What to Expect
Upon arriving please go past the main residence to the back of the property you will see a large stone building that is our kennel if we are not outside with our pups please just come on in. We schedule by appointment Monday through Saturday this allows our clients to spend time playing and getting to know their new potential family member and allows our staff to answer questions. We are closed for sales on Sunday.
We do accept all debit and credit cards with a 2.5% processing fee, please no checks.
Recommended Food and Supplies
Please click on recommended products to be taken directly to Amazon.
The Sporn Halter harness is excellent for training your new puppy how to walk on the leash properly by gently pulling their chest when they try to go to fast.
Pet Head grooming spray is a wonderful way to freshen them up in between grooming appointments.
Diamond puppy was specifically designed for pregnant and nursing moms and their babies. Family owned since 1970 made in the USA
Pet safe nail grinder is definitely the way to go for non experienced nail trimmers it gives a lot of peace of mind to know you will not cut them.
Love the Gorilla grip bowls keeps the bowls from sliding and a lot less likely to get knocked over.
If you are going to pad train this is the way to go. Lots of great feed back from happy customers in condo’s and even some who like it in their garage for our harsh winters.
Purina moist & meaty its total junk food but they love it and we only use it as treats so they love it let them enjoy it.
We use all these products and can always be emailed and Facebooked questions on the products and supplies we use.
Crate Training Tips
Remember to customize this to you and your family and if you don’t believe in the method and let the method work, it won’t.
The pup will spend a lot of time in the crate for the first 6-8 weeks after going to your home. The theory behind crate training is that dogs do not want to lay in their own waste. There is always the exception to the rule, but for the most part this is accurate. If you are not watching every single move they are making, they are not outside or in your lap; they belong in their crate. This is not a punishment, they come to love their crate and think of it as their safe place and home. We also do a lot of training inside of crates sit, lay, shake and STAY is a big one.
Crate sizing is important. Too big and they will think it is ok to poop in a corner and lay on the other side. The crate should be big enough for the pup to stand up and turn around. It’s also good to make them lay or be near there mistake you do not need to rush to clean up give them the opportunity to learn from the mistake.
Example of how a day should go:
Sleeps in crate all night. Carry pup to potty spot, do not let them walk. After he/she goes potty, bring in and serve breakfast. After he/she eats, right back into the crate or do some training playing if time allows. About 20-30 minutes, take to potty spot, doesn't go potty, right back in the crate. (if he/she goes potty and you need to go to work or cannot supervise the pup, right back in the crate is ok too) Repeat for three meals and give a night time bathroom trip same time you go to bed. Remember if you rescue them at night you train them to use the bathroom at that time. I recommend ignoring morning mistakes their bladders will grow big enough to hold it all night. They will learn your schedule.
Basically, the pup cannot come out for supervised play until you see them potty. Again, the pup should be in your lap, be in the potty spot, or you are watching every move they make or they are in their crate. These are the only options until potty trained. If you are consistent, you can have the pup trained in approximately 30 days. Consistency, repetition, trust, patience, affection, redirection and most important love are all the training tools you need. If you want to step up your training, I like to do reward training in their crate’s when we go for nap time sit, stay, lay and come can be trained using your crate and makes traveling with them and vet visits way smoother.
Recommended trainers
Monica with @thefinecanine 847-345-3119. She is one of the best in the industry and offers Board and trains and can even meet you at our kennel to assist your family in choosing the perfect Furpanion or service animal. Multiple training programs and options available from basic obedience to service certification to acting. The Fine Canine - Unleash Your Dog's Potential! Chicagoland and Suburbs
Jay with Jaybirddogtraining.com 815-757-2692 From your home his home or the field he can handle it. He offers classes Board and trains and gun hunt training. Prices are posted on his website much respect for that. Local for our Dekalb clients available to all.
Woody with Mindful Training 847-477-6559. Woody can provide your family with multiple options from meeting at your home or local dog parks to give you and your family some every day training tips or going to his training facility to complete certifications. Chicago Northwest suburbs or contact Woody for private options. Chicagoland and Suburbs
Crates
We keep in inventory two sizes of crates for your convenience. Ours have an advantage of those you can buy in the pet store. The bottom is grated with a tray underneath. Now, the theory is they won't go potty in the crate, however, if they do . . . the pup doesn't have the opportunity to roll in it and get dirty. The crates you can buy in the store only have trays on the bottom and if there is an accident, you will definitely have a mess. Prices are about the same as the pet store. Pro tip put the bed by the front door just in case they potty they won’t have to walk through it to get out.
We have a 24" x 30" available for $73.00. A smaller one that is about 12" x 18" for $56.00 . Great for gift giving!
We mention the above as so many people tell me that they stop on the way to our kennel to pick up a crate and say they wish they knew that we offered them.
Questions and answers continued
What type of food do you feed your dogs? We feed multiple kinds. We recommend and feed Diamond Puppy, Victor Hi Pro, Purina Pro Plan Focus Chicken and Rice, Diamond Naturals and Royal Canine. Just like with people food, check the ingredients. If the first five are good you should be good.
May I see/visit where the puppies are raised? No. We do practice strict Farm Biosecurity. You may believe you are clean, but it is not worth the risk to our babies. You can see some of our moms and their Babies through glass but you will not be permitted to engage with them.
How many litters do you have per year? Moms have one or two if our vet clears them.
What happens to your retired breeding dogs? Most of our parents live in their forever homes and only spend time with us at the kennel as a nursery before weaning and returning home. If they do not already have a forever family we find them one.
How many different breeds do you breed? We do several varieties of poodles and mixes of them. As our Guardian family has grown, we have been able to offer some additional options.
What is the average lifespan of the dogs? We expect most of them to live 12-15 years.
At what age can the puppy go to its new home? Every litter is different but 9-10 weeks is common.
What immunization protocol do you follow for your breeding dogs and your puppies? We follow A-Z immunization plan with dewormer and parasitic controls. We recommend doing follow up with your veterinarian.
Do the puppies have any type of socialization prior to being sent to their new home? Yes, our puppies are handled from day one and socialized throughout their early life.
Do the puppies have any type of training prior to being sent to their new home? We do not consider ourselves trainers no, but we are happy to refer you to qualified trainers.
Are you affiliated with any breeder associations? Why or why not? We do breed AKC and CKC however we do not offer breeding rights to our dogs or papers. We like research and both clubs offer lots of continued education resources.
Are there any common health problems associated with this breed? All breeds can have health issues. All puppies and parents are vet checked. Parents of puppies and many of the grandparents and great grandparents are still living healthy, happy lives as seniors as we continue to maintain their lines for our future generations.
Pet insurance recommendations: We do not recommend pet insurance. We believe we have bred a very healthy high-quality puppy and we do not carry any pet insurance on their parents. We also back up their genetics with our health warranty against defects.
We have recently partnered with vettedpethealth.com as we share similar wellness mission. We are big fans of health, wellness, and prevention. We strongly believe in exercising your dogs mental and physical needs as well as feeding them a diverse well balanced diet.
What grooming does this breed require? Most of our breeds will require regular brushing every few days and grooming every 4-6 weeks.
What type of exercise does this breed require? For our toy’s we recommend a few short brisk walks and some time playing ball or tug of war. For our standards we recommend two substantial walks or runs and intermediate play through the day. The more intelligence they have the more interaction is needed to meet their mental needs. Mind, Body, Soul
Do you have references? Facebook and Google are great if you were not personally referred to us. We do not solicit our families for reviews and we do not share their information. Please ask your local groomers, vets and trainers.
What guarantees do you offer with your puppies? One year congenital and/or hereditary defect.
Do you require spay/neuter contracts on your pet quality puppies? Yes, we have a full spay/neuter clause. We do not allow breeding of our offspring.