RESERVATION, PLACEMENT & PICK-UP PROCESS
Shore Acres Chesapeakes accepts puppy applications for individual litters when reservations are open. Each application is carefully reviewed, and selected families are contacted for a phone interview to discuss their application and answer any questions.
🔒Reservation Policy
We accept a limited number of reservations for each litter. Only approved applicants are invited to secure a reservation. Once all reservation spots are filled, applications close. We do not maintain a waitlist. If additional puppies become available after whelping, applications will reopen.
Reservation Deposits: A $500 non-refundable deposit secures an approved reservation. If the requested sex is unavailable, families may choose a puppy of the opposite sex (if available), transfer their deposit to a future litter, or receive a full refund.
Rollover Priority: Families transferring an existing paid reservation to a future litter receive priority. These reservations are honored before new reservations are accepted.
🧭 Breeder-Guided Puppy Placement
Puppies are thoughtfully matched with families based on temperament, drive, personality, and alignment with your puppy application goals. This heart-centered process allows us to honor each pup’s individuality while helping ensure lifelong compatibility between pup and family.
Over the course of their first 8 weeks, we carefully observe each pup’s natural tendencies—confidence, curiosity, sensitivity, social style, birdiness, handler engagement, and more. By combining these insights with your family’s preferences and lifestyle, we’re able to make meaningful placements that support long-term success, whether the pup is destined for the duck blind, therapy work, or a life of loyal companionship.
🗓️ Puppy Pick-Up Weekend (8–9 Weeks)
All of our puppies must be picked up from our home in central Michigan by their families between 8 and 9 weeks of age. We use a scheduling app for your pickup time (approx. 45 minutes). At pick-up, we will review your puppy contract, AKC paperwork, microchip information, vet and breeder records, etc. We will also discuss feeding and sleep schedules, clicker information, exercise guidelines, and answer any questions families have before leaving with their puppy.
Buyers must be available to pick up their puppy by the final day of Puppy Pick-Up Weekend, when the puppies are between 8 and 9 weeks old. Shore Acres does not offer extended boarding beyond this timeframe. Due to the structure of our program and the importance of timely transitions, families who are unable to attend their assigned pickup window will automatically forfeit their reservation and deposit.