Preparing for your puppy and Traveling with your pet

We recommend that you plan your route ahead of time and check road conditions in the areas you plan on traveling through. You can check on current road conditions and road construction zones in the state of Virginia and the state of Tennessee. To get information on road conditions for other states, please visit http://www.transdata.com/dots.htm and then find the states that you are interested in. You also would want to check with the weather forecast in the areas you plan on traveling through. This can be done at www.weather.com.

Also, if you are planning to stay at a hotel on your trip, check to see if the hotel allows pets. This can be done for chains in Virginia, Tennessee, and other states

We suggest setting up an appointment to visit with us at a time that is convenient for everyone. This is my home so it is not always convenient for company. I do try to enjoy some family time, so we do ask that you try to avoid Sunday visits unless other arrangements cannot be made. Sunday is my day for worship and time with my family, and I prefer not doing business on Sundays. We also suggest that your visits be after 10 a.m. and before 9 p.m. Running a farm has many chores and a lot must be done in the mornings to make sure all of my babies have what they need to start the day. I can rearrange the rest of my daily schedule to your convenience. We are not a pet shop nor a store and we do not have set hours for the public, but we will try to work with you on a time that is convenient for everyone to see our puppies.

Before you leave your house, check to see if you have forgotten any items you may need for the road. This list may help you be prepared.

• Did you bring a crate or box/basket or something for the puppy to sleep in when it's not in your lap? We prefer you travel with the puppy in a secure travel crate in case of an accident, containment that can be seatbelted in for the puppies safety.
• Did you bring a toy for the puppy to snuggle up with when it's in it's crate? We provide several toys in our puppy care packet.
• Did you bring a towel or baby blanket for the puppy to snuggle in while in it's crate or to wrap it up in while it is in your arms or lap?
• Did you bring bottled water for the puppy to drink?
• Did you bring a shallow cup or bowl for the puppy to drink out of?
• Did you bring shredded paper, newspaper or "wee wee pads" for the puppy to relieve itself on?
• Did you bring some form of pre-moistened wet wipes/diaper wipes in case of accidents or the need for quick clean ups, or at least paper towels.
• We will supply a sample of dog food to last you a few days as well as several toys and snacks.
• Did you remember to bring the directions with you? Did you remember to bring our phone number with you in case of emergencies? It might be advisable to bring a cell-phone in case of road trouble. Please let us know if your arrival time changes, as we get quite worried over people traveling.

There are many things a puppy needs once he or she get to your house. It is best to be prepared, just like you would prepare for a child. Below is a list of items that may help you get prepared.

• toys for the puppy to play with. We provide several for your new puppy, but puppies like variety!
• a playpen, crate, or child's gate for the puppy to be in when you are unable to supervise it. This is just a temporary enclosure until the puppy is older and less mischievious. Puppies can get into a lot of trouble and potentially dangerous situations if they are left unsupervised, so it is advisable to put them in a playpen or other confined area to keep them safe. Once the puppy is older and trained properly, it will not need the playpen. Of course, this is only for when you are unable to keep an eye on the puppy, and not a permanent enclosure.
• "puppy proof" you house. This is the same as you would child proof your house for a child. Basically move all houseplants, electrical cords, household cleaning supplies, etc. out of reach of the puppy. It may be helpful to crawl around and see what all a puppy could get into from a ground perspective. Keep in mind that Chihuahuas are small but very clever and mischievous, and if your hand can fit through it, so can a puppy. This is especially true for things like railings, fencing, and lattice work.
• a bag of dog food for the puppy to eat. We will supply a sample of dog food that will be enough to last the first few days. We also provide a coupon for a bag of food if you choose to continue with the brand we are using. If not, the puppy will need to gradually be introduced to new foods by slowly mixing the two. This is to avoid stomach upset.
• Bottled water- The contents in water depends on you location, where your water comes from, and the process it goes through before it comes to you. Our water here may be different then yours in several ways varying from the minerals in it to the chemicals used to purify it. So to begin with, it may be best to water the puppy with bottled water. Then you can slowly mix it with your water so the puppy will get used to it on a gradual basis and not upset the digestive tract.
• paper or "wee wee pads" for your puppy to relieve itself on. All of our puppies are started on shredded paper and may be frightened of new situations until they become accustomed. It is possible to train puppies to use a litter box, but we would suggest starting it with shredded paper. You will need to also make sure that the litter pan is shallow enough that the tiny chihuahua puppy could get in and out of easily without help. We will provide you with more information about housebreaking in your puppy pack, and while you visit with us.
• a towel or blanket for your puppy to snuggle up with.
• a semi-shallow bowl for your puppy to drink out of.
• a semi-shallow bowl for your puppy to eat out of.

Once you get your puppy home, there are still things that need to be done such as:

• Schedule an appointment with the vet for a "well puppy visit". This is simply a precautionary physical. Make sure that you take the puppies shot record (that we provide) so they will know the previous medical history of your puppy.
• Get your vet to set you up on a schedule for annual shots. Every vet will be a little different, but we recommend it be every 2-4 weeks until the puppy is 6 months of age and then once a year after that. We strongly recommend not using the Leptospirosis on Chihuahua puppies, especially those of the blue and blue fawn color varieties. These colorations seem to have more reactions. Please discuss this part of the vaccine in length with your vet before allowing him to administer it. We also recommend doing shots early enough in the day in case there is a reaction so that your vet would be available in case of an emergency.
• Rabies shots must be given around 6 months of age.
• Plan a date to get the puppy spayed/neutered. All puppies are sold with a spay/neuter agreement and on Limited AKC registration and they are not to be used in a breeding program. This goes for all puppies, unless other arrangements have been discussed and agreed upon by both parties. These arrangements have strict conditions attached.
• Training should start immediately. This includes basic obedience and "house rules". I always recommend that a puppy can learn no more or no less than what the owner takes time to teach it, so if you expect a well mannered pet, ground rules must be set immediately from the beginning. There is a small book in your puppy pack (that we provide) that will give you some basic training tips, and I am always available to assist you. I also STRONGLY recommend that all puppies attend a professionally trained basic obedience course to help in their socialization and communication, as well as the puppy's safety. These little ones do need lots of time, patience, and consistency in training, and having professional help is highly recommended to insure a proper start in your puppies life and to help your puppy become a good citizen.
• I ask that you please keep in touch and send photos back to me periodically to let me know how my babies are doing.

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