Patience
In this world of instant gratification which we now live,
patience is a very rare commodity. It
started decades ago with items such as instant cameras and instant oatmeal, and
today has gotten a lot worse with the age of instant information. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way in
the puppy world. We are continuously
amazed and amused by the people that call, text, or email 2 days before
Christmas in hopes of getting a puppy for their loved one, and expect to have
it in their possession by Christmas Morning!
Same goes for Birthdays, Anniversaries, and any other special occasion
that gifts are given. Even when there
isn’t a special occasion, some will simply make a contact and expect to drive
that evening or weekend to pick out a puppy.
If there is one point to make clear today, it is that puppies are a
process! And a slow one at that. Sure, one could get lucky and call at that
exact time that we have a puppy come available that no one on the waiting list
claims. It happens here and there, but
don’t count on it! A female has only 2
heat cycles per year, and in most cases we skip one of those. Therefore, generally speaking, each breeding
female we have, has only one litter per year.
The gestation of a female is roughly 9 weeks, and then the pups spend
the first 8 weeks of their lives with their mother. A time frame of 4 months passes from the time
a heat cycle starts to when a puppy goes to his/her new home. Additionally, while heat cycles are somewhat
predictable, they tend to surprise.
Sometimes early, and sometimes late.
That brings me to the waiting list.
We receive calls, texts, and emails all year round. After receiving one, the first step is for
them to fill out an application. After
that is completed (and everything is approved), the applicant goes to the
waiting list. This is where patience is
requested and is almost invariably required.
One may be on the waiting list as little as one month, or as long as 6-8
months. (Or longer in some cases) Another issue that is common is specific
wants and needs. Color and gender are
the two that may cause someone to wait longer.
Bottom line…and let me see if I can be as kind and gentle as
possible…While we do our very best to accommodate everyone’s desires, we are
not Walmart. We don’t have puppies
sitting on shelves in all colors and varieties.
You can’t place an order and be back the next day to pick it up. Now, it should be noted that most, if not all
of you reading this do not fall into this category. Most have been very patient with the
process. We commend you for this! We’ve found that those who are willing to be
patient and wait, make the best owners!
Other points:
The pick of the litter…Some people when buying a puppy, have this dream of being able to stop by on the day the pups turn 8 week old, and sit down to play with all of the puppies. From this, they then get to have their pick. Or, in the case of some, they want to “let the puppy choose me”. The reality is this: 1) Only one person gets to have first choice. It is random, and based on the waiting list. 2) Most want to choose their puppy early on, and watch them grow up in pictures. For this reason, selections begin at an early age (1-2 weeks old). Most choices are based entirely on color and gender.
We are growing, but slowly…We are continuously adding to the breeding stock to help accommodate the demand for puppies, as well as replacing our own retired mothers. On this note, here are some things we feel are very important to point out. 1) While we are growing, we will never go beyond what we and our farm can handle. Health, welfare, and happiness of the dogs comes first, and always will. 2) We will never sacrifice quality for quantity. There is a long list of shortcuts we could take to add more puppies and speed up the process. We could literally double our production overnight simply by allowing the mating on EVERY heat cycle. We will NEVER do this! Health, welfare, and quality goes way down in these conditions. 3) We retire our females after 5-6 litters. They could go longer, but again, health, welfare, and quality.
We feel most understand and agree with this, and are willing to be patient.
Think of owning a puppy as being similar to having a
child. When you first become aware of
the fact that you are having a baby, (depending on when you find out) you know
you have 8-9 months to prepare. And that
is exactly what you do. You might read
books, get the nursery ready, pick out a good pediatrician, plan for a
scheduling adjustment, which might even include a leave from work, research day
care and schools, among many other preparations. Shouldn’t a puppy be on somewhat of a
parallel to this? For many, bringing a
puppy in is a brand new experience.
Others may be very experienced Husky owners, while other may have dogs,
but have never owned a Husky. Whatever
the case, there is always some form of preparation.
Here are some thoughts on what to do to while you are
waiting for the pup to arrive:
- Read all you can about the Siberian Husky Breed. Most know the wonderful loving breed that
they are. Make sure you understand the
pitfalls!
- Knowing that Huskies are escape artists, have a plan for any
time spent outside. Fences, Shelters,
etc. all need to be properly planned for.
Ask for guidance in this area if you are new to the breed.
- Research any dog parks that may be in your area. Huskies must have their exercise, and this is
a great way to accomplish this! Prepare
to set aside time to take them regularly.
- If you are not near any dog parks, set aside time for
leashed walks, and know your local dog ordinances.
- If you don’t have one already, do your research to find a
good veterinarian. Much like a child’s
pediatrician, a good vet is a very important in the life of a puppy/dog. Use this time to do your research, ask
around, and find yourself a good vet.
- If all parties work outside the home at the same time, or if there are times throughout the day/week that the puppy may be left alone for more than a couple hours, do your research on either doggie day cares or pet care services. (We know of a good pet care service if you live in the Dayton OH area)
- Finally, make a plan to coordinate times and shifts for the puppy, to house and crate train him/her; as well as the exercise mentioned above. This is more of an agreement between all parties as to who does what , when. This should be thought about ahead of time, and planned for because the need is immediate from the moment the pup comes in to your home.
In : Tech Talk
blog comments powered by Disqus