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Queensland Heeler Puppies For Sale
Frequently Asked Questions
(Scroll down for answers if the links don't work.)
 
The Basics

Where are you located?

When will you have your next litter?
What are the prices for the puppies?
Is it better to call or e-mail for more information?
 

Reservations and Payments

Can I reserve a puppy?
How do I get on the waiting list?
How does the waiting list work?
How far in advance will you accept payments?
Where should I send my payment?
Can I pay part now and part when I pick up my puppy?
 
Getting Your Puppy

Is anything sent home with my puppy?

At what age will my puppy be ready to leave?
Can my puppy be shipped to me?
How much is shipping?
Can you leave the tail on?
Are they current on vaccinations and wormings?
Can I come out and see the puppies or their parents?
When are pictures posted?
What if I arrive to pick up my puppy and don't like it?
 
The Parents
What colors are the parents?
Are they from working parents?
Where can I find pictures of the parents?
 

Queensland Heeler Info

Are they good with children?

Do they make good watch/guard dogs?

What is the difference between a Queensland Heeler and an Australian Cattle Dog?


 

Where are you located?

We are in Galt, CA (approx. 30 minutes south of Sacramento and 20 minutes north of Stockton), and approx. 2 miles west of Hwy. 99.

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When will you have your next litter?

We currently have a litter born Sunday, October 14, 2018 by Jake (red speckled male) x Bella (blue female). Four females are available.

We are always accepting names for the puppy waiting list. When we have a litter, we will send an email advisement to all on the waiting list. You must respond so we can update the list. We post all puppy photos to the website and send an email advisement requesting everyone's puppy choices. Of those who respond with puppy choices, we go straight down the waiting list based on the date you requested to be added to the list and puppy preferences. That's as fair as we can get.

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What are the prices for the puppies?

Males - Blue or Red
$400
Females - Blue or Red
$400

We have always kept our puppy prices very reasonable, and rarely raise our prices, but have found ourselves underpriced. We strive for better and better dogs here on the ranch, resulting in better puppies. We truly believe you will not find higher quality Queensland Heelers than what we offer.

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Is it better to call or e-mail for more information?

We handle all of our communication for puppies through e-mail.  Please do not call about Queensland puppies. E-mail can be responded to at any hour of the day or night, and allows us to answer more completely any questions you might have, since we will have time to prepare a thorough, well thought out response. E-mail is checked on a regular basis when we have puppies available, and not so regular when we don't have puppies. However, we have numerous demands on our time, including work, the ranch, and just living life, so it may take a while to receive a response. Please be patient. The date added to the waiting list is based on the date your email was sent to us, not on the date we respond back. Our waiting list is done entirely by email and requires an email address. You cannot be added by phone, since it leaves us with no record of our communications. Those who call will be referred back to the website. Click here to go to our Contact Us page.

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Can I reserve a puppy?

No, we do not take pre-litter reservations for puppies. (The waiting list is your reservation, in a sense.)   We will not accept any reservations for puppies until we know exactly how many of each color and sex we have, at which point we notify everyone on the waiting list and proceed directly down the list.  We would not want to promise a puppy we cannot provide.

However, we are always accepting names and information for our waiting list. When a litter is born, everyone on the waiting list is notified. Of those who respond back, we then use your place on the list compared to others who respond. We now send notices when puppies are ready to go. Then you can come out and pick your puppy.

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How do I get on the waiting list?

To be added to the list please email us your
--
name
--
location,
-- phone #
-- color/sex preference 

You will receive a confirmation at some point after you have been added. (Sometimes it takes a while, but be assured it will happen.)   Your position on the list is determined by the date we received your request. If you sent a request but have not yet received a response back, please be patient. We receive lots of emails and will catch up at some point.

The waiting list request can only be made by email, not phone, since an email address is required, requests are trackable, and all further notifications are made by email.

Our email is

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How does the waiting list work?

Our waiting list is currently about a year long. Yes, actually a year, sometimes a bit longer, from the date you first asked to be placed on the waiting list before you are offered a puppy. We have not had puppies in a few years while we were in the rebuilding stage. Our dogs were getting older, and new puppies were brought in and raised. (Our 'new' girls, Tori and Bella, are actually granddaughters of Cutter x Pippi, two of our older dogs. Our 'new' male is Jake, a red speckled male with a gorgeous head, and a registered Australian Cattle Dog.)

We will notify all persons possibly reachable on the waiting list when the puppies are born and photos of each puppy have been posted to the website. At that point, they are open for selection, purchase and payment for a set amount of time. The date you are placed on the waiting list will determine first eligibility for a puppy. If you notice puppy photos have been posted to the website, but you have not yet received a notice, it is safe to assume that you were not immediately reachable on the waiting list based on:  Date of placement on the list, availability of color and/or sex of desired puppy. If you do not receive a puppy at that time, the good news is that you will have moved up the waiting list probably high enough to receive a puppy in the next litter. We send a notice of advisement to all persons on the waiting list, whether you are set to receive a puppy or not.

We generally do not send out email advisements until a litter is scheduled to be born. When we know we're going to have something, an update email will go out providing the information to you. This email is also seeking to update and finalize the current waiting list in preparation of the impending litter(s). That will give us our final list working order when the puppies are born.

When the puppies are ready to go to new homes (after they have been wormed twice and received their first distemper/parvovirus/coronavirus, etc. shot, we will send out an advisement to everyone on the waiting list. We wait to see who responds that is ready for a puppy. For those who respond, we go straight down the waiting list.

If you believe you are 'low' on the waiting list, be patient. Surprises do happen! Often people higher on the waiting list will 'pass' on a litter because for whatever reason, they just aren't ready for a puppy at the moment. This allows people lower on the waiting list an opportunity for a puppy, even though they haven't been on the waiting list very long. Sometimes it just works out that way! So... don't get discouraged if you have not been on the waiting list very long. You just never know when the opportunity for a puppy will present itself!

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How far in advance will you accept payments?

We will not begin accepting payments until puppies are born, you have been advised that you are reachable on the list and we have a puppy available for you.  As it is impossible for us to know how many of each color and sex will be born, we cannot guarantee that we will have the puppy you want until after they are born.  We do not accept money for a puppy that we may not be able to provide.

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What is an acceptable form of payment?

We accept cash only at the time you pick up your puppy.

Our mailing address is:

 

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Can I pay part now and part when I pick up my puppy?

No.  A puppy is not 'sold' until full payment is received. We no longer accept reservations, and no longer accept partial payment. Full payment is made when you pick up your puppy. We try to be equally fair to everyone on the waiting list, and give everyone the same opportunities. If you feel this is not a good time financially, then you can always wait for the next litter. You can stay on the list and maintain your placement as long as you want.

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Is anything sent home with my puppy?

Our 'puppy package' is sent home with each puppy.  This includes: 

>> Your receipt

>> The vials from puppy's first shot

>> A small ziploc bag of dry Purina puppy chow (enough to last a couple days)

>> An information sheet giving you the dates of all wormings and shots, as well as birthdate, parents, and general health information for your puppy

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At what age will my puppy be ready to leave?

Puppies are able to leave after they are weaned.  The puppies begin to naturally wean themselves at around 5-6 weeks old.  At that time we separate them from their mother and put them on a dry puppy chow. At six weeks old they receive their first puppy shot and wait to be taken to their new homes.  We guarantee our puppies to have good temperaments, be friendly, happy and healthy.

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Can my puppy be shipped to me?

Yes. You have two options:

You can pick the puppy up or arrange to have a friend pick it up for you.

OR

You can have the puppy shipped to your location.

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How much is shipping?

If your puppy needs to be shipped, you are responsible for contacting your local airlines and making all necessary arrangements.  They will give you a price to ship Air Freight from the Sacramento International Airport (SMF).  You'll want a direct flight, if possible, to minimize flight time for the puppies.  The price is based on the size of the shipping crate the puppy rides in, and the overall weight of the puppy and crate.  A puppy can ship in something as small as a cat shipping crate, if desired, which keeps your shipping price down.  Many airlines make shipping crates available for purchase direct through them.  If not, we can purchase one for you, but the crate goes with the puppy, so you would need to reimburse us for the cost of the crate.  We will not make or confirm any shipping arrangements, nor do we have anything to do with payment to the airlines. Just tell us when and where to take the puppy.

Also, we charge an additional $250 for shipped puppies due to the cost, time and effort required in getting a veterinarian's Certificate of Health so the puppy can be shipped, coordinating all commitments required to ship the puppy, and getting the puppy to the airlines at the proper day/time. We will take the puppy to the vet for a Health Certificate, pick up your shipping crate and water tub, and deliver everything to the airport at the proper day/time.

Expect the total cost to include:

  • cost of puppy ($400)
  • additional fee ($250), includes Health Certificate and delivery to airport,
  • shipping crate & water bowl (approx. $50)
  • Air Freight shipping cost

Please note that arrangements to ship your puppy must be made as soon as possible to ensure that your puppy leaves within a few days of the other pups in the litter.

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Can you leave the tail on?

Yes. We do not dock tails until the puppies are 2 1/2 weeks of age. Let us know with your preferences if you want a tail left on. We arbitrarily band some puppies' tails and leave others long. Banding the tails allows for a bloodless docking, and the tails fall off within about 1 week.

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Are they current on vaccinations and wormings?

Yes. All puppies are wormed at least twice, and are vaccinated using a killed/modified live virus solution to protect against Distemper, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus and Coronavirus, in addition to others.

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Can I come out and see the puppies or their parents?

We are always happy to show you around the ranch and let you see both the parents and the puppies.  If you would like to come out, please contact us by e-mail to make arrangements so that we can make sure someone will be available at the ranch. Be sure to give an appropriate subject line so we notice your request. (We get a lot of emails.)

However, we ask that you not try to come out too often to see the puppies before they are ready to go, as we all have full lives.  While we do not mind making time for you, please understand that it is difficult for us to make enough time for everyone interested in a puppy to come out multiple times.  We try to make up for this by posting updated photos of each puppy once a week, so that you are able to watch your puppy grow. We also offer at least one, possibly more, visitation days where all new or potential puppy owners are welcome to come out and visit the puppies.

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When are pictures posted?

We try to post photos routinely on the website so the new owners can watch their puppy grow. To see pictures of a litter click here.

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What if I arrive to pick up a puppy and don't like it?

This one is funny to us, because it just doesn't happen. We've been told the puppies look better in person than in the photos we post. People will sometimes ask to stay on the waiting list for a second puppy as they are picking up their first puppy. But.... If you came out and decided you don't want a puppy, then don't take one. It's as simple as that. We don't want you to have a puppy unless you are totally happy with it and committed to raising that puppy.

Our goal is for you to be happy with your new puppy. We know a puppy is a long term commitment. We do not want you to have one of our puppies if you are not ready to fully appreciate it. That is why you can choose to stay on the waiting list as long as you like until you are ready for a puppy, assuming you respond to all list update emails. List updates are usually done about every six months, and are usually done just prior to a litter.

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What colors are the parents?

The father (Jake) is a red speckled AKC registered Australian Cattle Dog. The mothers are blue Queensland Heelers. All puppies are Queensland Heelers.

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Are they from working parents?

Our Queensland Heelers are working dogs.  At this point, the cows are gone so we use them to push horses.  Most Queensland Heelers are natural heelers, but some can be natural headers.

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Where can I find pictures of the parents?

Pictures of the parents can be found at the Queensland home page.  To go there now click here.

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Are they good with children?

Queensland Heelers are wonderful and extremely devoted family pets. They are incredibly tough, sturdy dogs and are more naturally aggressive than a labrador retriever or a similar breed. You have to be strict when they are young so they know what is and is not acceptable. Queensland Heelers are naturally alpha dogs and must be taught to give to their boss (or bosses). Do not allow them to growl at you or your children as puppies, because this is alpha behavior. Behavior that may be cute when they are puppies is not nearly as cute once they are full grown, at which time bad habits are much more difficult to get rid of. Also (and this is with any puppy you get, not just Queensland Heelers), puppies like to chew on things, especially toes and fingers. Small children have more sensitive skin than older children and adults, so you will need to watch them with the puppy.

You won't have to worry too much about the children hurting the Queensland puppy, though, because they are such hardy dogs. We have had a two year old child out playing with the puppies (attended by an adult, of course), not always in a delicate manner, and the puppies thought the two year old child was wonderful.

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Do they make good watch/guard dogs?

Queensland Heelers are loving, devoted pets and very reliable watchdogs. While they do have a natural herding instinct (and may herd small children or other animals), they tend to be extremely loyal, protective family and watch dogs, and are able to use discretion. In our experience, your puppy will bond strongest to one person, but will love and protect the entire family. Queensland Heelers can sense your emotions and can discern when a person is sick or weak, and will treat that person more delicately. They tend to be especially careful and protective in those situations. They are very smart and amazing dogs!

If it is not obvious which family member has become your dog's 'special person', just try this test: Have all family members stand together chatting with the dog nearby; then everybody split up and walk away in different directions away from the dog, and see who the dog follows.

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What is the difference between a Queensland Heeler and an Australian Cattle Dog?

The Australian Cattle Dog is an AKC recognized breed, while the Queensland Heelers is not. The Australian Cattle Dog is essentially a Queensland Heeler with a long tail.  Australian Cattle Dogs were originally Queensland Heelers that could be traced back to a specific lineage in Australia.  People often confuse the two breeds because they used to be one breed.  Queensland Heelers are also known as Blue Heelers or Red Heelers. Heelers only come in 'blue' (all blue, or blue with brown legs sometimes called tri-color) or 'red' (including red speckled). Blue really isn't blue, but is actually gray, black and silver on each individual hair. These colors give a 'blue' look to the coat. Queensland Heelers can have face and/or body patches, while the Australian Cattle Dog is only allowed face patches. Blues may have black patches, and reds may have brown patches. Pretty much every dog has different markings. Always look for the small white Bentley mark on the forehead of every Queensland Heeler / Australian Cattle Dog. We always use an AKC registered Australian Cattle Dog as the sire of our puppies to give the consistently broad look and blocky head of the Australian Cattle dog to our Queensland Heelers.

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If we didn't answer your question, please e-mail us at:
Rev. 06/15/2019