Dog articles * request photos of parents * puppies can be shown at 7 weeks of age

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I want to do all I can to ensure a healthy 

teddy bear puppy is sold to you.
 

Once the Shichon puppy is 7 weeks,

the puppy can be shown by appointment.

if available for sale

• Worms can be carried in on your shoes. 

                           they steal the puppy’s nutrition.

• Parvo can live in the ground

                   for more than a year. 

• Brucellosis is here in Minnesota

                   people can get it too.

Parvo & Brucellosis are two of the worst diseases they can get.

A simple cold can be tough on a young Shichon pup.

That is WHY I wait to show my Zuchon puppies

The puppy's immune system

needs time to develop.

Vaccinations aids in protecting them

against the odds

if given at the right times

and in the right amounts.

Think of it this way,

I can ride a bike 1000 times

without needing my helmet...
I only need it when there is an accident.
 

You can meet me and available non-shed puppies

by scheduling an appointment.
 

We strive to keep our insurance costs low,

PLUS other costs to a minimum

which keeps our teddy bear puppy's prices lower.

Here is a simple 8-step dog check done once a week that ensures a healthier and happier pet. It will help keep your vet expenses to a minimum.

Using your sense of 

• smell
• vision 
• touch 

will help you detect problems early in order to correct any issues naturally.

1. EYES: Look at the lower eyelids – notice the color and if there is swelling of the tissue. If both eyes are inflamed that could indicate allergies. If only one eye is different, it could mean a foreign object is in the eye. 

2. MOUTH: Lift the upper lip. Are the gums red or inflamed? Do you see tartar built up on the teeth? If you notice sweet smells, it could indicate diabetes. An ammonia smell could indicate a kidney problem. 

3. TEETH AND GUMS: Make a paste of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, put a gauze pad on your finger, dip the pad into the paste and brush your dog’s teeth. I add Thieves or Onguard essential oil into the solution or 

you can mix a solution of 2 drops essential oil to 1 oz. water 

and spray on your dog’s upper teeth. 

4. EARS: Ears should be clean without any smells. Use olive oil, mineral oil, apple cider vinegar, or Purification or Purity essential oil on a cotton pad or a Q-tip to clean out the ears. If you see yellow discharge (puss), take your pet to the vet. 

5. LYMPH NODES: Feel behind the jaw just below the ears for pea sized lymph nodes. You are checking to see if they have become abnormal in size. If one side is larger than the other, it could mean a tooth infection. If both sides are inflamed, it can mean a viral infection or indicate other problems. 

6. PAWS: Are the nails too long or splitting? Learn to trim the nails or have a groomer do it.  Use Super Glue then sprinkle with baking soda to dry quicker 

makes a great bandage. 

7. NERVE ENDINGS: Gently feel down the spine of your dog. You are feeling for a small depression just to the outside of each dip on both sides of the vertebrate all the way down the entire spine. These points can tell you if there is a problem since the nerve endings are attached there. If you get a reaction of displeasure during the spine massage, make an appointment to see your vet. 

8. STOMACH: Gently massage the stomach and watch for a reaction of displeasure.

Feel for abnormal lumps and bumps during the whole checkup session. 

Turn your pet checkup into a massage petting session. Your dog will look forward to it. Do the dog checkup once a week and you will be able to monitor if anything has changed. You can take preventive action before any permanent damage occurs.

If not wanting to Play, Eat, or Drink bring your puppy to a Vet.

I am a Minnesota dog breeder located in the St. Paul/Minneapolis area, Northfield, MN.  I specialize in breeding Bichon Frise and Shih Tzu.  I chose to breed Bichons, Shih Tzus, Teddy Bears (shih tzu - bichon cross) because they are non-shed, hypoallergenic, small, lapdogs, good with children & other pets. They are shadow dogs who keep track of you.  

Other breeds need jobs & lots of exercise to be happy.

I specialize in breeds that are not only cute, but do not make your allergies flare up. I do not want any dog in my possession that is aggressive, territorial or has qualities that require a lifestyle I cannot give to it. I am proud to be ethical, I will not produce a breed that has recently become popular due to a movie or TV show to make a fast buck.
 

I breed to better the overall improvement of the breed.  I am breeding for family pets not a fancy show dog. Some of the traits wanted by the judges can be unhealthy or uncomfortable for the show dogs. Some judges promote qualities that I disagree with, and this becomes the guideline of what other breeders follow to get the most money for their puppies.  I do not want to be part of the problem. I believe in breeding for health & temperament instead of a look that may cause health issues.
 

I believe health first and not just looks.  I have the best interests for the breed and you, the buyer in mind. Overly pushed in noses (shih tzus) and line breeding mean nothing if the dog I produce bites your children or dies of some heredity issue before its time. Even good breeders can produce unhealthy dogs on occasion. It is the law of averages.

The difference is that I, the breeder, am on a mission to find and remove those genetic defaults from my breeding lines. It is why I offer the Minnesota Health Guarantee. I rarely have had to honor the guarantee with a refund, replacement or forfeit the cost of the puppy.
 

Not all breeders are equal, and the puppies I produce may greatly differ from other breeders’ puppies. To tell the difference between a responsible breeder from an unknowledgeable "backyard breeder" or a commercial "puppy mill", go to my page.     
Which Puppy? - ARDYWEB.COM
 

We use natural methods for breeding.  Nature knows best when a female is ready to breed, that is why we let nature make the decision.  However, if it bad timing for us then mating is not allow.  We do not expose the mothers or puppies to X-rays.  We do not need to know how many puppies are in the womb.  We want to do all in our power to create healthy puppies so we chose not to expose them to electrical disturbances which can create health issues.
 

One of your biggest challenges with your new puppy is housebreaking. Your puppy needs to learn to potty outside or use the grate method or both. I recommend grate crate training. The crate helps your puppy to feel safe and secure and prevents the puppy from developing bad habits (like chewing) and keeps the puppy safe. The grate keeps the puppy clean & gives it a proper place to relieve itself when you are not able to let it outside.

When you purchase your puppy from ArdyWeb.com, I will go through specific housebreaking advice, feeding (diet), general care, and many other issues of puppy ownership. My eBook is the operation/owner manual, and I am available for questions, now, tomorrow and for years to come.
 

My puppies are raised inside my very active house to socializing them to your home. My puppies experience different sights, sounds, and surfaces (wood, tile, and cement) and meet my family, friends, and visitors. My puppies are not scared of their own shadows. They are well-adjusted puppies wanting to meet the world.  I own the parents of every puppy on the premises.

The typical American life span for a dog weighing less than 15 # is 12-15 years.  This is an estimate of a dog fed the typical American diet of dry dog food and regular tap water.
 

You can increase the span of your dog’s life by understanding how important diet is.  Your dog will have less health issues and less vet bills by drinking reverse osmosis, steam distilled water or Berkly water filter system.  Feeding a raw organic diet along with dry dog food instead of only dry kibble helps to increase health and life span.
 

One of the toughest events in life is to lose what you love.  Some events cannot be foreseen.  The future is not ours to see but you can try to do everything in your power to be preventative.  It is heart wrenching to hear the stories of pain and loss; this is why I share them with you so you can try to avoid the heartache.  All the examples are real and have happened to dogs I have sold.
 

Accidents are the next biggest cause of shortened life span.  Knowing the cause of accidents can help you prevent them from happening to your pet.  You can put a stop to accidents waiting to happen.

 Examples:  

· Jumping out of your arms and breaking a leg or hip

· falling off a couch or bed causing injury

· running out the door to greet the arriving car and being hit

· standing behind a child learning to swing a golf club and being struck.
 

Try to view the world as your pooch does.  It doesn’t think it needs to look both ways before crossing the road.  Or I might fall off the bed or couch while sleeping or playing.  You need to be the caretaker and do what can be done to keep your dog safe.  Teach no dog zones as suggested in Ardyweb.com eBook.
 

Teach your dog to whoa at the door and exit only on your command.  If your bed is high compared to the size of your dog, it may be best not to let your dog sleep on the bed.  If you are a heavy sleeper does your dog know how to get out from underneath you?  When your child is playing consider the size of the ball/toy and the speed it rebounds.  This may be a time to kennel your dog to keep the little one safe from fast moving objects.
 

Remember not all dogs love other dogs.  If at a family event the neighbor’s dog is chained and your puppy loves all dogs, this may be an accident waiting to happen.  You may end up running after your little pooch and you may have to kick the neighbor’s dog in the side to force him to release your pooch.  Then you may need to run out of range to avoid being bitten yourself.
 

Take your dog’s harness/collar off when kenneling.  It is possible for your canine to get caught and even hung.  Teach your dog to obey on command/invitation.  Your dog should wait for the command/invitation before jumping in or out of the car.  This avoids the possibility of getting slammed in the car door.
 

Dokken’s Oakridge Kennels of Northfield, MN teaches a method of placement training with a tone from an electronic collar.  He teaches the dog to look back for hand signals when hearing the tone and go in the direction the trainer points or to stay.  

He starts with 2 mats; I use a harness and leash to lead my dog to each mat voicing the command and giving the hand signal. As your pooch understands what to do put the mats further apart, reward the dog after each correct sit on the mat.  Now the tone can be added in from the electronic collar and you never need to yell again.  Just push the tone, your dog looks at you and you can direct it as necessary.  

Dokken has training DVDs on his website www.deadfowltrainer.com/training.html or call 507-744-2616.
 

Listen to the podcast to learn how to teach your dog to “Watch out for feet”.  This will prevent injury to your dog or you.   

Enter the link below to listen to the podcast!

Walk Through-Teach your dog to watch out for feet! 

Dog Training (ardyweb.com)

 We find the that the heart heals faster,

if you write a letter to your pet,
state all you loved and all you miss. 

Doesn't matter if you buried it,

frame it, mail it or burn it.

It helps us to move forward with a lighter heart :)
 

This is how Abe Lincoln healed his heart. 

What better method to follow then those of the great!

P.S.  Deciding how long to be grieve,

is a belief system of each person.

 Death is part of life; it will happen in your world more than once.

It is your choice to decide how to handle your

thoughts, reactions and emotions.
 

So why not decide to focus on what your pet gave you...

unconditional love.
 

Decide to greet your day as your dog did, wagging its tail!