The Process | Sunbuilt Retrievers

The Application Process

Background & Mission

Sunbuilt Retrievers was founded from a lifelong commitment to ethical breeding, producing service dog and therapy dog prospects, and professional training. Our breeding program is rooted in service dog and therapy dog purpose, participating in lineages connected to the Assistance Dogs International (ADI) service dog North American Breeding Cooperative (ABC). Our pairings are of health-tested and titled parent dogs. Each litter is thoughtfully planned to produce puppies capable of excelling in service dog, therapy dog, and performance roles while also thriving as exceptional family companions and pet homes.

Sammye has been a Professional Dog Trainer since her time at Texas A&M University in 2011, and is a service dog trainer and handler. She graduated with honors as a Research Scholar with a degree in Psychology and minor in Neuroscience and holds the Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge and Skills Assessed (CPDT-KSA) credential, a distinction held by a small number of trainers worldwide.

We have temperament testing professional dog trainers evaluate our litters at 7 weeks to assess puppy aptitude. We select any keeper puppies, then service dog roles first. We will then match our puppies for placements for therapy dog and performance dog homes. Then pet companions with the lifestyle and personalities which best fit for our families that have placed reservations.

Pricing

At this time, Sunbuilt Retriever puppies are $4,000. Pricing is not based on color or sex. Pricing may depend on sire selection, method of breeding, and extra medical care of the dam (such as a C-section).

Reservation & Puppy Placement Process

We appreciate your interest in our program, Sunbuilt Retrievers. Applications reviewed in the order they are received, and reservation priority given to service dog prospects, therapy dog prospects, and performance homes. We do place pets as well, but our passion lies in providing exceptional service dogs to assist handlers with disabilities.

Regardless of any working roles for our puppies, once your application is submitted and reviewed, we will schedule an interview to learn more about your goals, lifestyle, and preferences.

Please check in with us once you have submitted an application to ensure we have received your application as sometimes these submission notifications are not automatically received or end up in spam inboxes.

You will hear back from us whether or not we move forward with your application.

We make our pairings and reservations based on our applications, so please keep us in the loop if you decide to move forward with a puppy elsewhere as well.

If and when your application is approved, you may place a non-refundable reservation which will secure your place on our reservation list for a puppy ($500 unborn litter; $1,000 arrived litter). Once your reservation fee is accepted, placement with a Sunbuilt puppy is guaranteed.

If a litter does not produce enough puppies for your selection, your reservation fee will automatically transfer to the next available litter. Likewise, if the timing of a litter does not align with your needs at that time, you may request to move your reservation forward to the next litter.

We take a collaborative approach with our buyers to ensure a thoughtful, positive experience throughout the entire selection process. We are happy to answer questions and provide valuable guidance throughout the entire lifetime of your puppy.

Puppy Selection & Matching

Our commitment to producing the right puppy for each home involves a structured matching and placement process. We work closely with you to select the puppy whose temperament, drives, and personality best align with your household, goals, and lifestyle.

Buyers complete personality and lifestyle questionnaires, and make final placement decisions after formal temperament testing and breeder evaluations. Some evaluations occur in the later weeks which may extend up to 12 weeks, depending on the litter. Once a puppy is matched and reserved for you, it is removed from availability and other applicants are notified.

If you are serious about welcoming a wellbred Sunbuilt puppy to your family, especially if there is a particular role in mind such as a service dog, we recommend placing a reservation to hold your spot as interest fills quickly upon the announcement of a confirmed pregnancy.

Raising & Socialization Program

Each Sunbuilt litter is intentionally and meticulously raised using evidence-based puppy development protocols from professional dog trainers. From birth forward, puppies are raised in our home environment and progress through weekly structured developmental stages, including:

• Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS)
• Early Scent Introduction (ESI)
• AVIDOG and Puppy Culture daily curriculum
• Training foundations with eye contact, "Sit" and "Down"
• Crate training foundations

• Potty training foundations
• Car exposure and travel conditioning
• Age-appropriate public outings (stores, parks, large animals, other dogs, and lots of people)
• Veterinary wellness care and vaccinations

Puppies are born in our house where mothers and newborns experience a calm, low-stress environment under 24/7 supervision. We sleep alongside our litters and are present the entire time in rotating shifts to ensure constant monitoring. As puppies develop, they transition through expanded environments including weaning pens and multiple areas of the home to promote confidence and adaptability.

Additional enrichment includes:

• Regular grooming including weekly baths, blow dry, ear cleaning, and nail trims (with nail dremeling generally every 3 days)

• Age appropriate activity experiences based on proven daily raising curriculums
• Exposure to household routines

• Socialization gatherings in our home and outside of our home

• Backyard play and outdoor playgrounds

• Many novel experiences, car trips, and outings

• Professional temperament testing by an outside trainer in an unfamiliar location to ensure reliability

Throughout the entire rearing process, we document each litter extensively through photos, written records, and developmental tracking. Reserved families receive regular updates via private communication, social media, and sometimes our Puppy Cam livestreams.

We do Board & Train options for families seeking advanced puppy raising foundations and socialization experiences prior to going home.

Going-Home Package

Each puppy goes home with a comprehensive packet that includes:

• Comprehensive Puppy Raising Binder (with what to buy links)

• AKC Registration
• Veterinary examination and initial vaccinations
• Curriculum records

• Pictures and videos
• Nomograph-timed (titer antibody testing) vaccine schedule
• Extra fun goodies
• Lifetime breeder and training support

Transportation

Transportation via airplane is only considered if a puppy can travel safely in-cabin within airline carrier size requirements. Due to the size of our Retrievers, this is rarely feasible beyond 8 weeks old. We do not ship puppies via "cargo" (under the plane) ever.

We happily coordinate ground transportation through our own vehicles for a fee, and are happy to meet families partway when reasonably possible.

Some ground transportation option may be approved if a reputable, bonded and insured company is selected.

Puppy buyers cover costs for transportation of their new puppy regardless of method of delivery.