IMPORTANT STUFF
WHAT CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT YOUR PROGRAM?
We take our responsibility as breeders very seriously. We begin Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS) with our pups beginning at day 3, lasting through day 16. ENS is believed to impact the neurological system by kicking it into action earlier than would be normally expected, the result being an increased capacity that later will help to make the difference in its health and performance. It's a really interesting process that we would invite you all to read more about! AKC has an article here, but there is a lot more info out there if you want to look! Of course, beyond ENS the pups are each handled daily and socialized through touch even before they can see and interact.
We are also big believers in "The Rule of Sevens" here at Log Home Labs! The "rule" behind "The Rule of Sevens" is that breeders should introduce pups to at least 7 new things across at least 7 different categories starting at four weeks of age, so by the time a family is ready to pick up their new puppy, that pup has been introduced to a huge variety of different and new experiences, areas, things, and changes. This improves their ability to cope with stress, socializing, and trainability. We put a lot of time and effort into this training so that when your puppy goes home they will be a confident pup who is ready to tackle the challenge of transitioning to a new home. They will be prepared to walk across carpet, tile, or wood floors, and play outside on any surface that you might have in their new yard. They will be open to playing with balls, ropes, or squeaky toys, and ready to learn retrieving and to begin work on obedience. We hope to encourage those who purchase our puppies to continue to introduce them to new things as well, helping them learn to explore their world in a safe way.
Over time, our "Rule of Sevens" reference sheet has evolved to include more than 7 items. We keep a copy posted near the pups' play area and check off new experiences each day to ensure that we don't forget any of these important experiences. Below is our current sheet, which we may continue to add to:
• Been in at least 7 different, safe locations: X-pen, outdoor exercise pen, car, kitchen, laundry room, den/family room, bathroom, back yard, porch/deck, veterinarian office
• Been on at least 7 different types of surfaces: carpet, tile, linoleum, concrete, wood, grass, dirt, gravel
• Eaten from at least 7 different containers: metal, plastic, glass, ceramic, human hands, pie tin, frying pan, elevated bowl
• Met at least 7 different people, including children, older adults, someone walking with a cane/walking stick, someone in a wheelchair, someone tall, someone wearing a hat, veterinarian, mail/delivery person
• Ridden at least 7 times in a car (in a crate, on a lap, with siblings, alone)
• Been in a crate at least 7 times (both at will, with a crate that has no door, and enclosed in a crate for a short period of time)
• Been played with or taken somewhere alone (without mom or litter mates) at least 7 different times
• Played with at least 7 different kinds of toys: rope toys, plush toys, big balls, small balls, soft fabric toys, squeaky toys, water/pool, metal items, and sticks
• Been exposed to at least 7 new challenges: climb over an obstacle, go through a tunnel, climb steps, go down steps, have nails trimmed, get brushed, play hide and seek, run around a fence
• Been exposed to at least 7 different types of noises: garage door, car horn, doorbell, knocking at the door, music, loud children, musical toys, squeaky toys, and in all likelihood, at least a little rain...we do live in the Pacific Northwest!
ARE YOUR PUPPIES REGISTERED?
Yes! All of our pups come with AKC pet registration paperwork, so you can rest assured that you have a purebred lab puppy. We have both parents' certified pedigrees on site. Please contact us if you would like to take a look!
DO YOU DO HEALTH TESTING?
To ensure healthy pups, we use Embark genetic testing and require genetic testing for any males/studs that we breed our females to. Lulu's testing can be viewed here.
WHAT FOOD DO YOU USE?
Our puppies get their start with Diamond Naturals Large Breed Puppy Lamb & Rice formula, which is available at many locations, including through Amazon & Chewy, and locally (in Oregon) at Tractor Supply Company & Wilco. This particular formula is rated a full 5 stars by a third-party rating system, and was given an A through AAFCO. You can read more about this brand and formula here. It is a high-quality food that comes at a great price point for its quality.
When it comes to quality food and the specific needs of a large breed puppy, this third-party website (which does not accept incentives of any sort, and strives to give completely unbiased reviews) does a great job of explaining what goes into making the decision on what to feed. A big portion of that decision is based on the calcium-to-phosphorous ratio.
To meet the more rigid safety guidelines for large breed puppies and prevent potential issues down the road, their dog food must contain:
1.2 to 1.8% calcium
1.0 to 1.6% phosphorus
Calcium-to-phosphorus ratio 1:1 to 1.8:1
To learn more about what does into choosing a quality food for your large breed puppy, you can read more here.
When stacked up against some of the more expensive foods, the formula we use has an ingredient list that is more clean and avoids the use of phytoestrogens, which we value. As far as we can tell in our research, Diamond Naturals Large Breed Puppy is a better choice than many of the “large breed” puppy formulas. We think it’s a great choice, and when presented with the info on this specific formula, we think your vet would agree!
WHAT ABOUT VACCINES?
By the time your puppy comes home he or she will have visited the vet for a clean bill of health, at which time they will have also been vaccinated with age-appropriate inoculations and given multiple treatments for worms.
All of our dogs are kept current on vaccines, as well as treatment for worms—a lifelong treatment necessary for any dog owner in today's world, as exposure to parasites and worms is impossible to avoid. Though we strive to maintain a sterile environment, we also recognize that spores are everywhere. A human can track in eggs or spores on their shoes, rain water can contain spores, and some spores are even airborne. Some spores may lie dormant for years, until a pup is under stress...like the big stress of leaving their littermates and going to a new home. This is why we strongly urge all new puppy owners to take their pups to a vet, even though they have likely just visited one days before. Not only can you establish continuing treatment for worms, but you can also establish a relationship between your pup and his or her new vet!
WHAT IS AN INTEREST LIST?
Our puppy interest list is always the first to know about the arrival of new pups! At that time, we make our way down the list offering the opportunity to reserve puppy picks. Here’s how that works:
The first person on the list will have 48 hours to reserve their pick position. Once the position is held, the position is declined, or 48 hours is up, we move to the second on the interest list and that person’s 48-hour window begins. The process repeats as we continue on down the list, one at a time.
If you'd like to get on our interest list, please reach out with your name and preferred method of contact for written communication (email, Facebook and Instagram are all okay). We also recommend sharing your cell phone number with us for a text reminder if you don't check your email daily, just to make sure that you don’t accidentally miss your window and get passed up if you’re ready to adopt one of our puppies!
HOW MUCH ARE YOUR PUPPIES?
Our puppies are $850 when paid in full. We take a $250 deposit to hold your puppy pick, and the $600 balance is due when you take your new family member home. We accept cash, personal check, money order, cashier's check, credit card, PayPal or Venmo. We do offer a discount for families using cash, as it simplifies things and saves us in fees. Deposits are non-refundable unless, of course, the color/sex that you reserved is unavailable (sometimes buyers do not determine the sex of their pick until they meet all available pups, and thus we cannot be certain which sex puppies will be available until the buyers have chosen).
HOW DO I RESERVE A PUPPY?
We accept deposits after the arrival of the pups; first offering pick position to those on the interest list, then reserving pick position in the order contracts and deposits are received. When the time comes to hold your pick position, you can call, text or email to let us know what color and sex (if decided) you would like for your pick, and we will send you the contract. Once we receive your signed contract and deposit, your position for choosing your pup will be considered reserved (cash deposits can be paid when meeting and choosing the puppy).
We will begin posting weekly photos of the pups by the time they are three weeks old and we document personality traits from birth, as it is important to us that your pup is the perfect fit for your family. We schedule in-person and/or virtual visits at about 5 weeks in the order that families have reserved their pick position, and will continue to post photos until the pup has reached 8 weeks and is ready to leave our home and join you in yours! If you've already fallen in love with a specific puppy, please contact us to get more information and to get him or her reserved!
HOW DO I GET MY PUPPY?
You are welcome to come to our home to pick up your puppy and meet their mama! If you would prefer to meet elsewhere, please contact us to make arrangements. We are able to meet you at either the Portland or Eugene airport or to work with you to arrange another meeting place. We prefer not ship, as we find that it is oftentimes about the same price to fly in and personally pick up and is so much less stressful on a puppy. Bottom line: we want to ensure a wonderful meeting and continued relationship between you and your new family member, and we'll do what we can to make sure that that happens! Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions - we'd love to work with you to figure out the best arrangement for picking up your pup, and are also happy to give you pointers on flying to get him or her, if needed!
WHAT WILL MY PUPPY NEED?
Your puppy will come home with enough food for you to feed him or her for several days, and an info sheet that lets you know our feeding schedule. We will have introduced your puppy to a crate, car rides, and many different types of bowls and surfaces. As a new puppy parent, you'll have lots of choices to make and you will get to choose what works best for your family! We're always learning and adding new things to our program, and the last thing we want to do is claim to know it all. We have put together a list of some of our favorite things though, in case it helps.
WHAT ABOUT TRAINING?
We start working on potty training from the moment your puppy starts eating puppy food. In the early days, their pen consists of a sleeping area, with food and water bowls right next to that. This creates their "den" area. The rest of the pen is for potty, and we use paper for potty when they are eating indoors. We avoid puppy pads, as labs tend to chew and we don't want them ingesting plastic or other hazardous materials in the puppy pads. We layer paper over potty when they go in the right spot and quickly clean up any accidents that happen in the wrong spot so that their amazing sense of smell helps lead them in the right direction. As they grow, we shrink the potty area and move it further and further away from their den. They are smart, and each time we are impressed by how quickly they get the hang of it!
Your puppy will come home with lots of experience going potty outside, as well. Rain or shine, we want them to be used to going potty outside and not be used to going potty anywhere other than outside or on paper, when necessary. For those families with a longer trip home, we will send some paper in case you need to make a potty stop.
Here's a REALLY great video from our now-retired vet about potty training and crate training, for those who are interested. We tend to rewatch it every time we have a new litter, and love to share it with others. It's got lots of helpful info!