FAQ's
Here is a collection of the frequently asked questions. If you can't find a matching answer to one of your concerns, please don't hesitate to send me an email!
Are the puppies AKC registered?
Yes, all of our litters have been and will be registered with the AKC. You will receive the paperwork for your puppy as soon as it is available.
What other registries do sire and dam belong to?
In addition to the AKC, sire and dam(s) are all registered with the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), which is an international federation of kennel clubs. The paperwork of our dogs is therefore worldwide accepted.
Can I buy one of your puppies with unlimited registration?
Our puppies are first and foremost sold as pets, and therefore come with a limited AKC registration. Limited Registration means that the dog is registered but no litters produced by that dog are eligible for registration. A reputable breeder is unlikely to sell a puppy to a pet home with unlimited registration, because this is where "backyard breeding" often begins. We do, however, sell future show prospects to experienced show kennels and handlers.
We would like to point out that a limited registration will still allow you to participate in AKC shows and competitions that are not breed(ing) related, such as agility, obedience etc.
How many litters do you have a year?
Between 0 and 2 litters. If we breed both dams the same year, then two. But we always allow our dams to skip between 1 and 3 (or even more) heats, in order to recover from a litter. So it might happen that we won't have any litters for a year or two. Having a litter is an absolutely natural event for a dog, but it is strenuous work and requires an appropriate recovery time, followed by a time of extensive preparation for the next litter. Besides, we are not a commercial breeder, meaning that we have a life, and jobs and kids besides our puppies. We only plan a litter if we can guarantee to raise those little pups with excellent quality, care and love.
Where do you keep your puppies?
That depends on the age of the puppies. The first week of their lives we keep dam and her puppies in our bedroom, so we can keep track of them and avoid accidents that can cause death or injury of a puppy, due to the dam (accidental suffocation etc). After two weeks or so we move the puppies to a crate in our sunroom, where they can spend two to three weeks together with the dam. Our sunroom is open to our general living area, allowing the puppies to grow up with the smells, noises and impressions of a family. This is very supportive of the development of sound temperaments and great socialization. Our puppies stay in our sunroom until they leave for their new homes, but at 4 weeks of age we add a small run to their crate, where they will have a nest and a potty area. Once the puppies no longer eliminate in their nest, their run will gradually get bigger and offer an additional play area. We also set up a puppy run in our backyard, where they can enjoy those warm days. During colder months we set up an additional run in our garage, where they can run and play. Those runs are only intended to give them lots and lots of room to stretch their legs, so they are only used for a limited amount of time during the day.
How do you raise your puppies?
This also depends on the age of the puppies of course. For the first week of their lives we try not to handle them, unless it is necessary. We just let the new family bond and enjoy each other, without interfering too much. Once they moved to the sunroom we give them a couple of days to adjust to their new environment, but then we start petting them daily, picking them up for a short period of time and talking to them. From 4 weeks and on we start to rotate the puppies and give each of them some individual time with a human. This can include sleeping on our laps when we watch TV at night, carrying them around the house or playing with them once they are able to do so. Since our sunroom is open to our general living area, our puppies are always exposed to our dogs, our voices, the sound of visitors and my kids playing right next to them. Once they are 5 to 6 weeks old they will be a handful, and we start to actively play with them by throwing balls, playing fetch, tug of war etc. We also take them to our backyard and let them run behind us... great to get them tired!
What is included in the price of a puppy?
Are the puppies AKC registered?
Yes, all of our litters have been and will be registered with the AKC. You will receive the paperwork for your puppy as soon as it is available.
What other registries do sire and dam belong to?
In addition to the AKC, sire and dam(s) are all registered with the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), which is an international federation of kennel clubs. The paperwork of our dogs is therefore worldwide accepted.
Can I buy one of your puppies with unlimited registration?
Our puppies are first and foremost sold as pets, and therefore come with a limited AKC registration. Limited Registration means that the dog is registered but no litters produced by that dog are eligible for registration. A reputable breeder is unlikely to sell a puppy to a pet home with unlimited registration, because this is where "backyard breeding" often begins. We do, however, sell future show prospects to experienced show kennels and handlers.
We would like to point out that a limited registration will still allow you to participate in AKC shows and competitions that are not breed(ing) related, such as agility, obedience etc.
How many litters do you have a year?
Between 0 and 2 litters. If we breed both dams the same year, then two. But we always allow our dams to skip between 1 and 3 (or even more) heats, in order to recover from a litter. So it might happen that we won't have any litters for a year or two. Having a litter is an absolutely natural event for a dog, but it is strenuous work and requires an appropriate recovery time, followed by a time of extensive preparation for the next litter. Besides, we are not a commercial breeder, meaning that we have a life, and jobs and kids besides our puppies. We only plan a litter if we can guarantee to raise those little pups with excellent quality, care and love.
Where do you keep your puppies?
That depends on the age of the puppies. The first week of their lives we keep dam and her puppies in our bedroom, so we can keep track of them and avoid accidents that can cause death or injury of a puppy, due to the dam (accidental suffocation etc). After two weeks or so we move the puppies to a crate in our sunroom, where they can spend two to three weeks together with the dam. Our sunroom is open to our general living area, allowing the puppies to grow up with the smells, noises and impressions of a family. This is very supportive of the development of sound temperaments and great socialization. Our puppies stay in our sunroom until they leave for their new homes, but at 4 weeks of age we add a small run to their crate, where they will have a nest and a potty area. Once the puppies no longer eliminate in their nest, their run will gradually get bigger and offer an additional play area. We also set up a puppy run in our backyard, where they can enjoy those warm days. During colder months we set up an additional run in our garage, where they can run and play. Those runs are only intended to give them lots and lots of room to stretch their legs, so they are only used for a limited amount of time during the day.
How do you raise your puppies?
This also depends on the age of the puppies of course. For the first week of their lives we try not to handle them, unless it is necessary. We just let the new family bond and enjoy each other, without interfering too much. Once they moved to the sunroom we give them a couple of days to adjust to their new environment, but then we start petting them daily, picking them up for a short period of time and talking to them. From 4 weeks and on we start to rotate the puppies and give each of them some individual time with a human. This can include sleeping on our laps when we watch TV at night, carrying them around the house or playing with them once they are able to do so. Since our sunroom is open to our general living area, our puppies are always exposed to our dogs, our voices, the sound of visitors and my kids playing right next to them. Once they are 5 to 6 weeks old they will be a handful, and we start to actively play with them by throwing balls, playing fetch, tug of war etc. We also take them to our backyard and let them run behind us... great to get them tired!
What is included in the price of a puppy?
- the AKC paperwork incl. copy of pedigree
- age appropriate first round of shots
- deworming
- health screening with health certificate
- contract with health guarantee
- microchip
- puppy collar and leash
Do you offer shipping?
We do offer shipping for an additional $250 which includes the air fare and the puppy flight kennel for you to keep (we do not rent their kennels from the airline). We ship with Delta Cargo from the Raleigh-Durham airport in NC. For the most part we had a great experience with the shipping of our puppies, although delays can happen did happen in the past. I can say though that shipping is by far not as horrible as one might think. Most of our puppies get shipped, and so far none of them was traumatized, confused or anything like that. They always arrived at their destination (sometimes later than planned) happily wiggling their tail when they were received by their new family.
Can we visit your puppies?
Certainly! Once the puppies are old enough to receive visitors, we even encourage you to come by and take a look.
We do offer shipping for an additional $250 which includes the air fare and the puppy flight kennel for you to keep (we do not rent their kennels from the airline). We ship with Delta Cargo from the Raleigh-Durham airport in NC. For the most part we had a great experience with the shipping of our puppies, although delays can happen did happen in the past. I can say though that shipping is by far not as horrible as one might think. Most of our puppies get shipped, and so far none of them was traumatized, confused or anything like that. They always arrived at their destination (sometimes later than planned) happily wiggling their tail when they were received by their new family.
Can we visit your puppies?
Certainly! Once the puppies are old enough to receive visitors, we even encourage you to come by and take a look.
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