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NorthWest K9 maintains a standard protocol for working candidate acquisitions. In brief, acquisitions include the following steps:
NorthWest K9 is located in the Enumclaw, Washington area in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Closest major metropolitan centers include the cities of Seattle, Bellevue, and Tacoma in Washington state; Portland, Oregon; and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. We are conveniently located within driving distance to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport ("Sea-Tac"), and to the Portland, Oregon international airport.
Our program candidate availability varies at any given time. We may have dogs undergoing evaluation that are not yet posted on the web site. Parties who have submitted a K9 Search Request that meets our program placement criteria are placed on our wait list and receive priority notification when a new candidate is featured on the NorthWest K9 web site. Once a dog is accepted into the NorthWest K9 Foundation Training Program, and has progressed well into training and has demonstrated potential for one or more service careers, those on the K9 Search Request wait list are advised of the program candidate. If after reviewing the candidate's online informational page you find the dog matches your personal specifications and service requirements, please let us know that you are interested in the dog.
We provide comprehensive information about each dog on their designated web page. This information includes training status checklist, photos, digital videos, service career path recommendations, and related information about the dog's overall temperament, conformation, health, training status, and command proficiency. We are constantly updating the information on each dog's web page to ensure currency and accuracy. The depth, scope, and reliability of the information we provide online about each candidate is unequalled by other service dog providers. Maintaining up-to-date, comprehensive information online keeps our costs much lower and reduces the time we would otherwise spend managing paper correspondence and telephone inquiries. Those cost savings are passed directly on to our clients.
We are unable to conduct special searches to aquire a dog meeting specific personal preferences and/or service requirements. K9 Search Request notification service subscribers will be advised of each dog as it qualifies for the NorthWest K9 Foundation Training Program, to give you an opportunity to review each new candidate and make your own preliminary determination of suitability for your preferences and service requirements.
Our program bridges the training gap between the "green" (completely untrained) dog, and the dog fully trained to Police K9, SAR, Detection, or other service certification. NorthWest K9 Foundation Program graduates are typically acquired by clients who then complete masters-level training for team certification either in their own in-house program or at an outside training facility.
Our standard health and hip/elbow warranty information is summarized online. You will find the warranties available for each candidate listed on their web page. Dogs that have been preliminarily radiographed will have this noted on their page, and the purchase price will have been adjusted accordingly. Comprehensive health and hip warranties are fully detailed in the individual Purchase Agreement prepared for each dog.
Yes. One of the first steps in our standardized acquisition process is the exchange of references. We ask for references from individuals seeking to acquire NorthWest K9 dogs, and we recommend that they check out our references also. You may also read some comments from NorthWest K9 clients.
We do not place dogs with faulty temperament. Faulty temperament would include a dog that demonstrates inappropriate aggression toward other dogs, adults, or children. Our dogs are typically adolescents under two years of age, with high drives and energy, and can be quite athletic and forceful in play. Subsequently, when the household has children under 12 years of age, we will only place a dog with an experienced handler. (By way of example, almost all of our Police Dog placements are with K9 handlers with small children in the home.) While in the NorthWest K9 training program, dogs aren't allowed to spend idle time playing with other dogs. They are properly socialized to other dogs and spend time with other program dogs in the house under obedience. Program dogs are exposed to domestic livestock. We don't maintain cats on the premises. Cat proofing is an obedience exercise undertaken by the handler after the dog's arrival in its new home. Prey drive is to be expected among the herding breeds, so if you have cats or other uncaged small animals in the household, be committed to train accordingly. If you desire a dog that would not have any instinctive drive to chase a moving object or animal, or if you are not prepared to train your puppy or dog to disregard cats and other animals, consider a non-herding breed.
We understand that a requesting party may not require that the dog be fully trained to NorthWest K9 foundation program competency. Depending on the circumstances, we may place a dog with a skilled handler wishing to complete their own competency training before the dog has been fully trained by NorthWest K9 to skills competency. To ensure best match, all parties inquiring about acquisition are required to first submit a K9 Search Request. We are unable to answer inquiries about available dogs until the K9 Search Request is completed in full and submitted.
Our priority is always "best match." We team each dog and handler according to the closest match with service requirements, personal preferences, living environment, skill level, training style, and other determining factors. This means that K9 Search Requests may not be fulfilled in the order in which they are received by NorthWest K9. Requests from bona fide Police K9, Search and Rescue, and other service agencies and personnel are prioritized. In the event a dog appears to be a match with more than one interested party, priority will be given to the first prequalified party submitting a Purchase and Sale Agreement and holding deposit.
We have found that the optimal team match is accomplished when the potential buyer has had an opportunity to meet the dog in person prior to purchase and fully evaluate the dog for the intended service training and performance. We conduct Team Evaluations in the Enumclaw, Washington area. Team Evaluations are typically conducted over a 2-day period, with two or three comprehensive evaluation sessions scheduled when the dog's skills, competency, and training status will be demonstrated to you. We do not conduct these evaluations entirely at our facility -- all dogs will show better on their "home turf." We encourage potential buyers to designate additional locations and environments out in the "real world" in which to evaluate the dog. You'll have a wide range of locations from which you can choose to fully evaluate your dog, from wilderness forest to downtown traffic to heavy industry to retail shopping centers to firing range to childrens playgrounds -- wherever you wish to safely evaluate the dog's temperament, confidence, and performance. Out-of-town overnight visitors may stay at a conveniently located dog-friendly motel where you may spend extended time with the dog to further evaluate the dog independent of the familiar environment at NorthWest K9.
We will place puppies and dogs with qualified private parties who are seeking a companion dog for an active lifestyle and who are committed to ongoing training and competitive or recreational activities with their dog. We welcome the opportunity to assist first-time owners with post-placement training and support. Prior experience owning and training a high drive German Shepherd Dog may be preferred for a higher drive candidate. Companion Dog placements are made with individuals whose lifestyle and employment ensure that the dog will on a daily basis have the committed companionship of the handler and/or family in the home. We typically place Companion Dogs only in households with children over the age of 12, and will consider younger children on a case by case basis. Spay/neuter is required for all companion dog placements.
Depending on our candidates available, we may accept a Search Request for an Assistance Dog or Therapy Dog. NorthWest K9 evaluates and selects for program acquisition dogs that possess the drive and temperament for working careers in Police K9, Detection, and Search and Rescue. Our training program selection criteria typically does not match the drive and temperament selection criteria for potential Assistance or Therapy Dogs, however suitable candidates may occasionally become available. We also recommend that you contact your regional German Shepherd Rescue organization to find a candidate well-suited to your Assistance or Therapy training and performance goals.
No. NorthWest K9 does not provide protection training for, nor place protection-trained dogs with, civilians. A German Shepherd Dog of sound temperament and character, with appropriate socialization, obedience training, and caring and attentive stewardship will bond strongly with its people and be an effective deterrent for personal security and safekeeping of home and property.
Our primary mission is to provide dogs for lifetime careers of service. Our standard policy is to place program candidates on no-breeding contracts.
NorthWest K9 dogs will not be placed for deployment by commercial, for-profit businesses. Requests from training specialists are considered on a case-by-case basis, and only when ultimate service placement will be with a bona fide, non-profit domestic law enforcement or SAR agency.
Submitting your K9 Search Request is the first step in team evaluation and placement. If there is a potential lifetime match, an appointment will be made for a pre-acquisition telephone consultation when we can fully discuss your candidate of interest and whether the candidate is the best match for your lifestyle and training and service goals. If we are in mutual agreement that we have a best match, then the contractual agreement and holding deposit are completed in preparation for team evaluation and/or delivery. The time and effort invested by all parties early in the evaluation and placement screening process is well spent, because it sets the stage for a successful lifetime match between the handler and his or her working partner. Fulfilling a K9 Search Request depends on the dogs currently available and the specifications and requirements of the request. NorthWest K9 is selective in its acquisitions and placements. We emphasize quality over quantity, and the best candidate for you may not be immediately available.
We typically receive numerous search requests for each program candidate. We carefully review each statement of interest, and we encourage potential purchasers to take ample time prior to making a commitment with their signed final Purchase and Sale Agreement and holding deposit. There may be several parties considering acquisition of a particular program dog at any given time so it's possible that one party may complete acquisition requirements before another party that is considering acquisition. We maintain a wait list of other interested parties in the event the original sale is not completed.
We are able to hold a dog for a limited time after receipt of the completed Purchase and Sale Agreement and a nonrefundable holding deposit. If the purchasing party requires additional time before taking delivery of the dog, depending on our space availability we may agree to extend the holding period and continue to board and train the dog upon the Purchaser's prepayment of a nonrefundable board and train fee for each day until the scheduled acquisition date. If after conducting the Team Evaluation it's determined that the dog is not the best team match for you, your holding deposit will be applied to the purchase of another dog from NorthWest K9. (Our standard Purchase and Sale Agreement details our policies and requirements.)
Our priority is individually matching each handler with the best candidate, and we schedule an in-person team evaluation when prospective purchasers travel to NorthWest K9 to meet and evaluate their dog in person prior to acquisition. If the Team Evaluation results in a match and acquisition, purchasers may accompany their dog via air transport back to their home destination in the contiguous United States or Canada. Dogs may not be transported to any destination requiring a quarantine upon arrival. Some airlines offer special in-cabin accommodations for bona fide SAR and LEO handlers transporting their service dog. Or you may ship your dog via air cargo on most major carriers. Transit via air will incur additional costs for veterinary travel certificate, crate, and air fare for you and your dog. Some airlines may offer the option of taking your dog home with you as "excess baggage." All shipping costs are the responsibility of the purchaser. During the warmer months of the year (typically beginning May 15), many airlines institute weather-related pet cargo shipping restrictions. Dogs may not be shipped during extreme weather conditions. Purchasers located within ground transport distance to NorthWest K9 may provide their own ground transport.
We are unable to accommodate drop-ins by the general public. The NorthWest K9 program is unique. Unlike most providers, we won't conduct on-the-spot sales to the general public stopping by in the hopes of finding a dog to purchase. Ours is a specialized program offering only a select number of dogs that are carefully matched with pre-screened handlers. Once you have submitted a K9 Search Request, and we have mutually determined that a program candidate is a potential best match for your requirements and specifications, you may place a hold on a dog with a Purchase Agreement and holding deposit. We'll then schedule your formal team evaluation at NorthWest K9.
We can provide custom team training for clients acquiring NorthWest K9 dogs and for individuals who already own a dog who want custom, one-on-one private team training in puppy basics, obedience or tracking.
We occasionally have litters that we have bred, and we also acquire, train, and place German Shepherd Dogs from established, reputable breeders and from private parties who because of changes in their circumstances relinquish their dog directly to NorthWest K9 or to a rescue or shelter agency.
NorthWest K9 does not sell dogs for the primary purpose of breeding, showing, or other commercial breed club activities, and AKC or other commercial breed organization registration is not provided. When the pedigree is known for a program candidate, it will be included on the dog's web page. We admire a strong working pedigree reflecting conscientious breeding practices and a commitment to breed stewardship. Pedigree knowledge is required when considering a dog for breeding purposes. However, our experience demonstrates that having a paper pedigree in hand is of little relevance when evaluating a dog on its own merits for potential acquisition, training, and successful performance in service. If you're contemplating a service dog acquisition based primarily on its pedigree on paper, caveat emptor. A paper pedigree will not guarantee serviceability and performance. Nor will a pedigree overcome a dog's innate deficiencies. Always look at the dog before you, and evaluate that dog for the job at hand. "A dog's appearance is what he seems to be, his pedigree is what he ought to be, and his temperament is what he is." -- author unknown
Our program is self-supporting. Our goal is to offer outstanding service candidates with foundation training competency at very reasonable prices. We rigorously test and evaluate each candidate prior to commencing training. Once selected for our Foundation Training Program, each dog is continually evaluated and rated to the breed standard for service potential in the areas of overall health and intelligence, nerve costume, genetic drives and traits, soundness of temperament, balance in character, and trainability. As yet untrained candidates new to our Foundation Training and Placement Program are at "green" status and are offered at a base price. As the dog's foundation program training, skills, and competency progress over time, the purchase price incrementally increases reflecting each dog's skills competency and service potential and our daily care and maintenance costs including any veterinary evaluations. Each service candidate's competency level is indicated on their page in the "Program Training Competency" bar chart. Program dogs are progressively trained while they are in residence here, and their status is continually updated as they progress in program training. Because of the chronological variability in training, skills, and competency status for each candidate, we are unable to provide a standardized "price list." Because our Foundation Training and Placement Program is self-supporting, you can expect to pay less for a puppy or dog from NorthWest K9 that is comprehensively evaluated, foundation trained, and carefully matched with your personal goals and preferences than you will pay for an untrained puppy or dog sold and shipped "sight unseen" from a commercial breeder or vendor.
We're unable to make extended payment arrangements. Acquiring a dog from NorthWest K9 is a lifetime commitment, and the up-front purchase costs will always be the smallest financial investment you'll ever make in your canine partner. Prior to submitting your K9 Search Request to NorthWest K9, you should have the funds available to purchase a dog and to finance the day-to-day maintenance, upkeep, training and equipment, and veterinary care for the lifetime of your working teammate. We can accept your Purchase Order, wire transfer, or Cashier's or personal check drawn on a regional bank.
We review our current wait list on a regular basis. We welcome serious inquiries, and discourage K9 Search submissions by individuals who are only "window shopping" and not engaged in a committed search for a qualified working teammate or superior companion dog. We will decline K9 Search Requests that do not meet our placement criteria. We remove K9 Search Requests from our wait list if the submitting party requests removal, or if we have contacted the submitting party about a potential candidate and have not received a timely response. |
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