Puppy Packets & Buyer Responsibility

Holiday today, but hardly a day to relax. I could clean house, but have a million other things that need my attention too - most of them a lot more fun than cleaning house! Argus is snoozing on the sofa, obviously tired from his busy weekend. I could join him, but . . .

Gotta set up some sort of pen for the babies today, as they will be spending Tuesday night here. Have to clean up the guestroom a bit too, as my sister is also spending the night, as she will be flying out early the next morning to visit my nephew in Florida when he graduates from his naval training. Hope the pups sleep rather than yell about their strange surroundings! Perhaps I should warn Kris and advise her to bring earplugs.

Need to finish up the puppy packets too. I've done the contracts and printed all the material that goes in the folders. Still need to put everything together. Now, if I could just figure out how to insure that the buyers will read all the information I send along . . . It does annoy me a bit when I get calls asking the questions that I took the time to explain at great length in the folder. It tells me that we have a communication problem. And there is the Dal boy I sold several years ago who blocked with urate crystals when his owners fed him a canned liver-based dog food - even though my booklet emphasizes why you should not feed such things to male Dalmatians. ARGH.

The big problem with the last litter was the carelessness of the buyers in taking their pups in for their second shots. Puppies still die of Parvo and Distemper, but three of the pups did not get their second shots on schedule. This is an area where selling to previous Dal owners is a bit of a problem. First time dog owners, especially young couples, pay far more attention to what I tell them and are much more likely to read all the information. Those that have had dogs in the past are sometimes "know it alls" and some of them try my patience a bit. Some buyers also forgot what they agreed to when they signed their contract - like not tying the dog out and the requirement that ALL pups attended an obedience class - and that does not mean only a puppy kindergarden or socialization class. I'm currently tearing my hair over one of the buyers of a pup from Josie's last litter who continually argues with me about that point - even though that is one of my requirement to sell a puppy.

It's rather like being a parent! When your children leave home it does not mean you stop worrying about them. When my puppies leave here they are still my responsibility for as long as they live. Although I am always here to help and answer questions, I have to trust the good intentions of my buyers. Although I am very careful about how I place my pups, that does not mean I don't second-guess myself about some of those placements!