What to Expect in a Vickery Puppy
A quality puppy from health tested and titled parents.
A puppy sent home up to date on puppy vaccinations and wormings.
A registered microchip.
A full veterinary exam prior to pick-up + a record of health.
AKC registration.
NAVHDA registration (upon request).
Detailed updates and an online photo album of puppy development.
A complimentary year-long membership to the German Shorthaired Pointer Club of America (GSPCA).
A Trupanion insurance policy that you can register on the day you get your pup.
A lifetime of support and Vickery’s extensive knowledge of and experience with German Shorthaired Pointers.
At Vickery our puppies are raised in a family-oriented and enriched environment. They are handled daily from the minute they are born until they leave for their new homes. Our puppies are raised in our home using Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS) and Puppy Culture protocols. We have found that this critical early socialization has a large part to play in creating stable and well adjusted adults. Our puppies will be exposed to loud noises, classical music, the vacuum, various surfaces and textures, many different toys, wings, live birds whenever possible, and so much more. They will also have our other adult dogs to interact with and learn from.
Approximately 72 hours after the pups are born, we will contact everyone "on deck" to offer puppies. If you are offered a puppy, it is at this time that we require your deposit to be paid. As the pups grow, we take them on several walks around the yard and introduce the puppy recall daily. We provide frequent, small, age appropriate challenges to develop their resilience and problem solving skills. And, as weather permits, the puppies are taken to our training grounds a few times for adventures and swimming. Puppies will not be completely crate trained, but will have been exposed to a kennel from 4 weeks on which makes crate training an easy transition for you and your pup.
Puppy Placement
We do not allow clients to pick their puppy. We spend a substantial amount of time and effort raising each litter and, prior to their placement with you, no one will come to know each puppy more closely than us. Such a direct familiarity with the entire litter enables us to provide the best possible guidance in matching up puppies with their new families.
Official evaluations are done when the puppies are between seven and eight weeks of age. In evaluating puppies within a litter, we make sure to consider every aspect of personality, conformation, temperament, drive and activity level. When we suggest a particular puppy for you, rest assured that we have taken into account what we've learned about your needs and expectations. Because of this, when the time comes to welcome your new family member into your life you can have no doubt that you are taking home a puppy that will thrive in your care.
We feel it's important to clarify that when it comes time to match puppies with owners, we do not line up the pups as good, better and best, nor do we rank potential owners as first pick, second pick, etc. Rather, we choose to get to know the individuals who want to take our puppies home. We get to know your lifestyle, the activities you enjoy, and the expectations you have for this new little creature in your lives. Only then do we select the puppy that will best fit your lifestyle. Should two pups be equally suited to your home, we will offer you the choice between the two.
We do not take markings into consideration for placement decisions. Every German Shorthair is unique, from lots of white to lots of brown or black and all points in-between. We feel that this method provides the best chance of success in matching you with the best possible dog for your family.
All pups are sold on limited/restricted registration, or a co-ownership if they are to be a breeding/show dog. Typically, co-ownership will be terminated when the primary owner and Vickery have both mutually agreed that the dog has completed breeding and has been altered.
Puppy pick-up is done at our home an hour north of Atlanta, GA at 8 to 10 weeks of age. We conduct a 'Puppy Pick-Up Party' where all the paperwork is finalized, questions are answered, and your new puppy is transferred to you with all of their belongings. We do not ship puppies by any cargo means (air, bus or otherwise). Depending on your location and situation, delivery may be arranged at an extra cost, or you may fly to us to retrieve your puppy. The latter is often the most affordable and best option.
Our dogs love being a member of your family. They thrive on spending time with you doing whatever you enjoy. They do need structure, rules and boundaries. If at any time you have questions or concerns, we are here to help you. We hope to continue to get updates from you throughout your pups' lifetime.
Application Process
Please take the time to review our entire website. Familiarize yourself with the dates we have projected for litter plans and how this meshes with your family's needs. After this, please fill out our application below with as much detail as possible. There are no right or wrong answers. We contact everyone who applies.
Please keep in mind that our waitlist for a puppy can fill up well in advance of puppies being born. We will give you our best estimate for when you may expect to be "on deck" for a puppy. If you would like to move forward with getting a puppy from us we will send you a copy of our contract for review. If it is suitable for you, please send us an "all in" message. If you prefer to move on, just let us know.
At this time we will set up a video interview using Zoom, or an in-person meeting if you are local. We will talk through your application, our contract, your expectations and goals for a puppy, and any questions or concerns that either side has. Please do not get on more than one waiting list unless you are very honest about it. We work hard to only take the number of families we expect to have puppies for. As soon as your name is on our list, we are potentially turning away other puppy buyers. There are no hard feelings if you decide you need to make other arrangements, just let us know so that we can open our list(s) again as soon as possible.
The questionnaire below was designed to help us make sure that we match you with the dog that best fits your family and your lifestyle. Please fill it out honestly and completely. Buying a dog is an investment and a serious commitment. We are dedicated to finding our dogs forever homes that care about them as a family member just as much as a show or hunting dog.