Avoid Scams by Getting to Know Us: One of the best ways to make sure you are not being scammed, taken advantage of, or just if a breeder is producing what you need in a dog is to get to know who your breeder is. If you can’t make a personal connection with your breeder it’s more likely you will not be happy with your purchase or the purchase process. We know we are not the breeder for everyone! To help you figure out if we are the right breeder for you take some time to get to know us. You can find a ton of information on our breeding protocols, program goals, ethics, and puppy raising protocols through the Blog both here and on Clickety Split Dog Training. There are lots of opinion pieces, “day in the life of” content, and more on the Austerlitz Shepherds Facebook page, and even our neglected but still relevant Poop Bags podcast is a great way to get to know us and what were about.
We get to know you: If you are hoping to bring home a puppy in the next 12 months complete our New Client Questionnaire together with your entire family’s input. This is how we start getting to know you, and understand what your preferences are in a German Shepherd. We will be learning about your family to see if your needs fit with the physical and behavioral traits expected in our puppies. Please be aware, not everyone who completes the application ends up getting a puppy from our program. This is in no way a judgement on you or your family - not every wonderful family is going to appreciate the type of dog we are breeding. This process isn’t about finding “good” homes for our puppies, because everyone who takes the time to work through our process is pretty awesome, but instead about finding the best fit for each person and puppy. We very much want our clients, and puppies, to have the best chance at a successful long term outcome and that depends on knowing what type of dog is right for you.
We will get back to you! If we feel our dogs are not a great fit for you, we will tell you so you can continue your search for the perfect dog for your needs. If we are not sure, we may send you some follow up questions or ask for clarification. Once we give you an enthusiastic Two Thumbs Up we will ask you if you have any questions for us before moving ahead with adding you to the waiting list or scheduling a video chat, depending on how soon a puppy might be available.
It might be months or days till a puppy comes your way. We don’t always have puppies on the ground. Generally our females cycle winter and summer, so puppies are generally on the ground (if we are planning any) in the spring and fall, if everyone conceives as hoped (they often don’t). Yes, that IS a lot of “ifs” so don’t be surprised if we go as long as a year without any puppies being available.
So depending on when you apply, the perfect puppy may be on the ground or in the planning stage. If a puppy is on the ground you will be directed to the New Family Facebook group for real time updates, video, and pictures as we prepare you for the arrival of your puppy. If there isn’t a puppy on the ground that is right for you, please continue following the Facebook page, our website, and subscribe to the newsletter for updates, planned breedings, pregnancy confirmations and etc. Every Christmas break we purge the waiting list and start fresh each January 2nd.
It’s Go Time: Once a breeding has taken place, or a pregnancy has been confirmed (via ultrasound 28 days post-breeding) everyone on the waiting list will be notified by email and a general announcement via the Facebook page . If a female has failed to conceive you can be removed from the waiting list (if you desire) by requesting removal, or wait for the next breeding by not doing anything. If a pregnancy is confirmed and the timing is good for a puppy let us know ASAP to be added to the litter short list.
At this point we will know the gender and color of the puppies (though we may not be able to identify stock coat from long stock coat puppies but we WILL know if long stock coat puppies are possible in any litter) and if you choose to commit to a puppy you will place a non refundable commitment/education fee of $500. Do not submit the fee until you are absolutely sure you are ready to commit to this puppy, can bring them home on schedule, and have the available time needed in the first couple months! To do so waste our time and may prevent a lovely family from the opportunity to bring this puppy home. Puppies are selected for each family in the order each family commits to a puppy. So the more important things like color, gender, and coat type are to you, the earlier you should commit.
Once you have committed to a litter you will be given access to all puppy raising course materials included in your puppy price, New Puppy/Litter Facebook Group, and receive your Puppy Culture "With Open Arms and a Level Head" course voucher so you can access your course materials. We want you to be fully prepared for your new puppy before the puppy arrives, so you can really enjoy those precious and short early months of your dog’s life. New for 2025 you will be required to complete the following complementary courses before your puppy goes home with you: Poop School House Training For The New Puppy, Crate School: Confident Crating for the New Puppy, and Puppy Culture: With Open Arms and a Level Head, Welcoming A Puppy Into Your Life (Yes, professional trainers and veterinarians, this includes you!).
Why? Because we have now been using these courses for a few years and have found that those who take the time to work through them before their puppy arrives have a MUCH better puppy transition, puppy raising experience, and better long term outcomes even years later. A little preparation before your puppy arrives will save you many sleepless nights, messy floors, destruction, and general Puppy Blues and most importantly get your puppy off to the very best start with you.
Boy howdy is there a lot to do! While you are getting ready for your puppy’s arrival we will be busy raising the litter. We take puppy raising very seriously because the effects of these first few weeks reach far into the dog’s future, making them healthier, smarter, and more able to cope with life in your world. The demands placed on companion dogs today have never been more rigorous and we want to give each and every puppy we produce the absolute best start in life possible, with the best genetics, the best health care, and the best learning.
You are encouraged to participate in our work! You can watch the puppies 24/7 on the Puppy Cam, you can participate in group chats and live videos via the New Family Group on Facebook, and if you are close enough you can attend puppy socialization and training parties in person. We enjoy our clients and welcome visits and interactions. While Puppy Parties are NOT open to potential clients, those shopping for a puppy, or any not-established client we especially welcome current and past clients to attend our Puppy Parties to help train and socialize the puppies!
The Balance Due can be paid at anytime after the course materials have been completed to 1 week before your puppy is ready for pick up (unless you are paying cash). The balance due is the Puppy package price, minus the Education/commitment fee of $500. Balance can be paid as cashiers check, or postal money order which must arrive 1 week before your Send Home Day. If you are paying cash you will pay your balance at puppy pick up. Repeat Clients, you may pay on pick up day with checks (personal okay), card, or cash. Preferred payment method is always cash.
Because someone always asks, we do not use many of the popular payment methods (PayPal, Venmo, etc.) because they are simply not fully secure, either from your end or ours, and yes we have researched this extensively with our accountants and attorney. Credit/debit processing fees, any processing fee really, reduces our income and that directly affects animal care because what income we have from puppies goes 100% into animal care costs (which are higher now than ever). So when you choose a payment method that does not incur extra fees for us we and our dogs thank you and this helps us keep puppy costs down.
Puppy Pick Up Day: Puppies are picked up on the first Saturday after they turn 8 weeks (Bronze and Silver Clients) as one group, or for Gold Clients privately at 9 weeks.
To download your puppy’s individual downloadable puppy pack you will be given access to the Everything You Need To Know To Welcome Your Puppy Home “course” which includes our Puppy 101 Seminar, Travel/hotel/airport info, everything you need to know about, and records for health care and preventive care schedules, well puppy exam report, AKC registration information confirmation(registration is taken care of for you), AKC ReUnite Microchip information confirmation and portal information (chip, implantation, and lifetime enrollment is included in your puppy price), Diet, Feeding, Schedule, and basically every single thing you will need is set up for you there. The physical puppy pack is sent home with your puppy.
*Please schedule at least 2 hours for group pick up day.
*any client who is flying and requires scheduling accommodation please let us know a week before your puppy‘s original send home date, of course we will work with you!
*airport drop off at Tulsa Int. is available upon request for Gold Package clients.
Now, Let Your Future Begin
