Simply Southern Kennels
Frequently Asked Questions & Important Information

Effective April 4, 2008

 

Please Read This Page Prior To Contacting Us.  Many Of Your Questions Can Be Answered Here.

What is the best way to contact you?

Email is preferred and will be responded to quicker but phone calls are always welcomed. We do try to answer questions on the site in order to save time. We'd  rather be interacting with the puppies than answering simple questions that can be answered on the site. The puppy and the puppies buyer benefit greatly from the time that we spend individually with them. HOWEVER - please do not fear emailing or calling us if you need to ask some questions not covered on the site. We are friendly and open to questions. It's just so hard to get anything done when we take so many calls from potential buyers that are asking "How much do you charge for your puppies?" which is answered on the breed pages of the site.  In the event the price is not listed, then by all means contact us.

 

Can we visit and see the pups?

We used to answer this with a resounding YES! However, even the most diligent, clean, well-meaning visitors can bring a disease to our kennel and that can spell disaster for our puppies. Think of it this way - hospitals don't allow visitors into the nursery area. Baby and Puppy immune systems are not fully functional for months.  We are happy for you to come and visit but ask that you understand we will not allow you to touch, handle or play with the puppies prior to the day you take it home. Exceptions are made on an as needed basis and then disinfecting will be provided. However, You can watch them interact with their mother and siblings as much as you like. You may also watch your new potential puppy interact with us.  Our first priority is on our puppies therefore we really do need to safeguard their health .  It is for the puppies' sake, our sake, and the buyer's sake.

 

When we visit can we bring our other pets?

We do not allow outside pets of any kind to be brought in to your facility for the same reasons mentioned above.   This too is for the health and well being of our babies.

 

What are your prices?

Prices for all puppies are listed along with the breeding announcement and puppy pictures on each individual breed page.  Prices vary from breed to breed.   Please refer to the specific page for the breed(s) you are interested in for pricing information.

 

How do I reserve the puppy I want? What method(s) of payment do you accept?

We require a minimal deposit to reserve a specific pup.  The required deposit will be stated on the breed pages along with the price for the pup.  We prefer Paypal for deposits placed online or cash if pup if picked out in person.  You can pay with a credit card through Paypal.  Please ask us for instructions if you would like to use this option. We will allow bank certified cashier’s checks and bank certified or US Postal certified money orders as a deposit. However, We recently ran into issues relating to personal checks and have decided not to accept this method of payment going forward. NO EXCEPTIONS!!

 

When is final payment due?

Final payment is required before the pup is 6 weeks of age or by the date specified on the purchase agreement.  Outstanding balances for puppies that are going to be picked up locally MUST be paid in cash at the time of pickup.

 

Do you ship your pups? How is that done?

Our typical customer is one that lives close enough to pick up their new puppy locally. We are located in Statesboro, Ga.  But to answer the question - Yes, we do ship our puppies. We make the flight arrangements for you.  The typical cost for this is $250 for the flight and another $85 for the additional Airline Health Certificates and a USDA approved airline shipping crate.   In some cases we can also make arrangements for a ground shipper to pick up your pup and deliver it to you.  Basically, shipping is handled case by case.  If your pup will require shipping we will be happy to discuss your options with you. 

 

Is our kennel inspected?

Yes, we are inspected routinely (by surprise inspection) by the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Breeders need to stay in compliance with their record keeping requirements, or they will lose privileges. The Georgia Department of Agriculture  also checks a breeder's kennels to make sure the dogs are raised in suitable, safe, comfortable kennels, and to make sure that we are properly caring for the health of the dogs. The Ga DOA is extremely stringent!  We are happy to boast we have always passed inspection with flying colors.

 

Are the parents of the puppies purebred or registered?

Without exclusion, our adult breeding dogs are both purebred and registered.  Our adults are either AKC, APRI, CKC, UKCI and in some cases dual registered with more than one of these.     Often you will see the parent’s registered name can be different than the dogs call name. This happens in the breeding world and is completely acceptable.

 

Are the puppies registered?

Yes. All puppies sold by SSK will be registered with at least one of the previously mentioned registries.

 

 Do you guarantee your puppies?

Yes. Your puppy is guaranteed for a period of three days (72 hours) to be free of illness. This health guarantee does not include stress induced illnesses such as stress induced hypoglycemia, coccidia and worms. A letter from your vet is required in the event of a problem. This guarantee is limited to replacement only. Monetary refunds will not be made. Veterinary expenses are not covered (without prior consent.) All freight charges will be paid by the buyer. This guarantee is not transferable to a second party, should the original buyer sell the puppy.

 

Why don’t you guarantee against coccidia?

It is important to mention that stress plays a role in the development of Coccidosis. It is not uncommon for a healthy pup to arrive at his new home and develop coccidosis in the days following. This is highly due to the stress involved in leaving the mother or siblings for the first time or by moving from one home to another. Coccidosis is even more common in puppies who incur long travel times, i.e. airline travel or extended car rides to reach their new destinations. Coccidosis is easily treatable and causes no concern is diagnosed early.  If your pup develops diarrhea you should take him to the vet immediately.

 

Why don’t you guarantee against worms?

There are several very effective drugs that will kill worms. Your puppy will receive multiple dewormings prior to leaving us. However, these drugs only kill the adult worms. Therefore, it is necessary to treat again and again to kill any newly formed adult worms that were larvae at the time of the first treatment.  Wormings will need to continue after you get your puppy. It's always a good idea to have your vet check a stool sample within a week or so of the puppy's arrival, and again a month later.

 

Why don’t you guarantee against Hypoglycemia?

 Hypoglycemia is a sudden fall in the concentration of glucose in the blood below normal levels. The body uses glucose as its primary energy source. The brain, for example, is completely dependent upon glucose to function. The liver is responsible for manufacturing glucose and for storing it in a usable form, for release into the blood stream as needed. Muscle tissues store some of the important materials used in this process.

Transient Juvenile Hypoglycemia, which is brought on by fasting, is common in Toy dog breeds, such as Yorkshire Terrier, Toy Poodle, Pomeranian and other Toy dog breeds between 5 to 16 weeks of age. Stress, low body temperature, poor nutrition, sudden change in feed, water and schedule patterns, infections, and premature birth may precipitate the onset of hypoglycemia. Some puppies, bred exclusively for tiny size ("teacup Yorkies", "teacup Chihuahua"), are even more predisposed to Transient Juvenile Hypoglycemia since insufficient muscle mass may make it difficult for the body to store the glucose and keep its blood sugar properly regulated.  Once the pup leaves our care it is up to you to watch for this and treat if necessary.   One missed meal can spell disaster.

 

 Do you own both parents of our puppies?

In most cases - Yes! Sometimes we will use outside males from other reputable breeders in order to strengthen the line or enhance certain qualities in our puppies.   

 

Do you own the puppies or buy them from other breeders?

These are our own puppies born and raised right here with us.  We never buy puppies from other breeders for re-sale. In the event a pup is obtained from another breeder for any reason you will be made aware of it.

 

What method of house training do you recommend?

Crate training.  You can find many sites online that describe this in detail.  

 

Have you started house training my pup?

 No. Consistency is the key to successful house training.  If we start and then you do it differently when you get your pup home it will only cause confusion for your new baby and  it's far worse than not starting housebreaking at all. 

 

Are the pups raised indoors?

Absolutely!!  All of our puppies are born and raised  in a clean, healthy, climate controlled indoor environment.   Our mommies and babies received round the clock care and attention. 

 

Do your pups have shots and have they been wormed?

We begin our vaccination program for the puppies at 4 weeks of age with a Parvo vaccination. We follow that up at 6 weeks of age with a 5 way vaccination for Parvo, Distemper, Adenovirus Type 2, Para-influenza, and hepatitis. The puppies are always up to date on vaccinations, even when they go to their new homes beyond 8 weeks of age. We begin our worming program at 3 weeks of age. De-wormings will need to continue after you get your puppy. It's always a good idea to have your vet check a stool sample within a week or so of the puppy's arrival, and again a month later. Parasites can and do develop resistance to some of the worming medications, so we alternate using several medications.

 

Do you have any housebroken pups or adults for sale?

Generally not. Occasionally we'll have an adult purebred dog for placement in a home, but that's pretty rare, as most of the adults go to local pet homes when they are retired from breeding. Our pups are generally placed by 8 weeks of age or so. Rarely, we may have pups that are 8-12 weeks of age, available beyond the waiting list. Pups don't generally take long to place once we place their photo on the breed pages as being available for open adoption (without deposit).

 

Are you a puppy mill?

Ahhh, the BIG QUESTION! An emphatic NO! People have different definitions of a puppy mill. To some people, anyone that raises dogs for profit must be a puppy mill. To some people, if you have more than a certain number of dogs, you are a puppy mill. To some people, if the dogs aren't in your home, you must be a puppy mill. None of these definitions work. None of them consider the care that the dogs receive. None of them consider the happiness and comfort of the dogs in the kennel.

A puppy mill is a horrible place.  Often, dogs are raised  in wire cages suspended off the ground without adequate flooring.  Imagine the sore feet. Feces builds up thick under the cages, cleaned up only when absolutely necessary. Imagine the flies and the fly bite wounds on the dogs. Most dogs never feel the soft touch of a human hand, and are fearful of being approached by strangers and by kennel workers alike. Puppies at puppy mills are yanked from their mothers around 5 weeks of age, before being well weaned, sold to puppy brokers, and then sold again to pet stores. Imagine the stress these poor babies go through. Often attention is not paid to the placement of these puppies or to the pedigrees behind the dogs.  Dogs are bred in mass production for profit with no regard to health or well being. This type of establishments dogs usually never see a veterinarian in most cases during their lifetime.

 

What makes us different? Our dogs are happy, friendly dogs. They love our attention, and love to climb all over us when we sit to play with them. All of our dogs are good with our kids, often even when they have puppies. We clip the dogs every 12 weeks to keep them comfortable.  The DOA was here in Early 2008 for their surprise inspection of our records and kennels, and we passed with flying colors. The representative was very pleased with how we raise our puppies, the facility in which our dogs are kept and the cleanliness of the environment.  Upon your visit you will find all of these things to be true and our puppies and parents will greet you with open paws!  Puppy Mills can not brag about these things.