Frequently Asked Questions

Where are you located?
Vickery is located in Northeast Georgia, about an hour north of Atlanta.

How are your puppies raised?
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. 

What health testing do you do?
All of our Shorthairs have OFA Hips, OFA Elbows, OFA Thyroid, OFA Cardiac, and OFA Eye examinations performed before being bred. They are also genetically screened using either Embark for Breeders or PawPrint Genetic’s Canine Health Check. These genetic panels test for a wide variety of diseases, including several breed specific tests recommended by the Canine Health Information Center: Cone Degeneration, Degenerative Myelopathy, and Von Willebrand Disease II. Click here to read about health issues that affect GSPs and the importance of health testing.

What do your puppies come with?
Puppies will come AKC registered and NAVHDA registered as requested, microchipped, and with all age-appropriate vetting. They are also sent home with a Trupanion insurance policy that you can register on the day you get your pup, and a complimentary year-long membership to the GSPCA.

What do your puppies cost?
The cost of our puppies is shared on each litter announcement page. Typically, Shorthairs from reputable breeders can be expected to cost between $2,000 to $3,000. Our puppies will fall somewhere in this range.

When is your next planned litter?
Vickery does not have any breeding plans at this time. If you are looking for a dog, we are happy to help guide you to another responsible breeder or rescue. 

Who are your dogs registered with?
All of our Shorthairs are sent home registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC), as well as the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA) if requested. Any of our dogs can also be registered with whatever organizations you would like to compete in, including the United Kennel Club (UKC) and the International All Breed Canine Association (IABCA). 

Do you recommend health insurance for your dogs?
Health insurance is always a good idea for any dog owner. Our personal dogs are insured through Trupanion, and all of our puppies come with a Trupanion policy that you can activate the day you bring them home. Trupanion’s Go Home Day Offer completely waives their waiting periods, so the coverage goes into effect immediately should your pup get into any mischief. If you choose to continue with pet insurance, you can rest assured that your dog can get the care it needs if something unforeseen happens. 

How do you place puppies with their new families?
We take the process of placing puppies just as seriously as we do the breeding itself. Every Vickery litter entails considerable forethought, investment, and planning on our part. 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.

We are constantly observing our puppies from the time they are born, and making note of the characteristics that make each unique. Official evaluations are done when they are between seven and eight weeks of age. When 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, you can be 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.

Do you require homes to hunt, show, or participate in sports?
We do not require that puppy owners compete in any venue with their pups. While we are very active in hunting and performance events and do sell the majority of our dogs to hunting or competition performance homes, our priority is ensuring our puppies find their forever homes with individuals who understand the requirements of the breed. We offer a lifetime of support and guidance to all of our puppy buyers. 

Do you require references?
Yes, we require both veterinary and personal references. If you do not own your home, we also require proof that a dog can be housed where you live. 

Are your puppies sold with a contract?
All puppies are placed with contracts which guarantee that, to the best of our knowledge, the puppy is in good health and free of genetic disorders. We make every effort to see that new owners are well matched with puppies that meet their hopes and expectations. We expect that the pup's new home will meet its every need, and we offer lifetime breeder support to every home. Of course, should a dog need to be returned for any reason throughout their life, we will take them back no questions asked.

Do you require a co-ownership?
We do not require a co-ownership on dogs that are placed in companion homes on limited registration. For show homes wishing to acquire dogs on full registration, we ask that dogs be co-owned to ensure that we can properly mentor new owners and assist in health testing and breeding decisions. We offer a lifetime of support to all of our puppy homes, and thoroughly enjoy mentoring people new to the breed. We consider ourselves to be a most important resource and support system throughout the dog's lifetime, and it's never a bother or an inconvenience to be contacted for help or input when it concerns our dogs and their well-being.

Do you require breed experience before placing a puppy in a home?
We do not require you to have breed experience to be matched with one of our puppies. However, we do strongly recommend that those who have not owned a Shorthair before take the time to research the breed. We will be the first to admit that GSPs are not the right dog for everyone. Unfortunately many Shorthairs end up in rescue labeled as destructive, hyperactive, and unmanageable. This is usually because the dog was not provided with the mental and physical stimulation that this breed needs. Well over a hundred years of selective breeding has gone into developing these dogs’ hunting instinct and drive. They almost always exhibit strong prey drive alongside the vigor to spend hours running in the field. They absolutely require that owners fulfill their needs for work and exercise. If you would like to come spend time with the dogs to ensure they are a good fit, please feel free to contact us. 

Can I get two puppies at once?
No, due to the risk of Littermate Syndrome we do not sell littermates or puppies close in age together.

What venues do you compete in? 
We enjoy showing and trialing with a variety of organizations. Our dogs are proven in the field through The North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA)’s testing system and AKC Hunt Tests. We evaluate structure though participation in AKC, UKC, and IABCA conformation events.

For sports, we primarily dock dive with North America Diving Dogs (NADD), and do Nosework in both AKC and National Association of Canine Scentwork (NACSW) trials. Obedience and trainability is tested through AKC Obedience and Rally trials as well as their Canine Good Citizen test series. We barn hunt with the Barn Hunt Association, and also run AKC coursing ability tests and Fast CAT for fun. 

Do you sell dogs as service dog prospects?
We will occasionally place dogs as service dog candidates under very limited circumstances. Potential homes seeking a service dog prospect will need to have a detailed training plan for their dog, as well as a plan in place in case the dog washes out at any point during the training process. While Shorthairs make fabulous working dogs, they are not always the breed best suited for service dog work. We have a lot of experience training and working service dogs, and are always happy to discuss this in more detail!