FAQ's

As the time for pick up and shipping approaches, I know that you all may have come up with some last questions. Below I have a collection of FAQ's for you!

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 large utility room right off the kitchen, where they can spend two to three weeks together with the dam. This is very supportive of the development of sound temperaments and great socialization. Once they are 4 to 5 weeks old and initiate leaving their nest we move them to the lower part of our home where they have a large puppy run with pelletized pine bedding. We also allow each puppy plenty of "individual" time with the family each day, and together they are taken outdoors at least once a day from age 6 weeks and on.

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 utility room off the kitchen 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 utility room 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 (for shipped dogs)
• contract with health guarantee
• microchip
• puppy collar and leash

Do you offer shipping?
We do offer shipping for an additional $300 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 Richmond airport in VA. 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.

What do you feed your puppies?
We feed Purina Pro Plan Focus for large puppies which can be bought at TSC or Petsmart. We also feed them a mix of greek yoghurt, egg yolks, canine red cell and molasses once a day.

Will my puppy be immune after his shots?
It is important to know that some vaccinations need to be given more than once in order to achieve immunity, such as parvo virus. It is advisable that you keep your puppy away from locations that are highly frequented by dogs, since dog related viruses spread easily from there.

What do I need to prepare for my puppies arrival?
A bed or crate, food and water bowl along with puppy kibble. You may also purchase him a small puppy toy. The first couple of weeks with a new puppy can be exhausting, and just like with young children I strongly recommend having wine at home to0... lots of wine (for you, not the puppy).