We are launching our new website, and are moving our blog!

We have promised you changes, and this one is the first of them which extends itself as an invitation to you! Many of you have been following our blog faithfully for years now, and we hope that you will join us on our new website and new blog as well. Luckily, I was able to transfer all content of our blog into the new one, allowing us to hold on to those treasured memories (and pictures!) of the past.

www.netherfieldwhippets.com

2018 is bringing some serious changes - and we are so excited about them!

Hello past and future families! Long time no see!

As some of you know, last year wasn't exactly a good one for us. Shortly after our last litter left us, my husband Walter was diagnosed with several health issues, such as degenerative disc disease and extensive nerve damage, causing him almost permanent numbness in his feet and legs. Oh, we also learned that he has 1 vertebra more than a textbook human is supposed to have. Weird, but apparently not quite so uncommon. No wonder he is so tall!

This summer the Army performed a spinal fusion on him, a surgery from which he still has not entirely recovered. Things were difficult for us for the past 6 months. There as a lot of pain, a lot of frustration, a lot of medications, a lot of appointments, and a lot of wondering about what this all means for his professional future and quality of life during his elder-hood. 

While Walter still has a long way to go, we are now somewhat back to normal, and we are happy that we can concentrate more on our dogs again now! We thought lots and hard about our breeding program these days, and we will be excited to announce a couple of changes with you in the next few days! We tried to think of ways to be even more professional when it comes to what we do, ways to make our communication with families more efficient and easier, better ways for our record keeping, and ways to avoid struggles that we have encountered over the last couple of years. 

We also have a very very sweet announcement to make, and perhaps you all have an idea of what it could be ;) but for now, you will have to keep patient for just a few more days!

We are back from the vet!

All loaded up! Please not that my son Gabriel opened the rear entertainment system
so the "puppies could watch TV" on our way to the vet.

Dr. Hill from Jolly Pond Animal Hospital was delighted to see us again. He loves
puppies, and today he had 11 of them at once!

Tammy receiving her microchip. Ouch! That's a pretty big needle, but she
took it like a champ.

Dr. Hill with Murray and Spirit.

Simon escaped!

Each litter has that one puppy which is the first one to escape their puppy run and unexpectedly join us. This time it was Simon! He suddenly showed up while we had lunch, and boy was he in for some nice additional playtime ;)

We are almost 8 weeks old!

Since I had help from my husband today, our pictures turned out quite alright. Naomi and Phoebe had a blast today distracting those puppies sitting on the couch by barking at them and trying to jump up as well. It wasn't helpful at all, but I was delighted to see them so happy and playful this evening.

Arthur (SOLD)

Joanne (SOLD)

Lilly (SOLD)

Murray (SOLD)

Naomi (SOLD)

Panda (SOLD)

Paul (HOLD)

Phoebe (SOLD)

Tammy (SOLD)

Spirit (SOLD)
7 terrible goofball pictures.. and then THIS pretty thing

THE AKC paperwork has arrived!

Look what I had in the mail today! I am so happy that the paperwork has arrived in time. Now all we need is the vet appointment and we are good to go!

Some more information

Do you have questions?

I know you are all getting ready for the big day, so I wanted to share these FAQ's with you. This should answer some of the questions you might have right now.

Is there a health guarantee?
Yes! We are one of the few breeders who actually give a health guarantee on their puppies. The health guarantee will be included in the contract and we stand by it!

How do I go about potty training my puppy?
From six weeks of age and on our puppies usually got the idea of where to eliminate, and that it is sometimes necessary to hold it. For example, we currently have a 1.5 hours rest period during noon in which the puppies only have a nest, but no potty or play area. After the rest period we would take them outside to eliminate. We didn't have an accident during the rest period in over a week. I personally like to crate a puppy in order to help with the potty training. If the crate is set up as the resting space, the puppy will wait until he leaves the crate to eliminate. Here are some rules:

• take the puppy outside to eliminate every 30 - 60 minutes. 
• take the puppy outside immediately after he finished a meal or drank water
• always take your puppy to the same potty spot, so he understands what you expect him to do
• do not play with the puppy during potty breaks, as it will distract him
• praise your puppy once he eliminated

A lot of people say that a dog with 8 or 10 weeks should be potty trained. That is non sense! Most puppies do not have proper control of their bladder or bowels until the age of 12 weeks. While they are old enough to start understanding the concept of potty training, their bodies are not yet capable of holding it for very long. Potty training usually takes 4 - 6 months. 

How do I crate train my puppy?

Luckily, we start crate training our puppies from 4 weeks and on by giving them a big kennel as their nest during the day. This helps tremendously with getting them used to the kennel itself, and they actually enjoy sleeping in such a protected environment. Once they turn 6 weeks old, we start putting 2 puppies in one kennel for short periods of time. We also give each puppy a few minutes of individual time in the kennel each day until they are 8 weeks old. Once your puppy arrives at your home, he or she will recognize a kennel and accept it as a retreat. Important: no food or water should be inside the dogs kennel. It interferes with potty training.

What should I bring when I pick up my puppy at your home/the airport?

Two or three soft towels so you can wrap your puppy up and make him feel secure. Wipes to clean up accidents, and a soft voice so you can whisper in his ear that everything is going to be fine. 
IMPORTANT: Please protect your puppy from canine parvovirus and do not stop for potty breaks unless absolutely necessary. If you have to stop, take the puppy to an area that is not frequently used by other dogs or has a lot of foot traffic. 

What shots will the puppy have?
Combination vaccine (DHPP) to protect from: canine distemper, infectious hepatitis, parainfluenza, and parvovirus infection. The puppy will also be dewormed and microchipped.

Do you give your puppies the shots/microchip?
No, we leave all this as well as the deworming to our vet Dr. Hill at Jolly Pond Animal Clinic here in Williamsburg. 

Will the puppies be health tested?
Yes, each puppy has to undergo a health screening, no matter if the puppy gets shipped or picked up. The vet will take a look at the overall appearance of the dog, and pay special attention to their heart, eyes and ears (deafness). You will receive a document with any sort of issue the vet might have noticed.