When will my puppy be ready to go home?
Pomeranian puppies are typically ready at 10 weeks of age and Dachshund puppies go home at 8 weeks of age.
What is included with my puppy?
Every puppy receives age-appropriate shots and deworming prior to going to their new home. The puppy care package includes starter food, toys, a chewy, a blanket that smells like momma/littermates, and 30 days of FREE Trupanion pet insurance.
How does the contract/deposit work?
A signed contract and a $300 non-refundable deposit holds your puppy. Deposits can be submitted in the form of a check or digital payment (types include PayPal, Venmo, and Zelle). The remaining balance is due in cash at puppy pickup. We also accept credit cards. Deposits are valid for two years if you need to wait for a specific color or time of the year.
Can I have my puppy AKC registered?
Yes. Our puppies are sold on a spay or neuter agreement. After we receive proof of spay or neuter, an application for AKC registration is available for $50 plus the AKC processing fee of $65 to $85. The most important thing is that your puppy's parents are AKC registered, so customers rarely choose to register their puppy.
Breeding rights are rarely offered and there is an upcharge to the puppy's price.
What exposure to training will my puppy have?
POTTY TRAINING -- By puppy pickup day, puppies are well on their way to being potty trained.
CRATE TRAINING -- Puppies begin napping in their crates between 6 and 8 weeks of age. That way they are familiar with a crate when you take them home. While there will be some whining and crying the first couple nights, it will be less than if the crate was new to them.
CAR RIDES -- Puppies are taken on oodles of car rides to help get them used to motion, so they are less likely to get car sick.
What vaccinations do your puppies have?
Each puppy receives age-appropriate vaccinations and deworming before going home. We provide a vaccination record so your veterinarian can continue the series at the appropriate intervals.
How does the inquiry process work?
Start by filling out the Inquiry form. We will reach out to learn about your family and discuss which puppies would be a good fit for you. Once you make a decision, a deposit and signed contract hold your puppy. When your puppy is ready to go home, we coordinate your puppy pickup day or flight nanny delivery. In some cases, we might be willing to drive an hour to meet you.
How do you know if a breeder is reputable?
A reputable breeder lets you see how the puppies actually live, not just photos of them. The American Pomeranian Club puts it plainly in its guide to where to buy a Pomeranian: breeders should be willing to have you visit their premises and should be able to show you a clean environment, well socialized pups and a dam with a good temperament. Bear Valley Puppies raises every litter in the living room, not in a kennel building, with early socialization around children, cats, and other dogs. Both parents of every litter are AKC registered, and the Pomeranian breeding parents are Embark tested. The inquiry process runs both ways: Jan Francois talks through fit with each family before a deposit is taken, the same screening the American Pomeranian Club recommends looking for.
How is Bear Valley Puppies different from a puppy mill or backyard breeder?
The clearest sign of an ethical breeder is transparency about how the dogs actually live. Bear Valley Puppies raises every litter in the family's own living room in Lone Rock, Wisconsin, with daily handling and early exposure to children, cats, and other dogs. Both parents of every litter are AKC registered, and the Pomeranian breeding parents are Embark tested. Bear Valley never breeds a double-dapple pairing. Before a deposit is accepted, Jan discusses the family's home and lifestyle to make sure the fit is right, the same two-way screening the American Pomeranian Club recommends buyers look for. The testimonials on this site come from Wisconsin and Minnesota families who describe that living-room, well-socialized experience firsthand, and you are welcome to visit and see it for yourself.
What should I ask Bear Valley Puppies before buying a puppy?
Are the parents AKC registered? Yes. Both the sire and dam of every litter are AKC registered, and puppies are sold on a spay or neuter agreement with registration available afterward for $50 plus the AKC's own processing fee.
Is genetic testing done? The Pomeranian breeding parents are Embark tested. The Dachshunds are not genetically tested.
Is there a health guarantee? No. Bear Valley does not offer a health guarantee of any kind. Every puppy does receive age-appropriate vaccinations and deworming before going home, with a record for your own veterinarian to continue.
What is included? Starter food, toys, a chewy, a blanket that smells like momma, and 30 days of Trupanion pet insurance.
How does the deposit work? A $300 non-refundable deposit holds a specific puppy or a spot for a preferred color, and deposits stay valid for two years.