Puppy Packets and other Paperwork

Raising a litter of puppies isn't all cuddles and cuteness, there is work to be done! Namely paperwork! From filling out puppy vet record booklets, to assigning and recording micro chip numbers, filling out the AKC registration forms and records, to the online applications for OFA CAER exams and entering all of the information into the pedigree database, and finally putting it all together in a neat packet for the new owners. It sometimes seems like it is never ending! But it is also so important! Here we are going to break it down for our "listeners" starting with the microchip. The chip we use is a the Microchip Mini, which is a tiny chip smaller than a grain of rice that is inserted under the skin, usually between the shoulder blades, of all of the pups that we produce. The pups are chipped usually the night before we go to Omaha for their ACVO eye exam and OFA eye certification (more on that later! I promise!) since that number needs to be on their exam paperwork. This occurs between 7- 8 wks of age, depending on time of year and when we can get an appointment. The number assigned to each pup is unique and will appear on the AKC registration papers, as well as on ALL of the paperwork that we give to our clients. It is a great way to identify a dog with minimal discomfort, which is just a pinch not much greater than getting a vaccination. We do our own chipping and own a universal scanning tool to make sure that, even if we had a litter of 12 black lab puppies that looked identical, we would be able to tell who is who even if they lost their ID collars wrestling with their littermates. In fact, if we see a lot of chewing or collars that keep getting removed by other puppies, we will take them off and rely on the microchip for a sure fire way of identifying the individual puppies for our clients. So rest assured, even if the puppy that you have picked out after weeks of agonizing on the one that best fits your needs is running around with 10 others "naked", we promise you will get the one that was assigned to you! Since the chip numbers are added to the AKC registration process, and we pay for the registration of the chip along with the AKC registration process, the chip is registered with the AKC ReUnite Lost and Found service which the shelter/vet's office can call to access the owners phone and other contact information. Over the last 20 yrs of breeding dogs, I have been contacted numerous times from various vet clinics, rescues, and dog pounds to look up the information on an owner for a pup that was found that we had either produced or chipped for others. Since we buy our own chips in bulk, we are always listed as a "back up" person to call if someone finds one of our puppies that became lost. So even if the new owner can't be reached, we are there so that under no circumstance does one of "our" puppies end up homeless. Another "perk" of the AKC ReUnite program and AKC, is that by pre-paying for all of the puppies registration fees and completing their registration in full, the program rewards myself with free microchips, I just have to pay for the shipping. This way the program helps breeders to afford to chip all of their litters, ensuring that they are correctly identified and able to be reunited with their owners should they become lost or stolen. Coupled with a DNA profile, it is a foolproof way of making sure that a dog is who it is purported to be which is crucial to keeping pedigrees correct, and ensures that all of the records assigned to the dog in question are correct too. Especially important when considering breedings, testing for genetic diseases, and trialing/ titling a dog. You want to make sure that the dog is who he/she is supposed to be!