Puppy Waitlist & Selection Process

All puppies at Trailside Mini Aussies are placed through an application and waitlist system designed to create the best possible matches between puppies and their future families.

How the Waitlist Works

  1. Submit an Application
    All families must complete a puppy application. This allows me to learn about your lifestyle, experience, and what you are looking for in a dog.

  2. Approval & Deposit
    If I believe we are a good fit, you will be invited to join the waitlist. At that time, you will receive the purchase agreement and deposit form.
    A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to secure your place on the waitlist. This deposit is applied toward the total purchase price of your puppy.

    Example:
    If your puppy is $2,000 and you place a $500 deposit, the remaining balance due before pickup will be $1,500.

  3. Waitlist Order
    Puppy selection order is based strictly on the date and time your deposit is received — not when you applied. Earlier deposits = earlier pick order.

Puppy Selection Process

Puppy selections take place when the puppies are approximately 4 weeks old. At this age, their personalities, energy levels, and temperaments are much clearer.

My program is built around thoughtful matching, not first-come grab-a-puppy selection. I spend every day with the puppies and know their temperaments extremely well. My goal is to place each puppy in the home where they are most likely to thrive.

When it is your turn to pick:

  • I will contact you in waitlist order

  • I will share photos, videos, and my professional recommendations

  • I will guide you toward the puppy I believe best fits your lifestyle, goals, and household

You always have the final choice.
My role is to support and advise you — not to force a match.

Once you have selected your puppy, I move on to the next family on the waitlist.

Why We Do It This Way

This process allows us to:

  • Avoid impulsive or emotionally driven selections

  • Match calmer puppies with calmer homes, active puppies with active homes, etc.

  • Set both you and your puppy up for long-term success

This is one of the most important parts of running an ethical, responsible breeding program — and one of the reasons our puppies transition so smoothly into their new families.