- How old does my puppy have to be to pick it up?
- Will the puppy have all their shots?
- Will the puppy be house broken?
- Will you ship a puppy?
- Can we come out and visit the litter before it’s time to take our puppy home?
- We won’t be ready for a new dog for about a year or two, can we visit now?
- Are your lines free of hip dysplasia?
- We are looking for an older dog, do you have any available?
- Are your dogs house dogs?
- After we bring the puppy home will you be available if we have any questions?
How old does my puppy have to be to pick it up?
» Florida Law prohibits selling a puppy before 8 weeks old. This is a great opportunity for them to learn “dog manners” from their littermates and gives us a chance to start housebreaking and crate training.
Will the puppy have all their shots?
» Pups will come with age appropriate shots which normally mean the first set. If you start shots too early you interfere with the natural immunization they have from their mother for the first few weeks of their life.
Each dog is sold with a health certificate issued by the state of Florida. This consists of a basic exam, age appropriate shots and a fecal test for internal parasites.
Will the puppy be house broken?
» At 8 weeks, no. But will be started and with normal diligence on your part well on it’s way. Puppies have small bladders and simply are unable to physically hold it for very long. We work very diligently to ensure that the pups never have an accident in the crate even though this means us getting up mid sleep in order to potty them.
Will you ship a puppy?
» We have found that shipping costs and you flying here are similar as most airlines will ship a puppy as regular baggage. A young puppy can be taken aboard your flight underneath the seat. We prefer that potential buyers have the chance to meet with us and see the puppy they are buying.
We will ship a puppy directly to you but only on a direct flight. The most important thing to us is the safety and welfare of the puppy.
By shopping fares, staying as our guest, it can be surprisingly inexpensive to come out and get your dog yourself. Plus you get to meet the entire Little River Family.
Can we come out and visit the litter before it’s time to take our puppy home?
» Absolutely! We encourage it and the additional socialization is wonderful for the dogs. We ask that the visit is scheduled in advance and that you do not visit any other breeders/shelters the same day. If you have been exposed to any dog exhibiting any signs of illness we ask that you reschedule your visit.
We won’t be ready for a new dog for about a year or two, can we visit now?
» No problem. Be forewarned, if you show up on a training day we may hand you a leash and put you to work with a dog though!
We have had people spend time with one or two litters and have not been ready to add a new dog for a while. It’s also a great opportunity for us to have a fresh set of eyes observe the litter and the pups individually.
Are your lines free of hip dysplasia?
» All of our breeding dogs are certified to be free of hip and elbow dyplasia by either OFA or the German breed Club, the SV. In addition, we X ray spines for our own knowledge and for the dogs well-being. Some of the venues we train our dogs in are physically demanding.
Even after certification our dogs are periodically X rayed to ensure that no problem has developed. Our vet is very well respected in the area for his work with working line German Shepherds.
However HD and ED is polygenetic, it is an unknown combination of genes that produces it which makes it very difficult to breed out of the gene pool. By looking at the parents in a breeding, by being familiar with other dogs in the pedigree and what they produce hip wise we can help stack the deck in the pups favor but unfortunately we cannot safely say that all the dogs we produce will be free of it.
If one of our dogs does not receive a passing grade of at least fair by OFA at two and ½ years old we offer you the opportunity for a replacement pup at your convenience. We do not require the return of your dog or that you commit to the next litter. As long as we are still breeding the offer will stand. If you do not wish to keep the pup, we will of course take him/her back.
With management and proper supplements most dogs with HD can lead a very full life. I have an 8 year old girl (spayed of course) here with moderate to severe in one hip that is not symptomatic at all. But I have seen dogs with better X rays that showed more symptoms.
We are looking for an older dog, do you have any available?
» We often do for various reasons. We often hold back more than one female in order to see how they mature before we decide to use them in our breeding program, especially if we are introducing new bloodlines.
In addition, we often know of other dogs that are available through our network of breeders/trainers and friends. If you are looking for an older dog please contact us even if one is not listed on our website.
Are your dogs house dogs?
» Our dogs with the most seniority are our full time house dogs and the rest are rotated in the house. Each has their turn! Litters are whelped in the house and young dogs stay in the house until about 6 months old. We have found this is much easier to socialize young dogs and teach house manners this way.
Our kennel has indoor/outdoor runs and very spacious grassed areas for the dogs. We have additional runs throughout the property. All dogs are exercised daily.
After we bring the puppy home will you be available if we have any questions?
» Absolutely! You are pretty much stuck with me for the life of the dog. Any questions at all don’t hesitate to contact me either by phone or email.
If you need help with basic ob or run into a problem call me and set up some obedience time. I’m more than happy to work with you on my property at no charge.
