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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS  At what age do your puppies travel to their new homes ?We do not allow puppies to leave for their new homes until they are at least 8 weeks of age. The first 8 weeks are vitally important to both physical and emotional development and it is not in the best interest of the puppy to have them leave before that time. What is included in the cost of the puppy?First and foremost we provide a lifetime of support and advice for all of our puppy families. We are always available should a question arise in regards to training, diet or any other concern that may occur along the way. Puppies receive their first set of vaccines with us when they are almost 8 weeks of age. We follow a conservative vaccination schedule that allows sufficient protection against known disease yet creates the least amount of stress on a puppy's developing immune system. Puppies also receive de-worming (which is standard for puppies) and a full veterinary check prior to departing for their new family. All of our puppies are micro-chipped and registered with CANADACHIP Recovery in the Canadian Kennel Club database. All puppies come with CANADIAN KENNEL CLUB purebred registration and are sold on a non-breeding basis (except on rare occasions where alternate arrangements have been made with Dreamkeeper). Any of our puppies residing in Canada also receive complimentary pet insurance for 6 weeks. What vaccines will my puppy receive in his/her first 8 weeks?We believe that vaccination is absolutely necessary but overvaccination can have long-term negative effects on the health of any pet. We aim to follow JEAN DODD'S VACCINATION PROTOCOL as closely as possible - with the only exception being that we ensure our puppies receive their first vaccine prior to leaving for their new homes which is typically around 8 weeks of age.Is it possible to adopt a puppy from Canada if I live in the U.S.?Over the last few years there have been significant changes to the rules and regulations for puppies entering the U.S. It is still possible to "import" a puppy from Canada into the U.S. but the CDC has a very specific process for obtaining special permission. We are very familiar with the documentation that needs to be filed and are happy to walk any of our new families through the process step by step. Do you allow your puppies to fly or be "shipped"?Unfortunately we no longer allow our puppies to be "shipped" unaccompanied. We do have a couple of alternatives which we would be happy to discuss in person as the details will vary greatly dependent upon the location travelling to. Do puppies have any problems with flying or travelling to a new family by plane??The safety and well-being of our puppies is our first priority. We would not even think of allowing them to travel if it wasn't a completely safe and manageable situation for them. We take a great deal of care in making sure that any of our puppies are well-socialized and well-prepared for any kind of trip that they may be making. Are any health documents required for travel?We provide an International Health Certificate for any puppies that are travelling by air - regardless of whether they will be staying in Canada or heading to the US. We also provide a complete record of vaccination and health. Full documentation is provided.When do we get to choose which puppy is ours?It has always been our policy to pair each puppy with their prospective family. We match each puppy with their family when they are approximately 6.5 to 7 weeks old. Since we live with the puppies 24/7 from the moment they are born we feel that we are in the best position to correctly match each puppy with the appropriate family. To pick a puppy out from a series of photos or even a visit is not the ideal situation. In the timeframe that a visit allows - quite often the puppy that was sleeping for the hour prior will be up playing and the one that was playing previously will seem sleepy and uninterested. Very little insight can be gained in a limited visit with a puppy - and in addition to the fractional view it would give, true temperament does not begin to emerge until 6 or 7 weeks. We carry out puppy tempermament testing with each puppy at 7 weeks of age to complete our assessment of each individual - however by that time we generally have a very good idea of the attributes and characteristics of each pup. (We are also very selective in the parents we utilize in our breeding program - so any differences in temperament from one puppy to the next are generally subtle. However it is these subtle difference that may make one puppy a better candidate for one home over another. Our pairing of each puppy to their family is based on the information provided in the puppy adoption form you complete in addition to any other details you mention in our conversations. To date we have had complete success using this method of puppy placement.) Can we come and visit our puppy?Absolutely yes. The only restriction is that we do not allow visitors for the first 4 weeks. This is to help protect the puppies during the time when immune systems are still developing and also to respect the nursing mother and her committment to her new family. What kind of food do I need to have on hand for my new puppy?We feed all of our adult goldens a high quality raw diet. However, our young pups are started on a blend of goat's milk, a sampling of raw meat and a premium holistic kibble. We have tried numerous "puppy" foods over the years and have arrived at one that has proven to give the best results with our puppies. We prefer a grain-free food made with whole foods and ingredients that you can pronounce. Protein, fat, calcium and phospherous levels are just a few of the things that are very important when considering an appropriate food. Foods that are highly corn and grain based are to be avoided as dogs by nature's design are best fed a diet that contains substantial protein derived from meat. We will provide complete feeding instructions with details as to brand name (or alternatives), amount, timing etc. as well as other important information before your puppy is ready to go home. Most importantly NEVER OVERFEED your puppy.How often do I need to bathe my puppy/golden?If your young puppy gets into something undesirable and happens to become overly dirty or smelly - then a bath is certainly in order. Try to use a very gentle shampoo (all natural is best) and make sure to rinse well so that your puppy's natural oils are not stripped or compromised. If your puppy has an accident or gets any kind of waste matter on their coat, or should they suffer from an episode of loose stool - a good bath can be beneficial in making sure that problems do not re-occur and that your puppy stays in good health. Adult goldens should need very little bathing. Maintaining a good diet will ensure optimum skin and coat health which means there should be very little if any odour related to your golden. Bathing should only be required if your dog gets into something messy and out of the ordinary. NEVER shave your golden. With proper diet and minimal grooming a healthy coat should need very little maintenance and is important to your dog's well-being. What can I give my golden for a treat?NEVER give your golden a rawhide bone. Rawhide bones are dangerous and do not digest in the intestinal tract. They can cause severe blockage and even death. We recommend Bully Sticks/Steer Sticks (although you need to make sure you take this away when the bully stick is down to the last inch or so to protect from choking) or RAW beef soup bones. Do not cook the soup bones or they will shatter. The extra meat that clings to the bone itself is an added bonus that goldens love! The beef soup bones should be large enough that they cannot be swallowed and with very young puppies just be aware that consuming too much marrow from the middle of the bone may cause loose stool. They are a healthy treat and a great chewing toy for your golden. For training treats, freeze dried beef liver is always a healthy choice or simply using pieces of kibble is effective. Always make sure to cut back on regular meal time if you have allowed your puppy numerous treats throughout the day.  to contact myself, Christina anytime by phone or email. Please see our CONTACT page for information. |