Frequently Asked Questions
Your Frequently Asked Questions With Our Answers:
Q - What are the sizes of your babies?
A - Most of our puppies are 6 to 10 pounds at maturity. Although, we occasionally have a puppy who ends up a bit smaller or larger than that range.
Part B - Aren't TFTs supposed to be less than 7 lbs?
I breed to the AKC standard which has a height restriction but no weigh restriction. In AKC TFTs are supposed to be between 8.5 - 11.5 inches tall at the shoulder. I try to breed for TFTs who are right around 10 - 11 inches tall, but I get ones who are shorter or taller than that. We tend to have more babies who go oversized than ones who are too small.
Q - How many people are on your waiting list, and how long does it take to be able to bring my new baby home?
A - The number of people on our waiting list can vary throughout the year depending on the number of puppies we have that year. People who are approved and join our waiting list usually get a puppy within a year. Most people who are open to either sex or color are able to have their new baby closer to 6 months or less from joining the waiting list. Email us for more information on the current number of names on the list.
Q - Do you ship your puppies?
A - No, we do not ship our puppies. We also do not like to do hired ground transportation services unless you are willing to hire someone who is making a direct drive to you (not making a round-half-the-country trip picking up and dropping off puppies along the route). If you are too far away to make a drive to here to Ohio, you can choose to fly into a local airport (there are multiple airports within 2-3 hours from us), rent a car to come pick up your baby, and then fly back with it as a carry-on at your feet.
Q - What are the adoption fees for our puppies?
A - All of our young companion puppies (9 to 11 weeks) have the same adoption fee regardless of color or sex. Please email for the adoption fee. The adoption fees for show and/or breeding prospects can very based on age, training, etc. Trust me, you are almost always going to pay much less for a TFT from a reputable breeder than you would from a pet store. Pet store puppies generally come from puppy mills or breeders who do not care where their puppies end up. Breeders who care about their puppies want to be involved in the decision on where their puppies end up to better make sure they all go to good homes.
Q - What color of puppies are you expecting?
A - We usually have tri-colored (white, black and tan) and/or white and tan puppies. Depending on the parents, some litters will produce both tri-colored and white and tan puppies. We usually have more tri-colored puppies than white and tan puppies each year. You may have to wait a little longer if you are looking for a specific sex and/or color.
Q - What health testing do you do on your breeding dogs?
A - We test for CHG, PLL, SCA, and DM. We also certify our dogs' patellas (knees) with the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA). We perform all of these test measures prior to breeding our dogs. Since we are talking about living and breathing lives, we cannot guarantee that other things can't go wrong, but we try our best to breed for healthy puppies.
Q - I have a male dog now, and I want to add another puppy to our family. Should I get another male or a female pup?
A - We recommend if you are going to have two dogs, that it is best to have one of each sex. There are less chances of dominance issues when you have a male and a female verses when you have two dogs of the same sex. We have had many people over the years who have adopted two males or two females and have had no issues though.
Q -When do you recommend having a TFT puppy spayed/neutered?
A - We recommend waiting until your puppy is FULL GROWN or as close to full grown as possible. Between 8-14 months is best. Most vet's will pressure you to spay or neuter your pet earlier than this. Here is an online article written by vets that explain this: https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/health-risks-of-early-spay-neuter/
Q -Do you recommend that we do a training class or classes with our puppy?
A - Yes, absolutely! Training classes can be a great thing for you and your dog. Even if you are a seasoned and experienced dog owner, the class is a great place to work on social skills with your puppy. Having your puppy have consistent positive social experiences IN and OUT of your home are essential during the puppy stages of life for a well rounded, social adult dog. I do recommend skipping the "puppy kindergarten" class if possible. Puppy kindergarten tends to be full of wild puppies (bad canine influences) and loving but clueless owners who think their puppy wants to play (but it actually wants to harm your puppy). Along with classes, having a person or people over to your home occasionally starting right away when you bring your puppy home, is a great idea. You can have the other people hold the puppy and give treats if you are comfortable with that. If the puppy is nervous then having your guest just talk to you and ignore the puppy can be the best thing to do at first.
Part B - What training classes do you recommend?
(1) basic obedience class (most basic class to start) - If you jump right into a very basic obedience class that is a great option. If things go well in that class, you can move up to doing the next level obedience class or an intro to agility. If you decide to go an agility with your puppy, be very careful to not do much jumping or repetitive movement until they are over a year old.
(2) conformation/dog show training class - I know this sounds weird since you probably aren't planning to show your dog, but in a dog show training class, you will work on having your puppy get examined on a table, which makes VET APPOINTMENTS so much easier! You will also work on basic healing/leading skills in these type of classes.
**Whatever class you choose, you want your puppy to get comfortable being around noises/commotion, learn some leash skills, learn to focus on you even when others are moving around, and visit with friendly strangers.
Q -Do you recommend dog parks for exercise and socialization?
A - We DO NOT recommend dog parks for two reasons. First, there are a lot of dog germs and parasite eggs in these parks (GROSS)!! Secondly, there are a lot of dogs who are either injured by other dogs in these parks or learn bad behaviors from the other dogs there. TFTs don't need a lot of room to exercise. Running in a home or a small yard can give them enough room. Going on walks in public areas and visiting with friends (and possibly their pets) is a good way socialize your pet. When the puppies are young and not totally vaccinated, it's best to carry your puppy when out in public areas where they could pick up germs. Taking your puppy with you where ever you can is the best way to socialize it. Let us know if you have more questions about this!
Q -What food do you feed your puppies?
A - We have tried all the "fancy" brands but have found that Pro Plan Puppy Food works best for our puppies. Here is a photo of the bag for those of you who are getting a puppy from us and want to buy the food ahead of time. It is the Pro Plan Puppy TOY BREED Formula.
