The process
How it works
Buying a puppy shouldn't feel like a mystery. Here is exactly how it goes from the moment you get in touch to the day your Yorkie comes home — and what happens after that, too.
If anything here isn't clear, just call me on 406-860-0239. I'd far rather answer a question twice than have you wondering.
- 01
Send your application
Start with the puppy application. It tells me what you're looking for — size, colour, sex, temperament, whether this is your first Yorkie — and gives me your contact details. It costs nothing, it doesn't commit you to anything, and it's what puts you on my list.
Puppy Application → - 02
We talk it through
I'll be in touch to talk about what's available now and what's coming. This is the part I care most about: I want to know about your home, your family and your day, so that the puppy you end up with is genuinely the right one for you rather than just the next one ready.
- 03
A holding fee reserves your puppy
Once we've settled on a puppy, a $300 holding fee puts your name on the waiting list and reserves your puppy. It is non-refundable — but if no pup is available from that litter, it carries over to a puppy from a different litter. A cheque is fine for the holding fee and is cashed once the puppies are healthy and I know they'll be able to join a new family; cash, money order and cashier's cheque work too. Please make cheques out to Jan Hefner.
- 04
Watch them grow
From then until homecoming I'll send photos and updates as they change. Yorkie puppies change enormously in those first weeks — colours shift, coats come in, personalities appear — and it's honestly the best part.
- 05
Homecoming day
Your puppy goes home wormed, with their first vaccinations for Bordetella, parvovirus, distemper, adenovirus and parainfluenza, a fecal test done, and their vaccination records to bring to your own vet. The balance is due at eight weeks of age or at pick-up, in cash or cashier's check only. Very small pups sometimes stay with their momma a while longer — I won't rush that part.
- 06
And afterwards
Book your own vet to check the puppy over within five days of bringing them home — that exam is what starts your one-year guarantee against life-threatening congenital defects. Puppies are placed as pets, and spay or neuter is required by one year with a copy of the procedure sent to me. And then you have me for the rest of their life — call, text, send photos. I love hearing how they're getting on.
Read the guarantee →
Good to know
The practical bits
What does a puppy cost?
Puppies range from $2,500–$4,500 depending on size, colour and sex. I'll always tell you the price of a specific puppy up front — nothing is hidden until the end.
How do I pay?
The holding fee can be a cheque, cash, money order or cashier's cheque, made payable to Jan Hefner. The balance is cash or cashier's cheque only — no cheques for the final payment, no exceptions.
Can I come and meet them?
We're in Billings, MT and families are welcome to arrange a visit. If you're further afield, call me and we'll work out what's practical.
Do you have a waiting list?
Yes — the application is the waiting list. When a litter arrives I go to the people who've applied first, which is why it's worth applying even when nothing is available.
Ready to start?
Send the application and tell me what you're hoping for. It's the first step and it costs nothing.