Managing the Waiting List

I thought I would share a recent exchange of emails because I think it perfectly represents the complexity of the puppy selection process!

I love all your questions, but I don’t always have black and white answers when it comes to predicting puppy selection because there are SO MANY variables!

This was a very typical email conversation during this stage of puppy selection. Enjoy!

Hi ________
I don’t know why, but this is the only email I can find from you. Please remind me about your puppy preferences, timeline, and any other details about what you’re looking for in a puppy. I want to be sure I don’t skip anyone in the puppy selection process.
Kristy

Hi Kristy, just saw all the updates this morning. We’d like to look seriously at Roxy’s girls. The black one in particular. Thank you!

Hi _____,
The black girl has already been matched to Cindy H who was #12 on the waiting list. I’ll be in touch very soon to let you know what puppies are available. I have 2 families ahead of you at this time that are still deciding.

Thanks so much for the feedback and for staying in close communication. It makes the process go more quickly and much more smoothly.
Kristy

Just caught that! I had already named her socks in my head. 😉 Boo.

I know you’re busy so when you get a chance, no rush, can you tell me what number we would be for Jazzy’s litter?

A few more questions:
1. The golden girl from Jazzy’s litter was described as tiny. Is it too early to presume she’ll be on the smaller side?
2. What’s the size range for Paige’s litter and what color pups does she normally produce?
3. If we had to move to Paige’s litter, do you think we would be competing with the Fall timeframe people on the waiting list ahead of us?

Thanks and you have my sympathy managing the list!

Hi _____
Golden girl will probably be from 14-16 lbs as an adult. Maybe 13 lbs. she has filled out nicely since birth and isn’t so dramatically small any longer.

Paige litter will be from 13-17lbs as adults. She was bred to our smallest male Sammy, who is 14 lbs. he is black/tan so we could get ANY of the colors.

I don’t consider August “fall”. Paige will deliver at the very end of May or very beginning of June. That will make her puppies ready in late July or early August. I think “fall” means September/October. Of course people do change their minds or make arrangements especially if they finally see “their perfect puppy”, so it’s very difficult to know exactly how the chips will fall, so to speak.

I’ll show you the waiting list I’m working from with my notes.

Key
SW=sable/white. B=black. BW=black/whiteF=female. M=male.
Circle means I’m checking with them for Roxy litter. “X” means pass on Roxy litter. Checkmark means matched with a Roxy pup. This same process will happen with the Daisy litter, then the Jazzy litter next, then the Paige litter when the time comes.

Where your turn comes up depends completely on what Diane, Donna, Kristen, Jackie decide. I’m constantly updating it and rewriting it as things change, people are matched to pups, etc. I add notes from emails because things change all the time and I can’t possibly remember all these details without writing it down!!

Your sympathies are much appreciated because the process can be so complex sometimes, especially if people don’t respond almost immediately or at least the same day to my questions or posts about available puppies. I can always tell who has been watching and reading every detail and who hasn’t!

Probably the hardest part of the whole process is the wait. Thanks for your patience and involvement with the process! I like when people talk to me because then I know exactly what they want and when!

And for example, if Paige has a SW F, likely Diane will take it. If she has 2, then Kristen will probably take the 2nd one. So it’s really hard to know where you would be right now for the Paige litter because I have no idea what colors/genders will come out specifically. I can only look at her and think to myself “That looks like a 5-6 puppy belly. Please be a litter of all SW females, a few tri color, and a Solid Sable for Kat!” But they could all come out mis-marked like the Jesse girls. You just never know!
Kristy

Hopefully that gives a little I sight I to the process. I do my very best to help everyone find the right puppy for their family 🙂