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So you just reserved a Kabuto puppy....what happens next?
Here are some things that you will want to look over and start preparing for prior to receiving your pup...
If you use Facebook, please friend request me: Melissa Marshall Harper for more picture access and an additional way to keep in touch with me.
I am a firm believer in paperless....I will be sending you links to outside info as well as what is on this site. Some breeders print a paper about the breed for puppy buyers. I, instead, make sure people that get my pups are already educated about the breed, whether it be from my site or previous ownership etc, so I don't want you to be alarmed when you realize that this is one of the many ways that I am different from traditional breeders! I do not find it necessary to print and mail all of this info that most people throw away and have been operating this way for a long time and it seems to work best for me! Most of the answers to any questions you might have are already somewhere on my site but don't hesitate to email as well if you need help.
In closing, the only two actual pieces of paper that you will receive from me is the AKC registration form and the vet's health certificate for the flight - everything else will be emailed so please do not delete emails containing info you may need later...you may find it helpful to start a folder in your email for everything that you get from me :-) Again, if you have any questions, please feel free to ask!
If you reserved a spot on the wait list and not an actual puppy, you will be receiving emails regarding the breeding as it takes place, confirmed pregnancy, the mother starting to show, kicks etc.
www.freedict.com - naming
www.behindthename.com - naming
Please STAY OUT OF PET STORES WHERE DOGS ARE especially in Arizona (our ground doesn't not freeze so contagious puppy diseases are especially bad here)- your puppy needs packaged toys, not ones that were drooled on by other might-be-contagious dogs. You can bring germs home of your feet from these areas. Walmart and purchases online are fine - no kids' outgrown stuffed animals with removable eyes! Included in the list below is a list a things that you will probably need for your new pup:
1. Pet insurance - I do not endorse any products so there are no companies listed here. However, there is one link on the Links page of a company whose name I see often. Get a program that covers the vaccinations, spay/neuter, medical expenses, Heartguard and Frontline and accidents and it will be cheaper then your puppy checkups alone..... before the one year renewal, switch to a more inclusive program that covers surgeries like TPLA and TPLO and bloat and things of that nature
2. The Dog Listener by Jan Hemmel (usually inexpensive copies can be found on Amazon.com)
3. a crate (I suggest a LifeStages crate because you can move a divider back in it as the puppy grows instead of repurchasing larger crates or a Walmart large plastic crate if you will be doing any traveling.) Akitas will need the largest size available which should be 48 inches. Shibas can fit nicely in the smallest. - A small plastic crate comes with your puppy ONLY if it is being shipped to you! This is very important! You may not want to crate your dog and not care that it is going to take at least three times as long to poddy train the pup without a crate BUT you may not always be able to keep your dog. If we have to take them back and rehome them, it is best for and easier on them if they know how to crate to reduce their anxiety. No one expects this to happen but life changes and things happen. Prepare your dog as a puppy the proper way!
4. another suggested item would be a diagonal playpen called an expen 36 inches tall), especially if you have small children, so that you and your children choose when they pet the pup and not vice versa which sends mixed signals regarding pecking order. The taller the better, they are called x pens.
5. a veterinary visit scheduled within a few days to two weeks (when the next DHLPP vaccine is due) after arrival to have a checkup and booster vaccines and preparing for heartworm preventatives (a stool/blood test is needed before your begin Heart Worm Preventative so remember to pick up the last stool before the vet visit and take it with you in a plastic bag)
6. You will also want to start the pup on Frontline Plus or another flea/tick prevention. I suggest getting on the Dog.com email list. They send you an email for 10% specials frequently and Frontline is inexpensive through them.) Depending on the weight you are buying for, PetEdge.com may be even cheaper on Frontline.
7. Big tennis ball (three times the size as normal tennis ball so that they can't lodge it in their throat as they grow up)
8. a stuffed animal without eyes or anything else sewn on it (Pet Edge is the most affordable or Walmart has some! I don't ever buy puppy toys from Petsmart, Petco etc as every dog has drooled all over them carrying who knows what diseases but if you are local, Ryan's Pet Supply in Phoenix has more options than Walmart.)
9. water and food bowl (stainless steel is the easiest to keep clean and heavy enough not to be knocked over) Akitas: You must be careful with elevated food and water because if it is too high and they have to reach for food with their tongues, it can cause bloat. The objective is to have the food at their neck level so that they can stand naturally while they eat and not have to grab for food, getting air at the same time. If their food doesn't get elevated as they grow, their body weight will start to curve their front legs and they will stand on their wrists instead of on their paws. This effect can be turned around, if you catch it quickly enough, by elevating their food. Otherwise, you will begin encouraging joint damage. I suggest heated containers for outdoors in cooler climates and Lixits for anywhere at all - no cleaning needed - try www.gundogsupply.com
10. scatterproof rugs to cover all slick surfaces, hard surfaced flooring etc where the puppy will be including outdoor concrete and staircases. As their joints are developing, the should stay off slick surfaces and staircases, slipping can permanently injure the joints
11. a puppy shampoo - tearless
12. Grain free food is best. Our Akitas eat several foods but the easiest and most cost effective is Nature's Domain available at Costco; food should not go over 26 percent protein. Any food with corn, soy products or animal/meat byproducts is a HUGE NO NO! You might find your vet carries Science Diet, please do not believe that it is because this brand is the best because your vet sells it as it is a mediocre food at best in my opinion.
13. Treat of some sort - we suggest anything natural. Some of our dogs' favorite treats are from Costco. They like Cadette products such as bully sticks, duck jerky, Salmon rolls, lamb biscuits, and absolute favorites are the NUBS.
14. a collar with name tag (Name tags are cheapest at the Walmart machine but Petsmart also has heavier duty tags for $11 to $22) I like these collars from Walmart and many other places; they are adjustable slips and can be altered for puppies and then changed as they grow - Akitas will need a small to start out with and as they learn to respect a leash and walk well for you, I like switching to rolled leather collars as it doesn't pull their neck fur.
- collar for $3.50 at Walmart
- adjusted to fit an 8 week old pup
- same collar let out to fit adult
15. a leash (if you use a halter, let someone fit it for you if you aren't sure how so that it doesn't rub even though it may look fine. Try PetEdge for savings!) Please read our instructions on how to properly use a leash as probably 98 percent of dog owners don't know how to leash walk a dog!
16. For Akitas: Gentle Leader (modeled in blue by past pup, Hiro Scobee below and his sister, Akira in black):
Also called a Halty. It is basically a collar that goes around the face (not to be confused with a muzzle which prevents biting). The purpose of the Gentle Leader is provide a way to control the dog's head movement with minimal effort. When the dog pulls on the leads, the Gentle Leader forces the head down, throwing off their pull, making it easy to subdue and control them rather than being pulled on lead. All dogs try to bat it off of their face initially but if you correct them and keeping using it, it will only take a couple of times for your dog to walk like a dream. This way it won't matter what type of collar you use and how ineffective it might be for walking. The Gentle Leader can purchased anywhere that sells pet supplies and is very inexpensive at Walmart.
17. Outdoor watering devices:
For those of you in extreme heat climates, I would definitely look into these but they are good for anyone! The first, most obvious device is a watering bucket with a floater device in it. You hook it up to your spicket outdoors, leave the spicket all the way on, and it fills automatically to ensure that the dog always has water. You can alter the floater level inside so if you have a bird problem, you can lower it, or if your dog won't stick it's face down very far, you can raise the water lever. Of course, you could mount this on a wall, the back of your house, or a structure that you build. Mine pictured is for horses, because I have so many dogs using it at once. However, you can get smaller options for dogs if you like but there isn't much price difference.
The second device, above the bucket, is a Lixit; a little trickier to use but Akitas are smart enough to figure it out with persistent lessons. They lick the tip, or nudge it, and it drops a stream of water, like a hamster uses in a cage. However, you will need to watch for build up in it, and clean it often to get out the sediment as well. If you are in an extreme climate, you will need to cover it with a shelf or something similar to keep it from freezing or burning your dogs face. As you see, mine are put together on a y divider so that they can both be used on each spicket simultaneously. I find these are a must during outdoor play and beat constantly refilling water bowls!
I bought mine at my local feed store but since you have time for planning in advance, you could buy them much cheaper from the online venues that I have mentioned (gunddogsupply.com) The Lixit also will not get hot even in direct sun and is stainless steel so it stays clean!
18. bleach for constant disinfecting, especially on picked up stool spots so that any worms or other parasites or bacteria they might shed from nursing or that they pick up from other animals do not reinfect the pup as he plays. I would also suggest Nature's Miracle for clean up of any indoor accidents during poddy training - it breaks down urine so that they cannot smell it - if they smell where they went indoors after you whipe it up, they will go again in the same spot which becomes a habit and hurts poddy training efforts.
19. Vetericyn Bacetracine for cuts that don't need a vet but need to just be cleaned....never put Neosporin on a dog!
20. digital thermometer with a pack of covers and some KY jelly. (A fever over 101 in a normally healthy dog is too high! In extreme summer climates (Arizona), most hospitals say not to worry if the dog has been outside unless the fever goes over 103 but consult your own vet to be sure what is normal for your area!)
21. Benadryl in case they get bitten by something but don't need medical attention, can take one 25 mg Benadryl tablet for every 35 pounds.
22. Culturelle is available usually in the laxative aisle of your local pharmacy which is a probitioc with a stool firming agent for loose stool they might have upon moving to their new home. Prolonged loose stool can cause intussusseception of the intestines which requires emergency surgery. Loose stool is normal for the first couple of days due to stress of leaving the litter and having a new home but after that, it should be treated.
If your puppy is flying to you this is what you can expect for flight day:
Flying Our Akita Pup to You, Made Simple!
What happens to a pup in flight? * Read on to find out what to expect!
** NEW RULE: Any puppy flying may only have food attached to their crate and NO PAPERWORK! If you have received a puppy from us in the past - please note this difference. AKC paperwork will be mailed to you separately per IATA regulations!
When you reserve your pup, we will talk about what is the closet airport that Continental Airlines flies into nearest to you and what time of day is good for you to pick up your pup so that we can try to book a flight accordingly but keep in mind that Continental has set flights that you must fit into your schedule. The pup is old enough to fly at 8 weeks and will have a health certificate to fly from the 8 week birthday to the next two or three days after it. If it becomes necessary for you to get a second health certificate due to canceling a flight, late payment, etc, then it costs about $80 to get another health certificate from the vet at a separate appointment so be prepared by having your payment in on time and know your schedule!
Why do we use Continental? We have had very severe problems with Delta and American cancels flights often. NOT ALL AIRLINES CARRY PETS. Continental is considered the premiere pet flight service. The animals fly in a pressurized cargo area. The are is completely climate controlled as the air is circulated from the cabin where passengers sit to down below in cargo and back up in a continuous circle. Therefore, when we have warm summers and you have cold winters, the animal can still fly. Also, Continental has contracts to carry the US mail. Therefore, I don't have to worry about a cancelled flight due to an under-booked plane. When the animal is moved onto and off of the plane, it is driven on the tarmac in a heated and air conditioned van so it's temperatures remain constant. This is not the case with other airlines. Continental allows advance scheduling of flights, however, if we use another airline, I usually cannot tell you a flight plan or arrival time until a few days prior to the flight.
Not every airport accepts pets, even if the airlines known for accepting them travel to and from that airport. Special aircraft are needed to carry pets so although Continental pay fly passengers to your closest airport, it doesn't mean that they fly animals there. We will verify what airline can be used to fly into your area but we will find a way to get your pup to you. :-)
*****If you are getting two pups at the same time together, they may fly together as long as each of them weigh 20 pounds or less. There is not a cost savings but it is more comfortable for them.*****
Should the flight plan require a layover of more than four hours, the animal does have to be kenneled where they will walk them and feed and water them as well. There is a $75 fee for this to be paid by the person picking up the pet. We book flights that usually have a 2 hour or less layover to make it easier on the pup but this is not always available.
Canada requires several extra items for flights into the country such as customs fee etc. I have listed examples of these below to give you an idea of what to expect. These fees are current as of October 2007 but are subject to change at any time.
In addition to the $300 shipping fee (flight fee, crate, health and acclimation certificate) these fees are charged to you at the time of pickup at the airport:
$45 transporter fee for crossing the border to Canada
6 percent Canadian sales tax of the animal value determined by customs but usually taken from a bill of sale that we can include on the crate
Calgary charges and additional terminal service fee
Some cities charge overtime fees if your pet arrives "after hours"
At this time, Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto are the only airports that Continental serves in Canada but that is subject to change as of October 2007. We can also transport puppies ground if flights with another airline are not available!
When I book the flight, I will send you a confirmation that looks something like this:
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The cargo facility is separate from the actual airport terminal area. Their number is 703-661-7223 so you can get precise directions to maneuver the airport. When I drop him off in the morning, I will notify you of the airway bill number so that you can track him across the country! - Hide quoted text -
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As you can see, I have bolded things in red and enlarged the fonts of the crucial information. (Also, note that all Continental bookings default to say 8 months instead of 8 weeks, this is not a problem, just a continual computer error.)
The morning of the flight, I drop off the puppy at the airport, already prepared to fly in an hour. I follow all of the IATA guidelines but the airline still has the right to refuse the dog, but I have never had this happen (knock on wood). I get an airway bill for dropping off an animal cargo shipment. Then, just before I leave, I take a picture of your pup, in the airlines' hands, as it looked when it left my care. This way, should something happen to the crate or pup in flight, you already will have the most up to date information that I can provide. Here is a sample photo on Continental's scale:
I feed them and water them as well as let the use the bathroom (in the back of my truck so that they don't get germs from other animals around) before I crate them but I do provide frozen water in the shipping food bowls per Continental regulations. They are supposed to be re-watered when/if they have a layover. There is always food attached tot he crate in case they need to be fed but often, if they are kenneled during a long layover, should they be fed, the airline will use their own food to do it more quickly so that they can be sure that everyone is fed (this can cause soft stool , fyi.) The health certificate is with the airline paperwork, usually in a plastic bag taped to the crate. If you do not see it, ask the airline for it as I am not given a duplicate copy. The AKC registration papers are attached to the crate with Duck tape in an envelope, usually where I write the pup's name so that people can talk with it along the way. Should you throw away the crate with the papers still attached or lose them, AKC charges a fee for a new set, currently $15. Also, the pup's toy is hidden in the fold of the towel. They are not supposed to have anything in the crate for them in case they were to choke on it in flight so I have to hide it so that they cannot get it out, but it is in there, way in the back in the towel they are laying on!
Thirty minutes later, I am home sending you the airway tracking number with the tracking website address and a picture of your pup similar to the one above. I also send you Continental's site to follow the plane across the map from AZ to your city so that you know how the trip is progressing. I am always home the day of flights in case there is an issue. If I do not answer it is because I am using the restroom etc so leave a message and I will call back shortly. Tracking is smart in case the flight gets delayed due to wind, weather, etc. I will be tracking the flight from home as well. This is what the tracking screens look like that I will send you!
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Flight Status
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Continental Flight 0421
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When you pick your pup up at the airport, I expect you to call me immediately upon receiving your puppy regardless of time of day!!!!!!!!! I cannot stress this enough and please don't make me track you down! I know that you are excited to finally have your new bundle of joy but I need to know that they are okay.
I give them a bath just prior to heading of to the airport, but remember that they are only 8 weeks old. Please expect accidents in the crate and on the fur. Be prepared with handy wipes and towels to clean them off for your car ride home. Also, be prepared to offer them water immediately and as soon as you are in a place where other animals have never used the bathroom, let them go to the bathroom! Do not let them go to the bathroom at the airport where every other animal has been before them, with who knows what diseases!!!!
***When you get home, please have someone take a picture of you/your family with the pup and email it to me!****
