FAQS

Do I need to fill out an application ?
No, we do not require an application process. We have decided that it is better to build a connection with our potential puppy buyers, by building mutual trust. Many people call us, very concerned about where they are getting their puppy from. When buyers trust us, we will trust them. We do need to have an informal discussion on the phone, which helps us to get to know each other a little, and answers any questions you may have. Deposit information is emailed out after this phone conversation.

Where Are You Located?

We are located in South-West Washington, near Longview, WA. We are seven minutes from I-5, one hour North of Portland, OR and one hour South of Olympia, WA. We can meet Buyers at the Portland, Oregon airport (PDX). We are willing to meet Buyers from Portland to Olympia, on the I-5 corridor. ship our puppies from Portland International Airport.

I don't want AKC Papers. What is the importance of AKC (American Kennel Club)?
All of our Adult Havanese are AKC Registered. Our breeding stock foundation has originated with pups imported from Hungary, but the bloodlines are now AKC registered. Due to the quality of pups we raise, we offer them all with AKC registration application papers. Most pups are sold with "Limited" registration, which means they are for pet purposes. Every breeder needs to have policies about how they operate, and this is what we have chosen to do.

What is the Adoption Fee?Blessing Acres offers their Havanese Puppies primarily for pet homes. Our pups come with a Limited (Pet) AKC Registration application papers. Our fees do change on occasion, at our discrepancy. Please check our news and fees page for the most updated information on our fees about specific pups. We are open to discussing Full AKC Registration to breeding and showing homes on a case by case basis. Additional Fee information for Full Registration is available upon phone call.

I prefer a pet......... I don't care about Champion Lines and Showing
Our niche is to provide wonderful family Companions through our High Quality puppies. Champion lineage means that your puppy's parents came from lines of Show Dogs that proved their quality through Championship titles at dog shows. The dog's confirmation has to be within specific standards set for the breed, in order to win a Championship. However, our bloodlines come from European show kennels, and have not been shown in the U.S, thus they are not AKC champions. Showing has not been the priority of the breeders who owned the Adults that our lines have come from. A breeder does not have to "show" their dogs in order to have excellent quality Adults and Pups. Generally, the quality of the pups from Champion bloodlines is higher, because their quality has been proven in the show ring. That being said, a puppy can be nice quality without this Champion lineage, and it not come from Show dog lines. Always look at both of the pups parents to get the best determination of what a puppy's confirmation will be like, when the pup is an Adult.

Will my puppy be wormed ?
Yes, your puppy will be wormed with a few different chemical wormers, while it is growing and preparing to be adopted. We use Strongid and Panacur medications routinely. We use Albon and any other medications as needed.

How long have you been breeding ?

We have been breeding and raising dogs since 2002. We got our start by getting a lot of advice from a number of experienced breeders. We started out raising Basset Hounds as this was Doug's favorite dog. Bassets continue to be our main breed. We raised West Highland Terriers for 3 years, but decided that Westies were not the right breed temperament for us. We still wanted to offer a smaller toy breed that was Hypo-Allergenic, so after much research, we began raising Havanese in Spring 2010. We purchased our small breeding stock of Adult Havanese from a reputable breeder in Arkansas, who originally imported 8 pups from Hungary to start their breeding program. We have also owned three horses, raised and milked Nubian goats for a few years, and gathered eggs from our laying chickens. We love raising our Basset Hounds and Havanese the most, out of all our animal experiences.

What does "Licensed Kennel" mean ?
By law, all breeders in our County, are required to undergo an annual inspection by our local Humane Society. Breeders must pass all of the requirements set forth, have an inspection of our premises, and answer several questions about our practices. The humane society issues a "Kennel Permit" after a breeder passes the inspection. We have been told that our dogs look good, there is plenty of room, and cleaner than most facilities they inspect. We did need to paint some boards to water proof them.

We have also been inspected in 2008 by an American Kennel Club inspector. Their first inspection is done unannounced so that they find breeders premises as they usually are. The inspector was pleased with our operation, and he has never been back to "check us out" again.

Do you begin the housebreaking process with your pups ?No, we are unable to housebreak train your puppy before s/he is adopted. Housebreaking is the responsibility of the new owner, and part of pet ownership. Most breeders do not provide these extra services of housebreaking a puppy. There is so much that goes into the whelping, raising, and socializing of the pups, that to add housebreaking on top of that care list, we would need to raise our fees greatly. We do have two doggy doors on our barn, so many pups have the experience of going through the door to go outdoors. We strongly recommend crate training to make the housebreaking process much easier. Do a little internet research on crate training, if you are unfamiliar with the reasoning behind it. When our dogs are in the house at night, they always sleeping in a crate, and then put outside first thing in the morning.

Will I receive a record of my puppy's vaccines and wormings ?
Yes, we provide this Health Information on our Puppy Purchase Contract, upon the day that the pup is transferred to your care. All of the health treatments that we or a vet have administered will be fully listed on your contract. We recommend that you take your copy of this contract to your vet.

Do you vaccinate your pups?We do offer the first Distemper/Parvo puppy shot. We also give a choice to not vaccinate if that is what the Buyer chooses. We use NOBIVAC brand "Distemper and Parvo" only. We have made the decision to vaccinate against Distemper and Parvo only for a variety of reasons. We have read many Holistic Veterinarians websites and have spoken with a Holistic breeder who is very knowledgeable.

Most Americans believe in vaccinations, because we have all been taught that routine vaccinations are necessary for responsible pet care. However, a growing number of Holistic Vets, Breeders, and Pet Owners disagree with the vaccination line of thinking, and focus more on building up the pet's immune system. Some holistic vets believe that routine vaccines are contributing to ill-health of pets. We suggest you do an internet search about "Adverse Reactions to Dog Vaccines", or "Vaccinosis", etc. We also have compiled a list of websites that have a holistic line of thinking in regards to vaccines. We will gladly email this list to you upon request.

We are finding that some families believe in a more holistic way of health, and request that their puppy is not vaccinated. We are comfortable with not vaccinating, if that is the Buyers choice. We have not vaccinated puppies a number of times, and we have never been told of any negative reports in the puppy's health by avoiding vaccines.

For those who prefer vaccinations, we are glad to provide the first puppy shot. We give the vaccine a few days before the puppy goes to their adoptive home. Research articles show that the puppy is still receiving immunities from the mother's milk, and that early vaccines can counteract that mother's transferred immunities.

There is no reduction in the puppy fee if we do not vaccinate, as the vaccines only cost a couple dollars each. We are glad to discuss vaccines more on the phone, if you have further questions. Just give us a call

Does Blessing Acres have a Veterinarian ?
As professional breeders, we have learned a lot in our nearly 10 years of breeding. We strive to raise our Puppies and Adult Dogs with as natural means as possible. For the past several years, we have consulted with Timberland Veterinary Hospital in Southwest Washington for a variety of needs. We utilize our veterinarian for pregnancy related needs, stool sample checks for worming needs, puppy health certificates for pups that will be shipped via airfare, or any unusual symptoms that rarely occur. Previously, we utilized Valley Veterinary Clinic in Oregon. Both of these veterinarians have referred either a puppy buyer, or someone who was looking for stud service, to us.

We respectfully ask that you DO NOT contact either of these vets, as they are very busy, and we wish to respect their time.

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