Upcoming Litters at Kalwa 

Currently, we are planning a breeding for summer 2013. Hazel (CH U-CH Kalwa's Elements in Harmony) will be bred to Carter (GCH U-CH Kalwa's Incense and Peppermints RN). More information will be available once the breeding takes place, which is expected to happen in April 2013, with puppies due in June.

All Kalwa puppies are sold first and foremost as companions, and will only be allowed to go to homes where they will be cherished family members.  I am only interested in placing puppies with people who are willing to remain in contact with me throughout the lifetime of their dog.  I am committed to the puppies I breed for the duration of their lives, and all Kalwa puppies will be welcomed back here for any reason at any time should their new families not be able to keep them.  

I strive to produce puppies that are physically and mentally sound, and I offer a written health and temperament warranty as part of the Kalwa sales contract.  By the time puppies leave for their new homes they have had their tails docked and dew claws removed (done at three days), a thorough veterinary exam to screen for any problems, and their first set of vaccinations (given at eight weeks).  Puppies have also had their eyes checked by an ACVO certified veterinary ophthalmologist to screen for any potential eye problems.  Now that DNA testing is available to determine PRA genetic status in Springers, all puppies will be DNA-tested if there is the possibility based on parentage that they may be genetically affected for PRA, and new owners will be informed about their puppy's PRA status and what that means.  All puppies are microchipped prior to placement and the microchip is then registered to the breeder as well as the new owners to assist in getting a lost puppy back where he/she belongs.  All Kalwa puppies are registered at the time of sale.  All Kalwa puppies are bred to be wonderful pets; some may also be show/breeding prospects.  Those puppies which are not going to be shown are sold on spay/neuter contracts with limited registration.  Potential show prospects are sold on a co-ownership with the breeder.  New owners of all puppies (not just those sold as "show dogs") are strongly encouraged to participate in formal activities with their new companion.  As an incentive to do so, a $25 rebate will be offered for the first title earned in each performance area. 

I do not let puppies go to their new homes until they are at least ten weeks old.  Puppies learn important social skills from each other and from older dogs between the ages of eight and ten weeks that allow them to interact well with other dogs later in life.  Puppies who are separated from their littermates and who do not have access to appropriate adult dogs during this time often grow up lacking important dog-to-dog interaction skills which can result in problems such as dog aggression or fearfulness later in life.  Additionally, I do not make final placement decisions until after the puppies are eight weeks old; the extra time until ten weeks allows me to be sure I am making the best placements.  I do not ship young puppies to new homes unaccompanied.  Therefore, I require that all puppies I place be picked up by their new owner in person.  This also allows me to meet everyone personally before placing a puppy, which makes good sense for the breeder as well as for the buyers.  I will place puppies anywhere that is suitable as long as the potential buyers are willing to come here to get the puppy.  At ten weeks, Springer pups are still small enough to travel in the cabin of an airplane and I have had people from as far away as Seattle, WA and Edmonton, Alberta, Canada fly to Pennsylvania to pick up their puppies and return with the puppy in the cabin. 

An important note about location:  I will place puppies anywhere as long as people are willing to pick them up in person; keep the location in mind when deciding if Kalwa is the right place for you to find a puppy.  We have moved around quite a bit, but we are now permanently located in Utah, in the Salt Lake Valley.  Puppy buyers may choose to drive to Utah to pick up their puppies, or if they are not located within driving distance they may travel by airplane.  Ten-week-old Springer puppies can still fit in the cabin of a plane, and I have had several buyers take their puppies home in that manner. 

My primary goal in placing puppies is to ensure that each puppy gets just the right family and that each family gets the perfect companion.  I do not promise first pick, second pick, etc. and puppies are not placed on a first-come, first-served basis.   I also do not allow potential owners to choose their own puppy.  Rather, I work carefully to match each family with the puppy which will fit in best with their personality, activities, and interests, and to match each puppy with the home which will be most suited to its unique characteristics.  My goal is to help you find the perfect pup for your family and lifestyle.  I understand that people may have a preference for a particular sex and/or color when looking for a puppy, and that is certainly your prerogative.  However, I feel that temperament, personality, and structure are much more important than sex or color.  While I will try to accommodate your preferences for sex and/or color if possible, I can never guarantee that I will have the sex/color combination you prefer.  When making placement decisions, I choose the puppy I feel is best suited for a particular family regardless of sex or color.  Although some of the people I have placed puppies with have not gotten what they originally thought they wanted when looking for a puppy, nobody has been unhappy with their puppy's personality yet.  Because I like to see our dogs and their owners having fun together,  preference for placements may be given to those homes which are interested in pursuing performance events or activities such as therapy work with their puppy.

When you contact me abut a puppy, I will ask that you complete a questionnaire providing some information about you, your family, your experience with dogs in general and Springers in particular, and what you are looking for in a Springer.  I will then contact you to talk further in person about these topics, and to answer any questions you may have.  If I have available puppies and think that one of them is a likely to be a fit for you, then I will ask for a deposit to hold a puppy.  This deposit in non-refundable in most cases; however, if I determine at any point that I will not have a suitable puppy for you, then I will return your deposit or apply it to a puppy from a future litter, whichever we agree upon.

If you are interested in a puppy from one of my litters, please let me know via the "Contact Us" link below.  If not, you can use the How to Find a Breeder section for help in locating the perfect pup.  And don't forget to consider an older Springer, as they can make wonderful pets, too!  Please see Puppy or Adult? and What about Rescue? for more information.

 I love to answer questions about the breed and to talk about Springers any time, and I'm always willing to help someone find that perfect companion.  Please use the link below to contact me with any questions about available puppies or anything about Springers in general.  I'll be glad to help.  I try to respond to all e-mails in a timely manner, but I'm sometimes quite busy and consequently it may take me a few days to get back to you.  Occasionally messages get overlooked, so if you have not heard back from me within several days, please resend your request and I'll be sure to get back to you.  Thanks!