup?
A: If I am picking the pup for breeding I consider all of the puppies attributes including bone structure, stance, personality, head, bloodlines and coat type just to name a few. I don't normally sell to the show or breeding audience, most of my customers want a "cosmetically correct" dog. When recommending a pup, I get an idea of what the person is looking for and what their life style and personality is like. From there I can recommend the best possible pups that would fit their family by matching them with a pup that has a similar personality. Visit the link above for more info on pairing pups with their new owners.