Clairevale
AUSTRALIAN LABRADOODLES
Q: How are puppy allocations made?
A: We are small scale breeders and don't have puppies available all the time. When we know puppies are on the way, and you have expressed interest in a Clairevale Labradoodle, we will send you a puppy application form. When you have returned this and we have checked that your family can commit to caring for a labradoodle, you are placed on our waiting list for that litter. We only take a limited number of applications each litter. We process applications in the order that we receive them. When a litter of puppies is born, we will contact you if we have a puppy for you in that litter. At two weeks of age, a non-refundable $750 deposit is required to secure your puppy. This helps covers the cost of desexing, microchipping, registration, vaccinations and raising the puppies for the first 8 weeks. By the time puppies are 5-6 weeks old, we have a good idea of each pup's size, colouring, conformation and temperament. We will make decisions during this time about the future breeding potential of any puppies we wish to retain in our Guardian Program. By this time, we are also able to match puppies with new owners, according to the information we have gained from the application form, and are able to let you know which puppy will be yours! We invite all new owners/families to visit us at six weeks to meet their new puppy and litter mates. This is an important occasion to begin bonding with your new puppy, and to ask questions. As the father of the pups is a guardian dog living with his own family, he will not generally be available to meet on this day, but the mother will be present.
Q: What is the Guardian Program?
A: Our Guardian home families get to own the very best Australian Labradoodles, our pick of the litter puppy with breeding potential. These puppies are not desexed at 7 weeks like companion puppies. They will be assessed for entering our breeding program at 8-12 months of age, based on several factors including conformation and temperament, hip and elbow scoring and genetic testing for inheritable diseases. If added to our program the girls will return to Clairevale to give birth to up to 3 litters, before returning home to their forever family. They will need to spend 6-7 weeks with us for each litter. Boys just need to visit for a few hours at a time.
The guardian program is designed to benefit the puppy, the guardian family and Clairevale Labradoodles. The dogs benefit because they are placed in loving forever homes at 8 to 12 weeks of age and live as loved family members all their lives. The Guardian family benefits because they receive one of the best puppies in the litter at a reduced price, and have the satisfaction of knowing that their dog is parenting puppies of excellence. This arrangement, which is formalised in a contract, allows Clairevale to continue developing our breeding program to produce the best possible labradoodles in the future. At the end of the guardian's breeding career, the dog is desexed at Clairevale's expense and a portion of the purchase price is refunded. If you think you may be interested in becoming a guardian, and if you live within 2.5 hours of Wangaratta, please contact us for further information.
Q: Why are pet puppies desexed before they leave the breeder?
A:The ALA believes strongly in the benefits of Early Spay and Neuter (ES&N) for the Australian Labradoodle Breed and therefore has made it one of the requirements in our Breeders Code of Ethics.
ES&N has been done with the Australian Labradoodle since the association formed in 1998. Not only does the ALA support and practice ES&N but also your local RSPCA/Animal Humane Societies encourage this practice. These animal rescue organisations have been taking in unwanted litters and early spay and neutering young puppies before they go to new homes for several years now with a high success rate.
ES&N not only protects the buyer from an unwanted litter and your puppy of possible cancers related to dogs being left entire but it is also a way to protect the development of the Australian Labradoodle breed for future generations to enjoy. By requiring our breeders to desex companion puppies we are making our breeders responsible for only selecting the very best Australian Labradoodles to leave entire and breed on from. Because of this the breed continues to develop with only the very top quality dogs able to continue in the development of the breed. We believe that one of the reasons the Australian Labradoodle has had such worldwide success can be attributed to the desexing of pet quality puppies. Because of this the continued development of the breed over the past 15+ years has been through top quality stock being used by reputable breeders.