Snowlion Alaskan Malamutes: Sales Policy & Selection Process; Choosing your Alaskan Malamute Puppy
Snowlion Alaskan Malamute, Sales Policy, Selecting your Alaskan Malamute Puppy
Snowlion Sales Policy
Snowlion Malamute puppies going to non-show homes will be eligible for AKC limited registration for family pets and sold with spay/neuter contracts. Our puppies are vet checked prior to placement and sold with a health warranty. Note: the first step to purchasing a Snowlion puppy is filling out our Puppy Application. Please consider whether you are willing to drive or fly to Reno/Tahoe to get your puppy. Most people fly back with the pup in cabin or drive home. Cargo shipping is limited to Alaska/Horizon Air on their direct flights in the western US, (and possibly AA), but we prefer if you pick up in person. March update: **Puppies expected soon: we are accepting reservations/deposits now.**
Our Focus on Health
We are a sledding & show kennel: performance --dependent on health, soundness, & longevity -- is the basis of our breeding program. Parents are cleared for breed relevant conditions including OFA hips and DNA tested for: AMPN polyneuropathy, PCD primary ciliary dyskinesia, DM degenerative myelopathy, Factor VII deficiency (bleeding disorders), eyes (cone degeneration, day blindness, achromotopsia. Puppies are vet checked prior to placement and dewormed & vaccinated according to recommended age protocols. We suggest working with a holistic veterinarian to set up the best treatment plan for your puppy.
visits
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Other than the appointments we schedule for clients to pick their puppy up, we are unable to arrange additional visits. Like most people we are busy with full-time jobs, exercising & training our dogs, spending time with family, and of course, taking care of our puppies.
deposits
Snowlion Puppies are sold by reservation with deposits. Deposits will be refunded if we don’t have the type of puppy you requested—male or female. Please note that we do *not* take deposits for specific colors, markings, or coat type as we don’t know what will arrive, nor which pups will be available until our evaluations are completed at 8 weeks. Also keep in mind that markings and colors may change with age. If you are *not* willing to take a puppy of a certain color (red, sable, gray, seal/black) please mention that in your application. Our goal as experienced, well-established breeders is finding the most suitable, permanent homes for each of our pups. With over 40 years experience, we know that selecting a pup with the right temperament and energy level is the key to a successful placement.
Selecting your alaskan malamute puppy
Once our evaluations are completed at 7-8 weeks, a few puppies may be set aside for show homes; others will be available as family companions on a spay/neuter contract. Some of those show prospects "semi-finalists" may become available to families wanting "show quality pups as companion dogs" and will be listed on our web site at 10-16 weeks. (Often we need more time "to run puppies on" before making our final pick and show puppies going abroad must be at least 15 weeks old). After the litter evaluations are completed, we will discuss the available pups with each person in turn according to the order of the reservation list. Factors such as energy levels & temperament of the pups, your lifestyle, family members, experience with the breed as well as any special circumstances should always be kept in mind. Most of our puppies are what we call "middle-of-the road-types" and can adapt to any home. Our intuition and instincts about the pups (and their future people) are based on round-the-clock observations of the litter from birth and many years of sharing our lives with Alaskan Malamutes. We understand your concerns and want to reassure you that we take placements very seriously; we want our clients to be happy with their decision to become part of the Snowlion family.
A few things to keep in mind
COLOR:
Like most mushers we don’t pay attention to color—it has no bearing on show quality or performance. Pups that are beige at 8 weeks will be dark gray at 6 months when the guard coat comes in. Markings may fade. Selecting the right puppy for your family, has less to do with appearance and more with the overall personality & energy level of the pup—will he or she be a good fit for you?
Size
Our dogs are purebred Alaskan Malamutes bred to the AKC standard. We do not breed “giants.” As a sledding & show kennel we want athletic dogs who exhibit the classic Alaskan Malamute breed type in the ring & on the trail. In good (lean) condition most of our AKC champions & sled dogs will weigh between 70-90 lbs. In pet homes these dogs may weight 20-30 lbs more due to "lifestyle differences." While there is a natural variation in size in the purebred Alaskan Malamute, there should be nothing extreme.
Is this the right breed for you?
Malamutes are a wonderful breed, but they are not suitable for everyone. As breeders, our priority is ensuring that our puppies are placed with informed & caring owners who understand that all puppies (and adult Malamutes) will need ongoing training & socialization. Yes, puppies need to go to school! A private lesson with a trainer is not a substitute for attending puppy socialization & basic manners/obedience classes.
Malamute puppies should begin training classes at 10 weeks (no later than 12 weeks). This is not a one-time event. You will need to keep training your puppy during its first year ( at least 2 six-week classes are recommended) and you should attend a refresher course the following year if you want a well-behaved companion. The dog you end up with is a reflection of the amount of time you’ve invested in training, socializing, exercising, (and loving) your Alaskan Malamutes.
Those first few months in the new home are critical to the puppy’s well-being & successful adaptation as a family companion. We are here to offer advice & answer your questions. As “dog people", we take a dog-centered view in understanding canine behavior. If you would like to stay a tiny step ahead of your future Malamute, take a look at Patricia McConnell’s “The Other End of the Leash.”
If you would like information about our puppies, please use our contact form. Thank you for taking the time to read this. We look forward to helping you in your search for the right puppy. (Please note that we reserve the right to cancel a sale and refund a deposit, if we feel a puppy and home are not a good match. Our priority is the well-being of our puppies.)
Warm regards,
The Snowlion Team
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