I Accept Paypal for Deposits Only!

I have a lot of information posted on my website, including payment methods, but I realize that not everyone takes the time to read things over so today I'm going to share a recent experience with a customer using Paypal. On both my website and my contract I explain that I accept Paypal for deposits only and all balances must be paid in either cash or a cashier's check, no Paypal or personal checks.
Today I received an email from Paypal notifying me that a customer sent me money. The customer did not ask me or notify me in advance and they had sent an amount that they assumed to be their balance due of $1,287.60. For those of you not familiar with Paypal they make their money by charging a fee for all transactions. In this case the customer did not add in the transaction fee so Paypal deducted $37.64 and credited my account with $1,249.96. This final amount did not cover the balance due on the puppy and the customer was unaware that Paypal would be deducting such a large fee. Since I do not accept Paypal for final balances I simply logged into my account and hit the "Issue a Refund" button and the money in the total amount of $1,287.60 was immediately returned to the customer, problem solved, or so I thought..... After the transaction was refunded I noticed an odd balance in my account so I did the math and Paypal issued the customer a complete refund but then charged me their fee of $37.64 for a transaction I did not request or accept! I called and spoke to a customer service rep and was told that they now automatically keep all fees, even in the case of a refund. I asked why the person sending me the money wasn't charged and was basically told that it is what it is and there's nothing that could be done about it. So now, because someone didn't read my posted information and didn't take the time to discuss with me first, $37.64 has been completely wasted on a refunded Paypal transaction and I am going to get yelled at when I charge the customer for the fee that was charged to me by Paypal.
Apparently Paypal recently changed their policy and sellers are getting stuck with the fees:
https://www.theverge.com/2019/9/20/20876570/paypal-refund-fee-policy-change-sellers-controversy

As a customer please do take some time to read over my website and puppy contract, I try really hard to answer all questions and make things crystal clear. If you ever have a question don't hesitate to ask me. I want the process of adopting a puppy from us to be exciting, comfortable, and crystal clear so communication is key!
For deposits I will accept Paypal, Cash, Personal Check, Cashier's check or Money orders made to Cute Cockapoos. Buyers are responsible for the cost of all Paypal fees.
For final balances due if you are having your puppy shipped or delivered I require a Cashier's check a minimum of 10 days before the puppy leaves. I do not accept personal checks or Paypal.
For final balances due if you are picking up your puppy I require Cash or a Cashier's check made to Cute Cockapoos. I do not accept personal checks or Paypal.
If you do not read this information in advance and send me money using Paypal, you as a buyer, are responsible for all Paypal fees.

For current pictures, prices, and information about our available or upcoming Cockapoo Puppies please visit our website: www.cutecockapoos.com

2019 Christmas Cockapoos!

It's only October but I have been getting emails about Christmas puppies for over a month now so wanted to give everyone an update. We are expecting one litter that will be ready for home in early December and one litter that will be ready either the week of or the week after Christmas. I will be able to give specifics on take home dates once the babies are born.

Due to the wide variety of colors within our bloodlines I cannot tell you what colors we will receive until they are born but am thinking we may get Merle, Buff, Apricot, and maybe Red.
I have started a waiting list and do accept deposits in advance.

We do not offer pickups or shipping on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day so that we can spend time with our families. Please feel free to email me for details or stay tuned to the "Puppies for Sale" page of our website for pictures and information about the available puppies.
https://www.cutecockapoos.com/

What Size Will my Cockapoo Puppy be?

I am a member of several dog forums as well as social media groups related to Cockapoos, Poodles, and Cocker Spaniels and I have seen a recurring theme that I would like to address: the size of your puppy. I have read over and over where people post complaints online stating that their now adult dog is bigger or smaller than what the owner expected so the breeder must have lied. I realize that there are some people out there that will say anything to make a sale but I don't think that's the majority of breeders out there and it's upsetting for a buyer to automatically post that "the breeder lied" just because they are unhappy.
With a mixed breed it is very important to understand that you have two different breeds creating a new one which will result in a constant stream of variation. Cockapoos take on the traits of both the Cocker and Poodle and one may lean more towards one breed versus the other hence resulting in a litter where there are different colors, different coats, different heights, and different weights. When you ask a breeder what size a puppy will be full grown it's almost as if you are expecting them to be psychic because they will never be able to give you a 100% guarantee on what size that puppy will end up being. After a human has given birth if the doctor asks what that child will weigh at age 18 do you think the parents would be able to give a valid answer? When someone asks a breeder what size their puppy will be they will answer based on the size of the parents and based on past puppies ( if any,) and that's all that they have to go by. Don't ever expect or demand a guarantee on an adult size, it's unrealistic.

If you are adopting a mixed breed dog it's important to do your research on both of the breeds involved, see what size they are, what colors they come in, what their average heights and weights are, what their health issues are, habits are, etc. so that you are prepared for what you may get in the mixed puppy.
Understand that the height and weight of a puppy is based on genetics, they can be as large as a great great grandparent that the breeder may or may not know about, and their weight can also be affected by their environment. If an owner is feeding low quality food, isn't providing adequate exercise, smokes in the house, doesn't provide mental and physical stimulation this can all result in poor health and being over weight.
I too have been the victim of a buyer freaking out because their dog ended up being 2 pounds over the projected size that the person had in their head. I never guarantee the size of a puppy and tell people the average size of my pups based on past experiences. I don't want people to be unhappy about their dogs but I also think it's unrealistic to complain over two pounds or love your dog any less because they're a little bigger or smaller than what you had wanted. If you are particular about what you are looking for first do your research on the breeds involved in the mixed breed you are interested in and second tell the breeder what you are hoping for with the understanding that they ultimately cannot control the size that your dog will end up being.

For information on us and our available puppies please visit our website at: www.cutecockapoos.com

Genetic Testing

Puppy buyers I feel your pain! I absolutely hate trying to buy puppies from other breeders because I find it incredibly difficult to find what I am looking for, and in this day and age I would expect quality to be out there and readily available. Usually we like to create our own dogs to raise and breed but occasionally I need to add to our bloodlines which means that I have to buy from someone else. Recently I started searching for a few new Cocker Spaniels and I was looking for certain colors and breeders that do genetic testing, this doesn't sound difficult, but unfortunately it was, and I am truly disappointed in what I found.

All of my dogs are genetically tested. Back in the day when testing first began I had to take the dogs to the vet (an hour away,) get blood samples in a specific type of tube with specific labels, drive them to the post office to do special shipping, and then wait for the results, all after paying an expensive fee to the genetics lab, a vet bill for the blood draw, and another fee for shipping. It was a pain but worth it because I then knew the genetics on my dogs.

Now days genetic testing is much more readily available online, it's affordable, and there are many more test options out there. I have an account with an online genetics lab, I set up a profile for a dog that I own, I order a breed specific test panel, they send me a test kit, and when it arrives I do a few cheek swabs to collect their DNA, put it back in the mail and in a couple of weeks I have the results. It's much more affordable, takes less time, and is easy to do.

When searching for new puppies this Spring I contacted three different breeders that had what I was looking for and asked all of them if they genetically tested the parents, all of them said no! The first lady I contacted told me that she didn't test because the lab was 2 hours away and it was really expensive. Wrong answer and a poor excuse when you can do testing online as I described above.

The second lady told me no because her dogs are all raised at her home. Again, wrong answer and a poor excuse. It's great that she raises her own breeding stock because she can see their personalities and general health but she cannot tell me their genetic makeup simply by raising them. I'm not going to go into scientific details here but even if a dog isn't affected w/a disease they can still carry a gene for it and it's vital to not breed two dogs that carry a gene for a disease because they will in turn produce puppies affected by said disease. A genetic test will answer all of that for you.

The third person caught my eye because in his ad he said that the parents were "health tested" so I thought finally, someone that does testing! When I contacted him and asked what tests were done on the parents he told me that they were vet checked on a regular basis, no genetic testing. This was false advertising and a really good ploy to get someone to think that he was doing the right thing, but he wasn't. A vet check is not a "test," and he was probably hoping that people just wouldn't ask for more details. A vet can do a full physical exam, blood work, x-rays, etc. but they still can't tell you about genetics unless a specific test is done by a genetics lab.

I was so disappointed in my search, these people were asking $1,000-2,000 for their puppies and were breeding without doing the simple and easy tests that all breeders should do.

If you're looking for a puppy don't be afraid to ask if the breeder does genetic testing, you don't have to fully understand all the details of it but it should tell you a lot if their answer is "No."

All of our dogs are genetically tested so that none of our puppies will knowingly be affected with genetically derived diseases. We currently are using Paw Print Genetics and Embark as our testing labs.

https://www.cutecockapoos.com/

Cockapoo Coat Variations

For my next couple of blog posts I aim to talk about the different characteristics of a Cockapoo ranging from coat styles to eye color, to size in order to educate others about this wonderful breed. Today I am going to discuss coat styles. Many of you may not be aware of this but Cockapoos can have three very different coat styles, one is a flat coat sometimes called a straight coat or a smooth coat or what I refer to as a "smoothie," another is a fluffy/wavy coat with loose waves running throughout, and the other is a tightly curled coat often referred to as a "Poodle coat." A variation in coat styles makes total sense because a Cockapoo is a mixed breed and their characteristics will depend on genetics and which breed they take after more. Sometimes people get a "picture" in their head of what a Cockapoo should look like and are either confused or mistrusting when they see one that doesn't look similar to what they think they should, this often happens when people see a smooth coated Cockapoo.

Coat variations can happen within a litter where some puppies are smooth while others are wavy, and again, this all depends on genetics. Here are pictures of two siblings from the same litter, the Merle has a fluffy/wavy coat while the Red one is a "smoothie."

Cockapoos that have the wavy or curly coats also have the well know beard, facial hair, long hair on their ears, and bangs.

Cockapoos with a smoother coat can turn out to be quite fluffy throughout their body, have bangs and long hair on their ears, but often lack the beard, otherwise referred to as "furnishings." 

Below is a picture of an adult Smooth Coated Cockapoo, she was recently groomed so you'll notice that her body hair is quite shorter than normal but her smooth face and lack of a beard is a perfect example of a trait very common with the "smoothies."

Here is a picture of another "smoothie" with her hair grown out. You'll see she has a fluffy coat, bangs, and some facial hair on the sides but not a full beard.

I occasionally do get "smoothies" in my litters and personally think that they are beautiful but have come across people who absolutely do not like them, and others who have questioned whether they really were a Cockapoo due to being uneducated about the variations within the breed. If a type of coat style is important to you it is vital that you discuss it with your breeder and wait until the puppies are several weeks old before you pick one. When a Cockapoo is first born they have a smooth coat and their texture develops over time so a breeder will not be able to tell you at birth whether the puppy is going to be smooth, wavy, or tightly curled. 

People often ask if smooth coated Cockapoos shed more and the truth is that each dog is an individual with their own traits but all three coat styles have the low to no shedding and low allergy qualities that has made the breed so popular.

It's important to remember that Cockapoos are a mixed breed and will take on the characteristics of both of their parents resulting in different coat styles, different heights, different eye colors, different weights, etc. Please do your research in advance when adopting a pet, no matter the breed, to make sure they will be the right match for you.

https://www.cutecockapoos.com/

2019 Spring and Summer Puppies!

This is just a reminder to let people know that we will have Spring and Summer puppies available for 2019 with the first litters arriving in March. I've said this before and will say it a million times more, but I do not know specifically what colors the babies will be until they are born. This is because our dogs have a lot of colors within their bloodlines so they can either have an entire litter all the same color, or each and every puppy can be different (rainbow litter.) for more information about this please view my blog article:


https://cutecockapoosinwisconsin.blogspot.com/2013/12/what-color-will-your-next-litter-be.html


We do take non refundable deposits in advance to get on our waiting list, this is a good idea, especially for Spring and Summer when we are really busy. Please understand that getting on the waiting list requires patience! If you only want one thing, for example a Chocolate Female, you will be on the list for one but I cannot guarantee when it will be born. I've had people put deposits down and then email me on a constant basis wanting to know when their color was going to arrive, etc. Also please note that all deposits are non refundable and that is because I am looking for serious families who truly want a puppy from me. For more information on how the waiting list works please read by blog article:


https://cutecockapoosinwisconsin.blogspot.com/2014/03/how-our-waiting-list-for-cockapoo.html


If you're interested in getting on the waiting list please feel free to email me. I also have tons of additional information listed on the "FAQ" page of our website:


https://www.cutecockapoos.com/faq


If you're not comfortable with getting on the waiting list but still want a puppy from us please keep an eye on the "Puppies for Sale" page of our website, I keep it very current with pictures and information about available puppies:


https://www.cutecockapoos.com/puppies-for-sale


I hope we can help you out with a new addition to your family in 2019!

Anna's Story

It's -24 degrees out as I write this with wind chills somewhere in the -50's, needless to say it's cold and miserable out. Five years ago last night we had the same type of weather and my husband and I were coming home from our neighbor's house when I saw a kitty running down the road. We stopped the car and me being the cat lady that I am got out to try and catch her so I could get her inside. Unfortunately she ran through some brush and up a tree so I wasn't able to get to her. I felt terrible leaving her out there but had hope that she would find her way to our cat house.
 (For those of you that haven't been here or haven't heard my kitty stories we have a remodeled Grainery that was to be used for a type of mother in law suite but I have since converted it to being the cat house. It is heated, has electricity, plumbing, furniture, and a  "cat door, " etc. so that all of our rescues and strays have a safe place to stay. Since we have moved here we have caught, tamed, spayed/neutered, vaccinated, fed/watered and cared for dozens of previously feral cats. Most of them are so thankful to have a loving place to call home that they never leave which is totally fine with me.)
Anyways, the stray kitty was in a tree not too far from the cat house so I hoped that she'd make it inside before she got too cold.
The next morning I got up to do chores and when I walked inside the cat house there she was, this tiny Calico cat with ears so frost bitten they had literally died and were flopped over, her tail was half frozen and she kept rotating which paws to stand on because they too were frost bitten and cracked open. I immediately called the vet and rushed her to the clinic where they removed the dead tissue from her ears, removed part of her tail, and gave her laser therapy on the pads of her paws to help heal the cracks.

It took some time for the damage to heal but she made it and that day I think she realized that she could love and trust me. We named her Anna, got her nice and friendly, vaccinated her, spayed her, gave her lots of love and she's still here to this day. This morning when I walked into the cat house to check on everyone she was curled up on the couch on top of her favorite blanket safe and warm like every animal should be. 

The reason why I am telling you this is because frostbite is not a joke, it can happen fast, do a lot of damage and be deadly. Please keep your animals inside when it is super cold outside. Please check on your friends and neighbors who have pets to see if they need any help and do not hesitate to report someone who leaves their pets outside and unattended to in the cold. 

Stay safe and warm everyone!