What I Mean When I Say a Puppy is Housebroke
and My Spaying and Neutering Policy
HOUSEBREAKING
I always have at least one puppy that I housebreak at a time. I do not allow the puppy to run around my house at all times going to the bathroom on my carpet. Since all of my puppies are paper trained in a small area by the time they are 8 weeks old, I simply open the area up more. This gives them more choices of where to go to the bathroom. After about 5 minutes of running around on my porch, they usually go to the bathroom. I simply wait, watch and correct or praise them if they go on the paper or not. I do not do this with my presa canarios because they are way too big. I train them to go outside once they are about 15 weeks old by crate training. The presas are very easy to house train. They are super smart.
When they go to their new homes, the transaction is pretty easy for the puppy and the new owner since the puppy already knows where to go to the bathroom. All the new owner has to do is interduce the puppy to the new bigger playpen (a fenced in area in their new home, for instance, a laundry room with a baby gate) and watch them for a few days to make sure they are going on the paper. At first, they may go in the wrong place, but will soon learn exactly what is expected of them. If the new owner wants their puppy to go outside, simply put newspaper outside at first and slowly take it away. I have had many people tell me that it only took a few accidents, and their puppy was trained. Many breeders use cages with wire bottoms. The wire bottoms make it very easy to clean the mess and keeps the puppies cleaner. I would rather spend the extra time and clean the puppies. Sure they will play and roll in the mess, but it washes off. As they get older, they learn to stay off the paper when they are playing. I also think the wire bottom cages are cruel because they puppies do not get blankets either. My puppies love their blankets. Wire bottoms also do not teach the puppies anything. They end up pooping right where they sit. This makes it very hard to train them to do anything else in the future.
SPAYING AND NEUTERING
People always ask me "How can you let them go? I could never do it." It is not hard for me to let them go because I do not let them go unless I feel good about where they are going. When they get older, I can spay them. Spaying and neutering them really makes it easy for me to say goodbye. When you sell a neutered or spayed, happy, healthy, trained little baby, there is no doubt the little thing is going to be very welcome into their new home. When I sell them at 8 weeks without spaying or neutering them, I do not let them go unless I feel good about the person who is getting them. Doing things the way I do does cause me a lot of extra work, but it is work that I enjoy. I would rather do it this way' than to try to push them out of here to just anyone as soon as they are of legal age to sell them. Many breeders start lowering prices once the puppies start to get a little older. All this does is predispose them to end up in the wrong hands. I get phone calls and emails from breeders all the time looking for young adults or older puppies. When I hear that, it is a red flag for me. Since I know people are out there looking for older puppies that they can start making a profit with quickly with no regards for training them or loving them, I make it so that I will NEVER let my puppies end up in their hands. Some males can be neutered at 12 weeks, but females cannot. Because it is so scarry out there for dogs, I have to keep all registration papers until proof of spay/neuter is provided. In some cases, I may ask to hold a check until proof is provided. It depends on the puppy. If I have a older male or female, I can spay/neuter them prior to leaving per request. I will pay for it too. If you are a breeder, and want full breeding rights, the cost is 20% more.
OLDER PUPPIES ARE A GREAT DEAL
Keep in mind, if you purchase an older puppy,I also keep them updated on their shots. This is a big plus for the new owners as well. A 16 week old puppy that is trained and fully vaccinated is as good as it gets. I love my older puppies They are wonderful little lovers. I also take along my 120 pound dog on the walk. This way, the puppies grow up without fear of big dogs. This is a plus if the new family has a big dog. The puppy will run right up to the dog and kiss them just like they do here. With all this said, would you rather get Mom an 8 week old puppy or a 15 week old puppy. I know which one I would choose.