FAQ'S

Do you only sell your puppies to traditional working homes ?
Not necessarily. Our mission is to breed dogs with natural hunting ability as this is the breeds' purpose as Eduard Korthals intended. This encompasses stalking, tracking, beating, pegging, rough shooting, water fowling, and falconry. We test the puppies on game (quail) at 6 and 7 weeks to determine who is birdy and game driven. Not every pup in a litter will display a strong prey/hunt drive and as such are best suited to those owners who have other interests. This can be achieved in many ways; obedience, agility, gundog working training/testing, flyball, search and rescue as well as Canicross We have pups successfully participating in all these disciplines. The bottom line is the Griff requires a job/purpose to satisfy their intelligent and inquisitive nature.

How and where are the puppies raised ?
Puppies are whelped in an en-suite spare bedroom where they remain with their Mum until the weaning process - roughly at 3 weeks. They are then moved to the dedicated Puppy Hacienda where Mum has 24/7 access to her pups in addition to the 3 adult Griffs who share our life. We take turns sleeping with them. They are never left alone from birth until they leave us. Never. The area is centrally heated with a full bathroom, hot and cold running water, fridge freezer and the ever-running washer and dryer. There is also direct access for the pups to a large secured artificial turf covered deck. We start the process of toilet training and getting the pups used to sleeping in a covered enclosure which we call the pod. This enables a much easier transition to crate training once pups go home. We encourage visits once the pups are moved to the Hacienda to assist with socialisation.

What is included ?
Along with a full Kennel Club endorsed puppy pack which includes 5 weeks free insurance and 5 generation registered pedigree, we provide the new owners with a choice from two training books, first set of vaccinations, microchip and a month of flea/tick medication along with a voucher for a months’ worth of raw puppy food through Nutriment. Additionally, we provide a health guarantee and full support to the owners and their pup for the lifetime of the dog. In the event circumstances change and the dog requires rehoming, the dog is returned to us regardless of age or situation.

How do I get on the waiting list for a puppy ?
After the initial chat, we require a home visit to us here as part of the mutual vetting process. Often if the travel distance is considerable, I will endeavour to have you meet up with another parent close to your location for a Meet and Greet to experience what ownership of the breed requires and get firsthand knowledge about us and our process. If after all this the result is a mutual good fit feeling, then we provide the deposit and buyer contacts for you to review. If you happy with the terms and conditions of each we then require a 10% deposit to secure your pup. The deposit is fully refundable in the event the pregnancy does not go to fruition or sex desired is not produced. Change of heart is not a refundable condition; we only initiate a breeding when we have secured 6 deposits as litter size can vary from 6 to 13, 8 to 10 being the average. We simply want to know there are forever homes waiting for the majority of the pups in the litter prior to creating them. This is not however a first come first served process, the right pup goes to the right owner regardless of when the deposit was accepted unless there are simply not enough puppies produced, in which case the fairest way is to go by the dates which a deposit was placed. This rarely happens as I am a certified scanner and can ascertain the number of pups our girl is carrying throughout her pregnancy.

How do I see the progress of the litter once they are born ?
Each litter has their own private Facebook group, where we post daily updates on their progress along with pictures, videos and live streams. This ensures you experience their journey from birth to their going home day. We encourage posting and sharing of your pup to the group once they are home so you can see how the littermates are getting on and to gain support in their rearing. Aligngriffs is very much a community.

How do you decide on puppy selection ?
We conduct a Volhard Puppy Aptitude test at 49 days of age. This is performed by an experienced tester who has had no previous interaction with the litter. Conformation stacking/assessment is also part of the Volhard assessment. These objective scores along with your goals for the pup, the game exposure results, review of the daily videos we film of the pups from birth, the environment the pup will be going to (children, elderly, machinery, other animals) along with the experience of the buyer in relation to raising a puppy and or HPR, are all taken into consideration when allocating pups to owners. It is imperative the pup is placed in an environment that is conducive to bringing out the best in them for the chosen journey you are embarking on with them. The result is the pup is happy, confident, and easier to train, which in turn results in a very happy owner(s).

What is the cost of a puppy ?
If cost or even location proximity are the main deciding factors when choosing a breeder, I have to ask why considering that taking on a pup is a 13-to-15-year commitment and one that should not be filled with no ongoing support lasting the lifespan of the pup, unnecessary vet bills and the crucial health guarantee. There are sadly enough breeders out there who may or may not be more expensive but who do not offer the dedicated time, effort, love and attention we put into the planning and rearing of a litter. I would strongly encourage you to visit and talk to as many other breeders as you can. The Puppy Buyer Guide is there to support you so that you know what questions to ask and why. If you have done your research and are interested in a pup from us, then please contact us for further information including costs. Puppies and the breed have been our passion ever since we acquired our first Griff -Scout some 22 years ago. We like to think our testimonials speak for themselves along with the many owners who have returned to us for another pup. We love to talk  about the Griff.