Breeding for total quality in structural soundness, health, type, character and temperament!
Puppy Purchase and Placement Information
Click here to open and print our application form
Although we have a screened list of homes for our planned Emma and Tank litter, we are still accepting applications for both show and pet homes.
Puppy Purchase Information
The happiest Rhodesian Ridgeback is a beloved family pet. Our primary goal in placing our puppies is finding the best match between dogs we breed and new families and homes. The careful planning we do in breeding is designed to produce outstanding show and performance animals, but a loving home is the first priority.
Our Guarantees
We guarantee the health of the puppy completely at the time of your purchase. Your puppy must see your vet within 7 days of purchase and we will take the puppy back and refund all moneys if your vet identifies any health problems with the puppy. A written report from your vet should be provided.
We guarantee that the parents have been certified free of hip or elbow dysplasia by the OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals).
We guarantee that the parents have been found clear of Hyper/Hypothyroidism in annual testing by Michigan State University. Both parents have also be cleared of cardiac, hearing and eye conditions through the OFA testing programs.
Contracts
All Two Hills Rhodesian Ridgebacks, puppies are sold on a contract. This is a legally binding agreement that identifies the rights and responsibilities of both the breeder (Two Hills) and the new owner (You!).
There are essentially two types of contracts that we use in selling our puppies.
A Pet/Companion Contract is the contract for a puppy placed in a home where there is no plan to show the animal in conformation or participate in competitive performance events. If you are purchasing a pet, you will agree that the puppy will not be bred. This contract requires that the puppy be spayed or neutered before one year of age and that you provide proof of that procedure to the breeder. All ridgeless puppies and any puppy who has had dermoid sinus surgery will be sold on a pet/companion contract only. Puppies will be registered with the AKC on a limited registration. Any offspring of a dog registered on a limited registration are not eligible for registration with the AKC.
Even though you may be purchasing a pet/companion only, and will not choose to be competitive in dog shows and performance events, we encourage you to have fun with your dog by enjoying classes and non-competitive events in obedience, agility, tracking, lure coursing and herding.
A Show/Breeding Contract is the contract for “show/breeding potential” puppies. This is the contract for homes interesting in showing their animals in conformation or other competitive performance events. It is also the contract that would cover breeding. There are many conditions and details that are discussed in this contract including co-ownership, health and genetic testing and completion of AKC championship titles. We will stipulate that if the animal is to be used for breeding that the owner agree to the Code of Ethics of the Rhodesian Ridgeback Club of the United States. A “show potential” puppy does not mean it will become a champion or that it is worthy to be bred if it becomes a champion. Evaluation of the puppy at maturity will help guide decisions.
If you are interested in a show puppy, but have no experience, we are happy to show the puppy for you or assist in finding a capable professional or breeder handler in your area to assist.
The other important contract item is our lifetime requirement that you return the animal to us if for any reason you can no longer provide a home for it. Our decision to breed dogs includes our lifetime commitment to that animal even if you cannot make the same commitment. No purchase price will be refunded and you are not permitted to sell the animal either for the purchase price or for profit should you decide you can no longer provide a home. You are encouraged to contact us immediately if you have a change in situation that may require you to give up your pet. We will help to find a suitable home or take the animal into our home.
The other stipulations of our contract state that the owner will provide an indoor home for the animal. That it will be fed, exercised and cared for appropriately including regular veterinary care. We also will require that you enroll in a basic puppy kindergarten training class to begin within 3 months of your purchasing the puppy. We will be happy to help you locate a good training class in your area that emphasizes the kind of positive training methods that work best with Ridgebacks. We do however encourage you to start your investigation before getting your puppy as good classes fill quickly.
What we will provide
The puppy will have visited the vet at least twice before going to its new home. Dew claws are removed and puppies are examined by the vet at 3-4 days of age. Puppies will be wormed and given first shots. You will be given a record of worming and vaccinations and a suggested protocol to follow for future vaccines.
We will have done lots of socialization, early house training and crate training (see how are puppies are raised below). We expect our homes to continue adding to these experiences.
We will provide a collar, first supply of food, and a favorite toy. Before you pick up your puppy we will provide you with a puppy reference book and a helpful list of suggested supplies you should purchase. You will also get pedigrees and photos of your puppies parent’s.
And of course, our guidance and support. We are committed to helping you and your puppy become a happy family and are always available for advice and support.
How our puppies are raised
Our puppies are born and live in our home. We have a guest bedroom that is converted to the whelping room when the time comes. It provides a private and comfortable place for mom and babies and a place for us to sleep to keep a close watch when they are young.
We follow the recommendations of Dr. Carmen Battaglia and others who begin to introduce “early neurological stimulation” beginning when they are 3 days old. These exercises have been shown to produce puppies with better overall health and temperament.
Mother dog will decide when to start weaning the pups (generally 3-4 weeks) and when they start eating puppy food, they are moved from the bedroom to the puppy play area which otherwise serves as our kitchen dining area. It is a bright, sunny area with patio doors to the back yard which allows for an early start to housebreaking. Crates are set up in there area which is the start of crate training for the puppies. They readily take to the crates, mostly piling all in one for their frequent naps. They instinctively will not potty in their sleep area so we are on our way with the first steps of housebreaking and crate training.
We provide lots of environmental stimulation and socialization. We follow the “Rule of 7’s” created by Pat Schaap. She suggests that by the time a puppy is 7 weeks old, it should have
- Been on 7 different types of surfaces-carpets, grass, concrete, wood, etc…
- Played with 7 different types of objects
- Been in 7 different locations
- Met and played with 7 new people
- Been exposed to 7 challenges –climbing, tunnels, fences, etc…
- Eaten from 7 different containers
- Eaten in 7 different locations
We suggest you start this list all over again once your puppy comes to your home. Although we do not have children, we have lots of nieces and nephews and neighbor kids. We make sure that our puppies have a lot of exposure to them when they are little. And of course our puppies will have exposure to our two cats. That will help them learn how to exist with other pets.
Starting at 6 weeks, we begin to temperament test the puppies with simple, established temperament tests. This will help us determine which puppies are best suited to their potential homes. At 8 weeks we do a complete puppy evaluation using the methods of Pat Hastings. We include other Ridgeback breeders to get objective opinions on structure and temperament. With that information we can begin to decide which puppies are best suited for our potential homes. Generally the puppies will stay with us until 10-12 weeks of age.
Cost of Puppies
Price of the puppies is from $1000-$1200 for pet quality puppies up to $2000- $2500 for show/breeding potential puppies.
We strongly encourage you to come and visit us and our dogs before you make any final decisions on purchasing a puppy.
If you are interested, please print and complete the application form above. You can copy to your computer, complete and email back to us. Or fill in out and send in back using regular mail. Our address and other contact info is on the Contact Us page of this site.
