The Puppy Buying Process

Wheatland Retrievers matches puppies to the home that will fit them best.

Potential puppy buyers will contact us and give a general idea of what they are looking for in their new dog; what their day to day life will look like and what they're hoping to find in regards to temperament and energy levels. Sometimes they have a specific timeline in mind, and color or gender preferences. Based on all that information we can offer our best recommendations for which upcoming litter will be the best fit for the potential buyers' goals for the dog.
The potential buyer can then be put on that waiting list. Once that litter has been confirmed via ultrasound (at approximately 26 days gestation) we will collect a $500 holding fee from those on that litter's waiting list.
Once the puppies are born, puppy buyers will be given regular updates, including pictures and videos, from birth until go-home at 8 weeks. Puppies are handled extensively every single day, and beginning at around five weeks we will pull puppies out individually 2-3x a week to work with and evaluate. At 7 weeks old, puppies will receive a formal Volhard temperament test performed by a 3rd party trainer, and then they'll have their vet exam where they'll receive a comprehensive physical exam with the goal being to uncover any and all abnormalities that could present at that age (heart murmur, umbilical hernia, undescended testicles, recessed vulva, etc.). We will then take all of the information from our training sessions, temperament tests, and vet exam and match the puppy that best suits the wants and needs of each family. If it is determined we don't have a puppy that is the right fit for a family, we will refund the holding fee.
Please fill out our puppy questionnaire to begin the process.

Transport Options

We currently have puppies in 28 states, from Massachusetts to California. Our preference is ALWAYS for buyers to pick up their new puppy at our home. We're happy to introduce you to the litter, the parents, any other relatives that may be here, and show you where the puppies have spent the first two months of their life. But we understand that is not always an option, and we have successfully shipped 30+ puppies via air (cargo and in-cabin) over the last 6 years. If cargo is an option (pending airports, and temperatures) the cost is $400 which includes the airline fee, the airplane approved carrier, and a health certificate. If flying in-cabin yourself to come pickup puppy, the fee is the cost of the airline ticket, plus an additional $100-125 airline fee, $75 for a health certificate and soft carrier. We may be available to fly the puppy to you - this is called a "flight nanny" service, please reach out to inquire about pricing for this. We are also happy to assist in setting up a ground transport, where the price can range from $300-$1000, depending on distance, number of dogs traveling that route, and other factors.

Our Health Guarantee

The health of the dogs that we are producing matters more than anything. All of our adult dogs will be health tested to OFA CHIC standards. More information on OFA health clearances can be found HERE. This means that they are certified free of hip and elbow dysplasia, they have had their eyes examined and certified by an ophthalmologist, they have had an echocardiogram performed on their heart by a cardiologist, and they have had genetic testing performed. In addition to this, we will NEVER breed a dog that has skin issues or allergies.

Most of these health issues have both genetic and environmental factors that determine if dogs will become affected. Regardless of that, by breeding the healthiest dogs we possibly can, we can stand behind our puppies and will refund the puppy price if they become dysplastic (hip or elbows), have a congenital eye disorder, or a congenital heart disease in the first 2.5 years of life.

To best decrease the risk factors of puppies developing one of these health issues, we always recommend puppies be kept as lean as possible while they are growing, that they avoid excessive amounts of stairs and jumping down from higher surfaces (vehicles, truck beds, furniture, etc), and that they only participate in age appropriate exercise (including play with other dogs, and fetch).

It is also important to remember that health testing is constantly evolving. There are new genetic diseases being discovered every few months that are being added to our genetic testing panels. This means that a dog that tests "Clear" for the entire panel of genetic diseases at the time of breeding, could potentially end up being a carrier or affected for newly discovered diseases in the future. We make the best decisions possible with the information we have available at the time, and that includes looking at the health testing results, looking at the overall health of the dog we hope to breed, as well as researching the overall health of extended pedigree to include parents, grandparents, great grandparents, half siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins.