Hansen's Bloodhounds

How to Adopt your Bloodhound Puppy

"If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then give him only two of them."
-Phil Pastoret

Congratulations!  Please follow these steps to reserve your puppy and to help prepare for your new pet!

  • Know that you are ready for a new member of your family.  :-)  Bloodhound puppies require more attention in the first 4 to 6 months than adult dogs. If you plan to keep your bloodhound puppy outside, inspect your kennel or run or backyard fence to make sure it is puppy safe, and has shelter from sun and for cold weather. If your puppy will be inside, this is a good excuse to buy those new tennis shoes you've been wanting...so you can exercise along with your puppy on long walks!

  • Read about our guarantees, as well as our health schedule for the puppies. If you live a long distance from us, check out our shipping options.

  • Select the puppy you want from those in our litter(s) that are for sale. We generally do not advertise our puppies until they are 3 to 4 weeks of age.  However, if you join our contact list we will gladly keep you up to date, via email, when the puppies are born, send you photos, etc.  We always welcome visitors, but believe it is best to visit near or after the puppies are weaned (approx. 5 weeks).  By this time they are starting to show their personality making it easier to choose the right puppy for you.

  • Contact us to make sure the puppy is still available.  We update our web site daily, so chances are that if it is not marked as sold, it is still available. 

  • If the puppy you like is available, fill out the Puppy Request Form so we can learn a little about you and have all the info on hand that we need.  We will get back to you, usually within 24 hours.

    If you don't hear from us in response to a question you asked in the comments section, it would generally be because we didn't receive the message for some reason, such as spam filtering. It might be a good idea to e-mail yourself to remind you when you requested info. If you don't receive our reply within 24 hours, please contact us via phone at 712-621-9771.

  • Place a deposit ($100) on a puppy as soon as possible.  Please keep in mind that the $100 deposit is nonrefundable if you change your mind about buying.
    ~If you PayPal a deposit via credit card or PayPal savings, we will immediately mark your puppy with a "sale pending" notation on the website, and will hold him/her for you.  For your convenience, a deposit button is available for you below.  Please send your deposit to lori@hansenhounds.com.
    ~If you send a Wal-Mart Moneygram, we will mark your puppy with a "sale pending" notation on the website, and will hold him/her for you when we receive the moneygram. 
    ~If you mail a deposit (check/money order), it should be mailed immediately.  We will mark your puppy with a "sale pending" notation on the website after we receive it and hold the puppy for 5 business days while waiting for the check or money order to clear.  We cannot hold a puppy longer, turning other buyers away.
    ~If you pay more than $100, the first $100 will be considered a deposit. The rest will be considered payment toward the puppy.
    Please don't ask us to hold a puppy for you to think about, as we can't turn other good homes down when a puppy is not firmly sold.

  • $100 Payment Options

    Other Payment Options
     

Watch your puppy grow!  Until your puppy is ready for weaning and pick up, we will try to post and / or email new pictures of the litter every week or so. Be sure to check back often!

Learn what to expect from your puppy by reading about the development of puppies. When can they be housetrained? When can they learn obedience? Click here for more information.

Contact a veterinarian in your area if you don't have one already. A small percentage of puppies will develop diarrhea due to the change of environment and associated stress of leaving littermates. Some vets recommend giving the puppy medicine to prevent this for the first week a puppy is in a new home. I don't know about other parts of the country, but for us, it is about $1 per day. Click here to learn more.  This inexpensive prevention could save you tens to hundreds of dollars, depending upon how fair your vet charges are.  Your puppy will need to finish its vaccination schedule after leaving our home.  You will want to have a veterinarian perform this and advise you as your puppy grows.


Final payment is due 1 week prior to picking up your puppy to allow for clearance time.  Most people bring the final payment in cash at the time of pick up, which is probably the best method.  Note - Payment in full is due by the time the puppy is 8 weeks old if we are asked to hold your puppy beyond that time.

 

Prior to picking up your puppy, make sure you obtain the items you will need for your new family member.

  • A collar or harness and light leash for potty stops on the way home and leash training.  A 12-14" collar or 'medium' harness should fit.  Check with us just prior to the big day and we will provide you with accurate chest and neck measurements.

  • Two short and heavy (flat-bottomed) tip-resistant bowls for food and water.

  • Rawhide chews and Rope toys are also good to have.  We try to teach the puppies how to fetch a rope toy before they leave.  It's great fun!

  • If you have far to travel, a pet carrier is an excellent idea (and also helps for vet visits down the road). We might be able to get one for you if you give us advance notice. We can get them for $35-$55, depending upon the size you choose.

  • A high-quality puppy food is essential for the first few months.  The Midwest Bloodhound Rescue recommends your bloodhound be fed a minimum of 2 times daily.  They recommend the following brands:

    • American Natural Premium: www.americannaturalpremium.com (MBR feeds this food exclusively)
    • Fromm Pet Foods: www.frommfamily.com
    • Natures Select: www.naturesselectpetfood.com
    • Breeders Choice: www.breeders-choice.com
    • Diamond - MBR recommend only the Premium Adult, Beef Meal & Rice, Lamb Meal & Rice and Senior 8+ formulas. Some Diamond formulas do have a small amount of wheat, others do not: www.diamondpetfood.com
    • Pro Pac: www.propacpetfoods.com
    • Wellness: www.oldmotherhubbard.com

    and your veterinarian might have a suggestion that he/she prefers. Millions of puppies have been raised on store-bought food, and you sure can choose that route. Watch for corn-based ingredients...corn is not very digestible and is considered a cheap filler. It should not be the first or second ingredient in dog food.
    We are currently feeding Purina Puppy Chow because surveys indicated to us that a HUGE percentage of puppy owners feed it and can easily get it. We recommend that you have a small bag of Purina Puppy Chow (the brown nuggets, and NOT the red and green ones) on hand to use for the first few days. After that, begin mixing it with the food you prefer to use until the Puppy Chow bag is gone.

  • THE BIG DAY  For specific instructions to reach our home, e-mail or call us several days in advance.  Gather your puppy items (collar, leash, travel cage if needed) and come meet your new bloodhound puppy!  :-)

     

    • If you are having your puppy shipped to you, it is a good idea to take a few items to the airport with you when you meet your puppy:

      • Photo ID for the person listed to receive the puppy (which is the buyer, unless you told me otherwise).

      • Water to offer the puppy at the airport or at your vehicle.  There will be a food and water dish attached to the inside of the carrier, so you don't need a bowl.

      • A collar (12-14") and leash to allow the puppy to exercise a little before the drive home, and for potty stops.

      • Baby wipes or a couple wet wash cloths to wipe off the puppy's feet, as they might be soiled from the trip. Puppies don't normally potty in their "homes," but generally, the travel time is longer than they can hold it.

      • A plastic garbage bag or grocery bag to dump the soiled bedding from the travel carrier into for disposal.

      • A clean towel or something soft and cuddly to put into the carrier for your drive home from the airport.

      • More about shipping here...


    Hansen's Hounds
    (712) 621-9771
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