~Tidwell Toy Puppies ~
and Red Angus Farm
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~Tidwell Toy Puppies ~ and Red Angus Farm
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Transportation/Flight Information:
Because we can't simply mail your precious new puppy.... We can arrange private ground transportation to some areas in a comfortable, climate-controlled vehicle. Cost ranges from $25 up, depending upon destination . Please inquire.
Safely delivers our babies to transporter or airport!
The cost of transportation, whether flying to your nearest airport or driving your puppy (usually right to your home!) or convenient pick up point is $250 (A couple of the remote states can be a little higher, and if the puppy/crate is more than 25 lbs, the price can be slightly more). To destinations that are closer to us, the cost is less. Just let us know where you are located! In the case of an arranged flight, this fee includes transport to the departure airport, interstate health certificate, crate and airfare. For personal hand delivery, this fee includes health certificate, and transport to you door (or sometimes a convenient point near your home). Firstly, the puppy's safety is of utmost importance! We will not transport a puppy until it has reached 8 weeks of age, and with many of the toy breeds it may be 9-11 weeks of age before they are ready for this journey. We will always take the puppy's health and well-being into consideration above all else. Likewise, there are times when weather dictates when these babies can be shipped by air. If the weather is too hot or too cold, a flight at a later date will have to be chosen. Puppies are remarkably resilient, and seem to do quite well on this new adventure.
We recommend that you bring the following with you, when picking up your new baby: an old towel, baby wipes or a moist wash cloth in a baggie, bottled water and most importantly....warm and loving arms!! For our tiny toy -sized babies, we ask that you also bring along some Nutri-cal (or equivalent hi-energy nutrient source) to give to the puppy when you pick it up at the airport, or when you arrive at home if you are close to the airport. It may not have eaten on its journey by air, so it will need a little boost. Please allow your new baby to rest, and limit exercise and going places/having too many visitors until it has settled in and feels comfortable. Even following you around for more than 5 or 10 minutes can cause exhaustion. Also, playing with other pets or children for too long a period of time will use up the reserves in these tiny Toy puppies. We can't stress enough that quiet time, & being allowed to eat frequently are a must for the first couple weeks in their new home! They are babies and have just had a big change in their life!
To set up the flight, we will need from you: ** Your nearest airport, which has American Airlines service. We try to get the closest one for your convenience, but we choose a flight that is the safest for the puppy. ** The name(s) of who will be picking up the puppy (you will be asked for ID!) ** Your home address and a contact phone (cell especially so that you may be reached even if you are on the road) You should receive a confirmation from us, usually 1-3 days before the flight: ** Date of flight ** Your puppy's Airway Bill number (ticket) ** The flight numbers, arrival times, the departure & arrival airports You may track your flight by going to : www.Flightaware.com
Nutrition/Feeding
We believe in providing our animals with the best nutrition for optimal health, strong immune systems and proper growth or maintenance. Each breed we raise has its own needs, and even some individuals within a breed may need a slightly different diet. We feed NutriSource and Tuffys dry pet food (www.nutrisourcedogfood.com and www.tuffyspetfoods.com). The formulas have glucosamine for joint health, balanced Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, and a special digestive enzyme which aids in optimum digestion. Toy breed foods are more densely packed with nutrients so that even the small appetites still receive good nutrition. The food is manufactured under strict guidelines and the plant is inspected by the American Baking Institute (which inspects human bakeries!). Our toy breeds are started on NutriSource small\medium breed Puppy food. This is fed dry, but if a puppy needs to be enticed to eat, we might add a little warm water and some human baby chicken or turkey baby food from the jar (just a half teaspoon!) or chicken/egg/bacon canned food (Ol Roy Gourmet found at Wal-Mart). We may also entice the little ones with small bits of chicken or turkey sliced lunch meat. Remember: feeding a high quality food SAVES you money!!
You can visit their website, and locate a store near you at : www.nutrisourcedogfood.com The things we add to this complete diet are: Canine Missing Link Supplement or Nupro supplement (both are dry "ground" mixtures that can be added onto the dry food). The Missing Link: A nutritional supplement is a great thing to add to any pet food, especially for puppies and kittens, older animals, or animals with special nutritional needs. The Missing Link® is one of our favorite general nutritional supplements because it derives it’s nutrition from unprocessed, nutrient-rich, human-quality whole foods. It is nitrogen flushed and vacuum- packed for freshness to protect its precious nutrients. It promotes general health & well-being, better digestion, healthy skin and coat, increased energy, quicker recovery, reduced allergies, reduced odor, less joint stiffness and overall health and well being.
At times, we also add yogurt or cottage cheese. Yogurt provides extra calcium and also the "good bacteria" which aids digestion. Cottage cheese adds calcium and protein, in an easily digestible form. If you want to give your puppy an occasional egg, please cook it first ( scrambled & microwaved or pan-fried or boiled). Raw eggs are NOT good for a puppy! Puppies should be fed 2-4 times per day. The smaller the puppy, the more frequent the feedings. If your puppy seems disinterested in its food at first, you can entice it by adding a little warm water to the dry food, or add a half-teaspoon of human baby food-- the pureed chicken or turkey meat in the small jar-- with a little warm water.
Toy Breed Info You will receive a 2-page guide that I have written to inform you of some of the special needs that a tiny toy puppy might have. I have included some information on hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and signs to look for. Don't be frightened by this! I just want to let you know, in the very rare case that your puppy gets stressed and needs a nutritional boost! It is highly recommended that you have on hand a high calorie/sugar supplement. I recommend Nutri-Cal (also called EnerCal or EnerGel). This is a concentrated palatable form of nutrients, sugar and calories for the little ones.
Important information about the care of your new arrival! Your puppy has had a good appetite, and has been playful and carefree at our home. There will be a transition period when he/she arrives at your home. Everything is new and exciting...new sounds, new smells, new sights and NEW PEOPLE! It is very important to realize your new tiny puppy will take some adjusting, and might need some special care in getting him/her settled in. Any of our puppies that are less than 3 lbs are considered at risk of "running low on fuel", especially the first week after arrival. There are several important things that must be done: 1) keep stimulation to a minimum-- don't let your new puppy run and romp excessively (10 minutes can be excessive for these little ones); this includes running around and following you everywhere. They are like little hummingbirds...their energy stores are small, and their heart and desire to be a part of everything can overwhelm them. Try to minimize visitors and don't take the puppy out and about the first week of settling in (excluding the Vet visit!). 2) provide elecrtrolyte water (Puppy Aid or plain Pedialyte) at all times the first week. And be sure the puppy isn't held so much that it doesn't get the chance to eat and nibble. 3) Monitor food intake. Should he/she not seem very interested in the dry food I've provided, you can: to a small amount of dry food add about a half teaspoon of baby pureed chicken meat (in the jar) with a little warm water to entice the appetite. Also, they tend to like the following canned/packaged wet foods: Little Caesar Puppy; Pedigree chicken, ground; Ol Roy (Wal-Mart brand) Gourmet chicken, egg & bacon or gourmet dinner or lamb & rice (small 5 oz cans). If you think your puppy may need an energy source, you can add a little Karo syrup, molasses or Nutri-drops or Nutri-Cal to the food. IF ever you must hand feed (this does not happen often, but it can and I want you to know what to do) : mix a few tablespoons of human baby rice cereal with a little warm water, and add a little chicken baby food and sugar source (as above). Make it a little soupy if you need to use a dropper or syringe to feed. Place food in the corner of the mouth and to the back of the tongue, tipping the head slightly up so the puppy will swallow and not spit it out. Recipe for dehydration (especially helpful if loose stool or diarrhea is present): works like a glucose-based oral solution
Micro chip Implantation This is a wonderful way to permanently identify your pet. The small, safe microchip is implanted under the skin between the shoulder blades. It is completely safe and harmless. Should your pet ever get separated from you or slip out of your home or yard... you can be safely reunited when this chip is scanned and you can then be contacted. We offer the Micro chip implant for $20. There is also a fee for registering the microchip for life with a global recovery database. To read more visit: www.microchipidsystems.com
We offer Avid Micro chip implantation - $20
Importance of spaying/neutering PROTECTION BY SPAYING A female puppy spayed before her first heat cycle can expect never to develop a mammary tumor of any kind. The incidence of tumor development in this group is nearly zero. If she is allowed to experience one heat cycle before spaying, the incidence rises to 7% (still quite low). If she is allowed to experience more than one heat cycle, the risk is driven up to one in four.
Crate Training The crate is a very useful training tool. We need to view the crate as the puppy's "den" or secure bed. It is NOT a place to put a pet that misbehaves or has had an accident. The crate is a comfort zone and a place that your pet can call his own. The fold-up wire crate is useful, especially if you will be traveling. A color coordinated fabric or blanket can make it blend nicely with your decor. To prevent problems, crate training a puppy must be based on a canine's natural tendencies: they like to bed down in a sheltered, den-like atmosphere, be in the presence of others (littermates , mom or you!) and they learn through association. The proper crate size should allow an adult to stand up and turn around comfortably. Wire crates allow good ventilation and allow it to see its surroundings. Plastic crates can also be used. Start the puppy/dog out with positive associations to the crate: place the pet inside with a treat. You might also offer a meal or more inside the crate. Be sure no collar or tags can become entangled in the crate. Start with short intervals inside the crate. DO NOT speak the dog's name, or offer soft voice to soothe a crying, whining or barking pet. This just reinforces the behavior. A sharp rap of a newspaper on the door, or shaking a can with coins in it will tell the puppy that the behavior is not appropriate. Only after the puppy has become silent, do you open the door and let it out. Do not praise or carry on with attention immediately after letting it out. This would reinforce the desirability to leave the crate. Use short stays of 10 minutes to begin with, then increase time to 30 minutes. It is good to leave a comforting blanket, and a chew toy to preoccupy the puppy while in its den. By bedtime, the puppy should associate being quiet with being inside the crate. If the crate is in your bedroom and near you, the puppy does not feel alienated and separation stress. It is vital that the puppy does not spend too much time "cooped up" in a crate! Undesirable tendencies can surface (such as pacing, bouncing, barking, soiling in crate, etc). It is better to set up a room (laundry room, bathroom, gated kitchen, service porch, etc) with a potty area (newspapers, potty pad or the new potty patch) rather than crate a puppy all day long and night time too. Even if let out of the crate during the day, this is too much time spent in a crate without access to exercise and the ability to "do their business" should the urge hit them. Young toy puppies are like babies and need stimulation, frequent potty breaks, and room to move about and play. Crate training has several advantages:
Potty Training Potty training is one of the most difficult aspects of having a new baby puppy. But it doesn't have to be so exasperating as long as you follow a few basic guidelines and give it your "all" the first month or two of your puppies arrival. ** Be consistent. Choose a spot where you want your puppy to go potty, take him there every time, and come up with a word or phrase that you will use every time you want him to go. I.e. say "go potty," then, when your dog does his business; follow it with "good potty" and praise. He will learn to associate the word "potty" and the potty spot with doing his business. A Simple Solution Pee Spot Pheromone Stick will help your dog learn the right place to go potty. It is treated with pheromones which make your puppy’s potty place a more attractive spot for him. You can also "pre-spot" your potty pad, potty patch or newspaper with some of the puppy's urine (taken from the spot you didn't want him to go!) Crating a puppy when you are not around is the perfect way to keep him from going potty in the house and out of mischief. Dogs will instinctively not go potty in the same place where they sleep. However many months old a puppy is, he shouldn’t be expected to hold it more than that many hours. So, two month old puppies shouldn’t have to wait longer than two hours; three month old puppies, three hours, and so on. This is, of course, only a generalization, as all puppies are different. Tiny Toy breeds have smaller bladders, and need to go more frequently. No dog should be left crated for more than 6 hours, and not day & night. Always reward your pup with tons of energetic praise (and some use a treat) when he goes potty outside. If you wait until you get inside to give him his treat, he will have already forgotten what he did to deserve it. Keep a treat pouch stocked with yummy treats right with his leash (and your clean up bags, if used). Even plain Cheerios, low-salt Cheez-its, etc can be used. Never let that puppy out of your sight! First of all, there are tons of dangerous things your pooch can get into when you’re not watching, so you should avoid the hazard all together by keeping a constant eye on your puppy. Puppies all display similar behavior before they go potty--they sniff and root around, and turn in circles, and appear restless. Keep an eye out for this behavior and take your pup outside before he ever has a chance to go potty in the house. Pet/baby gates are perfect for restricting puppies to one room where you can keep an eye on them. Puppy pads (especially those pretreated with pheromones) are a great way to train your puppy to go in one specific spot indoors if you live in a high rise apartment, if you live on a boat or don’t have a yard, or are somehow incapable of taking your puppy out every time it is necessary. The new Potty patches are also a unique and cost effective way to provide a potty spot indoors or on a deck. It is very important that you clean up thoroughly if ever your puppy does have an accident. Just removing the stain usually isn’t enough, especially if you have carpets. Many cleaners take care of the odor to the point that humans don’t notice it, but those doggy noses can still tell that someone has gone potty in that spot. Left-behind smells are a cue to your dog that it is ok to go there again, and this will severely set back training. An enzyme cleaner will literally eat away the organic compounds that your dog can smell and remove the stain as well, leaving you with a clean carpet or floor and no cues to your pooch that it’s ok to go potty in the house. Wal-mart & Sam's club carries Odo-Ban, a very good deodorizing cleaner which is made with safe botanicals. Don’t take him inside right away. Your puppy will learn that as soon as
he’s done going potty, outside time is over and it’s back in the house, so he’ll
stall as long as he can. If you always play with your puppy for a few minutes
after he goes potty, he’ll learn to get it out of the way immediately so he can
play with you. Put your puppy on a regular feeding schedule. If you feed him at the same times every day, he will need to go potty around the same times too. If you free feed your dog (leave food out all the time) you won’t be able to regulate his eating to stabilize his potty-time patterns. (Of course at the beginning, we encourage free feeding until your puppy becomes comfortable in your home). Always take your puppy out immediately after he wakes up in the morning and after naps, as well as after every meal, play or training time, and last thing before bed.
Tear Stain Removal You should also make sure your dog doesn't have a tear duct obstruction (blockage) and have corrected the food and water issue first so he doesn't keep getting tear stains. After all if you treat the tear stains to remove them while at the same time you feed a food that causes tear stains you won't gain anything. Try the least invasive of the methods below first, give them 2-4 weeks to work, then if you are not satisfied go to another method of treatment. Do not use multiple treatments at the same time. Always have your vet give the dog a complete exam to rule out any serious eye condition first before trying anything else. The commercial products just don't work very well so it is best to just forget about them unless you have a very mild case of stain. TUMS If you need to change the pH of your dogs system to aid in preventing yeast or infection then Tums is primarily a source of Calcium, known as an antacid formulated as 500 mg Calcium Carbonate. Giving your Bulldog 1/2 of the Fruit flavored variety twice a day (toy breeds 1/8-1/4 depending upon size) will help change the pH of the tears. This will change the tears' environment and can help make it hostile for the continued growth of yeast and bacteria. White Vinegar A teaspoon of white cider vinegar can be added to your dogs drinking water to control new tear stains. It may take a while for your dog to "decide" to drink this water so start with a little less and gradually increase the amount of vinegar. Vinegar works much like TUMS in that it changes the pH of the drinking water. Changing the pH of your dog slightly will do wonders in the tear stain war and help eliminate bacteria and deep stain color and prevent yeast build up and is best used as a prevention once you have the tear stains removed or nearly removed. This will help for the future of the tear stains and make them a minimum occurrence. Milk of Magnesia, corn starch and peroxide Use equal volume of MOM (plain white) and peroxide, and then use the corn starch to make a good paste; put on and work well into the stained area and let dry 4 hours. Wash out, CONDITION WELL. Keep doing this for several days until tear staining is gone, although I would recommend skipping a day or two between applications if possible. Apply a thin coat of desitin diaper rash ointment after the area is washed out and dry. If your dog has heavy stains then do this for 3 days in a row, then skip every other day. This is a very old tried and true recipe. Corn Flour, water and a drop of bleach (homemade) Take 2 teaspoons of corn flour, add a few drops of boiling hot water and mix to a paste. Add 1 single drop of plain bleach. mix again. Allow the mixture to cool down and apply to the tear stain area. Allow to dry (10 minutes), wait 1 hour and remove with warm water and clean cloth. Then wipe on a thin layer of peroxide and allow to air dry and leave alone. Repeat every other day for 2 weeks. DO NOT get any in the dogs eye. Tetracycline Consult your vet for this method as it requires an RX anyway. This method should only be used when all others have failed and should only be used for 1-2 courses of treatment and not relied on as a continued treatment. Some have found success in eliminating tear staining by putting a dog on a ten day course of low dose tetracycline. Occasionally this may need to be repeated. Do not use this in puppies that have not yet cut their adult teeth. Tetracycline has been shown to cause teeth which have not erupted to permanently stain yellow. The product "Angel Eyes" and similar products have a small amount of Tylosin, also an antibiotic. Using a product with antibiotic is controversial and not always the best choice.
Pet Supply websites:
www.petedge.com a great place to buy toys & treats, exercise pens, grooming supplies www.revivalanimal.com good vet supplies, flea/tick products, books www.jefferspet.com lots of things for pets and livestock, too
Tidbits of information: Hair whitening formula: For each use, mix equal parts of Milk of Magnesia, Peroxide and Cornstarch. Work this mixture into the stained area, let dry overnight. Then wash out and condition well. Swimmers ear solution (for those smelly ears, especially if your dog loves to swim, or is groomed often and has problems with getting water in the ears: one part water/one part vinegar/one part alcohol (91 or 99% alcohol is best) Mix fresh solution each time you use it. You can adjust amount you make as needed, for example: one teaspoon of each, or 1 cc of each, or 10 drops of each....what ever is easiest for you. Apply into ear canal daily for 5-7 days or until ear has dried up and no longer has an odor. Liver Treats
1 lb raw liver 2 eggs- blend with liver in food processor or blender 1 tsp garlic powder 2 1/2 c. wheat germ bake in 9X13 greased pan for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Cut into 1/2 " pieces when cool. Freeze for longer storage.
Psalms 29:11 |
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Send mail to puppies@tidwellfarm.com with
questions or comments about this web site.
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Our Mercedes Sprinter Van- 
We
also use American Airlines Priority Pet Service or Delta!
This is an enlarged photo of
an actual microchip. It is actually just a little bigger than a grain of
rice. 
the pup does not form the habit of eliminating in the house
The Lord will give strength
unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace
