Why Us?

why us

 

NOTICE…. As the old saying goes, “All good things must come to an end.” 

Due to personal reasons, it is with a heavy heart that I share our January 2024 litter of F1 puppies and our Spring 2024 litter of F1b puppies will be our last.

When your family makes the decision to add a puppy to your home, we understand this is one of the most special times for you. We do everything we can to make the transition seamless and share the journey with you.

Our five dogs are part of our family. They live in our house with us and have their own dedicated space we refer to as the “dog room,” which used to be our sun room adjoined to our master bedroom. They each have their own crate space, and in the winter, if it is extra cold, we add an Eden Pure space heater and, in the summer, a portable air conditioner if it is extra hot.

They have over 10 acres to run and play, which is secured by Invisible Fence on our 18-acre hobby farm, along with two ponds for swimming. Aside from our dogs, we have two cats, sheep, alpaca, goats, turkeys, chickens, and Guinea and one son and one daughter.

Turk Family Farm, LLC currently is offering the following options:

F1 Bordoodle puppy (50% Border Collie/50% Standard Poodle)
F1b Bordoodle puppy (25% Border Collie/75% Standard Poodle)
Standard Poodle stud service

Once you indicate whether you are looking for a puppy or stud service, you will be able to find all forms needed on our website to start the process. Please review the waiting list form, deposit form, and purchase agreement and/or stud service agreement, complete the form-fill information, digitally sign the documents, which are then automatically sent back to us for review.

After review, we will send an invoice for the waiting list retainer and/or deposit to your email address provided. We utilize Square reader as our credit card processor. You can pay your deposit online directly from the invoice. Major credit cards are accepted.

We offer a waiting list on almost all litters, even before our Dams are pregnant. This sometimes feels like a waiting game, but we are so excited to share with you the news of the first signs of her coming into heat/season.

The order of deposits placed indicate the order of pick of the litter. For example, if you are the 3rd person to place a deposit on an upcoming litter, you will receive 3rd pick of said litter, 4th deposit will receive 4th pick, and so on. More information on this process can be reviewed on our deposit form.

The gestation period for a dog is roughly 60 days. Ours seem to come between 56 and 62 days, but this is based on when we “think” the pregnancy took place. There’s about a 10-day window during the time the Dam is in heat/season, which is also a fluctuation on the delivery date.

We try to be as supportive and involved as the mother wants us to be. We have stayed up all night on deliveries, as well as taken off work to be there. Every litter is special, and we want to make sure we are part of the process. As long as it is not during the middle of the night, we will let you know as soon as possible that labor has started. A litter count and pictures will follow once all seem to be delivered and cleaned up by the mother.

Once the puppies are born and after the first week, you can expect to receive weekly pictures and/or videos of the puppies from us. Typically the day of the week they are born will be the day each week you receive pictures to mark the anniversary of another week old.

It is a standard rule in our house that no one other than Melinda is to touch the puppies until their eyes open, which is about two weeks old. This is out of respect for the mother, to know she is in charge and to not handle with our scent on them. If the puppies need assistance, a clean towel will be used to move them.

Once the eyes are open and the puppies can be handled, the rest of the family has to wash their hands first, just like with a new baby – especially if someone from outside of our immediate family stops to see them. This also holds true on our rule that no outside pets are welcome to visit until the puppies are ready for pick up. This is to protect your new puppy. No exceptions.

Between two and three weeks old, the puppies start to walk. Their eyes are typically open at this time, and the fun starts. Between four and five weeks old, you really start to see the individual personalities taking shape. This is when you will see more video than pictures shared; they don’t sit still long enough to have a clear picture of your puppy, just a quick blur running and playing.

We try to make sure the puppies are well rounded. We expose them to all different types of music and interaction with our children, cats, and dogs. We also make sure to share with you their first bath, grooming, thunderstorm/rain, and puddles, etc.

why us

Shortly after the puppies are born, we schedule an Open House, somewhere between five and six weeks old, on a weekend day for you to pick your puppy. First pick will be scheduled first that morning, second will be scheduled next, and so on. This process has to run chronologically. For example, 5th pick cannot be scheduled first thing in the morning on Open House day because they will not know which puppies go to 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th pick. If it makes most sense for you to pick your puppy virtually, we offer Zoom meetings. Some may choose this option based on geographic location, and/or during times of travel restrictions, etc. More information is available to review in our online forms.

At the Open House we schedule 1-hour time slots between families. If we have a very large litter/s, the top of the list picks may have extra time scheduled since they will have a lot of puppies to choose between.  When you arrive please wear a face covering. Sanitizer will be provided, as well as a restroom for washing hands, etc. The meet and greet will be in our heated/cooled garage area, or outside in the grass – weather permitting. Puppies will be organized by litter/s if more than one. If you know you definitely want a specific gender, etc, we can then separate them as such at that time. We believe the process of elimination works the best. For example, as you start to meet the puppies some will stand out to you right away. You can get down on the floor to play with them and watch them interact with your family, as well as their littermates and parents. Once you identify which ones are not going to be “the one”, we will remove them from the meet and greet. As we get down to the last couple of puppies, this helps have more attention and focus on the ones you are deciding between. And then there will be one – “the one”. Next we will pick out a colored id collar and take a picture of you with your chosen puppy.  If you have a name prepared, we would love for you to share it with us, but please don’t worry if you don’t have a name at the Open House, these things can take some time.

Finally the big day arrives. Your pick-up date can be no earlier than when your puppy is 8-weeks old. We can schedule this day any time after the puppies are born. Under no circumstances will we ship your puppy; you have to be willing to pick up your puppy no matter how far away you live. We have had families fly into Ohio, rent a vehicle, stay overnight in a local hotel, pick up their puppy in the morning and drive back home. So far, the farthest distance was a 14-hour drive back to Maine.

We send you home with a Goodie Bag, copies of your paperwork, microchip registry information, medical record, and samples of our recommended puppy food. We also take a special photo for your family that we can send you digitally as a keepsake.

Your final payment is due on or before your pick-up date. If paying by check, payment must be paid at the Open House to allow adequate time to clear through our bank.

Thank you in advance from our family for allowing and choosing us to be part of this special journey with your family. When you come to our home to pick up your puppy, a part of our heart leaves with you.