Frequently Asked Questions | desert-oasis-kennels

Frequently Asked Questions by Puppy Buyers

Please see our Purchasing & Policies page for details about our purchasing procedures

An Example of Our Purchase Agreement With Warranties

What size poodles do you breed?

We have moyen, intervariety and standard poodles available. We do not breed toys or minis at this time.

(click here for more info on sizing, moyen and intervariety)

How much do your puppies cost?

Our prices are not set in stone, but the average is $1950 for standard solid puppies, and $2300 -$2900 for parti, sable, phantom and brown standards, moyen and intervariety. These prices are for AKC limited registration. Full AKC registration (breeding rights) are $1,000 over the limited price.

How much is the deposit?

Our deposit is $500 plus an $18 processing fee which goes to Paypal. You only take a limited number of deposits. In order to make a deposit you click on the Poodles for Sale page, then find the litter. Once you're on the litter page you can see if deposits are accepted. Deposits are non- refundable.

What colors do you breed for?

At the moment we have apricot, solid black and black abstract, solid white, solid cream, solid brown and brown abstract, cream & white partis, brown and white partis, black and white partis, sable, brindle, and phantom.

Do you dock tails & dew claws?

We dock tails, leaving 3/4 of the original length. We remove dew claws as well. This is done when puppies are three days old. So it's normally not possible to request that tails and dewclaws be left intact.

Are puppies microchipped before going home?

No. My vet prefers to do it at 4 months old when the puppies get their rabies shot, since the needle is pretty big. It's also easier if you set it up in your name.

What should I bring when I pick up my puppy?

If you're traveling a short distance, you're probably fine just bringing a friend to hold the puppy. If you're traveling long distance, I'd bring a collar and leash (so you can take the puppy potty) a crate with towels on the bottom, some toys for the puppy to chew on, paper towels, baby wipes and a garbage bag. Sometimes puppies get car sick and you want a way to clean it up.

Do you give the puppies their first shot & worming?

We administer the first 4 in 1 vaccine, Canine Spectra (Parvo, Distemper, Parainfluenza and Adenovirus Type 2) at 7 weeks of age. If we hold on to puppies after 7 weeks, we administer vaccines every 3 weeks after their initial dose. We de-worm with Fenbendazole at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks and 8 weeks.

Are your puppies exposed to cats?

Yes! Generally young puppies will give cats a lot of respect in the beginning. There is no rush in getting your cat and puppy to be best friends right away. We can discuss this further in person.

What is Limited AKC registration?

When puppies are sold with "limited" registration, it means that you will get AKC registration puppy registration papers, and when you register your puppy you will receive a certificate saying you own the dog, and if you pay extra, you will receive an AKC pedigree. The only difference between "full" and "limited" is that if you breed a dog with "limited" registration, the AKC will not register any progeny. Puppies sold with "limited" registration are not to be bred, whether it be to registered dogs, mixed breed dogs or to create "designer" dogs like goldendoodles. You can read about "limited" registration here. If you want to purchase Full AKC registration (breeding rights) you must discuss this with me and pay an additional fee of $1,000 over the price of the dog.

What items do I need to buy before I take my dog home?

Click here for a supply list & a printable version of the FAQ

I'm going out of town soon, can you watch my puppy?

Unfortunately we are not able to board puppies. Even after a few weeks puppies have often forgotten their first home and are startled by all the adults dogs at my house. They also tend to cry at night and keep us up! We just aren't set up to accommodate visiting dogs. Additionally, I have to keep as sterile an environment as possible. If you take a dog off of my property and it picks up a worm, parasite or contagious disease and brings it back here, it puts our new puppies at risk.

Can you hold on to my puppy longer than 8 weeks?

We strongly prefer all puppies are picked up by 8 weeks. We expect you to plan your life around the addition of this new baby. We reserve the right to refuse a sale to anyone who cannot pick up their puppy by 8 weeks. If you ask, and we agree to hold a puppy, you must pay for the puppy in full by 8 weeks of age and once the puppy hits 8.5 weeks we will charge $30 per day for boarding, training, vaccinations, grooming, and food.

What Dog Food is the Puppy Eating?

Puppies are currently eating Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Puppy, which is available at Pet Club, most feed stores, Chewy.com, and Amazon. I will send you home with a baggy of food so that if you wish to switch it you can transition by feeding 75% old food and 25% new food. As you transition through the week continually add more of the new food and less of the old.

How often should I feed my puppy?

I would start with feeding 3 times a day for the first week or so, as they are adjusting to their new home. You can consult your vet and do your own research about how best to feed them. Keep in mind, if you feed your puppy 3 times a day he will probably poop 3 times a day. If you feed your puppy at 10pm you’re going to find a poop in the crate by midnight. Puppies will most likely poop within 30 minutes of eating if they are exercising. After the first week or so of having your puppy you can change the schedule to twice a day.

How much should I feed my puppy? Consult the instructions on the bag of dog food you buy. I personally don’t measure. I just go by feel because I’ve been doing it a long time. I don’t measure MY food, and I don’t measure my kid’s food. I just go by what feels right. A good rule of thumb is see what puppies eat within 15 minutes, remove the rest. If puppies over eat they may get loose stool. If you see loose stool try reducing the amount of food.

What should I do when I get my puppy home?

I recommend that you pick up your puppy in the morning or afternoon that way they have plenty of time to get used to their new home before bed time. When you first arrive home, go straight to the backyard and encourage them to go to the bathroom. Also give them water. The more they run and get exercise, the sooner they'll go pee. Once they go to the bathroom you can play inside for awhile. I would take them out again in half an hour. When they're loose in the house they should be taken out every half an hour or even more often. When the puppy starts to lay down in the house and act tired, put them in the crate and let them go to sleep. They may go right to sleep, they may cry. No matter what, DON'T TAKE THEM OUT OF THE CRATE WHILE THEY'RE CRYING. They will remember this and cry even more!! Every time the dog comes out of the crate he goes straight to the backyard.

Who is Your Dog Trainer?

I recommend Top Dog Training in Gilbert, AZ. Their website is http://www.topdogaz.com/

Who Do You Recommend for Boarding?

In my opinion, the best way to board your dog is to have a friend or relative come to your home and take care of the dogs, this is what I do. The second best option is to have your dog stay at the home of a friend. The third option would be a boarding kennel. Due to the exposure of parasites and viruses, I do not put my dogs in boarding kennels. However, if you absolutely need to board, I'd recommend Master's Kennels in Gilbert http://www.doguniversity.com/ and 4 Paws Pet Resort in Mesa. www.4pawspetresort.

Who is Your Groomer?

I groom my own dogs, but I have used 4 Paws Pet Resort in Mesa, their website is www.4pawspetresort. They do an EXCELLENT job but they are not cheap. They also do boarding. If you are looking for inexpensive grooming, try Petsmart or Petco. They do not do nearly as good of a job, but will be less expensive. You can also try alternating between grooming them yourself and taking them in. If you do groom yourself, don't forget about the ears! The hair in a poodle's ear grows in the ear canal and if not removed can cause yeast to grow, giving the dog an ear infection. When a poodle is groomed, (every 4-8 weeks) the groomer will remove the hair. If you groom yourself you can take them to Petco (not Petsmart) and they will remove the hair for under $20. I recommend that you take your puppy in for their first ear hair pulling by the time they are 12 weeks old, and every four-six weeks after that. You can ask your vet about this, but make sure that they are familiar with the breed. Standard poodles can be prone to ear infection if the ear hair is allowed to grow too long. Prevention is the best medicine.

What Vaccines Will My Puppy Receive Before Going Home?

I give a 4 in 1 vaccine that covers Canine Distemper, Adenovirus Type 2 (CAV-2 cross protection CAV-1), Parainfluenza and Parvovirus Vaccine (MLV) at 7 weeks of age. Most vets recommend that your dog has four rounds of puppy shots. The puppies' second shot is due 3 weeks form the date the first shot was received. Keep in mind different vets may have slightly different protocols. I PERSONALLY give my dogs 4 rounds of puppy shots at 7 weeks, 10 weeks, 13 weeks and 16 weeks. Then I get them a rabies shot at 16 weeks as well.

Most vets will charge you an office visit fee, PLUS the cost of the vaccine. This may end up costing you $100-150 by the time you are out the door. If you use a vaccine clinic, they will only charge you for the vaccine. Petco has a vaccine clinic called “Vetco” and the price for puppy 5 in 1 vaccines is $33, and the cost of the Rabies vaccine is $19. www.vetcoclinics.com The Spay and Neuter clinic also offers discount vaccines. www.spayaz.com https://nikisplace.com/ also does vaccines.

Should I Spay or Neuter and When?

I recommend having your male puppy neutered after 2 years of age. There is much research highlighting the importance of letting your puppy get all the testosterone he needs for bone development. For females, the average heat cycle happens between 9 and 12 months of age. Traditionally, in has been advised to spay at 6 months of age and avoid the first heat cycle. I believe it is best for females to let them have one heat cycle. However, if you cannot keep your dog from getting pregnant, or if you have an intact male at home, or if you really cannot deal with the blood, you should spay them before their first heat cycle. Recently I have used the Spay Neuter Clinic. They have discounted spay/neuter surgeries and they also do shots and micro chipping for a fraction of the cost of a regular vet. They have offices, in Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler and Tempe. Their website is www.spayaz.com

Who is Your Personal Vet?

My vet is Dr. Tom Caldwell of Home Care Veterinary Services. He is semi-retired and only sees breeders. The other vet I use is Arizona Animal Wellness Center. http://www.arizonaanimalwellnesscenter.com/

What is required by law concerning vaccines?

Rabies is the only vaccine that is required by the state of Arizona at 4 months. This shot will be good for one year. The second rabies shot is good for three years. Once your dog has had a rabies shot they can be registered with Maricopa County. The county will charge you less to register your pet if they are spayed or neutered so you may want to wait until you’ve spayed or neutered to register the dog. You can contact Maricopa County Animal Care and Control for details about that. http://www.maricopa.gov/pets/license.aspx

When should I take my puppy in for his first grooming?

I recommend that you take your puppy to the groomer to have his ears looked at when he is 12 weeks old. Standard poodles have hair that grows inside the ear canal. As the puppy ages the ear hair will start to block the flow of air into the ear, causing a build up of yeast and bacteria. Eventually that hair will need to be plucked by a groomer. When you take your puppy in for their first ear hair pluck you should be able to do a walk in to the groomer, or call and tell them that you are only wanting his ear hair pulled. You shouldn’t need to drop him off and leave him for an ear hair pulling.

For a full service groom, it is up to your discretion. If you want to let his hair grow long but just want his face and feet shaved you can ask your groomer if they will just do face, feet and rear end for you. Poodle hair grows EVERYWHERE. So eventually his rear will need to be trimmed or poo will get stuck in the fur. You can always trim his rear with scissors.

Will the mama dog miss her puppies?

In a word, no. Normally by 8 weeks mom is annoyed and looking forward to her puppies being gone! Mama dogs are very happy in the house with the people, much more so then trapped with little puppies who are constantly biting her and trying to nurse.

How can I socialize my puppy?

There is a little misconception about socialization. Many people think that they need to allow their puppy to play with other dogs. This is not really necessary. Strange dogs can also be dangerous to young puppies. Adult dogs are grumpy, young dogs may be carrying a contagious disease. I would not stress about trying to provide opportunities for your puppy to play with other dogs. What you really need to do is expose your puppy to new environments, new noises and things he’s never seen before.

I take my puppies for lots of car rides, Starbucks patios, Home Depot and Lowes and any place that allows dogs. When puppies are not full vaccinated (under 16 weeks) you want to avoid high traffic dog areas like the dog park, public parks and the vet’s office. Keep your pup from sniffing and/or eating dog waste. You’d be surprised at what young puppies find appetizing…..

How should I introduce my puppy to my adult dog?

There is never a need to rush this introduction. I recommend starting by keeping the puppy and the existing dog separated. They can smell each other from across the room. As the new puppy’s “mom” it is your job to create a boundary and protect the puppy. Mama dogs naturally will set a boundary to other dogs and tell the other dogs “Come no further.” This is your role. The puppy is your cub and you will tell the other dogs, “Come no further.” Although this may seem harsh from a human perspective, from a dog perspective this natural, normal, and necessary for safety. The existing dog will realize that this is your cub and is now a part of the pack. If your existing dog does not obey your boundary, you will need to use a fence or exercise pen to separate them, or keep the adult dog on a leash. If you cannot control your existing dog and keep them at bay with your tone, hand signal and energy, you need to focus on correcting that as soon as possible, so the young puppy doesn’t learn bad habits.

How do I introduce my puppy to my cat?

If you think your cat will bolt at the sight of a puppy, keep the puppy on a leash so he cannot chase the cat. There is no need to try and get the cat and the puppy face to face. Let the cat decide if she wants to get close. If she does not, do not force her. Keep your puppy on a leash when the cat is loose so the pup does not learn to chase.

Should I buy two puppies?

Maybe. In my opinion, the only way to raise two puppies is if you have two adults (or an older responsible child). The hardest part of raising two pups is potty training them in the early stages. It’s best to take them out individually so that when they pee you can mark the behavior by praise. If you have two puppies they start wresting and get distracted, and it’s harder to “mark” the behavior. Also keep in mind two poodles is double the grooming bill.