Updated: 12/20/2021
We normally start our puppy selection at 6-7 weeks old, with choosing proceeding in the order reserves were placed. At that age we take individual pictures of the puppies and post on our webpage.
We recommend an open wire crate around 20-24 inches high (depending on expected size of a puppy) with a removable plastic bottom for crate training. We recommend keeping a puppy close but not in your room at night at first to get them used to the crate. You can also put a light sheet over the crate at night and include toys that have a heartbeat or clock tick sound. For puppies during potty training, we recommend putting a divider in to close off part of the crate. If they have too much room, they may develop separate sleeping and potty locations within the crate. We recommend taking a puppy out once in the middle of the night for the first couple nights, but most puppies by this age are able to go all night without pottying. We recommend taking a puppy out every couple hours during the day if you are home, or at least once in the middle of the day if the puppy is home alone during the day during potty training. There are many methods on potty training and many books describing these methods. Probably the most important thing for successful training is consistency.
Our puppies will be eating Nutrena Loyall Life All Life Stages Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe (general information and where to buy). We will send a small sample of this along for the first day or two to mix in with the food you plan to continue. If you can't find Nutrena Loyall Life, Royal Canin and Diamond Naturals are other good dog food brands, but there are many others as well. We recommend finding a food that has meat as the main ingredient(s) and is not a grain free variety. Daily suggested feeding amounts are typically found on the food packaging. Puppies have full access to food while here in the transition from nursing to eating on their own. We recommend feeding 3 times a day for the first 2 weeks after they go home, and then 2 times a day after that. We recommend only using food and treats that have meat as the main ingredients and avoid unnecessary fillers and sweeteners. A kibble of food can also work as a treat. Many treats have an incorrect nutrition balance for dogs and can reduce a puppy's appetite for correct nutrition received in their food.
We recommend small adjustable collars for puppies when they are ready to go home. A typical size is 8-12 inch adjustable.
We recommend the book, The Dog Listener, by Jan Fennell as an excellent resource for training.
We suggest looking into pet health insurance as a way to limit financial risk for unforeseen veterinarian medical expense.
Due to size restrictions with carriers allowed in-cabin on commercial flights, we do not recommend traveling by air with our size of puppies unless you are flying private.
Items we will provide on pickup day are: health report from our vet, vaccination/deworming schedule, purchase agreement, food sample, and a small piece of comfort blanket with familiar scent. Items you will want to bring along are: crate (travel or open wire), towels/blankets, water/dish, collar/leash, and a toy. Puppies commonly get carsick during the trip. Ways to help with carsickness are keeping the puppy cool, holding the puppy, and avoid feeding until you get home. Puppies are okay without eating during the trip if less than 8 hours.