Our Process

What does working with us look like?

Summary

  • Submit an application
  • Approved Applicants will be contacted via email and text message to schedule a phone conversation
  • The Reservation Contract and the Reservation Fee ($500) must be completed together on the same day as each other (not necessarily the same day as the phone conversation) in order to reserve a puppy
  • Approved Applicants who are completely flexible with whatever wait time and with whichever litter they are placed with can make a General AKC Limited Registration reservation anytime (they will be placed with soonest availability that fits around the Priority and Full Registration Reservations)
  • Approved Applicants who want to be placed with a specific litter can solidify their place in line by pursueing Priority or Full AKC Limited Registration anytime ($4,500 total)
  • Approved Applicants interested in a specific litter can also wait until after a birth to see if there is any availability left for General AKC Limited Registration reservations at that point ($3,500 total)
  • Those who complete the reservation process will be invited to join a private Facebook group (Carmel Bliss Community) that will be updated every 1-2 weeks after a litter is born
  • When each litter is 4-6 weeks old, we have families fill out a form that helps us match individual pups with families
  • We complete puppy matches on/by day 51
  • We will set a pickup day to be when the litter is around 8 weeks old, and it’s typically on a Saturday

What do we provide?

  • Clearly defined contracts every time money is exchanged
  • Prepaid and completed AKC Registration
  • 26-month Health Guarantee against congenital defects
  • Multiple rounds of precautionary and appropriate parasite prevention 
  • Early Neurological Stimulation
  • Tactile and noise desensitization
  • Area Training during weeks 3-8
  • Socialization with children and other people of various ages
  • Introduction to and playtime with other fully vaccinated adult animals
  • Full weaning onto hard kibble
  • A physical examination at a veterinary clinic
  • First set of vaccinations
  • Microchip insertion
  • A head start on potty and kennel training   
  • Introduction to bathing/grooming
  • Lots of snuggles and love
  • A puppy care guide with links to some of our favorite products
  • Assistance with travel details
  • A safe place for any of the dogs we have produced should their families become unable to keep them

What is not provided

  • Reservation Fee Refunds
  • More pictures or video than we voluntarily provide on our social media or website
  • 24/7 response to questions about training or about anything we have already addressed on our website
  • Unregistered puppies
  • Families picking their own puppy (We match pups with families carefully taking their preferences into consideration)

AKC Limited Registration (pet registration)

If an approved applicant is pursueing a pet (no breeding rights), they should pursue AKC Limited Registration. We have two options for those pursueing Limited Registration (General AKC Limited Registration and Priority AKC Limited Registration). The words “General” and “Priority” are for our organizational methods, and they do not affect the actual registration of the animal.

General AKC Limited Registration

($3,500)

Those who are completely flexible with however long they need to wait (within 12 months) or with whichever litter they are placed with may make a reservation at anytime. This only allows for a gender to be specified and is not litter specific. Applicants who are pursueing General AKC Limited Registration who are only interested in a  specific litter may wait until after that litter is born to see if there is availability at that point.

Priority AKC Limited Registration

($4,500)

Those pursueing Priority Limited Registration may make a reservation for whichever litter and whichever gender whenever they wish, and their reservation will be prioritized and fulfilled first. This may bump general reservations to different litters. Priority clients have first right of refusal, and they can wait for a pup from a specific breeding pair for years if they would like or they can get a pup as soon as we have one. With Priority, an approved applicant can also have more influence in their puppy’s placement. They can request extra temperament testing, specific coat colors, and physical features if they wish. If a priority client was only interested in one litter, and we weren’t able to provide them a puppy from that litter, we will offer to return their reservation fee since we couldn’t meet their requirements on our end. This option takes rush and stress out of the reservation process for the client. This is for families who only want a pup from a specific parent(s), those with specific timelines for adding a pup to their family, or for those who need specific temperament testing for pursuing a candidate for service or therapy work.

AKC Full Registration (breeding rights)

Full Registration ($5,500) is for those who are looking for a candidate to add to their breeding program. This option is similar to the Priority option but with breeding rights. An extra contract is required in order to pursue this option. It requires that any dog from our program complete at least preliminary health testing before any breeding takes place (OFA hips, elbows, heart, eyes, and a genetic panel). We accept these reservations at any time, and Full registration clients have a very strong influence over which pup they are matched with.

Guardianship

Local Guardianship Participation Fee

($0-$2,500)

Remote Guardianship Participation Fee

($3,500)

We accept reservations for Guardianship at anytime if the client’s Guardianship Application is approved. Families who become guardians get our first pick of the litter to take home at 8 weeks old. They raise the puppy until it is two years old. We then pay for health testing, and we breed the girl if she is a good candidate. She lives with us or a trusted local puppy whelper that we have trained ourselves while she has puppies, and she returns to her family when her pups are weaned. After she has had 3 litters, we pay for her to be spayed, we transfer full ownership to the guardian family, and we return the participation fee. In the end, guardian families get a fully health tested top pick Golden Retriever for free.

Start to Finish

Someone interested in obtaining a puppy must fill out an application. We receive hundreds of applicants per year, and we carefully sort through each of them. We select and contact approved applicants, give them the opportunity to schedule a phone conversation, answer questions, and give them further instructions about the reservation process. Once reservations are completed, we invite those families to join a private Facebook page that we update every 1-2 weeks once puppies are born. We have a public Facebook and Instagram page for everyone to check out, but or private one is only for families who have purchased a puppy or made a reservation for one. We do not text out individual photo and video updates. Clients are not required to be on Facebook in order to get a puppy, but a Facebook profile is necessary for viewing pictures, videos, and updates. When the pups are 4 weeks old, we solidify a pickup date and we send out Travel Forms and Placement Evaluation forms to the families, so we can match pups with their forever homes. The pickup date is within a couple days of the pups turning 8 weeks old, and it is typically on a weekend. We have a page dedicated to help those who are flying with puppies, and we help guide clients through that process if they need more help. We send pups home with a puppy packet that includes food, microchip information, vaccine information, vet records, AKC Registration, puppy pads, and a toy. We encourage families to post pictures of their growing pups on the private Facebook page, and sometimes our clients even plan get togethers with their litter mates for birthday parties and litter reunions. We love watching our pups grow up with their new families! On the pickup day, we have everyone show up at the same time. We transfer paperwork and registration into their name, hand them their puppy pack, and we walk everyone through the medical records and important information as a group. After that presentation and answering of everyone’s questions, we hand puppies to their families individually and scan the microchips for their new owners to cross reference with the paperwork they received. Once clients have their puppy in their arms, they are free to do whatever they wish, but the puppy will have been in a strict questions up until that point. Families are welcome to stay and watch the rest of the puppy handoffs, or they may leave as soon as they receive their pup!