We have chosen to test our parents for the following. I personally feel all Giant Schnauzer breeders should be testing for the following to improve the breed. I recommend only getting a pup from a breeder that does the health testing and will show you all the results. It is up to US responsible breeders as to what the Giant will be 10 years from now, not just in “LOOKS” but even more importantly in “HEALTH”.

1. Eye CERF testing: OFA certification is given on this extensive eye exam in which the eye specialist dr looks with special equipment within the eye and its structures to see if there are any defects that will eventually cause eye problems. We do this eye cerf test early on when we first are thinking we might keep the dog for breeding.  If both parents have good eye exams then their puppies have very good chance of also having good eyes.

2. Thyroid: Hypothyroidism is the most common endocrine disease to dogs. The thyroid gland controls the speed of metabolism of almost all body cells. When thyroid hormones are subnormal, many different body systems can be affected; so the clinical appearance of the disease can vary. The most common clinical signs include: weight gain, sluggishness, skin and hair coat problems, weakness, cold intolerance, and infertility. Hypothyroidism is not life threatening but it should be tested and cleared from any breeding dogs to stop the genetic factor within the breed which can cause infertility within the lines. We test the thyroid early on when we are first deciding if we will breed a dog or not. If it does not pass the thyroid blood test we rehome the dog as a non breeding pet and do not breed it.

3. Hip dysplasia: is the abnormal development of the hip during growth which leads to increased wear and tear and subsequent deformity of the joint. The abnormal joint may become painful and cause lameness due to arthritic or degenerative changes. All our breeding dogs get OFA certified at 2 yrs of age on hips. If the dog is younger than this we will have the vet evaluate the hip by exam before breeding.  You can see if hip is deformed even in a puppy… So ongoing hip ex rays are not needed if hips are cleared at 2 yrs of age.

4. Von Willebrand’s disease: Platelets play a vital role in the blood-clotting process. Why is this so important? If a dog has an injury or wound, the platelets help stop bleeding and speed up the healing process by clotting at the site of the injury. When a dog has too few platelets, wounds and injuries can be really dangerous because he or she might not stop bleeding and lose a lot of excess blood. There’s a name for this: von Willebrand’s disease (vWD), which is a disorder in dogs that is characterized by excessive bleeding due to a defect in platelet function. VWD is a hereditary disease that is passed from parents to pup in a rather complicated way. A dog that is a carrier can be bred to a high ranking non carrier, but if the carrier shows signs of clotting problems it should not be bred. Any offspring should also only be bred to a high ranking non carrier. We test our dogs for this early on so know who to breed them to.

Shipping and Transferring puppy info:

I, Kristina Jordan, Ship all my pups going by air cargo on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays. Which day is dependent on my work schedule and I will know what day I will be shipping 2 to 4 days before the flight. So you will need to keep your schedule open. I have many ask me to get pup to them at a certain time of day. The flight times are not up to me but are fully dependent on weather and other factors such as when other pups I am shipping will be leaving my airport. I will have the flight details 2 days before your puppy ships to you and email or text them to you that day. Deborah is pretty open on her shipping days for her Cocker puppies. If you get one of her Cocker puppies you can contact her about her shipping days. If we have to hold a puppy for a buyer past the date it is ready to leave there is a $75 a week boarding fee. Of course we do not charge for delays on our end if puppy is not ready or there is a shipping delay. I will have the flight details for you two days before puppy is shipped. The flight details say where pick up location is at your airport so you can call your local airport and ask them where that location is in the airport. Before you leave home check the airline’s website with your cargo tracking airway bill number to make sure flight is running on time. 

  Keep in mind I can not even book the flight until puppy is paid for in full so please make sure your puppy is paid for well before week of shipping date. Also I need the signed puppy health contract before a puppy can ship! Your puppy will come in a crate with shot record, vet health certificate, and any other papers attached to the top in a baggy. Please look at front of shot record to see if your pup is microchipped. If microchipped follow instructions on registering the chip with your info, chip is blank until you do so. Pup will have food attached to top of crate.  Read NUTRITION PAGE of our site to see what food you need and have it already at your home for when your pup get there. The plastic shipping crate is yours to  keep. Make sure to take your shot record and a copy of the health guarantee to your first vet visit and all vet visits. If your puppy is an extra tiny puppy we may send instructions for puppy care so make sure you follow all instructions and take all papers with you to your vet office. Smaller sized pups may have a sugar supplement attached inside the crate under the shredded paper or on top crate. UPDATE: airlines are getting more strict on what we can ship with puppy so sugar supplement may not be on the crate so have some to bring to airport to give pup if you are getting a tinier sized puppy. Vitamins we usually send may also not be allowed anymore on the crate for shipping. Flying your pup is perfectly safe and our pups are well socialized so being shipped is easier on them. We get them used to their crate and they feel safe in it before they ship. Everyone says their pup is happy and healthy when picked up at the airport. I mainly ship Delta, United, and American but sometimes use other airlines as well. All airlines I use to ship pups have special handling procedures for pets and take good care of the animals. 

Shipping continued: 

AIRLINES:

I get asked a lot if airline shipping is safe for pets. After over 20 yrs of experience shipping by air cargo and much research I have come to the conclusion yes shipping a pet is generally safe. In fact since the new FFA animal regulations started in 2000 there are less animals reported hurt than humans on flights. I took a look at the online consumer complaint reports on transportation.gov… here you will see complaints of all kinds from plane delays to someone stubbing their finger on a baggage conveyor. Just taking US flight complaints from Jan to March 2017 you will find over 3700 US airline complaints and 0 were animal complaints if I read it correctly. When there is an animal complaint many are not puppies but animals such as geckos, fish, and such. If you look hard enough online you will find horror stories of something bad happening to a persons pet in cargo but you have to consider the thousands of pets that fly every day without any issues at all. We live in an imperfect world so something bad can happen no matter how cautious the transporters are so if you want a 100% assurance your pet will be safe you should plan on picking up your pup in person. 

Now is airplane transport traumatizing to a pet? I can say in all my experience shipping by air cargo I can not recall a puppy buyer contacting me after receiving their pup stating the pup was absolutely traumatized from the trip. A pup might be a tad hesitant or shy from seeing new people, sites, and sounds, but never hurt or traumatized. In general a young pup is more easy going and has a natural submissive nature due to its young age which helps protect it against this kind of stress. A pup might show some signs of stress from the change in environment but a young pup should not be traumatized by a flight. Now of coarse accidents do happen from time to time but I can say in over 20 yrs I haven’t had any negative things such as injury or death happen to any of the pups I have shipped. Some adult dogs can get more stressed than a young puppy and many adults may even need a sedative such as Benadryl to fly, so I would suggest ground transport or in cabin transport if going by plane with an anxious adult dog. If you want airline insurance put on your puppy so that you are reimbursed in case of airline negligence that causes injury or death then please add $10 for every $1000 of insurance wanted. This is not included in the shipping fee so if you want this protection you will need to let me know and add it to puppy add on fees so I can pay for the insurance when I book the flight. 

Ground transport: is not my first choice for a young puppy because in my opinion it is much less stress on a pup to be shipped in  half a day by plane than to be stuck in a vehicle for days. Not to mention ground transports just like airlines will have a few other pets also in their transport and that means more time exposed to whatever sickness a strange dog might have. There are times and situations when I have needed a ground transport and I have never had a bad experience or a pup come up sick I sent out on a ground transport. A time I might use a ground transport is when weather is too harsh to ship by airplane or in older larger puppies. Ground shipping varies in cost but is generally around $350 to $500. 

Air Nanny: an air nanny is a person you can pay to travel in cabin with your puppy. This person holds your pet throughout the flight. The air Nanny may have one or two other pets they are also holding during flight so your pup would be exposed to those other pets that may not be from me but other breeders I do not know. I recall using an air Nanny when I bought a very expensive toy poodle. The Nanny had two other teacup pups along with my pup In a large sack type purse that were not from the breeder I got my pup from. My pup ended up having a parasite and I wonder if those other two pups had given it to her or she may have exposed them to it. So u see there is even a risk using an air Nanny. Air nanny’s are safer for extremely tiny puppies such as micro puppies because they can give sugar supplements, syringe feed, and watch pup closely during flight. Next time I use an air Nanny I will tell her to keep my pup separate from any other pups she may have at all times. I would suggest you do the same. Air nanny’s are generally around $360-$450 for their fee. The Nanny meets me at my airport and carries pup in cabin with her until plane arrives at your local airport where you meet her for your pup. If you use an air Nanny I have an additional fee paid to me of $120 for the health certificate and gas and time driving to airport to meet your air Nanny. There is no transport guarantee on health more than what the air Nanny is willing to give if using an air Nanny. So you can ask your air Nanny how you would be reimbursed if something happens to your pet by accident while in her care. Pup is still covered by our first yr of life breeder guarantee against any life threatening genetic defects. I only know one air Nanny and I can give you her phone number if you would like to discuss her services with her. All payments owed must be complete before puppy can leave with air Nanny. Air Nanny will not take any payments from you for me, only payment she asks from you is for her travel fee. 

What is the safest way to transport your pet? Well that would be you picking up your pup In person of coarse. You are always welcome to come to my home or I can meet you at the Kansas City international airport. If your pup is flying it will need a health certificate and so the $120 fee for health certificate and time and gas would be needed if I’m meeting you at airport. Or if your picking puppy up at my home and only health certificate is needed that’s only $50. Please make sure you contact your airline to make sure you are approved to fly back home with a puppy in cabin and make sure to bring a soft sided airline approved carrier for in cabin use. Call me before booking flight to discuss days and times I would be available to meet you at airport. 

If picking pup up in person any amount owed is due in CASH ONLY since payment would need to clear bank before pup can leave. So that means no cashier checks since that to would have to clear bank which could take 24 to 48 business hrs. 

You are welcome to call me any time 9am to 10pm cst to discuss shipping or at any time 24/7 if an emergency. Email: jordanfamilytreasures@yahoo.com or call: 816-682-0265 Kristina

Here is a helpful article I found on line off of dogsnaturallymagazinecom

What Is Leptospirosis?

Leptospirosis is a contagious disease that can affect both humans and animals. It’s spread by infection with Leptospira, bacterial pathogens that can cause liver and kidney disease in dogs. The bacteria is usually spread through direct contact with infected urine or indirectly through contaminated vegetation, soil, food or water,  In cities, the urine of rats and other rodents can spread the disease.

Lepto is most common in warm, moist environments, during rainy seasons and in tropical climates. The organism survives better in stagnant rather than flowing water. It can live 180 days in wet soil or marshy areas.

Leptospirosis In Dogs

Healthy dogs who come in contact with the bacteria may never exhibit symptoms. And in most cases, lepto is highly treatable when it’s recognized early.  Learn these symptoms so you can catch it quickly if your dog gets infected. The illness can develop quickly so take your dog to the vet immediately if you suspect lepto infection.

• Lethargy
• Depression
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Increased thirst and urination
• Blood in urine
• Jaundice (yellow tinge in the lining of the mouth or whites of the eyes)

There’s a very acute form of the disease where dogs may experience rapid breathing and rapid, irregular pulse, coughing up of blood, tarry feces, nosebleed, red or purple spots on the skin. They may be reluctant to move and very sensitive to pain or touch, and have enlarged lymph nodes. This form of the disease moves very fast and can be fatal.

About Lepto Vaccination

Many dogs are routinely vaccinated for lepto, despite high adverse effects.

Here’s a summary of what you need to know about the lepto vaccine before deciding to give it to your dog.

You must vaccinate for lepto at least yearly

Unlike viral vaccines which likely last for the life of the animal, bacterial vaccines such as lepto only last for a year at most. This means that many vets recommend vaccinating every six months to protect your dog.  Leading veterinary immunologist Ronald D Schultz PhD has said that you may need to give a lepto vaccine as often as four times a year. As you’ll see below, the lepto vaccine involves a high level of risk for your dog.

The Vaccine Is Limited

The lepto vaccine may not cover the strain of lepto your dog encounters.

There are 20 different species of Leptospira bacteria and more than 200 different serovars. The original vaccines contained only the L. canicola and L. icterohaemorrhagiae serovars. The current vaccines now contain L. grippotyphosa and L. pomona. The latter two strains are now much more common. Two additional serovars that appear to cause infection, L. bratislava and L. automalis, are not included in the vaccines currently available.

So if you do decide to vaccinate your dog, it’s a very good idea to find out which strains of lepto are in your area so that you don’t give your dog a risky vaccination that won’t even protect him.

Vaccinated Dogs Shed Lepto 

Vaccinated dogs and livestock can shed lepto in their urine. This means they can infect other dogs, wildlife and even you. So routine lepto vaccination actually increases the threat of lepto on the whole.  The greater the number of vaccinated animals, the greater the spread of lepto.

Adverse Effects

There is a high rate of adverse effects from the lepto vaccine. Veterinarian Patricia Jordan DVM has documented several cases of tumors from the lepto vaccine, especially from combination vaccinations that include leptospirosis. Kidney failure is another common reaction, as you’ll see below. Bacterial vaccinations can also cause autoimmune disease.

In the UK, where leptospirosis vaccination is quite common, Canine Health Concern conducted a survey and found that the vaccine can also cause the disease it’s meant to prevent.

In that survey, 100% of dogs with leptospirosis caught it just after their lepto vaccinatons. Leptospirosis attacks the kidneys and kidney failure was a very common effect after lepto vaccination. Dr Jordan explains that the basement membrane can be damaged by clogging when the immune complexes drain via the lymphatics. The kidneys are a big part of the lymphatic system. The body tries to clear the toxins in the vaccines and the kidneys are damaged by this clearing mechanism.

There’s a long list of other documented adverse effects from the lepto vaccine:

• Anaphlylaxis
• Anorexia
• Dermatitis
• Infection with flesh-eating bacteria
• Uncontrollable pruritis (itching)
• Vomiting
• Lethargy
• Lameness
• Vocalization
• Fever
• Dehydration
• Polyarthritis
• Kidney Failure
• Liver Failure
• Pancreatitis
• Mast cell disease
• Urinary tract infections
• Diarrhea
• Chronic weight loss
• Enlarged spleen
• Cancer
• Enlarged lymph nodes
• Death

No Human Lepto Vaccine

There’s no lepto vaccine licensed for humans in the US.  Some of the reasons for this are:

• Unacceptable side effects
• Incomplete and short lived protection
• Increased risk of auto-immune disease
• Even if the vaccination provides protection, it won’t prevent leptospiuria (Leptospira in the urine) so the disease can still be spread

So the lepto vaccine isn’t safe for humans, but it’s OK to give it to our dogs?

Nosodes – A Safer Alternative 

Homeopathic nosodes are safe and have been shown to be highly effective nosode.  The Cuban government has successfully used homeopathic nosodes to prevent lepto in its citizens.  In 2007 when post-hurricane flooding exposed residents to lepto risk, 2.3 million people were safely immunized at a small fraction of the cost of vaccination.

If you think your dog’s at risk for lepto, you may want to contact a homeopathic veterinarian about using nosodes.  You can find a homeopath at theavh.org or pivh.org.  Many will do phone consults so they don’t have to be local.

[NOTE: Outbreaks of disease in your area are scary — but so are the dangers of over-vaccination. Click here to download your free Vaccine Guide and make sure your dog is protected from both disease without the risk of over-vaccination.]

Asking a reputable breeder if they are a puppy mill is an insult. It’s like asking a women that has several children if she neglects or even cares about her children. Do you really think a puppy mill owner is going to say “YES we are a puppy mill.”… The term ‘puppymill’ has been used so loosely that it has lost its meaning. A puppy mill by definition is a puppy farm that has many breeds of dogs breeding for profit with no care of improving the breed, kept in dirty disease and bacterial infected cages their whole lives not receiving adequate vet care as needed and no care as to who buys the puppies. In many cases they have hundreds of dogs. Many people consider commercial breeders a puppy mill because the fact they have many dogs in cages. Asking a respectful breeder if they are a puppy mill is the quickest way to get black listed from ever getting a puppy from them. Why? Because if absolutely anything negative happens with the puppy at any time in its life you already have this stereo type in your head and all of sudden your puppy came from a “puppy mill”. ” Now if u have questions that are respectful and dignified about the breeding program of any reputable breeder such as current pups, or past pups a good breeder will be happy to answer them as any reputable breeder would. Here is a list of questions you should ask if you want to see if you are dealing with a reputable breeder or not. I have also included my answers to these questions as regarding our breeding program. When you ask these questions ask them as if you are local, even if you are not, a person is less likely to be deceptive if they know you can come check out their answers.

1. Are you licensed with the state or USDA? If they own more than 4 breeding females it is required to be state licensed. If they ship their pups site unseen to other states then it is required to be USDA licensed. If they say they are licensed ask for their license numbers. If they are not licensed, and should be, then no one is checking up on them yearly and they are in fact being fraudulent and dishonest, so not a reputable breeder. How honest are they going to be with the puppy buyer if they are dishonest with their business practices.

2. Ask to meet the dogs parents. If possible, meet the puppy’s parents. Notice if they appear to be in good health and evaluate their overall temperament. Are they shy, aggressive, or well adjusted? I personally only have a handful of adults that live  at my home.  Most our breeding dogs live in guardian homes as family pets So not all parents are available to come see. And their pups come to my home when they are almost 8 weeks old. I can send pics of the parents and all their info and same for the available puppies. We can always discuss the temperaments of parents and puppies and you are always welcome to see the dogs and puppies that are at my home in Harrisonville, MO. For Cocker Spaniels you can see parents and puppies at Deborah’s house in Kansas City.

3. Ask how often the parent dogs see a vet and if they are given vaccines and wormings and how often, also if there are any known health problems with parents or past puppies. How often are mothers bred?  Our adults see a vet at least once a year for an overall check up and to get their rabies vaccine. We also give them a booster vaccine yearly and are given wormers monthly. How we vaccine and worm puppies can be seen on the PUPPY CARE PAGE of our website.  We breed our females twice in a row then they get a year off.

4. Ask for testimonials or references with contact info for past buyers. We have a TESTIMONIAL page that has past buyers and their email address.

5. How are puppies socialized and what training have they had? Please read the TRAINING page of our website for info on this.

6. What does the breeder do to make sure puppy is going to a good home, and will breeder take the puppy back if it does not work out at its new home? We will ask to speak to you on the phone. I do not believe in questionnaires but ask to speak to the buyer to get a better impression on what they are wanting and if they are a good fit for our puppies.  We are always able to take the puppy back if you feel it is not a good fit for your family and find it another home.

7. Is there a health guarantee or puppy contract? We give a one year against any life threatening genetic defect. It is a couple pages long because it goes through everything we will and will not cover. Never buy a puppy with just a short hand shake or one paragraph type of health contract. If you do that then all of a sudden your puppy’s issue is not covered.  Always ask for the puppy health contract and any purchase agreement before placing payment for a puppy from any breeder. Contracts are a good thing, they keep everything black and white and do not give room for misinterpretation so help keep a healthy breeder / new puppy buyer relationship.

8. Finally ask what makes them a reputable breeder in their opinion? Ask how they are different then the next breeder? We are a group of friends and family, I also stud out my males, and have a couple of breeder friends that do the same.  Our adults are loved family pets and I would not choose a different way to do it. That is why we have different breeds available. All are well socialized and with training started. We never have more than a couple of litters available in each breed at any one time so puppies get the attention they need. I personally breed for the Giant Schnauzers and only have a handful of parents that live at my home. I co-own the other parents with people I trust. I am very picky how all our puppies are raised. I am also available to talk to you 24/7 before and after you receive your puppy. I have my cell phone next to me 24/7.  If you have a puppy emergency you can call me anytime night or day. If you just have a question please call or text 9am to 10pm cst so you do not wake me up, since my phone is in bed with me.

I hope these questions help you in your search of a new family member, even if not one of our pups… Please read over the website. There is many different pages with tons of information for before and after you receive your puppy. Thanks, Kristina Jordan

THIS IS FOR GIANT SCHNAUZERS ONLY!!!

All our Giant Schnauzer puppies come with AKC papers, either limited or full AKC. If you want to have full registration on your giant schnauzer it is possible, even if your pup was bought for less than $3000 price. Given the puppy has no defects that would make it a non breeding worthy adult and you are willing to pay the extra fee, we can provide full AKC registration. Keep in mind you still need to be approved by us as a good family home worthy of a pup with full AKC and breeding rights. All pups are sold with no guarantee on breed ability as adult dogs.

1. FULL REGISTRATION FULLY OWNED: This is when you the buyer pays full price for a  pup with full AKC papers. This is a $3000 puppy. This puppy will leave with full AKC with breeding and confirmation show rights. Papers will be transferred at time of puppy transfer. FULL AKC is always on a breeder approved bases. For instance if I do not feel comfortable giving full AKC with breeding rights to a certain buyer I will not give full papers, even if puppy is a Top quality puppy. If I do not want to give full AKC with breeding rights for some reason I will tell buyer before puppy leaves my home. My first priority is to the welfare of my puppies and only selling to those that wish to better the breed.

2. FULL REGISTRATION CO OWNED FOR CONFORMATION ONLY: This is when you the buyer want to show a puppy in conformation but may not want to pay for breeding rights. This good pet quality puppy is cheaper than a $3000 puppy. Breeder will still need to approve this puppy and buyer before allowing full AKC as for conformation showing. On this puppy both buyer and seller are listed on the registration certificate as owners of the dog. This protects the breeder from any unauthorized litters being registered from the dog that is not sold with breeding rights. If a litter is registered from either owner both must give consent to AKC. If one does it without consent of other owner AKC will void the papers of the litter and the fraudulent owner may have to pay AKC penalty fees and may be banned from AKC all together. Once breeder has approved FULL AKC for Conformation showing the buyer will receive the registry papers and will not ever need the breeder to sign anything for conformation shows. AKC views both owners as equal as to showing and either one can enter a dog into a conformation class by themselves and no consent is needed from the other owner. What if you decide down the road you want FULL BREEDING RIGHTS? We will be happy to give consent for full breeding rights at any time, as long as puppy is breeding quality, and buyer would need to pay breeder for those breeding rights. For instance you bought a $2000 puppy, a puppy with breeding rights is $3000, so buyer would pay breeder $1000 for consent of full AKC breeding rights.  After paying for full breeding rights breeder will sign over registry certificate and buyer will at that time be the sole owner of the dog.

3. WANTING BREEDING RIGHTS NOT FOR CONFORMATION: When you buy a puppy that is less than $3000 and later decide you want full breeding rights you can ask breeder if puppy is breedable  quality then you would pay the difference for a dog with full breeding rights. For instance you bought a $2000 puppy, a puppy with breeding rights is $3000, so buyer would pay breeder $1000 for consent of full AKC breeding rights.  After paying for full breeding rights breeder will sign over registry certificate and buyer will at that time be the sole owner of the dog.

Any puppy can get parasites at any time in their life. Even dogs that are regularly wormed still get a parasite every now and then. All puppies will get parasites like round worms from their mom or on the mom’s nipples from her being outside, that is why breeders worm pups every two weeks until they leave to their new homes and additional wormings may be needed. Sometimes wormers do not get them all and they are absolutely everywhere in our environment. Routine vet care, monthly wormings, and watching for changes in your pets behavior or soft stools, are your best defense. We recommend getting a fecal test done at your first vet visit with your new puppy and any time your pup has soft stools for more then a day or is acting lethargic or not eating or drinking well. If a puppy has recently been wormed you may see a few worms in their fecal for up to a week later, they are dead and dying worms from the last worming. If ever in doubt take fecal to vet with your pup’s shot record for vet to look through it. People can “in rare cases” contract a parasite from their pet. It is extremely rare because you have to ingest the fecal matter and that fecal would have to have the parasite in it which not all fecals do. People are also more hardy creatures and if a human gets a parasite they may have a tummy ache and softer stools on and off and do not get as sick as a puppy can get. Hand washing and using gloves will stop the spreading around of fecal. Always consult your dr if you feel you may have contracted a parasite.
WORMS: If puppy has a fecal test positive for worms: if it is within first week of you getting your pup from us please let us know and we will pay for the first round of wormer as the health guarantee says. In most cases it is just a couple of parasites still left over from our wormings. Our pups are not raised in a plastic box! They and their parents are allowed to play outside and go on outings as family pets and so may pick something up, we worm pups every two weeks and parents every month and to kill anything they may pick up but that may not kill every parasite and a worming schedule is a must for any puppy or dog. Pups should be wormed every two weeks until 12 wks old and then after a negative fecal check, should get wormed every month after that. Your vet will give you a wormer and you should give as directed by your vet. Most worms are gone with a simple 1-3 day wormer treatment. You may very well see a few dead or dying worms in your pup’s fecal after it has been wormed. That is good because it means the wormer is doing it’s job.  You should put your puppy on a monthly wormer as your monthly pet care. If puppy is not eating or drinking please refer to our teacup puppy care form which is on the TEACUP PUPPY HEALTH GUARANTEE since the daily care instructions would be the same for a puppy with a sickness as a tiny teacup puppy . Make sure your puppy eats well after any worming, vaccine, or medicine is given, syringe feed if needed!

GIARDIA, TRITRICHOMONAS, OR OTHER PROTOZOAN: If puppy has a fecal test positive for a protozoan such as Giardia or Tritrichomonas here is what I have done:
These protozoan are in infected fecal matter and can also be in dirt and water puddles. Puppies can get it from mom if mom goes outside in the grass at all, which all our adult dogs and pups play and go outside to potty as they are all family pets. Best to try and keep your pup from drinking water in puddles or where other animals, even wild animals, have went poop, but if your pup contracts this you can rest assured there is a medicine that will fix it. If your pup has this within the first week of transfer we will pay for the first round of medicine as stated in the health guarantee. Remember our pups are allowed to play on our farm and so om occasion will pick up a parasite, even though we worm every 2 weeks some parasites are not killed by routine wormers. Giardia actually takes at least 10 days of panacur and metro wormer to kill off, but routine wormings of pups is a three day wormer or a one day wormer. there will be some pups that will catch this from being on a farm, a good breeder will explain this and help pay for wormer as we do if it shows up in your new pup soon after transfer. So Here is a list of what I do myself when a pup or adult dog has this:
1. I first make sure the pup is well hydrated and drinking water, if not I will syringe water or Gatorade. Gatorade has electrolytes that are good if the pup has loose stools.  If pup is extremely dehydrated you may need to get a bag of saline from your vet and have him show you how to administer fluids under the skin for a few days to hydrate the puppy. Amount is very important because giving to much is just as bad as not giving any at all and can kill a puppy. In most cases sub-q fluids are not needed. Pups usually drink even if they are not eating.
2. If pup has not been eating you may need to syringe food. Care would be like that for a teacup puppy that is not eating. Your vet can show you how to syringe soft food. Again this is not needed most of the time. You can read the teacup care form on the TEACUP HEALTH GUARANTEE since care would be the same as a finicky teacup puppy.
3. Your vet would have given you a medicine for your puppy. Give these meds exactly as directed.
4. Keep pup from being around his poop /fecal matter. I do this by keeping a newborn, preemie, or babydoll disposable diaper,”put on backwards”, on the puppy and change the diaper as needed throughout the day. You could also instead of using a diaper, keep puppy up on wire or a grated surface so poop falls through so pup does not ever get to the poop, or keep another crate handy and switch out pup when it poops, cleaning and disinfecting crates after each poop and drying the crate out well. This way you are not putting the protozoan anywhere in the puppy’s environment. If using the diaper method: When you change the diaper you will need to give the puppy a bath with a disinfecting skin soap around his rear and legs/feet to clean off any poop on his fur, dry him well, and then put a new diaper on. I usually change a diaper on a pup 4 or 5 times a day, or each time I notice poop in it. Poop can make skin raw so use diaper ointment if needed. I also use an e-collar that keeps the puppy from chewing through his diaper if needed. Your vet will have these. You must allow the puppy times without collar and diaper on through out the day. I usually do this after each changing of the diaper, just allowing puppy to be free without the e-collar and diaper for about half an hour so it can eat and drink and move around a while and just keep an eye out for any bowel movements.  It is very important to weigh the puppy every day and make sure there is no loss of weight, also pinch skin to see if hydration level is ok.  If there is loss of weight the puppy is either getting dehydrated or is not eating enough food. Make sure to wash puppy’s cage once a day or as needed with bleach water and wash bowls everyday with bleach water or more often if you see fecal matter, and most importantly wash your hands every time you touch the puppy or puppy’s things until he is cleared of the protozoan. In my experience if you use the diaper method they get over it much quicker because they are not reinfecting themselves with it. It usually takes 10-14 days to get a cleared stool sample and sometimes it can take longer but I have always had them clear by day 10 if using the diaper method. I usually do the diaper method 7 to 10 days, then I just make sure to clean up poop as soon as I see it. As always I’m only a phone call away if u have any questions.

Coccicdiosis: Coccidia are small protozoans (one-celled organisms) that live in the intestinal tracts of dogs and cats. They cause disease most commonly in puppies and kittens less than six months of age, in adult animals whose immune system is suppressed, or in animals who are stressed in other ways (e.g.; change in ownership, other disease present). This is actually very easily and inexpensively treated and is one of the least worrisome of any parasite. Puppies that have this may have loose stools but rarely does it cause a pup to vomit or act sick. If pup has problems it is generally from loose stools causing dehydration and only in severe cases. Any puppy with this should be treated with Albon for at least two weeks and food and water intake should be watched to make sure pup is eating and drinking enough.

In dogs and cats, most coccidia are of the genus called Isospora. Isospora canis and I. ohioensis are the species most often encountered in dogs. Regardless of which species is present, we generally refer to the disease as coccidiosis. As a puppy ages, he tends to develop a natural immunity to the effects of coccidia. As an adult, he may carry coccidia in his intestines, and shed the cyst in the feces, but experience no ill effects. Most dogs in the US carry Cocci in them from time to time and it is not noticed and has no ill effects for most adult dogs. Puppies can get it from their mothers soon after birth or from contaminated soil outside.

It should be mentioned that stress plays a role in the development of coccidiosis. It is not uncommon for a seemingly healthy puppy to arrive at his new home and develop diarrhea several days later leading to a diagnosis of coccidia. Most our puppies leave with a week of Albon to guard against a cocci outbreak, but if the puppy does have cocci he will need Albon for two weeks to completely get rid of all the cocci, all fecal needs to be cleaned up so pup does not reinfect himself again.

FLEAS, MITES, TICKS: A pet will get a flea or tick every now and then, even if you give the recommended once a month flea treatment. A flea or tick can hitch a ride on your pet at any time. If you see a tick you can just get a grip on the whole tick and pull it out of the animal in one fluid motion making sure the head is not left in the pet. If the head gets left in you will need to get tweezers and go in and get it because it could cause an infection. If you mow your yard and keep the weeds down it helps a lot with ticks in the yard. At moist times of the year ticks are more prevalent. Fleas are in the grass outside and may hitch a ride on your pet, again even if your pet has a flea preventive on him. If you see fleas on your pet you should ask your vet about using a flea shampoo or topical treatment on your pet. Don’t use a flea shampoo and a flea topical on same day, that could overdose your puppy. Always consult your vet first! They have powders and sprays at the store if you have fleas in your home. It’s best to make sure they are animal friendly before using them in your home and ask vet before using along with other flea treatments. Mites also can come from the grass or other animals and a dog can get mites living in his ears even if on a monthly flea preventive. If your puppy has ear mites you can either get ear drops to kill the mites from your vet or your nearest pet store.

YEAST IN EARS: Yeast in the ear is not a parasite but does happen on occasion with all dogs because the ear is a moist warm place wear yeast likes to grow. It can grow very quickly. If you see black stuff in the ear this is usually yeast. I clean the ear out very well and pluck out the hair to help prevent it in the future. I then swab in a yeast cream such as over the counter monistat you can get at any pharmacy. Yeast medicine from the vet should cost less than $20 and if it’s more go with the monistat. Don’t allow your vet to talk u into expensive meds or procedures for your puppy. I have heard of one New York vet charging a dog owner $300 to just clean out the ears of a dog that had yeast. This is robbery. This is why I tell everyone that buys our puppies to call me if you are ever at the vet’s office and they are talking about expensive procedures and meds. Chances are I can save you tons of money with telling you how to do it yourself or explaining inexpensive fixes.

Ear Infections: Same as yeast it will happen occasionally because the ear is moist and warm. Clean out the ear yourself, pluck any hairs, call me if you need to know how to clean out the ear, and put the puppy on an oral antibiotic from your vet. A broad spectrum antibiotic for an ear infection should be around $20 or less. If it costs more your vet is using an expensive med when there are tons of cheaper versions that will work just fine. Ask for a cheaper version if you feel the one prescribed is too expensive. No other med is needed for an ear infection. Drops for pain are not needed and will just add to the moisture you are trying to get rid of in the ear. By keeping ears clean and dried out after bath or a swim you will prevent future ear infections.

Here is a check list for you to review. This goes for tiny toys and teacup sized puppies. In general the smaller the puppy, the more fragile it is as a puppy. You can compare a teacup or tiny toy puppy to a newly born human. They need extra care, kept warm, and careful watching for any changes in weight. They also may need to be fed around the clock and have a babysitter. Once tiny puppies are 6 mths old they are more sturdy and less fragile in most cases.

1. Is there small children in the home? Small children can hurt or kill a puppy on accident. Humans do not comprehend death until at least 6 yrs old and do not consider fragilness of an animal until at least 8 yrs old.  So if you have small children you are taking a big risk.

2. Do you want your young puppy, before it is an adult, to be able to run on top your bed or sofa? A tinier puppy will break its leg or neck if it jumps or falls off of furniture. So you would have to wait until your dog is an adult before it could sleep in bed with you and in some cases such as super tiny sized dogs it would always be to tiny to be up on furniture without being held.

3. Can your family afford lots of vet bills? Tinier sized puppies are much more fragile so every day things that would not hurt an average sized puppy could kill a tinier puppy. Compare a 1 week old human catching the flu to a 7 yr old child catching the flu.  The younger one would most likely need to be hospitalized and have extensive care for a week or more where as the 7 yr old would just need to drink fluids and have temp kept down. Same in tinier sized puppies. This even goes for routine sicknesses or after a routine vaccine or worming, which can cause pup to stop eating. Take for example coccidiosis or bacteria. These are readily in our environment and are in the body of all animals but STRESS, ANY STRESS, can cause the immune system not to keep these things in check so then the tiny puppy gets overwhelmed with it in his system. If it is an average sized puppy you might see a few softer stools but the puppy acts fine and in most cases gets over it quickly with a couple day antibiotic or with fluids and rest. But if the puppy is a tinier size it may stop eating, or have a critical reaction and have to be hospitalized for days which is going to cost the owner more money. So can you afford a tinier puppy???? If you are saving up to get a puppy then a teacup is not right for you. You should be able to afford the extra vet care your teacup is going to need because of his fragile nature. That goes for the day you receive your puppy on… We do not refund for vet bills on any dog for any reason. If you buy a puppy from us and it gets overwhelmed with a bacteria, coccidiosis or anything else that is in the environment we do not guarantee for this. We have a schedule of worming and meds we give the puppies and no puppy is guaranteed to be free of these things at time of sell. Because they are young and additional wormings and preventives need to be done throughout the dogs life. And stress of going to a new home can cause things to develop in any puppy quickly and tinier puppies are overwhelmed quicker than average sized puppies.  Even routine vaccines such as kennel cough can make the puppy get the sickness for a while because it is a weakend live virus and tinier puppies have more likelihood of a weak immune system that can catch the sickness you are vaccinating for. Again, more vet bills from day one of having a new teacup puppy.  Some people get pet insurance to be proactive when getting a puppy of any size. If your puppy of any size ever has a problem that requires vet care you should call me for my advice and my own vet’s advice to help keep your vet bills lower for you. If you have any concerns at all please call me.  I have my phone at my side 24/7 for this very reason.

4. Does your schedule allow for feeding a puppy every 3-4 hrs if needed? Some puppies because of stress or many other factors need to be fed around the clock like a newborn baby. Are you willing and able to do this? Sometimes it is just for a day or two and sometimes weeks at a time is needed of syringe feeding.

5. Is your house ok for a tinier puppy? Is your house drafty, or does it have high drops such as a loft area? If so you may need to think twice about getting a super small dog. Tinier puppies can have a hard time regulating body temperature so you want his environment to be normal room temp and not to cold, even supplying a heating pad so if wanted the pup can use it. Loft areas can be a falling hazard.

6. Are you ok with your puppy living in a pen or crate for the next few mths of his life only coming out for short play sessions? Because of their tiny size a puppy can get stepped on or hurt himself around the house so would need to have his own spot set up in your home until he has some weight and age on him, like around 6 mths of age or so.

7, Do you have a sitter? If you have to work for 8 hrs a day or want to go on vacation you would need someone to check on your young puppy every 3 to 4 hrs around the clock while you are gone. Syringe feeding if needed and with knowledge as to how to care for a puppy and how to spot if your pup is having a problem.

8. Do you have large breed dogs or other possibly dangerous animals? If so you may need to keep the puppy away or consider a larger sized puppy. I had a person that owned 2 boa snakes call asking if I would sell them a tiny puppy. You could guess my answer. I have had people with large breed dogs get a tinier puppy but you do need to be aware of the risks involved if you choose to do that and you really need to know your large dog well.

9. Tinier puppies also have more of a chance of small defects that are not life threatening. If you compare all regular sized puppies with all tiny teacup sized puppies you will see more instances of open fontanels, loose knees, imperfect bites, etc in the tinier sizes…  Now a defect is still extremely rare in any size but you do see a pup pop up with one every now and then. These things are not life threatening and most people would not even notice the differences. If we or our vet finds any issue at all we tell the puppy buyer so they can choose another puppy if wanted. Anything life threatening would be covered by our guarantee, even after you receive your puppy, non life threatening is not covered.

I feel owning the tinier adult dog of your dreams is worth the extra effort and care you may have to put into your tinier puppy while it is a young pup. Now that you have the check list do you feel the same? Many people do and I have heard wonderful stories of how people love their tinier family members.  Once your puppy is over 6 mths old the fragile nature will diminish to almost nothing. I am always available 24/7 if you ever have questions or need advice.

On the Health guarantee buyer signs at purchase it states you the buyer has read, understands, and agrees to everything on ALL blog posts. If your puppy has a medical issue please re-read this post to see if it might or might not be covered before contacting us. Even if not covered we would appreciate any feed back to help with future breeding plans.

Here is a more precise description of our Health Guarantee / Puppy Sales Contract without all the legal wording and you are welcome to call me to discuss anything. It is not the full guarantee but the main points explained, so please read the full health guarantee located on your puppy’s sale page to see anything that might be missing below.

The health guarantee is for the first 12 months of life and any claims that puppy has a life threatening genetic disorder must be submitted to breeder before the puppy’s first birthday. Life threatening genetic disorder is described as something the puppy was born with that causes the death of the puppy or will eventually cause the early death of the puppy and or the vet is recommending putting the dog to sleep. Two vets must agree to this disorder and clinical tests such as blood, xrays, or other diagnostic testing must be confirmed before the puppy is replaced. We do not go with a vet’s opinion but with proven medical testing only. If puppy dies you must have a necropsy done by a lab you send the puppy’s body to, not your local vet. Reason for this is a local vet is likely to put his opinion or maybe swayed by an upset buyer, but a lab’s findings are black and white and are proven tests. A good place to send a pup to for a necropsy that is cheaper for buyer is a State University lab. You can get the info to send the pup to from your local vet or have your vet send the puppy in for you. Time is of the essence in sending in a body, so keep that in mind. Our vet will then look at the report and decide if we cover the cause of death. You will keep your puppy even if we need to give you another pup for replacement. We never make you the buyer give your puppy back to us. Things such as size, color, conformation, breed ability, etc, are not covered. So if you buy a puppy and the adult size or color is not what was projected, you will not be refunded any amount. Any non life threatening condition is not covered. Parvo is covered if puppy is diagnosed within the first three days of transfer and the remedy will be a replacement pup if first pup dies or if the vet bills from the Parvo are more than the puppy’s price. If we replace a puppy for one that had Parvo we will have the second pup tested negative of Parvo before it leaves our home and if the second puppy contracts Parvo at it’s new home it will also only be covered if tests show parvo within 3 days of transfer.  If Parvo is after that date the puppy likely contracted it from the germs of the first pup in the new home that was not sanitized properly.  We cover Roundworms, Hook Worms, tapeworms, and Giardia, for the first 7 days after transfer, with coverage being $30 reimbursement to help pay for wormers. Coccidioisis is not covered, kennel cough and any other illness is not covered. *Hypoglycemia is not covered. Death from any routine surgery after buyer receives the puppy is not covered. Deposits are not refundable once buyer chooses a puppy to place the deposit on.

What puppy Buyer needs to do:

1. Make an appointment dated within 3 business days of receiving your puppy with your vet. Take the puppy shot record and health guarantee with you to your vet appointments. Have your vet read the guarantee and sign it so if they do something that voids your guarantee you can ask them to reimburse you for damages. If vet finds anything at all wrong with the puppy you must contact us immediately at that very moment. Any tests, procedures, or medicines you pay for will not be reimbursed, no matter what the cause is unless it says we cover it in the health guarantee such as the wormer. We are available 24/7 so there is no reason not to call us. Not calling us such as if your puppy is having a medical emergency for being sick will void your guarantee. Never administer a leptospirosis vaccine or a vaccine containing leptospirosis, if you do so you the buyer are taking full responsibility for any reaction and will not be compensated if puppy dies. Buyer must keep puppy updated on all recommended puppy shots, monthly worming, and parasite prevention. Do not give your puppy a vaccine of any kind or any medicine that is not approved by breeder for the first two weeks after transfer so your puppy does not have a reaction from stress.
2. Keep puppy on Life’s Abundance Puppy Food and Nuvet Supplements for the first year of life unless you receive permission for something else. Make sure to order it to have when you receive your puppy.
3. Your puppy will come with a shot record. If it is not received or is lost in transit you must contact us immediately to get a new one to have for your first vet visit. If pup comes with registry papers and they are lost you must contact us for new ones immediately as well.

An example of something that is not covered is someone getting a puppy and the puppy getting sick and the buyer taking the pup to the vet without ever contacting us. Then calling us and telling us the pup had something like a parasite and wanting us to pay hundreds in vet bills because the pup tested positive for a parasite and needed testing done and extensive vet care for secondary issues due to the parasites such as hypoglycemia and anemia. WE WILL NOT COVER THIS! The reason the puppy got sick is because the buyer was not watching to make sure the puppy was acting correctly and eating well and did not call us before the emergency vet visit so we could explain proper at home emergency care. This should never be an issue anyways because buyer should get puppy’s fecal tested at first vet visit and then breeder would pay the $30 for the wormer and the pup would never get to a bad state of health. We worm our pups often but there will always be some that need additional wormings… This same example goes for any illness that might cause a puppy to get sick and need a vet visit. We do not at any time refund or reimburse for any vet bills of any kind, so again, call us so we can help keep your expenses down. The only remedy in our guarantee is a replacement puppy and only for a life threatening genetic disorder or a puppy that dies from Parvo as explained above.

Another example of something not covered is joint issues that maybe a mild case. We do not cover anything rated 2 or less on knees or a hip that is anything but a severe rating. This is because an animal is not going to be put down for anything less than this and we only cover life threatening defects. Your dog is not going to die from a low grade loose knee, may not even necessarily need surgery for it down the road, many vets jump the gun and say surgery when it is not needed, The puppy should still live a long happy life even if nothing is done and will probably just have arthritis in that knee or hip as an older dog as many humans have arthritis as they get older. No vet costs associated with a joint issue will be refunded, in any case. We do not reimburse for absolutely any vet bills for any reason.  Rest assured if your pup that is under 1 year of age and still covered under our guarantee has a severe rating on hips or has a rating of 4 or greater on knee it will be covered under the guarantee and you would receive another pup down the road if you so choose as guarantee you signed states..

Something else we would not cover is something that is not life threatening but will cost you the puppy owner money in vet bills such as your puppy having a non life threatening medical issue that requires on going medicines for the rest of it’s life. Again if not life threatening then it is not covered and we do not reimburse for absolutely any vet bills which would include medicines.

*Teacup Puppies: The Teacup Care Form in the Teacup / Small Sized Puppy Guarantee is self explanatory. You must follow the care instructions exactly. We do not cover hypoglycemia no matter what the under lying cause is so MAKE SURE YOUR PUPPY IS EATING AND ACTING WELL. Weigh your pup every other day and if there is a drop in weight or puppy seems to be acting shaky or hypoglycemic you must call us immediately, no matter what time of day or night. Buyer must have on hand at all times the sugar supplement, heating pad, syringe, and soft A/D food in case needed for hypoglycemia. It is the Buyers responsibility to have all these things on hand at all times. The syringe, canned A/D food, and sugar supplement will be provide at transfer by breeder and if it is lost Buyer must get more asap from the vet office or contact breeder for more. If hand syringe feeding becomes necessary buyer must contact breeder for directions. Buyer will also need a thermometer to check the puppy’s rectal temp if needed as well as a small food scale to weigh the puppy. Keep puppy in its own small area. We do not reimburse for vet bills of any kind for any reason so unless you are ok with paying tons of money you should contact us so we can walk you through a hypoglycemic emergency and proper at home care for getting your puppy’s sugar and temp back up to get you by until you can get the pup in to your local vet for a check up instead of an emergency clinic which has much higher prices for you. Teacup Puppies can stop eating for many different reasons and you need to contact us for instructions if you are worried this is the case. If you buy a puppy from us and then it starts having seizures or falling over and not able to walk it can be scary and a new puppy owners first response is to rush the pup to any vet and do all kinds of procedures and tests on the puppy. Our guarantee is very specific on the fact that the buyer must contact us the breeder at first signs of any sickness and must contact us before taking a puppy to a vet. Again we do not reimburse or refund for vet bills for any reason so it is in your best interest to contact us first so we can help you keep your costs down. Yes Teacups are more fragile than bigger pups and take more care and if you do not have the time to syringe feed every 3-4 hours around the clock if so needed than don’t get a teacup puppy.

The above is just the main points of the guarantee as to the care and what we guarantee, so please read over the actual guarantee for all points and call me if you have any questions. There is more in the guarantee such as the buyer can never do a charge back for something that is not covered by our guarantee if paying by credit card and if seller must sue the buyer for this or sue for writing negative online complaints then buyer will pay for legal costs involved.