Your puppy is currently eating a mix of Purina Focus Large Breed Puppy Chow and Hills Science Diet Large Breed Puppy.   We recommend that you get a bag of one or the other, even if you are going to switch over to a different food, so that you can mix it in.  Please ONLY feed large breed puppy food to your pup until it is 2 years old.  This type of food will prevent their bones from growing faster than the connective tissue can develop, which will keep their joints healthy into old age.   In our opinion, these two are the best.  Your pup will also be started on Nuvet Plus supplement to boost their immune system and support their overall health.  We recommend you order one bottle prior to pickup day, even if you don't plan to feed a supplement long term, keeping your pup on it during this transition is very beneficial.  

Please bring your balance due in cash or a money order - we do not accept personal checks upon pickup.  We will accept credit cards, Venmo or Paypal with an additional 3.5% transaction fee.   We will have a folder with your pups registration, veterinary checkup, and other paperwork.  Plus we will include a familiar toy, and a blanket that smells like mom.  It's a good idea to have a kennel with you, but your puppy will be happiest to ride on a passengers lap if possible.  We will not feed or water your pup for an hour or so before you arrive, to prevent accidents.  If you have a long car ride, bring a water dish and bottle of water for your pup, along with a leash and collar so you can stop along the way for potty breaks.

We also recommend, if you do not have another dog, that you purchase a "heartbeat" toy for you new pup to sleep with.  They will be a little lonely having left their litter mates and parents and the heartbeat toy will simulate their siblings sleeping next to them. 

Below is a link to a good article on the Newfoundland breed.  It has some helpful tips for new owners.  There has been a trend in training advice to only use positive reinforcement with Newfs because they are "sensitive."  This is leading to an entire generation of Newfs that are raised without discipline.  The sooner you establish rules and boundaries with your pup, the better.  For example, your pup cannot bite you.  You will need to respond negatively to such behavior!  There is no amount of positive reinforcement that will teach your pup not to bite or not to jump on people, etc.   

https://animalso.com/breeds/newfoundland/

We use puppy training pads as soon as we start feeding the pups at about 2 weeks of age.  So, they are very accustom to using them and it will help you out a lot while potty training.  Below are a couple links to potty training advice. 

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/indoor-potty-training-for-puppies/

​https://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/house-training-your-puppy#1

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Newfs like to roam.  You must provide a safe environment for your new pup.  They love being outside and they are not afraid of vehicles or other potentially dangerous situations.  Newfs, like most dogs, will not be happy on a chain or rope, they need a space to run and play freely. We use the Extreme Fence Max underground fence system for our dogs and it works great.  If you use above ground fencing options, keep in mind that Newfs are really effective diggers and they can potentially dig under a fence.  

Newfoundlands should be spayed or neutered after they reach puberty, usually between 16 & 20 months.  Puberty hormones trigger the closing of an animals growth plates. This is the healthiest choice for our pets. If a pet is spayed or neutered prior to puberty, the growth plates do not close and that allows the bones to continue growing past the point that puberty would have stopped them. This is where joint problems and connective tissue damage can start. 

We do not want any of the dogs we produce to end up in a rescue or shelter.  

If you cannot keep the pup you got from us, you are free to re-home it to a trusted home.  But if you do not have anyone who can take it, we are always willing to take our pups/dogs back, regardless of age/health, and we will either re-home them or care for them ourselves.