Untitled Document

A great deal research goes into the planning of every litter. Potential parents, their ancestors and their siblings are checked for clearances, health, temperament and longevity information. Once that big decision is made, our next concern is the healthy start to this terrific puppy. Nutrition is always a consideration around here. We want each puppy to be born with a great advantage in life. While the mother is pregnant she is fed optimum levels of food which include lots of meaty bones, muscle meats, fresh veggies, fruit,and a variety of nutmeats and supplements to keep her in peak health as well as the growing pups.

You are welcome to be a part of their lives while they are growing. They are born in our living room, so that they can be a part of family life right from the start. Announcements are sent just after the birth and pictures updated every few days. The babies are hugged and cuddled from the very first to start that all-important human bonding. Mom sticks very close to her babies the first few days. We put pretty ribbons on them so that everyone knows immediately which baby it is. We like to keep close track that they are all getting equal shares at the breakfast bar and that all are growing well. Early Neurological Stimulation is employed on days 3-16 to help create stable, loving companions.

Around 10-14 days the pups eyes start to open and the ears start to develop. They do not see or hear clearly but we look forward to this stage in their life. By three weeks of age they are ready for more than just Mom's milk. They are started on soft food and work up quickly to scrambled eggs, ground meat/bones and hamburg. We believe that a dog's system is built for raw meats and bones (as they have always been since the beginning of the species) and that your greatest health comes from a dog fed fresh raw food. At this time we play tapes of typical sounds in a busy household so that each puppy becomes used to everyday noises; children laughing and squealing, busy traffic, trains, and crowds of people.

During this time there is a video taken of their activity for you to look back on and marvel at just how fast they grow. By about four weeks of age they are anxious to join the family activities. We start them early on housetraining as it is instinctive for them to want to keep their bed clean. We have found if this trait is encouraged early it will be an easy task for you to continue.

Early socialization is a must for pups. They need to see and meet a large variety of people in different situations. The more exposure they have while young the more well-adjusted they will be as adults. At 4-5 weeks of age, they move to a different room in the house that has access to a puppy yard. Their play yard is equipped with a variety of surfaces and toys, including teeter-totters, tunnels and low tables. Flapping sheets and banging pie tins help to introduce them to the motion and noises of life.

We ask you to bring a stuffed toy out for your puppy. It does get dirty but it is something familiar for them to sleep with those first few nights in their new home. They get lots of play time with bigger dogs here and quite enjoy the attention.

The pups spend most of the day underfoot in the kitchen or running for potty breaks and play time outside. The pups learn a great deal at this stage of their life. Play with their siblings is vitally important. They are learning how to deal with others and how hard to bite before somebody gets mad (an important lesson) as well as how to share and be part of a family pack. Puppy push-ups (stand-sit-down-sit-stand) are started about 5 weeks of age. This way, pups learn to learn early in life and it sets the tone for later training.

We use our conversations with you and the questionnaire that we ask you to fill out to match you to the puppy in the litter that is most suitable for your family. We continue to be there to support you for the lifetime of your pet. All companion pups are placed on non-breeding contracts.

So you want to buy a puppy!

You've decided that you have the time and dedication it takes to raise and train an energetic, nippy, destructive puppy to become a well-mannered dog. Have you asked yourself why? For companionship, for activities, for showing or breeding?

Answers to these and other questions can help in your selection of both a breed and a breeder. Looking at the creation of the breed is vitally important to understanding the activity level and trainability of the dog you are interested in having as a family companion. Left alone too much any dog is capable of finding his own entertainment. Not necessarily an activity you would approve. Properly trained and exercised most dogs can become a loving and adoring family member. They just long to be with you as much as possible.

Health issues are always a consideration. In each pure breed, diseases may occur that are specific to that breed. Some of these are inherited diseases, some are acquired and others are unknown. Your careful selection of a responsible breeder can reduce the chances that your puppy will be affected. Most larger breeds have some concerns of various orthopedic abnormalities. The most commonly known ones are Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD) and Elbow Dysplasia (ED). Assessing the hips and elbows of prospective breeding pairs (using radiographs) and selecting only animals with normal hips and elbows for breeding increases the chance that their puppies will also be normal. The Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) evaluates x-rays of dogs over the age of eighteen months. Radiographs are taken by a veterinarian and submitted to OVC for reading. A responsible breeder will use these tools to help select the best dogs for breeding. A responsible breeder will also discuss what you can do in terms of nutrition and exercise to help give your puppy the best chance for sound hips and elbows.

Cancer is another serious health concern in most breeds of dogs now. Again, a responsible breeder will carefully research the family history of the potential breeding pair to avoid as much of the known types of cancer as possible and discuss with you the responsibilities of nutritional health for your puppy.

Where should you look for a puppy? Don't look for a puppy, look for a responsible breeder. A pet shop is likely to be the worst place to go. Pet shop puppies come from breeding farms and from producers who give little or no consideration for the long term welfare of their puppy crop. There is no contact between producers of pet store puppies and the people who buy them. these producers demonstrate no concern for the future welfare of the puppies they have produced. On the other hand, a responsible breeder seeks appropriate homes for each offspring of their well researched breeding program and encourages communication with the buyers of their pups throughout the dog's lifetime. Because producers have no long term interest in the puppies they produce, there is no need to research the health history of the family from which they breed. Responsible breeders, however, must have contact with the buyers in order to continue gathering data which helps them make good breeding decisions.

It is up to you to make educated decisions. CKC (Canadian Kennel Club) registration is not a seal of approval, nor is it a guarantee of quality. It simply means that the parents of the pup are supposedly purebred dogs. They can be the worst purebred dogs on earth, but if the producer has CKC registration for two dogs they claim are the litter parents, then the puppies can be registered too. At least with a breed club membership, the breeder signs a Code of Ethics ensuring that the dog is well cared for and health certificates are obtained.

Another risky choice for a purebred puppy is the owner who decided to let Fido have just one litter. Fido may be wonderful but what about the sire to whom she was bred? Were Fido's and her mate's hips and elbows evaluated? How are their temperaments? What sort of health problems do the family backgrounds show? Fido's owner won't know.

A responsible breeder is your best chance to get a healthy, happy puppy. A great deal of time and money is spent finding the right pedigree to mesh with the female. They also constantly track the quality of the puppies produced in their breeding program. A responsible breeder welcomes questions and appreciates the opportunity to offer guidance to their puppy buyers. They x-ray hips and elbows, research pedigrees, show dogs to ensure that they meet the breed standard for movement, temperament and appearance. They also do the very best they can to produce the best puppies possible and find good homes for them - often at a financial loss.

The most important thing to remember when looking for a puppy is to find a breeder that you can communicate freely with and whose ideas make sense to you. Read about the breed, learn all you can. Go to dog shows, meet as many of their dogs as you can. Are the dogs shy? Assertive? Sweet-tempered? Be honest with the breeders you talk to. If you have a serious interest in showing the dog, let them know. But if you aren't interested or you're not sure, tell them that also. The only differences between a pet-quality and a show-quality dog may be cosmetic. If your preference is for obedience or therapy work, look for a breeder with experience in these areas. They can help select a puppy that may be best suited temperamentally for these efforts. Don't be discouraged by a waiting list. Getting the right puppy from the right breeder is well worth the wait.

Don't be overly impressed with the word Champion. All it means is that several different judges said that this dog was the best non-champion of its sex entered at a show. Showing dogs give breeders the advantage of getting out to see potential mates that will improve the structure and temperament of future litters, but a Champion title is not a guarantee of quality. It is more important that the breeder is making an effort to get out to meet other breeders and their dogs.

There are many sources of information about the breed and breeders. If you are on the internet, there are many home pages packed with information and links as well as addresses for clubs. Prices can vary a great deal for a purebred dog. Price shopping is not advisable. Although a high price does not ensure a good dog, a low price nearly always ensures that the breeder is not doing the health screening widely accepted and recommended. Corrective surgeries for hereditary problems can cost thousands of dollars and cause much pain and heartache. It is wise to minimize the risk of such misfortune by seeking a responsible breeder.

Be sure to understand any guarantees the breeder offers. Many guarantees are not worth much of the time they need to be exercised. Once a puppy has found a place in an owner's heart, it is not likely that the owner will return the pup for a refund. Offers in guarantees of a replacement puppy may not fit into an owner's lifestyle - after all - do you have room for two puppies when you only wanted one. These are all things to consider when assessing guarantees.

The cost of owning a puppy doesn't stop with the purchase price. Vet bills, food, obedience classes should all be considered necessary expenses. Collars, leashes, brushes, nail trimmers, shampoo, toys, treats are all additional expenses to be expected.

Many books are available at Dogwise.