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Pictured Here: Siberian Husky Pups Greeting Visitors at Counts Cove Kennels from their oversized Indoor/Outdoor Runs
Get to Know Your Breeder. Ask Questions!
If you don't feel comfortable with the person you are dealing with, there is probably a good reason! Go with your gut feel. Is the breeder being forthright in their answers to you or do they seem annoyed at the intrusion? Do they feel like they are doing you a favor by selling a pup to you or do they realize that without you they don't have a reason to be in business? Check out the pedigree and avoid any pup that has been inbred or line bred excessively.
Line breeding is done quite a bit in your pure bred lines, however we don't feel we know enough about genetics to even attempt venturing into this area. Sure you can see the outward results, the pups may be beautiful, but what's happening to their insides, their brain and other internal organs, bone structure and joints. We take pride in the fact that you can go back 5 generations on our dogs with no duplicates in the line.
Buy from a Breeder, avoid the Pet Stores. All you have to do is look at the cramped quarters and conditions in which Pet Stores house their pups and to wonder how long they have been there under those circumstances, to know that the well-being of the pup is not being taken into consideration.
Pet stores buy from whoever will sell to them, they are not concerned with the lineage or conditions under which they were bred, nor do they guarantee their pups for any extended period of time. They are in business to make as much money as possible the quickest possible way. They have little or no interest in breeding or selling quality dogs.
After you figure out what type of dog you want, you can use any number of sources to find a breeder. Visit the breeder and look at dogs they are using for breeding, see the quality of pups they are producing and determine whether you want a dog of similar quality. Most breeders will have an idea of future breedings and often will strive for a particular coloration and temperament. Good breeders will be more than happy to spend time with you answering questions you may have. They are equally concerned that their animals are going to good homes and that the home environment will provide the puppy with content and happy surroundings.
There are numerous books and persons of authority on the subject of selecting the right pup. Often they are contradictory and cause more confusion than constructive advice.
We feel the best and easiest way to select a puppy is to spend a little time with the litter. See how each puppy acts. Decide whether you want an "Alpha" dog with high drive or you just want a good family pet. Some may tell you to just see which dog comes to you first when you call out to them. This may not always be such a good idea because the most aggressive dog, the leader of the pack, is most likely to be the one first at your feet. That's fine if you're looking for an "Alpha" dog with high drive and more aggresive. The best family dogs are the ones that hang back some and are a little slower to make your acquaintance.
Also keep in mind, once you are out of the pups familiar surroundings and kennel environment, they will tend to bond more quickly with you.
Handling Your Pup!
Pups need to be at least 4 weeks of age and have had their first shot before they can be handled by any visitors.
Although we try to accommodate all of our customers, we ask that you be considerate of our time so that we can tend to our puppies adequately. Please refrain from asking questions when we are innoculating pups or administering medicine. It is easy to lose track of who has had what if we do not concentrate on what is at hand. We are happy to answer questions at any other time.
Our weekend activities are pretty hectic and start immediately when we get up at 5am and do not finish until dark. For this reason, it is necessary for us to continue working during your visit to our kennels in order to accomplish all that we must do in the time alloted.
You are welcome to hold the pups while we have them in the house during our batheing routine, but it is imperative that the pups be returned to their mothers once this process has been completed.
Please follow these rules while handling our pups!
- Do NOT set any pup on the ground at any time unless directed to do so by Counts Cove Kennels personnel. The threat of canine disease is a very deadly one and all precautions must be taken to avoid infecting the pups!
- Always keep the pup or pups on your lap while indoors, as these pups are not housebroken yet and will eliminate freely when they are not on your lap.
- No children under the age of 18 are allowed to carry any puppies. Children must be seated before they can hold a puppy and they must be under direct supervision of their parents. If we do not feel there is adequate supervision of any child, we will ask that the child not hold any pups.
- Please maintain a calm, quiet demeanor around the pups so as not to create an atmosphere of fear. These are babies and this is the basis of their socialization process that will forever shape the dog that they will become. If children are too noisy and exciteable, we will have to ask you to remove the children from the kennel area.
- There is no visitation allowed after dark. We do have neighbors and it is unfair to disrupt their evenings with the noise of our dogs.
Here is a list of some of our weekend activities:
- We bathe every pup that is 12 weeks or younger.
- Clip every pups nails.
- Deworm all pups that are 3-7 weeks of age.
- Remove dewclaws on all pups that are 3-5 days of age if applicable.
- Innoculate all 4 week old pups with CpV Parvovirus.
- Innoculate all 6 week old pups with Progard 5 Parainfluenza, Parvovirus, Distemper and Hepatitus.
- Photograph each puppy that is 3-7 weeks of age for our website.
- Reformat each photograph for viewing on our website.
- Upload all photographs to our website.
- Microchip all pups prior to departure.
- Prepare Pups for Release as applicable.
Our kennels are cleaned on a daily basis and on those days where we do not have help, we are the help!
Our dogs love people, and will greet you with boisterous barking, howling, jumping, dancing and any other activity they can think of for the first 10-15 minutes of your arrival. Please note how quiet they are prior to catching you in their line of sight. Generally the roosters next door make more noise than our dogs, except when there are new visitors on the premises! :)
IMPORTANT! We ask that you NOT visit any other kennels or handle any other pups prior to your visit to our kennel due to the risk of canine disease that is passed on through contact! Please abide by this for the safety of our pups! There are several canine diseases that are deadly to pups that are not fully innoculated which happens between 12-14 weeks of age.
Selecting Your Pup!
Once the selection process begins, we will contact you via email in the order in which we have received your deposit. We will ask you to make your selection quickly so that the others behind you on the list will then have their opportunity for selection. Please be considerate of those behind you in line! We need to ask that you make your selection within 2 days of notification to ensure your place in line.
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