PUPPY RESERVATION, SELECTION & PICK-UP PROCESS:

Heritage Chesapeakes welcomes interested families to submit an application to be considered for upcoming and future litters. If selected, you’ll be contacted for an interview call to review your application and answer any questions. Upon approval, your puppy will be secured with a signed Puppy Contract and a $500 deposit. Deposits are non-refundable except in cases when the requested gender is unavailable.

Puppy Pick Numbers are determined based on:

• The gender requested, if specified
• The order in which deposits are received

We accept up to 10 reservations total (5 female, 5 male) until a litter is born. Families interested in a litter after reservations are full may be added to our waitlist with a $500 holding deposit. If additional spots open once the puppies are born, we’ll reach out to offer a reservation. If no spots become available, the family can (1) transfer the holding deposit to the following litter with Rollover Priority, or (2) request a refund of their holding deposit.

Rollover Priority: Priority is always given to families who may roll over their reservation from a previous litter. Since Mother Nature determines both litter size and gender availability, we won’t know if rollover families will be moving to the next litter until after the puppies are born. 

Gender-Specific Reservations: Buyers who specify a preference for male or female puppies will be assigned a numbered pick in that gender category (e.g., “Male Pick #1”)

Temperament-Focused Reservations: Buyers who are open to either gender and are primarily focused on temperament will be considered after gender-specific picks are made. These buyers will be matched with the puppy that best fits their goals based on temperament and aptitude testing performed between 5-6 weeks of age.

Example: If two Buyers reserve male puppies and one Buyer is open to either gender but is seeking a confident puppy for hunting, the first two male Buyers will pick first based on our recommendations. The temperament-focused Buyer will then be matched with the best fit from the remaining puppies.

Puppy Selection Weekend will occur when the puppies are between 6-7 weeks old, in person or via video conference. We strive to match each puppy with the most suitable home based on the family’s unique preferences and the puppy’s personality.

Puppy Pick-Up Weekend: All of our puppies must be picked up from our home in central Michigan by their families between 8-9 weeks of age. We use a scheduling app for your pickup time (approx. 45 minutes). At pick-up, we will review your puppy contract, AKC paperwork, microchip information, vet and breeder records, etc. We will also discuss feeding and sleep schedules, clicker information, exercise guidelines, and answer any questions families have before leaving with their puppy.

Buyers must be available to pick up their puppy by the final day of Puppy Pick-Up Weekend, which occurs when the puppies are between 8-9 weeks of age. Shore Acres does not offer extended boarding beyond this timeframe. If you cannot commit to picking up during this window, your deposit may be deferred to a future litter.