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Are you interested in helping preserve and promote this magnificent breed?

We are not planning any litter currently.

 For more information please email us!!

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Purchasing Policies & Buying Requirements

How do I purchase a Iqniq Qimmiq (aka Canadian Eskimo Dog)? Please read through all of the following information! If you are willing to adhere to our purchasing policies and would like to begin the application process, please complete our Potential Puppy Owner Questionnaire.

We strive to produce puppies of exceptional quality. Our dogs are registered with the CKC, and we follow a very selective breeding program that emphasizes health, temperament, and conformation – in that order.

1. What is the difference between a Backyard Breeder and a Reputable Breeder?
   Our ‘bare minimum’ requirements for someone to be reputable are as follows:

    

   1. Do something with the dogs other than just breed them (conformation, agility, obedience, therapy, field trials, sledding, weight pulls, etc.)

   2. Health screenings on the parents (OFA/CERF or PennHip)

   3. Written Health Guarantee – Anything less than 36 months is a waste of time because many health problems won’t show up until after two years of age.

   4. Extensive screening procedures for buyers and spay/neuter requirements for pets. Anyone who is in a big hurry to sell you a dog and does not ask lots of questions is not reputable. And anyone who sells dogs for breeding purposes to “just anyone”? is not reputable.

   5. Reputable breeders do not breed for coat color.

   For additional information regarding the differences between back-yard breeders and reputable breeders, or pet quality versus show quality dogs and puppies, please don’t hesitate to ask!

2. In what activities do your dogs participate?
   We think it is important for people do to more than just breed their dogs. Our dogs are shown in conformation. We have five children, full time jobs, and busy lives…and we still show our dogs. We feel it is important for others who chose to breed their dogs to participate in some sort of competitive activity with their dogs in an attempt to give something back to this wonderful breed, and truly learn and apply the breed standard.  We also are active within the performance side of the show world with all of our dogs. 

3. What are your purchasing requirements?

   1. The purchaser must be educated about the breed.

      Qimmiq are not the best breed for everyone. Our breed characteristics page is a good place to start:

   2. Pet puppies must be spayed/neutered after 24 months of age and OFA Hips & Elbows done, before registration papers will be forwarded.

   3. We are very proud of both the quality our dogs, and the quality of the homes into which they are placed. We place our pet pups only with loving, caring families that have been educated about all aspects of the breed. Potential buyers must be willing to train and take responsibility for their puppy, and provide a clean, happy, healthy and permanent home, preferably with a securely fenced yard. All family members must be in agreement about the decision to adopt a puppy and adhere to our purchasing policies. Above all, the puppy must be a part of the family and be treated accordingly.

   4. We’re happy to provide any advice and support that may be needed as you adjust to life with your new family member, and we enjoy staying in touch with our pups and their new families. We require that pet owners update us at least once per year on progress and any health or behavioral concerns, preferably with pictures.

   5. We sincerely hope that all of our puppy placements are permanent, but in the unfortunate event that the new owners are unable to keep it, we require that the dog/puppy be returned to us at the owner’s expense, or that we assist in finding a suitable home. If a home is available with a friend or a family member, that would be alright as long as we’re informed of the transfer.  However, dogs/puppies should not be re-sold or surrendered to an animal shelter.

   6. As this is a rare and sought after breed we often do not have many pet puppies available and will require the owner to complete the puppy's Canadian Championship.  95% of our puppies will be placed on a co-own contract. 

4. What kind of health clearances are performed on your dogs?  The health and well-being of our dogs is very important to us. Our dogs are regularly examined by our veterinarian, and receive OFA hip and elbow screenings around two years of age, OFA eye screenings typically on an annual basis, and show no signs of hereditary disorders. Thyroid panels are periodically performed.  From time to time, we’ve gotten dogs older than 2 years, upon which hip screenings may not yet have been performed; however, in those cases, their backgrounds and production records will have been clear of any indications of HD. We also test for DM (Degenerative Myelopathy) and the LC (Long Coat) gene through the Wisdom panel.

5. When are your puppies ready to go to their new homes?
   Puppies are generally sold around 8-9 weeks of age. The earliest, by law, that they can leave is 8 weeks. However, we may hold them until 10-12 weeks if we are evaluating show quality or if there is a possible health concern.

6. What do your puppies “have” when they leave?
   Puppies are vet-checked, vaccinated, and de-wormed before they are placed with their new families. They come with a veterinary certificate of health and our guarantee. We firmly stand behind the health and temperament of our dogs, and offer a comprehensive 3 year health replacement guarantee as detailed in our sales contract covering hip dysplasia, eyes for blindness, and any other life-threatening genetic defect. Show dogs have a different length of guarantee, and the contract includes other clauses for show quality and breeding.

7. Do you sell your puppies to anyone who inquires?
   No. A puppy is a big commitment for the purchaser and us. We spend a lot of time, energy, and money in every attempt to produce beautiful, healthy, and well-bred puppies, so we are very selective on the homes into which they are placed.

8. How should I inquire about a puppy?
   An email or telephone call would be wonderful. However, please tell us a little about yourself. We, so often, receive messages that simply say – “How much are gray males running??”. Please provide information about where you live, why you want a Qimmiq, and what your plans are for raising your puppy!

9. What is your deposit policy? What is your price?
   Most people who send us a deposit do so because they have met our dogs and are impressed with the guarantee. In order to hold a place in the order of puppy picks, a non-refundable surety of action deposit of $500 is required. It is applied towards the purchase price of $2,000(for pets), and the remaining balance is then $1,500.  We send out puppy pictures via email, generally on a weekly basis. The photos are not meant to serve as a means for you to select a puppy. Final evaluations for show potential around 8 weeks of age, but may require additional time in some cases. Some puppies will remain here, and others may go to show homes. Once those placements are determined, the puppies that weren’t selected for show homes will be made available to the homes seeking pets in the order that the deposits were received. However, the temperament and disposition of each puppy is considered in relation to the types of homes they may be going. Final placements are at our discretion. Also, we request that people with high ranking deposits schedule their pick up times early, as we cannot delay letting others who are ‘lower’ on the deposit list select simply because we cannot arrange an agreeable pick up time. We try to accommodate coat color preferences as much as possible; however, if you are offered puppies that do not suit what you are looking for, you are not required to take one at that time. You are welcome to wait for a future litter that may contain your preference. Your deposit would move up in the order once people above you had selected their puppies, but will not be refunded.
   The purchase price for show puppies in the Canada, leaving around 8 weeks, is $2,500.  Show prospect puppies over the age of 6 months would begin in price at $3000CDN.  Although we rarely have adults available for sale, the price for an adult would vary, depending upon numerous factors, including show worthiness, pedigree, training/experience, clearances, etc.

10. What if I want something specific in terms of coat color and sex?
    If you will settle for nothing less than, for example, dark red & white female…. then don’t send us a deposit. We can’t guarantee that we will have a puppy that meets that description in any given litter, and even if we do, if she is a show puppy, we may be keeping her. Our primary focuses when breeding a litter are the health, temperament, and conformation of our dogs. Sex and coat color are the last of our concerns. We do not begrudge anyone for having preferences – we have our own … but we cannot promise to accommodate those preferences, especially not under any kind of time constraint.

11. Where are your puppies raised?
    Puppies live in our kitchen and living room. They are well socialized with the help of our 5 children. Some of our adult dogs are house broken; however, when puppies are born, they are ‘in and out’ depending on the disposition of mother of the litter.

12. Do you ship your puppies in the U.S? Do you ship your puppies overseas?
    Although shipping to the US is an option, it is not our preference. We have, ourselves, purchased puppies and had them shipped by air. The trip can be somewhat stressful for them, depending on many factors. Shipping and crates are an added expense for the purchaser. And then, the purchaser does not get to meet the parents of the puppies nor see how they were raised. But, we will ship if there are no other alternatives. For overseas inquiries, obviously, shipping is the only option, so serious show inquiries would be considered in such cases. Shipping to the US for freight, health certificate, transport and crate usually costs around $450.00 CDN .Shipping outside of the country varies, obviously, but a round-about estimate on a 4 month old puppy is at least $850.00 CDN. * Health certificate, additional vaccinations, and other related fees are additional.
    IMPORTANT NOTE: At the end of 2013, in response to complaints from people who had been taken advantage of by puppy mills and scammers, the federal government amended the AWA to require that puppies for pet and exhibition cannot be purchased sight-unseen. So, we can still ship your puppy after 8 weeks of age; however, you will have to have seen the puppy in person before that can occur.

13. What if we want to purchase a dog from you for breeding purposes?
    If you already have a Qimmiq who was purchased from a pet store or a back yard breeder, we cannot sell you a show/breeding prospect puppy unless we have proof that your current dog is spayed/neutered. Sometimes, we require co-ownership contracts so that we can monitor the manner in which the dog is bred. We would be more than happy to explain our reasons for being strict with our breeding- quality dogs, but if you would like first hand experience in understanding why we do this, please visit your local Arctic dog rescue organization (as there will undoubtedly be one nearby) or, better yet, offer to foster or rescue some of the unwanted Arctic dogs who have resulted from irresponsible and uneducated breeding practices. If you are truly interested in becoming a REPUTABLE breeder, we’d be more than happy to work with you, or refer you to a mentor in your area.

14. What kind of food do you feed?
    We feed mainly a raw diet but our dogs seem to do well on grain free foods.