What makes The Family Puppy different?

There are only four (4) sources you can get a puppy:

• Shelters/Rescues
• Show Breeders
• Casual/ Backyard Breeders
• Pet Stores partnering with Professional Breeders

All four have good points. We believe the public should have the right to choose. Even though we suggest and have a 10' banner in every location that says, "Have you visited your local animal shelter first?" we believe just as not every family wants a Show dog, not every family can rehabilitate a shelter dog, that's why more than 50% of adopted dogs come back to the shelters. The other reality is that the statistics given about shelter dogs do not tell how many of the dogs are euthanized because of age, sickness, or vicious animals that would be public health hazards if returned to the community. We believe there are not enough desired dogs in shelters and the statistics prove that shelters are much lower than they were 5 years ago (see these stats at http://www.naiashelterproject.org/resources.cfm)

Pet store puppies are not the problem in our shelters. Pet stores only account for 8% of the dogs sold in the U.S. If we are only selling 8% and the other 3 sources are providing the other 92%, how can the animal rights groups say that pet store puppies are the problem? All our puppies are microchipped and can be traced back to our store!

We offer today's busy family a great resource and screening of breeds, breeders both in the area of health and behavior. Even though we could sell a lot more dogs, we only sell "Family Friendly" breeds that have proven to be great options for our customers.

YOU COMPARE, THIS IS WHAT YOU GET WITH OUR PUPPIES

You can read for yourself what we offer and then you can make an informed decision as to where you should get your new puppy from.

Here are the benefits we offer:

FAMILY FRIENDLY BREEDS

Our years or experience has taught us that not all families can handle certain breeds. We have carefully chosen breeds that historically have been great choices for today's busy families. Even though breeds like Chows with their "cat-like stubbornness" and Akitas known as "Silent Hunters" can be a good pet if trained extensively, we believe most families cannot or will not be disciplined to provide the needed leadership to be successful. We also do not sell breeds such as Jack Russels or Border Clollies, breeds that were bred for "ratting" or "Herding" that require excessive exercise. All these breeds were bred for a purpose; to guard, hunt or heard, characteristics that are not needed in a typical home and if not used will end up forming a frustrated dog and therefore an unwanted dog as a family pet. This is why dogs are rehomed and generally end up in a shelter or rescue. We also do not sell many breeds that are known for disproportionate health issues such as Shar Peis and their skin problems or Dalmatians that are prone to deafness. Because we believe crate training is the best way to handle a dog, we also do not sell breeds that do not crate well such as Weimaraners. These are just a few examples, we could sell many more dogs but through many years of experience with over 30,000 families we have decided to forgo these sales and focus on breeds that can be successful in our clients' homes forever! We have carefully selected breeds and breed characteristics that can flourish as a great family member in a typical home with a typical busy lifestyle. This is the homework that anyone looking for a new puppy should do and we have done for you. This screening is a huge benefit for you. You can rest assured that there is a better chance of a lifelong pet because of our screening! I don't know that the other three sources can say the same!

PUREBRED AND CROSSBRED

There is a lot of talk about "Designer Dogs", here is our position and how we are using breeding of crossbred dogs for your benefit. Most all our breeders have purebred AKC registered parent dogs. Our breeders breed only Purebred dogs or, what we have called, "1st Generation Crossbreeds", example PUGGLE - A purebred Pug crossed with a Purebred Beagle. With only two breeds in the cross we can reasonably determine the outcome of the cross breeding and to be able to help you understand the dog's needs and personality. This is a big plus for your family as we help you choose a breed that is right for you and your lifestyle! If you were to consider a mix breed that has more than two breeds or unknown breeds as parents, you cannot assess if this dog's character will match your family's needs. This is also a great benefit for you as we help you narrow the search for your next family member!

AKC REGISTRATION OR AKC CANINE PARTNERS DECREE

As stated above most all our breeders have AKC parent dogs and are inspected by the American Kennel Club. Our stores are also approved and inspected by AKC. We only sell purebred or 1st Generation Crossbred puppies. We are now registering all our puppies with AKC at the time of sale, all you have to do is go on-line and add your puppy's name. We also offer AKC's complementary Pet Healthcare Plan, http://www.akcpethealthcare.com/plans
/trial_plan.aspx a year's subscription to "Family Dog" AKC's magazine http://www.akc.org/pubs/familydog/. Our puppies are either registered with AKC as a registered purebred http://www.akc.org/reg/certificate.cfm or with AKC's Canine Partners as a mixed breed http://www.akc.org/pdfs/mixedBreed/GDM005.pdf Now all our puppies can be entered into AKC events such as AGILITY, RALLEY and (Only AKC registered purebred pups can enter conformation shows). Read more about AKC events here: http://www.akc.org/pdfs/events/GOCET1.pdf

PERMANENT ID

We micro chip all our puppies, and have since the day we began in 1998. Microchips enable any puppy to be traced back to us, as the one that implanted the chip. As of 2 years ago we began registering the chip for our clients with AKC CAR http://www.akccar.org/about/profile.cfm the largest national, not for profit database registry. This enables shelters or vet clinics to find the lost parents very quickly, 24/7. We also enroll you and your puppy in "Lost My Pet" recovery. Take a look at: http://www.lostmypet.com/benefits.html?id=eY5fKFHm. This is a huge safety feature for you and your new puppy. The other three sources should microchip and register all puppies and dogs as we do. Side Note: If all sources would microchip as we do we could prove where shelter dogs are coming from.

SOCIALIZATION

Our puppies have more socialization than any other source. Socialization is key to a dog being a great forever family pet! Dr Ian Dunbar, APDT founder, suggests that a puppy should meet and greet 100 different people or animals before they are 12 weeks old. Read more of what he says here: http://www.siriuspup.com/pop_fear_people.html. With us socialization starts at our breeders just after birth with "Imprinting" using Bio Sensor Tactile Stimulation to help the puppy accept change as it grows. Our puppies are also introduced to other litters and other parent dogs starting at 4 weeks of age. Once at our store they are introduced to other puppies and customers daily. 100 different meetings is very attainable with our puppies. Behavior is the #1 reason dogs are surrendered to shelters. This socialization we give is why our puppies are NOT found in shelters and why the puppy you get from us will be a great family addition with a great personality! How about the other three sources? How much socialization can happen in a private breeder's home?

VETERINARY CARE

Our puppies are given a physical by a minimum of two different licensed veterinarians as a screening for health issues prior to us accepting them from the breeder. Once in the stores they have a veterinarian visit every week until sold. Vaccinations and wormings are given as they become due (it is your responsibility to continue the vaccinations after purchase). These licensed veterinarians are not owned by The Family Puppy but are there as a service to both us, while the dogs are in the store, and to you after the sale if you choose to use them. Read more on our Health Warranty page.

PROTECTION FOR YOU AND THE PUPPY

We also give 60 days of FREE veterinary care after the sale in case of illness. We offer 30 days of health care coverage for any accidental injury. This screening allows us to ALSO offer our 2 year protection against genetic health defects. We do this to protect our clients and the puppies we sell. See copy of our Warranty below you will find that it is very comprehensive and in most all cases better than you can find at any of the other three sources! Read more on our Health Warranty page.

18 MONTHS OF FREE BEHAVIOR TRAINING

In an effort to help our new puppy owners learn proper techniques in positive reinforcement behavior training, we pay for an online training program designed to equip you with knowledge and answer to any questions you have in the 1st 18 months. Through "My Pet Trainer" we will send you an email every day for the 1st 21 days and then one a week for the balance of the 18 months. These emails have topics we believe you should learn about your new puppy and his/her development. Take a peek here at: http://mypettrainer.com/ If you have questions you can email of even call a behaviorist on staff at My Pet Trainer. We believe this is the very best teaching tool a family can have when getting a new puppy. If you use these services you will be able to raise the best behaved dog and will be the envy of all your friends and family because your dog will sit when you say sit! This service is unequaled anywhere in the country!

HAND PICKED BREEDERS

We are very cautious of the breeders we will partner with. Our breeders are inspected and given oversight by multiple government or industry organizations. Our breeders, depending on the kennel size, are inspected by up to 5 different organizations:

• USDA United States Department of Agriculture (as of May 2009 all inspection reports are available on-line to anyone)
  USDA Inspection Reports
• AKC American Kennel Club
  About AKC
• IBOAH Indiana State Board of Health
  http://www.in.gov/boah/2549.htm
• NIPBA Northern Indiana Pet Breeders Association
• All but a few special order puppies, the owners of The Family Puppy personally visits and inspects every kennel a minimum of twice annually. Breeder Requirements

This is a huge benefit to our client families. These inspections and screening is our way of servicing our clients in a manner that is unattainable with other puppy sources. Our breeders are the only one of the four sources that has this kind of oversight and regulation! The breeders are held to a federal law, the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) that was enacted in 1966 with many updates over the years. AWA governs the humane care, handling, treatment and transportation of dogs in the kennels of breeders that have more than 3 intact female dogs and sell to pet stores. Casual/Backyard and even Show Breeders have no governmental oversight, nor do most shelters and rescues. The only inspections or oversight that any of the other three sources is AKC with Show Breeders! Who's checking on Casual/Backyard Breeders and Shelters and Rescues? Other than local abuse laws in most states there is no law or guidelines/regulations that they are held to like the pet store breeders are! Read more on our Breeder Information page.