Bunch of questions

[Chip's Mom]

The breeder where I got Chip from resides about 7 hours from our home. We drove to the location and got a chance to see her home, the puppy area and see Chip's mom and Dad, etc. By the way, I was very impressed with the cleanliness, etc. But I also had to travel back home with this pup. As he had never traveled before, the hardest thing to overcome was where Chip would potty. He had a crate and we stopped several times. However, he would not go on the grass or in his crate. I sat in the back with him and let him wander around some to get exercise. The solution for us was to line the rear window area with puppy pads and he eventually used that area. That is not a good solution for everyone, especially if you are driving and the puppy has to stay kenneled but it worked for us and was better then him traveling via air or whatever to our home. He did eat and drink fine during the trip home but we stopped many times. We were also very careful where we stopped to let him wander a little in the grass. He had never been on grass before so that created another problem.

[Michael Romanos]

On reading Chip's Mom 'graphic' description of taking her newly acquired pup home by vehicle, I rest my case as far as air travel is concerned.

It would have been little more than half an hour' flight by plane for the pup instead of an all-day, nerve wracking slog in a car (seven hours driving plus numerous stops).

[glencorgi]

At what age did you bring Chip home?

Debbie

[Chip's Mom]

I brought Chip home when he was almost 8 weeks old - lacking a couple of days. - Please don't think I am knocking flying - my reasoning to travel to pick him up was I have heard so many horror stories on puppy mills, etc. I wanted to see Chip's environment for myself and also see his parents. It wasn't a bad trip for us or Chip. Just sometimes when you are traveling with a little puppy you have to improvise and that isn't easy to do if you are traveling by yourself.

[glencorgi]

I wondered about age as I found it curious a puppy old enough to go to its new home had not been exposed to grass yet. Many breeders use what is called the Rules of Seven.

"By the time a puppy is 7 weeks old (end of seven weeks) it should have:

1) BEEN ON 7 different surfaces:
Carpet Concrete Wood Vinyl Grass Dirt Gravel Wood Chips Newspaper Etc.

2) PLAYED WITH 7 different types of objects:
Big Balls Small Balls Soft Fabric Toys Fuzzy Balls Squeaky Toys Metal Items Wooden Items Paper/Cardboard Items Milk/Soda Jugs Etc.

3) BEEN IN 7 different locations:
Front Yard Back Yard Basement Kitchen Car Garage Laundry Room Bathroom Crate Kennel Etc.

4) BEEN EXPOSED to 7 challenges:
Climbed a box Climbed off a box Go thru a tunnel Climbed up steps Climbed down steps Climbed over obstacles Played hide & seek Go in & out doorway with a step Etc.

5) EATEN FROM 7 different containers:
Metal Plastic Cardboard Paper China Pie Plate Frying pan Etc.

6) EATEN IN 7 different locations:
Crate Yard Kitchen Basement Laundry room Bathroom X-pen Etc.

7) MET AND PLAYED WITH 7 new people: including children & the elderly"

One reason they follow these is to have a puppy exposed to as many things as possible which make rides to the new home and other transitions go much smoother.

Flying a puppy is a personal decision and one of individual comfort. I have made the same length of a round trip you did to pick up a puppy before. Although this Cardigan baby was about a month older and had been socialized to a wide variety of things. He slept most of the way, potty breaks were not a problem and he was a content little traveler. I've made a three day round trip to pick up a puppy as well. In both cases, visiting with the breeders was more of an educational and mentoring time so there were ulterior motives involved in the trips and I wasn't by myself on either of them. Again the second puppy was a bit older than Chip and a happy traveler.

There are a wide variety of ways breeders do things, so please don't take this as a slight to Chip's breeder. It isn't intended as that at all. On another list there was someone who did fly in their puppy at about Chip's age and it wouldn't eat from a bowl. When the owner's questions were finally answered, it was discovered that he had been free fed either out of a paper container (like a french fry tray) or on the floor of the kennel so the puppy had no frame of reference for a bowl.
However the more conscientious breeders do try to expose puppies to as many things as possible, often begin crate/housetraining, leash training, etc. All these things help to make a puppy more confident, take to transitions and adjustments more easily and give new owners a head start in enjoying their puppies.

Debbie

[Chip's Mom]

Thanks for the info. This is the first purebred puppy I have gotten so I am learning as I go. We are hoping for a second one when Chip is about 1 year old. We are very satisfied with Chip so may go back for a little sister. Chip does have an overbite which isn't good but I am so glad that I got him as I would never dream of sending him back. He will always have the best home. Next time though I will look before I buy.

[glencorgi]

I think we've chatted about the overbite before. Not good, but not quality of life threatening and often they give a look of "character" to a puppy/adult.
Chip definitely has it great. IF you do decide to go back to Chip's breeder for a little sister, then maybe you can ask her to incorporate some of the "Rules of Seven" suggestions with "lil sis" before you make the ride home with her. Be a lot less stressful on both you and baby girl. And breeders often will work with homes (especially a repeat buyer) to help things go easier.

Debbie

[Chip's Mom]

That is definitely a good idea. I may do that. She did tell me that she normally doesn't let her puppies go quite that young. However, after talking with me, she thought he would be fine. I had told her about losing Digger and the medical problems we had with him, etc. Also, how he was cared for and the traveling he had done. I was nervous so I rambled on - I wasn't sure if it was a good idea to get a new puppy so soon after losing Digger but it was the right choice. Sorry if I am rambling again - I am having one of those days where I just miss him real bad. Thank you for your nice comments.

[corgimom]

Glencorgi

That would sure be great if we could get a puppy exposed to all those
surfaces in the beginning. We got our puppy in the middle of winter, so all he was exposed to was snow on the ground. When it finally melted, he had never seen grass and was hesitant to go on it. When I would take him out in the backyard he would still go to the little piles of snow around the yard to
do his duties; of course, all is fine now.

Corgimom