How we raise our puppies from birth to

Pick-Up Day at 8-10 Weeks…

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Prepare for Puppies…

All of our litters are whelped inside our home or at our vet clinic, if medical intervention is ever necessary. We create a calm, clean, enclosed whelping area in the central area of our house where our pregnant dams can feel safe and relaxed, but still included in the family. Our dams begin living in the whelping area at least one week prior to their due date, to help acclimate them to the space and allow them to nest.

We always have a fully stocked set of sanitized whelping supplies on-hand well before each litter is due, to assist the dam during delivery with situations such as clamping and cutting umbilical cords, suctioning puppies’ airways clear, and keeping the puppies warm, clean, and fed while waiting for the dam to finish whelping. This allows us to ensure that our puppies are delivered safely, in a sanitary environment, and given the best chance to thrive and grow. If there are ever any complications with delivery, our veterinarian will assist with delivering the litter in a manner they deem safest for the dam and puppies. All puppies are weighed and given soft ID collars at birth, so that we can track their growth. Any puppies born with rear dew claws will have them removed by our veterinarian no later than 3 days of age.

We provide our dams with a clean whelping box that is appropriately sized to fit the dam and her nursing puppies. Hog rails around the perimeter of the whelping box prevent the puppies from being crushed up against the wall by their mother, and a heat lamp combined with our house’s heater help to keep the puppies warm. Before the puppies are big enough to start exploring outside the whelping box, we take turns sleeping right next to the whelping box on a cot so that someone is always watching over the puppies.

The whelping box sits on top of half-inch rubber mats, to give a softer surface for the dam to lay on, and is topped with blankets that provide the puppies with traction. We change out the blankets and sanitize the mats with pet-safe kennel cleaning solution daily to ensure the puppies are growing up in a clean environment.

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Getting bigger…

We use Puppy Culture program as the foundation for our puppy raising, training, and socialization protocol. This is a comprehensive program that includes Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS), introduction to operant learning (the foundation of training), brain games and activities that stimulate critical thinking and boosts confidence in the puppies, and outlines several ways for us to positively and safely introduce the growing litter to new situations, objects, people, and other (vaccinated and friendly!) animals. Puppy Culture provides breeders with a guideline of age-appropriate activities to help stimulate and train the litter, based on their current developmental stage.

Starting from Day 1, the puppies are weighed daily and their growth is tracked on weight charts that we publish weekly. We begin ENS on Day 3, and continue until the puppies are 16 days old. ENS is a series of mildly stimulating exercises for infant puppies which has been hypothesized to help strengthen a dog’s immune system and improve their response to coping with stress as an adult.

Most of the first two weeks is fairly uneventful, aside from daily ENS and weight charting, as well as periodic, gentle handling throughout each day. However, we do swab each puppy for their Embark Vet DNA testing around week 2, so that each puppy’s results will hopefully be ready before they go home!

As the puppies become mobile and are old enough to start exploring further than their initial whelping box, we remove the hog rails and expand their pen. This will help transition the puppies into eventually having their full weaning pen available for exploration and play. We introduce potty pads, and later on transition to litter trays with pine pellets, to help the puppies learn the early concepts of potty training. We also provide them with toys that offer the puppies new tactile and auditory sensations.

Puppy Parties and Evaluations…

Once the puppies turn 4 weeks old, we begin allowing visitors to meet the litter and play with the puppies. All visitors must follow our strict sanitation protocols and remove their shoes before entering our puppy areas, to prevent anyone from bringing dangerous viruses onto our property. We typically have one or two puppy parties each weekend, and use the rest of the week to work on training the puppies, as well as bringing them in small groups to pet-friendly stores. Our puppies never touch the floor of public places until they have at least two rounds of vaccines, for their safety.

On Day 49, each puppy has their temperament evaluated by a team of third party professional dog trainers, using the Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test. There is no right or wrong score on this test; it merely gives us a general expectation of each puppy’s temperament and personality at that moment. This is not a final predictor of adult temperament and should not be regarded as such. These results aid us in our final placement decisions as we are assigning each puppy to the home they are most compatible with.

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Between 7-8 weeks of age, the puppies will each have their conformation evaluated by other experienced breeders. This is to ensure that we keep records of the structural traits that this pairing produced, and to predict which puppies will most closely meet our goals regarding conformation. The litter will also be microchipped during their vaccination appointment at 8 weeks, prior to their appointment with our canine ophthalmologist’s clinic, so each puppy can have their first OFA CAER eye exam. This is to verify and document their ocular health before they leave for their new homes.

Once these evaluations have all been completed, we will assign the puppies to their new owners, based on each puppy’s temperament in comparison to the needs and wants of each of our approved puppy buyers for that litter. We do not allow our buyers to choose their puppy, but may offer an opportunity for a buyer to provide feedback if it appears that more than one puppy may be a good match for a home.

Note: We cannot guarantee that every Approved Buyer will receive a puppy from a specific litter. We are limited to the number of puppies born, what combination of sexes and colors are available, and the temperament of each individual puppy, all in comparison to the needs of each of our Approved Buyers, as determined within their applications. If it turns out that there is not a puppy available in a specific litter which meets your needs, you have the opportunity to receive a refund OR wait for a future, comparable litter. Our Deposit Contract addresses this subject in more detail.

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Deworming Schedule

Our pregnant dams are dewormed on a strict schedule prior to whelping, in order to drastically reduce the risk that internal parasites could be passed on to the litter. Starting at day 40 of pregnancy, we deworm our pregnant dams with Fenbendazole (a broad spectrum dewormer) 1x per day, every day up until 2 days post-whelp.

The puppies are dewormed with Pyrantel Pamoate & Febantel for three consecutive days once they turn 2 weeks, and again once they turn 4 weeks. Their dam is dewormed with Fenbendazole on the same days that their puppies are dewormed.

At 6 weeks, we switch the puppies to Fenbendazole as well, and deworm them for 3 consecutive days when they turn 6, 8, and 10 weeks old.

Note: For Upper Mid and High Content litters who go home prior to 10 weeks of age, we require our Buyers to show proof of de-worming at 10 weeks of age (may be performed at home with appropriate products, or by your veterinarian).

The puppies are also dewormed with Praziquantel (tapeworm dewormer) at 6 weeks old.

Pyrantel Pamoate & Febantel targets:

  • Roundworms

  • Hookworms

Fenbendazole targets:

  • Roundworms

  • Hookworms

  • Whipworms

  • Giardiasis (Giardia)

  • Some species of tapeworms (except Dipylidium Caninum, aka the “flea tapeworm”)

Praziquantel targets:

  • Tapeworms (including the “flea tapeworm”)

***There are several different products that have different combinations and dosages of dewormers. Not all dewormers target the same parasites. Some products are also not safe for pregnant bitches, or for puppies under a certain age. It’s VERY important to double check with your veterinarian FIRST for the correct dewormer product and dosage for your pregnant/lactating bitches and puppies!***

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Vaccination Schedule

Our puppies are vaccinated by our veterinarian before they leave for their new homes:

  • 6 weeks of age: Distemper, Hepatitis (aka Adenovirus-2), Parainfluenza, and Parvovirus (commonly abbreviated as “DHPP”).

  • 8 weeks of age: DHPP plus Leptospirosis (“DHLPP”).

  • 10 weeks of age: DHLPP plus Bordetella (aka “Kennel Cough”) (proof of 3rd booster vaccination is required no later than 12 weeks of age for all Mid Content and High Content puppies who go home prior to 10 weeks of age).

Our Ownership Contracts require our puppies to receive a 4th booster of DHLPP + Bordetella no later than 16 weeks of age. We also require our puppies to receive their Rabies vaccine after 12 weeks of age, but no later than 16 weeks of age.

Vaccinations against Lyme Disease and the various strains of Canine Influenza are strongly recommended to our puppy buyers.

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Pick-up Day!

Once our puppies turn 8-10 weeks old, depending on the litter, they are ready to go to their new homes! Please refer to the informational page for the specific litter you are applying for regarding what week that litter will be ready to go home. Each puppy will receive a Health Certificate from our veterinarian within 3 days of pick-up, to verify they are in good health and enable them to travel between different states or countries.

Please note that you MUST present us with your government issued identification, such as Driver’s License or State-issued ID Card, or Passport, upon arriving to pick up your puppy. This is an extra safety measure that we take to ensure that nobody but you takes your puppy home.

We also send each puppy home with their own puppy package, which will include the following:

  • Large, hard-plastic travel crate

  • Small fleece blanket that smells like their siblings and dam

  • Brand new leash, collar, tag, and harness

  • Chew toys for the trip home

  • Cleaning supplies for the trip home

  • All vet records, vaccination records, and Health Certificate

  • Flash-drive containing HD photos of puppy from birth to pick-up day, photos of parents and ancestors, and 5-generation pedigree

  • Microchip registration information

  • Co-ownership of puppy’s Embark Vet profile

  • Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test results

  • Fully signed copy of Pet-Only Purchase Contract / Co-Ownership Contract

For puppies who will be living in the USA: We DO NOT allow our puppies to be shipped via plane, train, or other 3rd party shippers to their new homes. Our USA Puppy Buyers must come pick their puppies up in-person. No exceptions. It is very important to us as breeders that we meet our buyers face-to-face as part of our relationship with our puppy families over the course of our puppies’ lifetimes. If necessary, we are happy to drive your puppy to you, for a reasonable fee. That way, we still get to meet you in-person, and we can remain confident that your puppy will make it safely into your arms!

For puppies who will be going to international homes: We will assist with travel arrangements and will make sure all necessary documents, pet passports, vaccination records, health certificate, etc. are ready to go. Buyers are 100% responsible for the cost of shipping the puppy, including inspection fees, taxes, permit fees, hiring a transporter, etc. We use airline-approved travel crates sized correctly for each puppy. In-person pick-up is not required, but we will always welcome our international puppy families if you are able to stay with us for pick-up or visits!