Sophie is home!!!

Ms. White (Sophie) is now home in Las Vegas 😊

Puppy pictures

WOW....you guys are amazing!! Thank you all so much for all the pictures. I love getting updates and pictures of these sweet pups. Here are just a few of the pictures:

Hey Guys!

I forgot to mention that your puppy is eating 1/2 cup of puppy food 3 times a day.

Also I know most of you already have this information but wanted to share for those who do not.

WEEK 7 VIDEO IS POSTED....scroll down

Getting your puppy ready for their new home

Your puppy will be joining you and your family soon…how exciting!!! However, the first couple of days in their new home can be stressful for your new puppy. Remember this is the first time they have been away from their mother, littermates and their first human family. This is also a new time for you so we have come up with a list of do’s and don’ts to hopefully make this transition as smooth as possible.

1.      Puppy Proof Your Home:

This is VERY important. There are many things that your new puppy can get into that are harmful for them. You will want to puppy proof your home just as you would for a baby. For example, there does not need to be any cords that your puppy can get to…they will chew on them! There are chew repellent sprays that you can use to spray furniture legs to keep your teething puppy from chewing them. The best option is to have a safe environment that you puppy can play in without you having to be right there….there are many different size playpen options that will work.

2.      Bringing your puppy to meet their new family:

Remember this is all new to your puppy…make this a calm time. Let them explore and get use to everything. All puppies are different…some may run around exploring and some may just freeze because they are overwhelmed. Either way it is perfectly normal and doesn’t define “what your puppy will always be like”.

If you have another pet put them away right now. Once your puppy is comfortable in the new area you can introduce other pets. Also, if you have small children try to let you puppy get use to everything before bringing them around the puppy….kids excitement can scare your puppy at first. The calmer this initial introduction is the easier it will be for your pup. Also, remember your puppy will need to sleep after a long day with a lot of change so allow them to do so.

3.      Setting a routine for your new puppy:

Puppies are like children…they need a routine. We will send you a copy of the routine they are on when they are with us. You are more than welcome to change it up (gradually) to better fit your lifestyle. Just remember at 8 weeks they are still babies and need to go potty frequently. They will need scheduled eating, play, potty and rest times. You will be able to lengthen the time between potty breaks as they get older. When you take your puppy out to the bathroom make sure you take them to a spot you always want them to use. While it may be easier to let them use the bathroom right by the back door in the middle of the night just remember you do not want your full grown dog always going potty right by the back door! Also, potty time is always serious business….this is not a time to play. Just repeat the command you use (ex. “go potty”) until they do….once they do give them light praise and then back inside or to their play area.

4.      The first night:

Oh the joys of the first night! Your puppy WILL cry. You WILL believe this may never end. I promise you it will and they will survive. Remember this is their first night away from the world as they know it. We will send home a blanket with their littermates and mom’s scent…use it! This will bring some comfort to them. We have also found it helps to have a stuffed animal in there for them to cuddle up to (this is how they sleep with their littermates). Even though your puppy is crying do not let them out of the crate or pay them any attention. You do not want your puppy to associate that the more noise they make the more likely they are to get out of the cage! Stick to your routine and only let them out when it’s time for them to go potty. I promise as the days go by if you stick to your routine the puppy crying will end.

5.      Food:

We feed our puppies Blue Buffalo Large Breed Puppy food (the bag is orange pictured below). They will be eating 1/2 cup food 3 times a day. The number one question I get is how much should I feed my puppy? Each puppy is different and it depends on the amount of exercise they are getting. I recommend following the guidelines on the food label and adjusting as need be. Your puppy is going to grow quickly and will need a lot of calories. However, you do not want an overweight dog! You should be able to see a defined waist on your dog but you should not be able to see their ribs. Use this as a guideline throughout your pups life as to when to increase or decrease the amount of food your dog is getting. We recommend feeding your puppy 3 times a day until they are about 7-8 months old…then switch to twice a day.

6.      Training:

I cannot stress enough how important it is to start training your puppy as soon as you get them. There is a book called “The Perfect Puppy” by Gwen Bailey (It can be found on Amazon). I recommend reading this before your puppy joins you. It gives a lot of great advice on raising a well behaved dog! We use clicker training as well as a pinch collar for our puppies. There are many different training methods but if you are interested in this way then I will be more than happy to help you with it.

Just remember do not let your puppy get away with a behavior if it is something you would not want a full grown dog to do. For example it may be cute that your puppy jumps up on your leg for you to pet them but they will quickly be 70 + pounds and it will not be nearly as cute! Same goes for allowing them to play bite…this is a big no no and should be corrected immediately.

7.      Supplies:

Here are a list of supplies we recommend having for your new puppy

a.      Leash and Collar. Your puppy will need a collar that can be adjusted easily. The collar should fit snuggly so it won’t slip off but not too tight; you should be able to fit two fingers between the collar and the pup’s neck. Make sure to check this frequently because your puppy will be growing quickly. Most of our puppies are wearing 8-11 inch collars before they leave at 8 weeks and they are usually as loose as they can go. A leash is needed for walks, potty break and training. I would recommend a short leash in the beginning so you are in control during the training process….you do not want a dog that is going to pull you around the neighborhood- you want one that will walk by your side.

b.      Crate and playpen. We are big on crate training and playpens not only because it keeps your puppy safe when you are unable to watch them but it also helps with the potty training process. For those of you whose puppy is flying you can use the crate they arrive in for a while. It is the perfect size for when they are little. For everyone else I would recommend purchasing a 42” crate. These crates will be too big for your puppy at first so make sure you use a divider to section the place off where your new puppy will sleep. You do not want them to have the whole crate because dogs do not like to go potty where they sleep….if they have the option to go to the other end of the crate to potty then come back to sleep that makes the potty training process a lot harder. Make sure your puppy is able to stand up, lie down, turn around and stretch inside the crate.

c.       Food and Water bowls. There are many different types of doggy dishes to choose from. I would recommend using a stainless steel bowl because they are easy to clean and sanitize (unlike plastic bowls which can easily get scratched and hold bacteria and residue in these areas). They also cannot be chewed up by a new teething puppy.

d.      Grooming. We use baby shampoo on all of our puppies and adult dogs. You will also need a brush, nail clippers (make sure to only cut the hook of the nail off. If you are uncertain have your vet show you the proper way) and tooth brush. Start a regular grooming routine as soon as your puppy joins you- this will make the process a lot easier when they are adults.

e.      Toys. Puppies love toys. We recommend strong durable, well-made toys (like kong toys) that are sized appropriately for your dog. Cheaper is not always better- you do not want a toy that your dog can easily take apart and swallow small pieces. Rope toys are also good as they help floss teeth while the puppy plays. Also make sure to get fetching toys such as tennis balls.

f.        Cleaning Supplies. Your puppy is going to have accidents inside. You will need to use an odor neutralizing cleaning supply that removes all traces of urine and pet stains to keep your puppy from repeatedly using the same spot.

Week 7 Video

WOW I cannot believe these pups are 7 weeks old...to say I'm exhausted would be an understatement but knowing that each of these guys and gals will bring so much joy to their new owners makes it all worth it.

All puppies have had their 6 week shots. They will need shots again at 9 weeks, 12 weeks and 16 weeks old. You will have a vet record in your folder (take this with you to the vet...it shows them everything they have had).

Reminder: your puppy is not protected until they have their shots....no doggy parks!!!

Here is a picture of the food we feed:

Now for our final weekly video....hope you enjoy :)

Week 6 Video

Hey Everybody,

Here are our week 6 videos. I decided to do 2 videos (one for girls and one for boys) since this is an important week. 

Hope you all like my new boots 😂

Let the picking process begin :)

Girls Video:

Boys Video:

Puppy Training Book

Hey Everybody,

Can you believe these pups are almost 6 weeks old and picking process is about to begin?!?

Time if flying by!! Everyone is doing great...we will go this week for our 6 week shots and microchip. All of this information will be in your puppy folder. Your puppy will be ready for the 2nd round of shots when they are 9 weeks old...make sure to take the puppy health records pamphlet to your vet so they will know everything they have already received. 

One thing that I cannot stress enough is having a training method in place for when your puppy arrives. There are many different ways to train your puppy....just make sure you chose one and put in the time...I promise it will pay off!!! These little guys and gals are eager to learn.

Here is a book I like to share with all of our new puppy owners. It gives a lot of good information on do's and don'ts with your new pup. You can find it on Amazon. 

If you have any questions just let me know...I'll be more than happy to help :)

More about the picking process:

So here is how our picking process works...we will start with our 1st pick male and 1st pick female after we post our week 6 video. Once they have chosen their puppy we will continue to work our way down the list. If there are any additional pictures, videos or information you want about any puppies feel free to ask and I'll send that over to you. I will keep you all posted on which puppies have been chosen. 

Also a reminder that your puppy balance is due this week. You pay with a check. Please make check payable to Alyson Stuart.

Mail to:

Alyson Stuart

PO Box 60

Troy, AL 36081

Week 5 Video

Hey Everybody,

Here is our week 5 video :)

All the pups and mom are doing great!! We will start our picking process after next weeks video.

Just a reminder that the remaining balance is due by the time the puppies are 6 weeks old.

Here is the payment information (please feel free to contact me if you have any questions)

Make checks payable to: Alyson Stuart

Mail to:

Alyson Stuart

 PO Box 60

Troy, AL 36081

Hope you enjoy the video :)