Should I buy a male or a female puppy?

Properly bred dogs w/ diverse genetics do a good job of loving everyone, while purebred dogs are more likely to be childish and choose to love only one person or sex. Especially for people who choose purebreds, we recommend FEMALE puppies for male owners, and MALE puppies for female owners. Males often love women better, while females prefer men. A male puppy neutered at the proper time is no more likely to mark his territory than a less confident female is to tinkle when she is nervous or excited. We often get feedback from women who are disappointed that their female pup loves men more than them. One of the most challenging aspects of dealing with the public when they want puppies is their pre-programmed ideology. Many women and children think they want the smallest female puppy they can find, without considering if the dog will be healthy can be physically independent as an adult or if the puppy will love them later. Unfortunately, much of their thinking is based on poor information.

It's important to remember that male puppies also make great pets. A male puppy neutered at the proper time is no more likely to lift his leg and urinate indoors than a female is to have accidents when nervous or excited. In fact, males are often more confident than females, making them less likely to be submissive urinators.

Many women are so enamored with a certain look or the idea of dressing up their puppy that they unknowingly reduce the chances of the dog choosing them as their favorite person by selecting a female puppy. The fact that many of these "girlie" pets are also childish contributes to this situation, as these are the puppies that most often prefer men over female owners.

Choosing a puppy- Including how big do they get?

CHOOSING A PUPPY. Most people see a 15-25 lb Beagle in the yard and think this is a small dog. HOWEVER, when we put a 2 lb puppy in a video and zoom in it can look like a dinosaur. Most of the larger puppies on this website are much smaller than a Beagle, yet many people want to buy the tiniest puppy because of confused perspective. Read the weights of the pups and remember the size of a Beagle in comparison. Puppies in our videos are MUCH smaller than they appear. ALSO, please see the puppies beside the cola bottle in our videos for healthy perspective. Yes, you can have an emotional response to the tiniest puppy, which should grow to young adult size in just a few short weeks.

Large breed pups can handle adaptive stress sooner, but the idea that the tiniest puppy is old enough to go home as soon as it's weaned from it's mother can be a big mistake. Most unexpected puppy deaths & health issues requiring expensive vet visits occur when too tiny/too small/too young pups go home, & because too many people think they want dogs that aren't big enough to be healthy as adults. 

The tiniest breeds and the giant breeds often have shorter life expectancies. So many people think they want the tiniest dog so it will be easy to hold and carry, and don't stop to think that too tiny dogs can be handicapped by their size and are like having a child in diapers that never grows up. We replace many too tiny dogs that have hit their head/killed themselves, broken their legs,  damaged their patellas from jumping up and down from furniture or climbing stairs....also many that had seizures, died of liver/kidney failure at 5 yrs old, or got carried away by birds of prey from the backyard. Dogs that never get big enough to live in human homes and interact freely without constant assistance are NOT more convenient. 8 lbs is an okay size for a small dog. An 8-12 lb dog can live 15 or more years if healthy genetics, good choices in pet products, healthy anatomy, and enhanced diet. 3 lbs can be very problematic. 80% of our puppies will grow to the approximate size of their parents in a few short weeks. Wouldn't choosing a puppy based on the size of the parents that's strong enough to survive adaptive stresses (with minimal veterinary expenses) be a more logical thing to do than a tiniest (youngest) higher risk-higher cost emotional response?

Almost all of the issues diagnosed as genetic defects in mixed breed dogs with diverse genetics are caused by poor choices in pet products, doggie treats, and foods that dog was never meant to eat. Pure bred dogs often have genetic defects that almost never occur in mixes. We choose the genetic defects that are likely to happen to our puppy later on when we think a naturally unhealthy puppy is cute. You can improve your chances of having liver/kidney failure/shunts if you buy a dog that's too small. Buy a short nosed dog if you want to have a mid summer heat stroke. Get a bug eyed dog if you want premature formation of cataracts. Buy a Boxer if you want cancer that starts in the breasts. This week I had a lady try to get a Goldendoodle while she was in love with a Berniedoodle, after spending $10K for failed surgery to correct a twisted stomach and bloat in her last Bernie. After having this happen to her, she still had to have another Bernie. Because gastric tortion causing bloat is a common problem in Bernies and other large breeds, this buyer put herself in position to have it happen again when she bought another Bernie. Isn't this just like going back to the spouse that beats and abuses when we could make a better choice? The best choice is a naturally healthy mix that's likely to have no problems, and enhance that with a better diet. Wild dogs and humans with primitive lifestyles are healthier than we. We must eat and feed our furbabies more like them if we are to do better. Please call if you want to discuss these issues before choosing a breed.  I am here for you.

Our culture becomes more synchronized/organized every year, leaving families looking for time to bring home a puppy when they are not busy w/ vacation, back to school, halloween, sports, etc. 4 months & older pups not taken because of simultaneous nationwide busy events will still bond, train easily, & can get their rabies shot & play outside from day one w/ no worries of rabid wildlife or parvo exposures. Quarantine is not necessary for a 16 wk puppy w/ shots already done, and these are a good choice for pet owners who don't want to buy health insurance for their puppy. The idea of a ten year warranty from the pet store is a scam. Yes, you can get a 10 year warranty for our puppies, too- IF you are willing to make payments to the puppy health insurance company for the next ten years.

People sometimes come to visit puppies who want to see which one has the BEST PERSONALITY. Possibly less intelligent than the dog, some folks will crawl around in the floor and expect an intelligent puppy to act like it has always known them. Our pups are bred with diverse genetics to insure great personalities and best intelligence for more human interaction and easier house training. No amount of socialization will make a most intelligent dog not notice differences in people and environment. Come into my home when I am home and my 10 lb Toy Goldendoodle, Daisy will love you and lick you all over. Come when I am not home and she will bite you:) A teenage puppy will be slower to embrace you than a baby puppy that is not yet old enough to notice differences between people and surroundings. A properly bred dog will always have a great personality. Purebred dogs with cousins bred together often have varied personalities. The more intelligent the dog, the slower it will be to embrace you, and the greater the long term reward of trainability and intelligence. A good read about this is the Unexpected Choice in my blog. If you expect a teenage puppy to come to you or to be bubbly with you at first contact, then don't waste our time crawling around in our floor with it. You are a person who should buy a baby puppy. We see very little difference in the personalites of our properly bred diverse genetics puppies once they are home with their new buyers and given time to adapt and be comfortable. We have never seen a puppy that would not adapt to a new home, but we do sometimes see humans lack the intelligence to allow them time to do so. 

Teacup listings on this site mean parents are 10 lbs or less. Many Poodle mixes are also non/low shedding and are hypoallergenic to most people. For example, most toy size Goldendoodles are non-shedding and many are as small as a Maltipoo. I have a 10 lb Toy Goldendoodle, Daisy, for my personal pet. No visitor has ever correctly guessed what breed she is because of their preconceived idea that all Doodles are big and she is so small. Daisy is a wonderful lap dog. Please call for conversation that may help you overcome preconceived ideas, and improve the chances that you love your puppy later. Available now (9+ wks w/ 3+ shots) pupscan be taken home now.

When is a puppy old enough to go home, and why do we have a few older puppies for sale?

Do you ship puppies?

We will work with any shipper of your choice if you want to have someone pick up your puppy here and drive it or fly it to your home anywhere in the continental United States.  We can refer you to courier services that ship to the local area, to charlotte Airport to meet flight nannies at the gate, or services that do ground-to-door delivery as far west as Texas and all of Eastern U.S.

The cost to Charlotte airport is $200.00 if the courier makes a special trip or $1.00 per mile one way if delivering puppies at his convenience nationwide. For puppy nanny air services, MJC Doggie Delivery Company at (770) 648-4942 for estimates; also flightnannyqtpettransport.com (330) 961-1198.  We can also recommend local couriers that you can hire to drive a puppy to your home. Cost of this is $1.00 mile both ways. A courier can also meet you at the Charlotte, NC airport and you fly home with your puppy. Call me for referrals.

TJ Martins of www.savannahcarriers.com does Eastern to Midwest U.S. at $1.00 mile from 3707 White Plains Rd, Roaring River, NC 28669 to your address. Simply ask your phone to get driving directions/distance from your place to ours and you will have a delivery estimate to your home. Phone for T.J. Martins ground to your door delivery is (646) 251-2549.  All fees to pet nannies and couriers are paid directly to them; not to Healthy Pups.

Ground-to-door carriers accept payment upon delivery.  Payments to Healthy Pups for the purchase of the puppy must be paid before a puppy can be picked up by a shipper.  You must coordinate and hire shippers as your agents. I post these suggestions because others have used these services and did not get scammed.

How do I know if a puppy is available?

ALL puppies on the website are available. We try to update the website immediately after each sale because we don't want anyone to fall in love with a puppy they cannot have!

Can you send updated photos, videos, and do Facetimes because we are soooo excited! 

Yes, we can do this. I also love dogs and understand your excitement!  However, please use restraint when requesting photos of your puppy after you have placed a deposit. Our goal is that the puppy is healthy and able to go home with you on time, and unnecessary bathing and stress is not good for tiny puppies!

Puppy prices are posted under each video and are subject to change due to market prices. Our prices are better than almost anyone else who has puppies for sale online because we actually raise our own puppies in our $1,000,000.00 kennel facility.  We don't have to share our money with the puppy's breeder like the brokers must do. This website is updated after each individual sale. We don’t want anyone falling in love with a puppy they cannot have. Please check our first page google competitors and you'll love our prices.

Puppies will be posted to the web site when they are old and strong enough to not be bothered by this process. Buyers may see the pups and choose a puppy at that time. Those who have paid deposits will be called when pups they might like are posted.  If you see puppies on this site with prices that say deposits pending, this means that those who have placed deposits are choosing their pups at this time.  Puppies that are posted with prices are for sale to public. If you would like to see photos of past puppies or chat with others who have bought puppies from us so that you can be confident that we are not a scam, please visit our facebook page, which can be entered through our references link.  If you would like to be notified immediately when new puppies are posted and have an opportunity to buy before they are sold, you may send a non-refundable deposit of $208.00 to be on the waiting list. This deposit goes toward the purchase price of your puppy, and is forfeited if you choose to not purchase the puppy.  Do not place a deposit on a puppy if you are not sure of the one you want, or are not willing to wait.   Many are interested in multiple types of puppies, therefore it is impossible for me to know exactly when I can offer you a puppy because I do not know what puppy those on the list before your deposit may choose.   After you reserve your puppy, we need to take it off the website so others will not be asking to buy it.  We understand your excitement, SO please do a screen shot of your pup from the individual post, and record your video with your phone immediately when making a deposit so you are not without photo and video. Instructions for buying/reserving/viewing/picking up a puppy are posted in every puppy interface under each video.  Please read!  Thanks!

Why do you keep the puppies in QUARANTINE and ask visitors to begin looking at the puppies through video and live video chat?

Everyone thinks a puppy virus will not happen to them, but emergency vets are always busy with surprise $7K virus treatments. 9 weeks old with 3 vaccines already done is minimum go home age for our puppies because 3 vaccines are needed to prevent Parvovirus. Both recently vaccinated healthy dogs AND sick puppies shed viruses in their feces that can make other puppies with less than 3 vaccines sick. Shed viruses can be spread to puppies though contact with another puppy, but also by dirty hands/feet humans or flying insects that bring viruses even into human homes. I often hear from folks seeking advice because they have sick litters in their homes that have never been outside, born to house dogs that are pad trained and never go outside. We want to be sure you don't get a surprise $7,000.00 virus and land at the emergency vet w/ your puppy. Also, a 9 wk puppy can survive your children/other pets without vet bills caused by handling/transport stress. These can begin to climb stairs/jump off the sofa with less risk of injury, not get hospitalized for parvovirus or vaccine reactions like younger/tiniest puppies often do, & has likely had $1200.00+ in vet visits, microchips, & puppy shots already done before you take it home.Because quarantine is the only way to keep them healthy. Viruses occur in puppies as in human school children.  Although flying insects can bring a virus from the neighbor's house, viruses are more likely to happen when people and other puppies can come share whatever they have already been exposed to. This is why puppies should be kept away from other animals (AND from people who may have petted other animals) until their immune system matures after vaccines.

All properly bred dogs have great personalities after adapting to your home, so this is not an issue. An intelligent buyer who can't afford to have a sick puppy would refuse to buy from a seller who lets public window shop and pet them OR from a broker who brings in truck loads of puppies from backyard breeders from across our nation and lets them share sickness/diseases with one another.

Many people will lie to get whatever they want, so we cannot trust that visitors will not come to play with our puppies after visiting puppies at other locations that may be sick with viruses or parasites. 44 years experience has taught us that just one sick puppy coming from outside sources can bring viruses, parasites, and diseases to the kennel group and make our puppies sick.

This is why it's IMPOSSIBLE for our competitors to broker puppies that come from Amish farms/rural breeders/puppy mills and keep them healthy. This is also why there are so many puppies that get sick after being adopted at public shelters.  Even a free puppy is NOT always cheaper.  It can be unwise to buy a puppy from a pet owner whose house pets are going outside and may bring problems back inside to their babies until the puppies have been properly vaccinated. It definitely not a good idea to buy from a seller who allows public to come pet/visit their puppies!  All of our puppies are bred with diverse genetics to ensure good mental health, physical health, and wonderful personalities, so you don't need to worry about this issue!

Do you finance puppies?

We will gladly allow you to send payments in advance for a puppy. However, all puppies must be paid in full before they go home. We do not offer in-house financing for puppies after sale, but we do accept credit cards. Get a credit card, which you can pay off as you wish!

Can I buy a pre-trained puppy from Healthy Pups?

Yes, we do have a puppy trainer that will work in training your puppy. The cost of this is $500.00 per week. The trainer focuses on basic obedience skills that can make it easier to work with your puppy at home. He works on the command to sit, come, lay down, yes, and no. He also begins to use the name you choose for your puppy so your pup will begin to recognize it. We begin the crate training phase and do not allow your puppy  to urinate on pads and papers unless you want to pad train the puppy. This gives your puppy the idea that the crate is his safe home and doesn't give him the freedom to establish a potty spot in your living area. You should realize that pad trained puppies can become confused and also potty on your rugs. Our trainer can begin outdoor potty training or pad training.  Removing rugs from your home is the best option for having a pad trained puppy. Our training program also focuses on walking with harness and leash, riding in the car to help overcome fear and motion sickness, and getting more comfortable with bathing. The lasting effectiveness of this at home will be dependent on the time spent with our trainer AND you continuing to enforce this training with your puppy. You can choose a puppy to work with the trainer. Older puppies respond better in training than tiny puppies just ready to go home. Toy and Mini Doodles are a really good size for a house pet, and a great choice for this program. All mixes, especially if a few weeks older, are also a great choice because of diverse genetics and greater intelligence!  Also, older puppies are much less likely to get viruses. 

Over the past 40 years of business, I have witnessed the rise and fall of pet stores that bought pets from puppy mills and resold them for huge profits. Over time, public not willing to buy their pets caused them to go out of business. However, there is no law against co-ownership of pets in America. Now, most of the pet stores are online, pretending to breed while co-owning and still buying from puppy mills to resale puppies. The pet stores now call themselves clubs, breeder networks, family breeder organizations, etc. 

Many of these brokers are liars and deceivers who add endearing ambiguous descriptions like “teacup”and give them cute names, even though you should have the right to name your puppy! They promise extended warranties and pre-training in order to trick  you into paying thousands for a pup that they may have bought from an Amish farmer for a very small price and will pee on your rug after being only pad trained.

(You don't learn until you read the fine print later that you must pay 50% of regular retail to get a replacement puppy, buy $5000.00 in doggie vitamins over the next 10 years while they get kickbacks, or enroll in their health care plan and make monthly payments for basic care while major problems cost extra).  Proper house training that actually works must be done by you in your home.  An established outdoor potty spot by the breeder cannot go home with your puppy! Don't listen to their scams!  Don't you deserve better?  40 years of experience has taught me that canine diseases are caused by malnutrition and toxicity because dogs seem to be the only other creature that develops the same degenerative diseases as humans.  I can often guess what kind of pet products were used in the last puppy when pet owners tell me when and what type of disease occurred in their dog prematurely.  My opinion is that only an unknowing or dishonest seller would promise a health warranty that is subject to proper choices on the part of the caregiver without being transparent of these facts, since care after the sale is something that no seller can control.

Our quarantine means that you are less likely to experience pre-existing health issues with our puppies!

The greatest contributing factor to baby puppy deaths is that people in love with holding tiny puppies in their laps, think they want the smallest dog they can possibly get. This also means that they often choose the youngest and tiniest puppy that may not yet be old enough to withstand the stress of leaving its mother, adapting to a new environment, and having its routine interrupted by pet owners and their children. This can cause puppy deaths after huge vet bills. Small breeds reach most of their adult frame size by only 20 weeks, so the idea of getting the tiniest and youngest puppy can not only be a bad idea; it is also overrated.  It takes many years to learn how to care for puppies and prevent potential problems.

I have been doing puppies since 1982 and have come to appreciate the value of experience. Most puppy buyers who go home and have problems with our puppies are limited to acts of God or those who don't follow instructions properly. In earlier years, it was common for problems to occur with the imperfect puppies we sold.  It can take years of hands on experience to quickly identify and prevent potential problems with baby animals.  An angry puppy buyer can encourage one to learn very quickly! This is one reason why so many breeders selling puppies want to meet the buyer in public, or will only ship to the buyer. This way the buyer doesn't know where the seller lives, and often doesn't even know the seller’s true identity, so they can simply not answer the phone if there is a problem! Puppy buyers with no common sense, after being brainwashed by rescue terrorists and media, hold the breeder of their puppy 1000 times more responsible for the health of their puppy than the doctor for the health of their sick child who caught the stomach virus at school. Google search reviews and you'll find people who will warn you not to go to THAT doctor, dentist, hair stylist, nail salon, garage, hospital, etc.  Their opinions are formed by their personal experiences, and their experiences by their perceptions and mental health, which varies within people. 

Bad experiences are caused by bad decisions in many cases, and most importantly by inability to do things correctly.  Even though tiny puppies are just as fragile and susceptible to communicable diseases as human children, a puppy raised by a professional breeder does not have the same right to be sick as a human child. It is my opinion that rescue organizations almost always suggest that everyone adopt, staging success stories of questionable adoptions which encourage more donations, even though it is common for shelter puppies to die from viruses alone, and most dogs that can be adopted at public shelters seem to be large breed mixes that are too big for house pets. They also suggest that all puppies should be born in human homes, even though breeding dogs not spayed and neutered at the proper time mark their territory and discharge in the home and are often sent to the shelter. The problems created by deliberate rescue misinformation are the main reasons why so many breeders get discouraged and quit after only a few litters, and also one of the main reasons why so many puppies (because they were not spayed/neutered at the proper time) eventually die in shelters because of irreversible behaviors common to the reproductive process, after being raided from a secure home in a kennel facility in which the dog was free to pee or discharge at will:) An average of 10 people call us per week who have already been cheated by sellers pretending to have puppies for sale.

Do not get online and believe the rescue industry when they say that you should save a life- adopt NOT shop, and that the world is overpopulated with puppies.  There is a shortage of the small breed puppies that most want as house pets, and many ads online are fake puppy sellers seeking deposits! NEWS FLASH- Grandma is NOT going to save the pitbull mix at your shelter and make him her lap dog even if these toy breeds are not bred.

I have learned through the years that a care standard must NOT be limited to feeding and petting, but proper vaccines beginning at the proper time, AND constant fecal analysis with my microscope. It is also important for us to keep the pups in complete quarantine when they are tiny. This allows me to maintain the pups in good condition and deal with problems before the puppy shows symptoms, reducing immediate vet bills for the puppy's next owner, and reducing the risk of heart broken children after learning that the puppy has a serious problem after they have fallen in love with it.

Are they already house trained?

I recently visited a competitor’s web site and saw that they were selling pre-trained puppies for $7500.00. This in most cases means that they have thrown a puppy pad in the floor and allowed the puppy to potty on it, which most puppies will instinctively do. We strongly disagree with this approach because many pet owners do not want their dog to always potty in their floor and are not going to be happy with this later. It is not a good idea to teach puppies to urinate on pads or paper unless you always want them to always do so, because it can cause some dogs to become confused and potty on rugs or other objects in the floor by accident later! It is also not a good idea to buy a puppy that was raised in a pet owner home before it was old enough to begin proper house training, unless you think buying pads and cleaning them would be more convenient for you than your dog going outside!

It is also problematic at best to train a puppy to go outside and potty before selling it to another owner because the potty spot cannot go to the new home with the puppy! The new owner must work to make sure the puppy establishes an outdoor potty spot in his new home. A puppy must be trained in his forever home by his owner.  This is easy to do with a correct crate training regimen.  If you need to learn about house training your puppy, search for videos on youtube- how to crate train a puppy! A good video is also posted at midwesthomesforpets.com. Our puppies have begun their proper CRATE TRAINING (NOT confusing pad or paper training in the home of an inexperienced pet owner or broker scammer).

Come visit us, OR we can work with a shipper of your choice to get a puppy delivered to your home or nearby airport!  

Which puppy has the best personality?

People sometimes spend hours trying to decide which puppy has the best personality. They watch our puppy videos and observe their behavior.  It is important to note that most of the puppies have just had their baths before videos are made.  Bathing makes them shiver and shake.  This does not mean that they have a bad personality:) After feedback from several thousand past puppy buyers, I have learned that there doesn't seem to be a significant difference between the personalities of mentally healthy dogs once they are adapted and settled into their new homes.

While some puppies may seem to be more shy or afraid when you take them home, remember that they have met you for the first time, and this should be interpreted as a show of intelligence because you can at least be sure the puppy realizes you are a total stranger that may be a threat to him.  If you buy one of the girlie pets that has been subjected to 50+ years of breeding his cousins together just to make them pretty for the dog show, he may never quit wagging the tail and licking even total strangers in the face. You might think he's sweet, but you may always wonder if the dog can remember who you were from yesterday.

Many visitors have commented over the years that some of these line-bred pets could never remember anything about their house training:)  Some purebred dogs have a good personality-some are unbalanced or retarded, while all mixes are great pets. Older pups, and purebred puppies are often slower to adapt when you take them home.  It is best to buy a mix if you want the best opportunity for a consistently great kid friendly personality and potential for better physical health.

I can't afford it now, or I need to wait until...

Many things become a part of the decision to get a puppy, such as waiting until after vacation or other special event.  What about vacations in the future or special events in the future after you own the puppy?  What are you going to do for entertainment while you are waiting to "afford" the puppy? We all must be entertained in some way.  Nothing is cheaper than a puppy, because a puppy is the entertainer that once home and trained, provides endless hours of repeated joy. Most people CAN afford to buy a puppy, because they WILL SPEND THAT MONEY in some way because they are bored and need to entertain themselves.

Start with buying a healthy puppy from healthy pups and save the money you would spend entertaining your family elsewhere. For most families, a good puppy costs nothing over time. It is in effect a FREE puppy - entertainment that keeps on giving.  As for when to buy, I have found that life is so busy for the average family, that there is never a time in life that is a perfectly convenient time to buy a puppy. My suggestion is to buy the puppy and let the puppy blend into your life events, instead of allowing the new puppy to be a disruption and interfere with normal family function.

How much do they shed?

Three basic coat choices are available in dogs of all breeds. Short-haired dogs do shed. Most of this is limited to shedding the winter coat in the springtime and indoor shedding can be reduced by brushing outdoors. New tools like the Furminator comb are available now that can reduce the shedding of short coat dogs by up to 90%. Some of the silky long-coated breeds are low or non-shedders. These types of pets have significant grooming and maintenance expenses over the life of your pet.  The only other option to completely avoid both haircuts and shedding is to buy a hairless pet.

The idea that the puppy does not shed is the single greatest factor that will complicate your pet ownership experience. Since most pure bred non-shedding pets are old favorites that have in many cases been subjected to years of line breeding just to make them look pretty for the dog show, some of the breeds that don't shed are in my opinion more likely to be less healthy, less intelligent, and three times more expensive to own. Hypoallergenic mixes are a great choice.  If you are interested in a non-shedding dog because you have allergies, please also see our allergies link. 

Which are your best and most affordable pets for kids?

All of the puppies that we raise here are excellent choices to befriend your children! Call me to discuss these issues in detail.  Pet owners tend to think only of the pleasant part of pet ownership issues, like “I want the smallest one so I can carry him everywhere I go, and he’ll feel good in my lap.”  Most never think of the inconveniences of having a dog that’s too small to get up and down, so you have to help him all the time, even when you’re busy.

I sometimes talk to pet owners whose too small dog splintered his leg beyond repair in jumping down from the sofa or had liver/kidney failure at only 5 years old. I also get many calls from pet owners whose last dog was stolen by a chicken hawk or owl when outside to use the bathroom. My advice to every pet owner, is DON’T CHOOSE PETS THAT ARE TOO SMALL, if you want a long lived and healthy puppy. Please call me for advice.  Dogs with healthy size and anatomy can live into their 20’s if owners feed them dry food only, no doggie treats of any kind except tidbits of raw beef from the freezer, and not let them sleep under covers so they get cataracts and go blind.

How long do they live?

Many factors can impact the life expectancy of a dog. Average life span for a 3 lb dog is 4-7 years, while a 10-12 lb dog is likely to live 14-16 years. It is those 15-20 lb active breeds with healthy anatomy and no long hair to get in their eyes and make them go blind that seem to do the best.  One visitor told me that his giant size 25 lb Rat Terrier lived 31 years; another that his Beagle lived to be 24. Most problems with adult dogs occur due to unhealthy diets over time.  After almost 40 years of dealing with pet owners, I can often guess what type of poisonous doggie treats they fed that caused the onset of a prematurely present disease.

Should I buy a purebred puppy or a mix?

As a young boy growing up in elementary school, I learned about the importance of proper genetics to mental and physical health.  6 siblings attended our school from the same family.  None of them were mentally healthy. These kids found even simple things to be mentally challenging.  They grew up to be adults that could barely survive on their own- cashing their disability checks, driving and maintaining a car, and struggling to cook food without burning their house down. In school years, I always felt sorry for them.  As an adult, I became aware that these issues were not their fault.  They were not mentally healthy because their parents were first cousins.  I have since learned that the same things are being done in our companion animals just to make them look pretty.  Breeding dogs that are related to one another not only destroys mental health in the offspring, but also intensifies genetic information for defects.  Properly bred dogs from diverse genetics are always intelligent, affectionate, funny,  and so physically healthy that they have no need for health testing.  Defects that are diagnosed in properly bred dogs are almost exclusively the results of malnutrition and toxic pet products, with tiny dogs developing problems from this much more quickly than dogs that are slightly larger. They are starving for proper foods while being poisoned by many pet products that were not meant for canine consumption.

After having to give away many fancy pedigreed show dogs bought for breeding purposes, especially over the past 15 years because they were mentally retarded and often presented genetic defects, we now breed pet dogs NOT from pedigreed bloodlines and mix them as possible.  We do many intentional mixes, and we intentionally use similar mixes as sires in some litters if we can get more beautiful colors, etc. This is often possible if both are considered medically hypoallergenic pets, and does not affect the potential for shedding, but may produce many beautiful colors:).  These mixes are typically mentally and physically healthier than most purebreds.  I am sometimes dumbfounded by the questions people ask when calling about pets. Some ask, "are they registered", as if this makes them a greater prize.  I would estimate that at least one-third of the registered dogs that I have seen in past years were not purebreds, AND I would also estimate that purebred line bred pedigreed show dogs are three times more likely to be mentally incompetent and have weird health problems and die young than mixes. I will never understand why some pet owners are dumb enough to think expensive registered show dogs are better.  You would be surprised if you knew how many of these tiny show champions don't live more than 3 years before having liver disease, kidney failure, or other "too small" health problems because their health has been compromised by line breeding for show purposes just to make them look pretty.  Many of them are also untrainable, aggressive, whimpy, hyper, nuisance barkers, submissive urinators, can’t be housetrained, don’t like children, etc. They are often not mentally or physically healthy because of select breeding to improve outward appearance.

A growing number of pet owners, thinking that genetic purity is a prize, are getting DNA tests for their pets. I was really excited, and had high hopes for this service, because all of us would like to know more abouit the ancestors of our pets, and to improve their health by learning about hidden genetic problems. After working in a position to fact check this science for many years now, I became very  disappointed that we repeatedly have seen pups FROM THE SAME LITTER/SAME PARENTS get DNA test results that showed they had no breeds/ancestors in common.  I have found that the perception of DNA testing in pets is much like global warming. These issues and more, have political perspectives and money in common. If a seller fails in making public believe their science,  they lose your money, and they may lose government funding for most of these issues as well!  Young people are much more likely to believe the science and lobby to support their cause, while those of us with enough life experience to see that our coastal cities were NOT underwater by the year 2000 like Al Gore said, remain unconvinced. We must remember that most of science is an unproven theory; not proven facts. The results of DNA testing are often laughable to those of us who have worked with individual bloodlines of dogs for more than 30 years, whether our experience comes from breeding the same groups of dogs from known bloodlines, or from having seen them in our veterinary clinics for healthcare.  DNA tests have been represented by test manufacturers as irrefutable and amazingly accurate, while independent testing and laughable results have caused many senior vets and experienced breeders like myself to remain skeptics who refuse their science and dismiss DNA testing as a scam. Many puppy buyers refuse to read and research.  I sometimes get results of angry customer DNA tests with conflicting data, suggesting that I am bad just because the ancestry of dogs contains things that I did not know about, and that may or may not be correct.  Just last week two clients called me whose vets did DNA tests on two puppies that we sold from the same parents and same litter. Both puppies were from bloodlines that we as breeders, and our vet has known for many years.  One of these Bichon puppies, although descended from AKC registered stock tested Maltese and Australian Shepherd mix, which is impossible, and the other tested 40% Golden Retriever!  Not only would it be almost impossible for two dogs with these size differences to breed naturally, it is also easy to see that these results are wildly erratic, a completely laughable scam.  It's sad that so many will not even take the time to read this information and educate themselves, so I must revisit this issue again and again after they call to complain or post negative comments.  Registration papers and Kennel Clubs still determine the ancestry of dogs in America, and a high percentage of even purebred registered dogs have conflicting DNA data.  There is no reason for us to intentionally misrepresent any puppy we sell, as we are overwhelmed with folks wanting puppies.  I realize that many people do not share my skepticism of science. Most folks will not fact check the services that science provides while pumping us for money. While many accept scientific research and testing as irrefutable, I see the man-made objects unearthed from coal that supposedly took millions of years to form, and the leg bone that tested millions of years old that was found in an old cowboy boot. I see that the earth is proven by archaeology to have cooled and warmed naturally throughout history, and this was NOT caused by fossil fuels that did not yet exist. I have also learned that genetics is in part a scam.  Diseases run in families because we teach each other what to eat. Most diseases diagnosed as genetic in our pets are also caused by improper diet and especially poisonous doggie treats.  I have seen many purebred registered dogs that did not prove to be correct as determined by DNA testing, such as the registered yellow lab that tested 75% Toy Poodle, and a Chihuahua whose DNA was identified as HUMAN, American Indian, and then described the DNA as descended from the Mohawk tribe in Canada. Some research with google searches will reveal these incidents.  If I was confident that DNA testing was accurate and reliable, I would test every dog we own! Although DNA test providers who want our money claim amazing accuracy, the veterinary community remains divided in accepting DNA testing as reliable. My vet (with more than 40 years of experience), and many other veterinary doctors do not accept DNA testing as accurate ancestry results for dogs because so many tests within bloodlines that he has known for many years have produced completely laughable results, and many medical professionals still question the accuracy of this when used even for human ancestral tracing.

Most of the DVM's who think DNA testing is always accurate have not had enough experience to see the test results come back regarding dogs/bloodlines that they have seen in their practices for many years. Some young vets believe their science, while a many older and experienced vets think DNA testing to be one of the biggest scams to be offered pet owners because of laughable results. All purebred dogs were developed by mixing and remain combinations of mixes, and the accuracy of the original markers have been questioned by many. Do DNA test providers have the right to pick markers from one group of dogs and one kennel club over the other? Who is to say which markers are even the best representation of this purebred dog? Is the best representation the one that looks the prettiest, or the one that you love because it is sweet, smart, and healthy?  Linebred dogs with strong genetic signatures may be comparable to the small group that the original marker came from, but we will stick with mentally and physically healthy pets that have not had their cousins bred together just to make them look pretty because I learned my lessons about this in grade school. Diverse genetics is necessary for proper mental and physical health. Dogs have been and continue to be registered in the USA with kennel clubs based upon their appearance- NOT BY DNA TESTING. Being of the same group, many dogs were originally registered together because they looked much the same. This may be part of why DNA marker results for comparison purposes are inaccurate for many registered dogs. Even today, new bloodlines for any breed can be established in some kennel clubs by sending a photo of the dog and witness signature to get registration papers.  It is not fair to question the DNA results of pets at this point in having a test marker serve as the standard for all because it is not always possible to be sure which markers are correct, or the best representation of a specific breed.
40+ years of experience has taught us that common dogs not subject to line/show breeding are healthier, smarter, and more affectionate. As a result of learning how important diverse genetics really is, we breed many dogs without pedigrees and with hearsay genetics, and we represent them as they have been represented to us, meaning that we cannot guarantee ancestral content, and we do not agree that DNA testing is an infallible way to determine ancestral content or to determine the chances that a dog will develop a specific disease later.  Diverse genetics and continued mixing with unrelated bloodlines has almost eliminated true defects in our puppies except those related to improper nutrition and care.  For those of you who accept science as always being correct, we disagree with you after seeing years of laughable test results and offer no warranty regarding DNA authentication.  To buy a mix is one of the best ways to undo the damage that line breeding has done to so many of these breeds.  In short, the true value of a pet lies in the happiness it brings to our families, and not in its pedigree. 

How much are they?

Prices are posted under each video. You should also consider ownership costs if you really don't want to spend lots of money on a pet. It is important that you think an affordable dog is cute, so avoid less healthy genetics, pets that weigh less than 5 lbs. and pets with long hair! Many want our girlie pets and complain of purchase price.  I always respond by saying that it's not my fault that you think this expensive breed is cute. We have many other more affordable and practical choices!

Which breeds do people seem to like the best?

Mixes are the best loved pets we sell. The only people who don't like these are those buyers who would not do a good job with training and discipline.

Which are most likely to be the best veterinary doctors?

My daughter's lab mix recently swallowed a hot dog on a fish hook hanging from a fisherman's pole at the campround.  A series of vet visits and referrals produced estimates of up to $10,000.00 and the task of driving many hours to advanced veterinary care.  The senior doctor at Twin Oaks Veterinary Hospital was able to get the dog to vomit out the hook by feeding her loaf bread.  You can guess which treatment was more affordable for the owner and better for the dog!  The problem is that our good experienced vets are growing older and retiring.  Unfortunately, their places are being filled with young vets who are often not good common sense problem solvers. Choose a vet who owns his own practice that has been in business for many years.  Avoid chains and veterinary networks because this is not where you are likely to find the senior doctors with the most experience.  A senior country vet who owns his own practice is most often the best choice; especially if you can find one that also does large animals.  Avoid young, inexperienced vets with misinformed, ignorant, liberally prejudiced breeder perspectives. I say this because doctors who answer to farmers are often more affordable than those doctors who live beside the golf course, see only elite small pet owners,  AND have better problem solving skills.  Many of these doctors believe the rescue industry lies concerning puppy politics, and are MUCH more likely to misdiagnose problems in any pet brought from a breeder due to misinformed prejudices. Because so many of our clients have received questionable diagnoses at these providers,  we do not honor warranty claims from Banfield Petsmart, Petco, or Glade Valley Animal Hospital.

Shouldn't your child's pet be raised by an experienced professional?

One of the most unethical lies ever told is that puppies should be lovingly raised in a human home with people.  Adult dogs are more likely to be euthanized for undesirable marking, bleeding, and urinating indoors than any other reasons.  House pets should NOT be bred.  They must be spayed or neutered to prevent these behaviors.  They should also not be kept in homes with people until they are old enough to house train.  Tiny puppies that are allowed to potty in the homes of hobby breeders very often will always do this in YOUR home.  Will you really believe this lie and buy a home raised puppy that may already be trained to pee on your rug? Our pups are born INDOORS in quarantine. Our puppies will touch the ground for the first time when you bring him home! BACKYARD BREEDERS OR HOME HOBBY BREEDERS don't have a USDA standard facility because they are not willing to spend the money. (Our kennel facility cost $1,000,000.00+).  Instead, they choose to exploit the dogs in unsanitary environment and call those of us who care enough to maintain a nice facility "puppy mills". Those who raise puppies in the back yard or in the back room are the people who are truly guilty of animal exploitation because the pups often get sick and die. A nice kennel facility is how to tell the difference between an animal care professional and a back-room puppy miller! You should be thankful for any person who provides a good place from which to get a puppy. It is my opinion that no one can make a huge amount of money raising and selling puppies if they care for them properly. I do this because I enjoy the animals and I also enjoy the happiness that they bring to people. If you question the need for our puppies, you should get out and try to find another USDA standard nursery from which to buy a healthy puppy or go to the shelter and try to find a small breed puppy exactly like you want!  Just last week, I sold a puppy to a vet tech who works for the Humane Society.  After watching the shelter every day for more than 2 years to try to find a small breed pup that she wanted as a house pet, she finally gave up on adoption because "all the rescue pets were large breed mixes, mostly with pit bull, and too big to keep in my apartment".

How can I eliminate tear stains in my puppy?

You cannot completely eliminate tear staining.  You can manage the stains in a light colored dog, or you can buy a dark dog so they don't show. Pet products are available that many feel help to reduce stains.  You can wash under the eyes, trim under the eyes, or choose a food that many feel doesn't cause as much staining.  Ask your vet this question or google it.  Opinions vary.  My opinion is that the best way to not have tear stains is to buy a dark colored dog.

What do I need to do about the microchip after I buy my puppy?

Our pups have an ISO microchip that comes directly from a manufacturer in China, and has not yet been registered with a database.  American made chips work in the USA, but are said to be  incompatible with scanner systems of many countries.  We use the ISO chip so that those who buy our puppies and take them abroad will have a chip that works world wide.  You need to get the puppy registered with the microchip database company of your choice.  This improves the chances of you recovering your pup should it get lost or stolen!  Your vet can probably help you with this. We have also been contacted by International Pet Registry, and they would like to provide this service to you.  Their web address is www.internationalpetregistry.com.  Their phone number is (844) 477-7387.

Healthy Pups Puppy Warranty

Unlike the warranties offered by some of our online competitors, our warranty has no hidden clauses, deceptions, and requirements.  You don't have to sign up for pet insurance and make monthly payments.  You don't have to buy $5000.00 in doggie vitamins over the next 10 years to not void your warranty.  If you read some of these competitor warranties, you may find that there are so many exclusions they offer no warranty at all.

It is not fair for the buyer to get a puppy and have problems with it because of a pre-existing issue. It's also not fair to us to replace puppies that were not cared for properly or could have been diagnosed, treated, and possibly corrected.  We must have a warranty system that is fair to both buyer and seller. 

We guarantee our puppies that go home at recommended age and weight to be healthy upon receipt, AND to be free of untreatable genetic defects at a 6-12 month veterinary evaluation.  Having raised puppies since 1982, we have learned that almost all things that truly are a genetic defect will be evident in the first year, while most things that occur later are caused by environmental irritations, poor diet, harmful doggie treats, and bad pet products. Please call for preventative advice with these issues. Our one-year guarantee covers terminal, non-correctable, legitimate, inarguable proven genetic defects as determined by necropsy and proper testing and in unanimous, agreement by your vet, healthy pups, and our veterinary doctors here.  Initial veterinary exams can be done in advance by our vet before you pick up your puppy if you want to be sure that the puppy is free of detectable issues at the point of sale and certified healthy.  We do fecal analysis and wellness exams in the nursery to try to prevent issues, and we send home wormers and anti-protozoal meds as ordered by our supervising veterinary doctor.  Wellness exams for warranty purposes can be done Monday-Friday by our vet prior to you picking up a puppy, or you can  take your puppy to your vet (or a weekend vet) for immediate evaluation.  If a problem is found at the initial veterinaty exam that may result in an expensive vet bill, you may choose to return the puppy to us and exchange it for another puppy rather than pay the vet to correct the problem. We do not pay vet bills. We offer exchange for another puppy only, no cash refunds. Although we plan to be here and advise you with any puppy issue indefinitely, our warranty does not cover size (because puppies can sometimes inherit size genetics from ancestors), paying your vet bills, cash refunds, DNA test results (because test results often disagree unless puppies come from the same marker group as the test), fitness for a specific purpose, normal parasites, and other stress related or environmental things that can happen to the puppy between the initial vet exam and the 6 month genetic evaluation exam because these things are not our fault.  Any puppy that fails an initial exam (because an untreatable pre-existing issue was found) must be returned to us on the day of purchase and in the same condition as when you picked it up or this voids any warranty claim. Similar replacement puppies will be provided if your puppy fails an initial health exam or genetic defects evaluation when available.  Failure to abide by this warranty agreement means that you accept the initial health of this puppy as is, no exceptions.  Our warranty also covers puppy replacement should your puppy get a virus that is our fault. The incubation period for parvovirus is 7 days. If your puppy should get a virus within the first week, simply return the puppy for a puppy replacement if you want to avoid a vet bill. Please call if questions regarding this part of our warranty. This warranty supercedes all other warranties offered by Healthypups, and any actions against us must be heard in Wilkes County, NC. A written detailed warranty is provided with each puppy we sell.

We will give you a small bag of puppy food that your puppy is eating when you receive your puppy! We suggest that they stay on an unlimited constant supply of that food at least for a few weeks, so it does not disrupt their bowel movements and create sickness in the puppy. Do not use plant based pet foods and doggie treats because this is not the healthy and natural food for dogs, and we have seen an increase in health problems in dogs consuming some of these products.

Puppies sometimes get car sick (motion sickness) and may vomit on the way home. They can also inhale fluids from car sickness vomiting and cause respiratory issues.  Tiny puppies can inhale fluids from motion sickness and have pneumonia in 24 hours. 

A piece of his own puppy food makes a good training treat for a puppy. Tiny bites of raw meat may help your dog stay healthier over time.  *Your puppy, especially if an older puppy, may be afraid for several days after going home to a new environment. For continued health and survival, you should leave your puppy alone in a private place with his food and water 70% of the time so he won’t be afraid to eat/drink while adapting to his new environment. Young puppies can slowly get sick and shut down or die if not allowed constant access to food and water. *A wire cage with a matching wire floor grid is very helpful in house training your pet.  My own personal favorite cage for the money is the Midwest model 1636.  It should be ordered with matching floor grid 06F. You can order the cage at www.chewey.com. A wire floor grid is important, because it allows waste to fall through to the catch tray and helps keep your pet cleaner since he doesn’t have to walk or lie in his own waste.  Instructions for crate training are available on the Midwest Pet Homes website, www.midwesthomes4pets.com.  *It is my opinion that many pets become confused and urinate on the rug later after being taught to urinate on newspaper or floor pads. It is also my opinion that CRATE TRAINING is the best way to house train your pet. *It is very important to choose safe toys for your pet.  Fuzzy toys or rope toys that produce trash/lint/fiber can cause your dog to cough and produce unnecessary vet visits and improper diagnoses of “kennel cough” or “genetic defects of the esophagus” in short nosed breeds. A Nylabone is a safe choice. Human baby shampoo is less likely to irritate puppy skin and coat than many of the products made for use in pets.  A 1ml dosage of malt syrup is a good way to revive an over stressed pup that has passed out from sugar drop. *Your puppy may need additional vaccines beginning at 2-3 weeks from the date last vaccine was given as indicated on the vaccine record sheet.  Some veterinary doctors want to discredit vaccines given by breeders so they can profit from giving them all over again.  If your vet refuses to honor vaccines we have already given the pet or is not pleased that we have sent the medications with you that the pet was being given prior to sale, you should question whether your vet cares more about your pet or more about your money.  There can be several hundred dollars difference in cost for a specific procedure from one DVM to another.  It is your responsibility to choose experienced veterinary care that deals fairly. *I am not a licensed veterinary person, but I am an excellent problem solver.  I have saved the lives of many puppies after improper incurable diagnoses in the past.  You are welcome to call me if I can offer suggestions regarding any puppy problem.

Irvin Blackburn, Nursery Manager
3707 White Plains Road, Roaring River, NC 28669
336 927-3314