Waitlist Process

At Oakover Retrievers, I want the process of welcoming one of our puppies into your family to be as fair, transparent, and straightforward as possible.

Over the years I've spent countless hours managing enquiries and following up with prospective families. Unfortunately, many people join a waitlist and then become uncontactable or change their minds without letting me know. This often means genuinely committed families miss out on opportunities while positions remain occupied.

To make the process more efficient and fair for everyone, all waitlists now operate on a per-litter basis.

Step 1 – Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI)

You can submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) at any time through my website or RightPaw at no cost.

Your EOI remains active for 12 months, allowing you to be considered for future litters without committing to a specific puppy.

Step 2 – Planned Litters

Once I have successfully paired a sire and dam, everyone with an active EOI will receive an email or RightPaw message containing:

• The parents of the litter

• Health testing information

• Expected due date

• Estimated go-home date

This gives you all the information you need before deciding whether you'd like to join that litter's priority waitlist.

Step 3 – Priority Waitlist

Once the pregnancy has been confirmed (approximately four weeks after mating), the Priority Waitlist for that litter officially opens. You will receive an email with a concurrent text message regarding the update.

If you'd like to reserve a place, you'll need to secure one at this stage by responding to either message. Positions are not held without a deposit, and reminders will not be sent.

Initial Priority Waitlist Positions

• 💗 2 Female positions

• 💙 2 Male positions

• 💛 3 Either Male or Female positions

A $100 non-refundable commitment fee is required to secure your position.

Your Commitment Fee

Your $100 commitment fee:

• Is deducted from your $1,000 puppy reservation fee if you receive a puppy.

• Will be refunded or transferred to another litter if there are not enough puppies born or your preferred gender is unavailable.

If More Puppies Are Born

If a litter has more puppies than the initial Priority Waitlist covers, those additional puppies will first be offered to families who have submitted an active Expression of Interest before being advertised publicly.

Why I've Changed the Process

Running a waitlist requires a significant amount of time and organisation. I want to ensure my time is spent where it matters most—caring for my dogs and supporting families who are genuinely committed to welcoming an Oakover puppy into their home.

Thank you for your continued support of Oakover Retrievers. I truly appreciate every family and I look forward to helping many more wonderful homes find their perfect companion.

– Rachel, Oakover Retrievers 🐾