Companion/Show Pricing and Selecting Mastiffs What is the Difference Between Show and Companion Quality Mastiffs, What do They Cost and How do we Choose? Many folks that I speak with ask this question. Most folks who contact me regarding a future puppy are looking for a quality bred companion Mastiff. This is good because Mastiffs are animals that are companions first and foremost. Showing is a fun and extra event that you do with your pet. When folks do inquire about wanting to show their perspective companion what this means for me as a breeder is that I would look for certain qualities in a Mastiff puppy to place with them that I feel comes close enough to the breed standard to be exhibited in the show ring. Any breed of dog that is shown in the American Kennel Club (AKC) conformation ring must be AKC registered and must remain intact (not spayed, not neutered) throughout the duration of his or her show career. Having an intact pet carries an extra element of responsibility above and beyond the normal pet responsibility to make sure your pet is not mated unexpectedly. A pet that will be shown will also need to be registered on full registration vs. limited registration, which I, as the breeder, would authorize on the initial registration papers or in some cases, change once I evaluate the potential show puppy at 6 months of age. Registration papers can easily be upgraded from Limited to Full at any time in the dogs life by the breeder. So, many may be wondering "Will my non-show quality puppy be as good looking as the show quality puppies?" This is a good question. At Harmony Mastiffs I will not breed very often but when I do, I will strive to select parents that will hopefully produce a quality and consistent litter where there is not much difference between the pups as they grow. However, as nature and genetics will have their way many times, there will almost certainly be a few or more puppies who stand out as better specimens than others. To the untrained eye, these puppies may not even stand out in the crowd. The prices of our puppies vary depending on the breeding, the amount of inquires I have for puppies and the current economical status of the our nation. The sire and dam of the puppies are health tested, temperament tested and raised inside our home with love and care right by my side. They go home with a full veterinarian health check, deworming, at least 1 set of shots, microchips, lots of information on how to raise them and of course 8 weeks of tender love and care which contributes to a good start in life. You will have a constant link to me forever to share joy, ask questions, be frustrated, whatever it is you need. They also come home with a full contract, guarantees that apply to that pup and a 5 generation pedigree. If someone expresses a desire to show a puppy, I will make certain to do my best to place a puppy with you that I feel will do well in the show ring and be a quality representative of the breed. Puppies are placed based on my interview process with applicants. I do reserve the right to not place a puppy in a home at any time during the process should I feel uncomfortable about the placement. If I decide not to place a puppy with you after you have paid your deposit, your deposit will be fully refunded. All applying must know that I do a full check on applicants. Driver's licenses will be required as well as a home check, names of all children, spouses and any alias names the applicant(s) may have. Also, if anything on the application is found to be untrue after placement of the puppy, my contract gives me the right to take the puppy back at any time with no refund to you. I take the placement of my puppies very seriously, thus if you would like a Harmony Mastiffs puppy, honesty is necessary. Why do I have to write this... well an applicant who received a puppy lied about much on her application and then breached her contract. We had to take the puppy back based upon the lies and the condition the puppy was in as well as the breach of contract. I don't ever want to go through this again and will make every attempt going forward to ensure I make sure all that is listed in an application for a puppy is true and correct. Thank you for understanding my commitment to the puppies I place and to the families I select. Once I have selected a group of families or individuals that I feel comfortable getting to know and potentially placing a puppy with, I require a $500 deposit from each and a signed deposit agreement on a pup somewhere between 3-4 weeks of age. At that time, I will send out a deposit agreement for the selected families to sign and send back with a $500 personal check which will immediately be deposited and held in the litter account. Families will know well before this time whether they have been selected to go forward with the process of receiving a pup. The deposit is fully refundable up and until 2 weeks prior to puppy pick up (6 weeks old). If YOU change your mind on taking a puppy after you have paid your deposit and past the 6 week time frame, it will only be refunded if I can find another buyer for your puppy by 9 weeks of age for the same purchase price you were to pay. If I cannot find another buyer by 9 weeks for the same price, the deposit will be forfeited. This is due to the extra work I will have to do locating a new family after sending many applicants to other breeders or just away in general because I have selected you. Remember you will receive many pictures, videos and be invited to my home when the puppies are 6 weeks of age to meet all of them. If during those six weeks or at the meet and greet at 6 weeks you should change your mind, your deposit will be refunded to you. I also invite all selected families to come and view the puppies when they are 6 weeks of age, in fact, I encourage it as I want to meet you and your children, if you have them. This also gives you an opportunity to see how the puppies are growing, meet at least one of the parents (Mom) and make sure you are happy with the litter. We do it as a group, it's fun and casual. No one picks puppies at that time as I am still evaluating. You will all however have a good idea of what order you are in for choosing your future family member. I hope the above answers the most frequently asked questions I receive in e-mails and phone calls. As always I am available to answer any questions by phone. 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