Other information that may be helpful:

I can accept PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, and credit card for a deposit.

You may also use a credit card onsite as you pick up your puppy.

Products I Use

Puppy Sized Tennis Balls:

Midlee Designs makes a great mini tennis ball. Purchase can be made either from amazon or Midlee directly at

midleedesigns.com

All puppies come with 2 mini tennis balls.

Dew Claws:

I do not have dew claws removed. I learned that if a dog is stuck in a hole, as they try to jump out it is the dew claws that give them a hold and traction to free themselves. A dog will kind of splay their legs out to the side when trying to get out of a tight spot and dew claws will help in that endeavor. If a puppy has dew claws on the back feet, they can get sharp quickly.  Keeping the dew claws trimmed regularly, bit by bit, is much easier than having to do a bigger cut. If you hit the quick (living portion) of the dogs nail, you will pay for it in the form of unwillingness to allow you to trim toenails for the rest of your dogs life. 

Cat Nail Clippers: 

I keep the puppies' nails trimmed with a pair of cat nail clippers. They are much smaller than the dogs version and are perfect for nipping the tip of a puppy's sharp little toenail.  I can easily do this while they sleep as they are young, and as they get older they tend to just sit quietly in my lap for a quick pedicure. I start nipping toe nails at around day 3 or 4 and do so every few days until the puppy goes to their new home.

Bath Time:

I don't really give the puppies a bath. Instead, I simply get a bowl of warm water and a washcloth, and wipe them clean starting with the face. Most of the time, it is a bit of a fun game; they will sit in my lap and lick on the washcloth and interact with me vs trying to escape. I do my best to make it feel like one of the big dogs licking them clean; short strokes, different directions, and with a mild steady pressure. If they are itchy or stinky, I may make a weak tea, using something mild like a green or white tea, and wipe them down with that. Afterward, they happily sit in my lap wrapped in a big towel to dry. Of course, there is no better nap than an after bath nap. 

Feeding Time:

My big dogs eat the same food as the puppies. So feeding time is free choice. I learned early on with my own puppies that if I try to give a specific feeding time, they would be so hungry that they would hoover the food and almost choke; it was very scary! So I now feed everyone free choice with various snacks. Also, if the puppy is out playing and comes in for a scheduled big meal, and goes back out to play and run, they may vomit. This doesn't seem to happen when feeding is free choice. They can come in for a small snack as desired and keep playing without incident. 

Snacks:

Puppies will at times get a bit of diarrhea; usually when mom is ready to wean them. If they are on solid food, I will give a bit of unflavored, whole milk yogurt. I don't think I have had a puppy protest this snack food yet. They also enjoy a spoon of plain cottage cheese. It can get a bit messy and no one seems to mind the clean up. I also occasionally love giving tiny bites of raw hamburger or turkey meat to puppies. 

Chewies:

I had a previous cairn who had a sensitive belly and would get sick with some store bought chewies. I finally found a brand that my dogs like and I can feel safe with; Benebone. There are a few different flavors, a few different shapes, and they are made in the USA. They are available at Tractor Supply, Chewy,  Amazon, and directly at benebone.com.  All puppies come with a freshly started Benebone.

Names:

The names given to a puppy are for human use only. A name is used for labeling on the website and home use, so that my husband and I can tell one puppy from another; mostly for a cute story.  Until a puppy has a deposit, if we are talking directly to a puppy, every girl is "Pretty Princess" or "Sweet Pea" and every boy is "Little Buddy" or "Handsome Guy." Once a puppy has a deposit, the new owner is welcome to provide a new name that we will use in every available instance. 

Why do puppies whine?

I have found 5 reasons a young puppy will whine. Hopefully, this will be helpful in the transition process.

1) Temperature: a puppy will whine when hot or cold. If hot, they can't get comfy; if cold they want on top of you. 

2) Hunger or thirst: if your puppy can't find food or water, usually there will be a direct demand toward you.

3) Lost or lonely: most likely in the very beginning of the new home transition.

4) Pee or poo: needs to go and can't find where. This is usually a fast and distressed whine.

5) Physical pain: maybe a tummy ache or gas, could be a physical trauma. 

A bit of my philosophy on raising your puppy.

Treat it like it's yours and remember it's not.

This lesson was taught to me with regard to use of a facility. I have found it can be applied to much more.

My dog is never wrong / Your dog is never wrong.

This lesson was taught to me in 2010; I did not learn the lesson until 2020. I actually worked hard to keep the thought in the front of my mind, daily, and it still took that long to sink in fully.   *It does not matter what the situation is, the relationship comes first. 

Rabies vaccine:

Ask if your vet uses the Thimerosal Free rabies vaccine. 

Thimerosal is a mercury preservative and we all know the dangers of mercury.

Some vets already use the TF vaccine while other vets will get it for you. Rabies shots are also rather painful since they go in the muscle. If you have a dog that squirms, maybe consider having the vaccine given when your puppy is being spayed/neutered.

Why do I keep your puppy so long?:

In starting my breeding process with allowing your dog to leave at 8 weeks and shifting to 12-13 weeks, your puppy has taught me a small amount of incredibly important information. 

1. Your puppy needs to have a short pattern of sleeping all night before he leaves for your home.

2.  Your puppy needs to have allowed his mom, dad, brother, and other siblings to teach him how to properly wrestle. If too young, the puppy will not have enough experience with someone his size telling him "That's too rough!"

3. Your puppy needs to be old enough to have moderate control of his bladder. This means that he can go out and tinkle once per outside visit, vs tinkle two or three times per outside visit because he is so little and so is his bladder.  

4. Your puppy needs to be old enough to know how to move forward vs move up. At 8 weeks your puppy is still moving mostly vertical vs moving forward which happens at around 10 weeks. At 12 weeks, your puppy is mostly under physical control and is able to run and play without crashing into everything.

5. Your puppy has the proper immune antibodies from mom to make him healthy and safe until 9-10 weeks. Since I keep a rather closed dog pack, I see no need to vaccinate your dog until the antibodies of a vaccine are necessary. I also do not use flea and tick meds on puppies. 

Cleaning:

I only use 2 types of cleaning products. Those that are certified safe for use with infants and essential oils. Typically, the certified safe for use with infants products are used with washed products like clothes and towels. Essential oils are used when cleaning the floors and solid surfaces. When cleaning the floors I use an 80/20 mix of water and vodka (plastic bottle) plus essential oils. There are lots of GRAS (generally regarded as safe) oils, and when using it to clean the floors anything that is not too potent when actively cleaning is acceptable; even those that are deemed "use caution" with dogs. If you have any questions about oils I will be happy to steer you in good directions. 

How can you do this?

I actually take my little job seriously. 

I will not get rich on what I do. However, I do know that what I do will affect your life for the next 1.5 decades. The fact that what I do will be a positive influence on your life and the life of your dog, plus everyone who meets your dog, is what makes the process worthy. I appreciate the innocent and vulnerable stage of life.