Preparing to Bring Your Airedale Home

Getting a new puppy creates a lot of excitement, from the time you get on the buyers list until the day you actually bring your puppy home. The experience of getting a new puppy creates memories that last a lifetime.

And, as with any new commitment, the best way to be ready is to have all of the necessary preparations done ahead of time.

Below are the areas to be reviewed so that your adoption goes as smoothly as possible. Much of this is an overview, but we are always available to answer your questions in more detail. 

A Fenced Yard

Airedales are naturally inquisitive, which makes them inclined to explore the world. This is why having a fenced yard is so important. Airedales are very social and would enjoy exploring your surrounding neighborhoods just to see what’s out there.

They generally adjust quite well to living in a fenced area. If you happen to be in a very rural area and not close to any paved roads, a fence is not as critical, but keep in mind as your Airedale matures he could decide to go and see the countryside if you are not around to keep him company.

So a good secure fence is essential to keep your dog safe, and also give them opportunity to run and play.

A Daytime Plan

There are many avenues by which you can have a good workable plan for your dog. Putting a dog in a crate and going to work for the day simply will not work, as this is too long of a time span for your dog to be confined.

There are many options that will work for your dog, and we will be happy to talk with you at length about what would be a good daytime plan, considering your household circumstances. 

Exercise and Conditioning

Airedales are high energy and require daily exercise. With an adequate run area, they can usually exercise themselves with a little help from their people. Providing they have an assortment of toys to draw from, they are usually pretty innovative at creating their own entertainment, even though they also do well in group activities.   

Puppy Proofing Your Home

This boils down to safety and logic. The best ways to avoid an unfortunate incident is to remove the temptation. For example, any puppy just loves to pull on an appliance cord, so you want to keep electrical cords routed in a way that they are not easily available for easy grabbing.

There are many foods that humans can have that at the same time can be toxic to a dog. The top of the list would be chocolate, but there are many other foods that can cause a dog to become anywhere from mildly nauseous to severely ill, depending on the kind of food and the amount consumed.

During the holidays, like Thanksgiving or Christmas, candy bowls can often be found on peoples coffee tables. With all of the humans socializing, a dog can easily consume half of the bowl before anyone notices. There are numerous internet sites written by veterinarians that list different foods that can be toxic to dogs.

To keep it simple, if it can harm your dog, just keep it in a place they cannot get to.

Since most dog owners cannot watch their dog 24/7, it is best to crate them or set them up an indoor play area when they are puppies. This keeps them out of trouble while you are busy doing other things. This also gets them more accustomed to being alone. As your dog matures, you can allow them to move about your home freely when you are present, as this develops their socialization skills.

In a household where everyone goes to work, owners will eventually allow their dog to occupy certain areas of their home and install a doggie door so they can go out in the yard when needed.

Our Purchase Agreement

Bruce and Caron Jones, owners of Singing Hills Kennel, are both recognized as Breeders Of Merit by the American Kennel Club. Our Facility has been inspected by The American Kennel Club and deemed to meet all of their compliance requirements. We do only selective breeding, unlike many backyard breeders who just breed whatever dogs they have on hand.

Depending on their sex, we require our companion puppies to be spayed or neutered at the appropriate age. We also require our puppies to be registered through the AKC by their new owners. Registering the dog requires a onetime nominal fee which permanently transfers the dog to your name.      

Getting Your Dog Home

We are long on history and reputation, which motivates buyers to come considerable distances to get their dogs from us.If you are able to drive to our kennel in one day, it’s probably going to be feasible for you to come in the day before, spend the night in a local hotel, and pick up your dog the next day. If you are flying in, make sure you follow all of the requirements of the airline you are flying on.

Also, it will be necessary to set up the date with us well ahead of time.

Typically Airlines will allow puppies to fly home with you, providing you have the puppy in a flexible type crate that can fit under your seat, but at the same time has room enough for your puppy to turn around while in the crate. We have had good experiences flying on Delta and Jet Blue. American does need seem to be as inviting as the previous two-mentioned, but will allow puppies to fly providing you meet their exact requirements.

We can meet you at the airport with your puppy, and also provide you with an acceptable flying crate that you can later mail back to us. It’s imperative that you book your return trip in advance and include paying the fee to fly your dog home. It’s best to allow at least at least two hours between flights, so we can fill out all the necessary paperwork and allow you ample time to re-board for your flight home.

We are located about an hour from the Raleigh Durham Airport, so this would be where you would want to book your trip through.

Caring for the Health & Well Being of your Dog

Most of our puppies go to their new homes at about 8 to 9 weeks of age. We always send a Health Info write-up which lists all of your puppies’ current vaccinations and other healthcare items. This is the same information you will give to your veterinarian so they can keep your puppy current on all vaccines and preventatives.

A dog’s environment plays a huge role in their health and well being. It cannot be emphasized enough the importance of keeping up your dog’s heartworm preventative & flea treatment. We highly recommend that you have your dog micro chipped and keep their information activated.

We expect owners to keep their dogs in their homes as they need to be included in family activities and will not do well in isolated environments which is true with most breeds.