FAQs

>Can I bring my other dog (or family pet) on pick up day or to help us pick out a puppy?

No. We do not allow other animals on our property due to the risk it presents to our puppies as well as our adult dogs. Unvaccinated puppies are incredibly susceptible to diseases and mature dogs can be territorial. We do not want to risk our puppies' health nor our adult dogs' safety. Please do not bring any dogs, nor other animals, with you when picking up your puppy.

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>Can I come see the puppies?

We generally try to postpone family visits until our puppies have had their first vaccines. When we have puppies which have yet to receive their first vaccines, we kindly ask that folks wait until the pups have had their vaccines before visiting. We do not allow people to simply come and play with puppies. The risk of possible disease introduction is too high and we want our puppies to remain safe and healthy for their families. Our puppies are well socialized with our own family prior to that time. We also post a myriad of videos and pictures along with size stats and growing milestones on Instagram and Facebook to facilitate familiarity with their new families prior to meeting in person.

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>Will you board my puppy if I can't pick it up on time?

We do not offer a boarding service. We try to be accommodating for our families and generally offer 2 weekends to pick between for pickups.

 

>Will you meet me to deliver my puppy?

We have done this for previous families for an additional fee. Please reach out to discuss because each situation is unique.

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>What methods of payment do you accept?

We accept credit/debit for the initial deposit, but the balance for the puppy must be paid in cash at time of pick up.

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>Do you ship puppies?

We prefer puppies to be picked up in person, but understand when distance is just too far! We have a flight nanny we have worked with in the past who we highly recommend and can put you in contact with her. She flies with the puppy in the cabin with her. We will not allow puppies to be flown cargo. Also, we can deliver locally for an additional fee. Each case is different, so reach out and we'll see what we need to do to make it work for you!

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>Am I reserving a collar color or a litter pick number when I pay the deposit?

Most of the time our families reserve collar colors, but depending on the timing of the deposit, we may assign a litter pick number instead. We let our families know prior to placing their deposit whether a specific litter is being reserved by collar color or litter pick.

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>Are your puppies full AKC registration or limited AKC registration?

We sell our puppies with limited AKC registration (no breeding rights). We may consider full registration (breeding rights) to the right family, but first we would need to see if the family is a good fit.

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>What do you feed your dogs?

Our sires and dams' diets consist of a high-quality kibble, Fromm Gold Large Breed, along with a variety scrumptious toppings to keep their culinary life interesting! We also add additional high-calcium and high-nutrition foods to our dams' diets while nursing to promote good milk production. Our pups are weaned with Fromm Gold Large Puppy kibble saturated in a goat milk formula and eventually transitioning to the same dry kibble prior to going home.

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>How are your puppies socialized?

We handle the puppies every day, multiple times a day, ensuring they are growing and maturing in a healthy and desirable way. We play with them and work with them. We are very involved in their care and raising. We are a family of 4 and our kids are heavily involved in the responsibilities of raising puppies as well. The puppies are given different toys and playsets to pique their curiosity and assist in their development. Once the puppies are vaccinated, they do encounter more people as we allow visitors to interact with them at that point. As the puppies grow, they will also interact with our other grown dogs of various ages and not just mom.

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>Will my puppy be used to walking on a lead/leash?

No. They will not. They will have been introduced to it in a minimal way, but they will not be leash trained when you take them home. That is a skill that you will work with them on as they grow.

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>Will my puppy come crate trained/potty trained?

We raise our puppies with a process that encourages them to potty in a specific location and NOT to potty in their sleeping/bed area. Crate training itself is a long, extensive process which can take up to 6 months (and sometimes longer depending on the puppy) to complete. Raising puppies from birth with a method that encourages positive potty habits greatly impacts the success and timeline it takes to get a puppy potty trained. We have received incredibly positive feedback from multiple families who've adopted a Ruff Country Labradors puppy that crate training was amazingly easy. We definitely attribute this to how we raise our puppies with ingrained potty expectations from the beginning. 

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>I've never owned a puppy before - what should I expect?

Owning a puppy is hard and time consuming work, but the love and relationship realized by that work is a reward that lasts a lifetime. Just like a toddler, puppies will get into everything they can reach and never clean up after themselves! Puppies love to chew on everything - including your favorite shoes, charging cords, floor molding, house plants, furniture legs, and everything else they can get their sharp, little teeth on! They are little balls of energy one second and an exhausted heap of sleeping fur the next. When you bring your puppy home, remember that this will be the first time that they've been away from their littermates and they will experience separation anxiety. This usually causes some amount of whimpering and can cause some whining throughout the first couple nights as they adjust to their new family and surroundings.  

 

>What will my puppies eating schedule look like?

Like children, puppies do go through phases where they will eat lots and sleep often while they grow, but the normal day will involve lots of play and naps in between and breaks for food. Best practices is allowing puppies to eat 3 to 4 times a day and typically a puppy will go home consuming around 1 1/2 cups of food a day. This amount can change quickly though considering that puppies are growing dogs. If you have concerns about the amount of food your puppy should be consuming or is consuming, we recommend reaching out to your vet. 

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>What vaccines will my puppy have gotten?

Your puppy will come home having had their first vet visit at which it received the DHPP vaccine for distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza, and parvo. From that point, there are typically 2 to 3 more vet visits to ensure your puppy is fully vaccinated. Veterinarians have their own schedules and protocols so be sure to check with your own prior to bringing your puppy home to schedule the additional visits. Even though your puppy will be coming home with its first round of vaccines, it is a good idea to resist the urge to take your puppy to public places until it is fully vaccinated.

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>I have another dog (or animal) already. How will my puppy react?

This is a wonderful question and the answer is - no one can say for sure. When introducing a puppy to a new animal never assume they will get along well. This is for the puppy's safety and not the other animal's safety. The puppy is young and has not yet established territorial convictions and boundaries; their only desire is to play and have fun. The other animal, however, typically has established their boundaries and doesn't always want to play. Play between a new puppy and another animal should always be supervised and never left alone. Even if the other animal is another dog, leaving the two alone is not a good idea. Adult dogs can quickly get irritated by a young puppy's incessant bantering and playfulness, which can result in a bite and an emergency vet visit.

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>I have young children. Will the puppy get along with them?

Yes, but it may not be what you expect. Puppies can and do make wonderful additions to families with young children, but safeguards and supervision must be leveraged to ensure safety for both the child and the puppy. Puppies love to play! Children love to play too, but puppies play by biting, jumping, and chasing. Their teeth and claws are sharp. Puppies don't mean to hurt anyone with their playful biting and nipping, but that doesn't mean they won't. There is also the risk that small children present to puppies that must be considered as well. It is always recommended that children be supervised when playing with a puppy. It is also never a good idea to allow a child to pick a puppy up due to the risk of dropping.

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>What should I bring with me when I come to pick up my puppy?

   -Crate/containment method

   -Collar (around 12" diameter)

   -Leash

   -Towel/blanket

   -Wet Ones/wet wipes (just in case!)

Our recommendation is to bring a way to contain the puppy, especially if you'll be traveling a long distance. A crate is recommended, but we've also seen folks bring laundry baskets lined with a towel. The idea is to have somewhere the puppy can be contained if someone cannot hold the puppy the entire ride. It can be very helpful for more than one person to come on pickup day to allow the driver to focus on the way home if the puppy gets anxious or rambunctious. We also recommend a collar (around 12" in diameter) and a leash for the necessary potty breaks on the way home. Our Welcome Home Puppy Packs contain some toys, a blanket that smells like their mom/littermates, a bottle of water, a water/food bowl, and a bag of dog food to help make the ride as comfortable as possible for the puppy.