Frequently Asked Questions about Willow Spring Kennels
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How do I schedule an appointment? Call our number at (215) 538-2179 and we’ll set up a time with you within our schedule.
What are your hours? On Monday through Saturday we are opened for business between 11am and 3pm. We are open from 12:30pm to 3pm on Sundays. We are open for rescue appointments on Monday and Tuesday at 11am to 3pm.
Why are your business hours set up this way? The first few hours of the morning are spent cleaning up the kennel, checking dog food and water, doing inventory, and other maintenance activities for our business' proper function. We always close at 3pm because our puppies are usually tired by that time from either extensive play in their exercise areas or from being shown to other customers. 3pm is essentially the beginning of their nap time.
Can I visit with the puppies before I make a decision? Absolutely, we encourage all customers to spend at least 15 minutes in the show room with any candidates for future family pet so as to assess what personalities mesh well with a particular home environment.
Is there a time limit for a visit/appointment? There is no official time limit, so take as long as you need to make a decision. But if we have several customers coming the same day, we encourage you to take you selected puppies outside to an exercise yard to spend time with them as it gets increasingly difficult to give needed attention to multiple customers simultaneously in the show room.
Can I have a tour of the full facility? Yes, we are always glad to give customers a tour of our inside kennel and outside exercise yard so you can see how our puppies are raised and cared for. The only exception is our nursery where the puppies are born, which we have to keep sterile due to both state regulations as well as for insurance concerns. All of our puppies stay in the nursery section (which is separate from the rest of the kennel) until they've received their full first round of vaccinations at around 8 weeks old.
Should I specify a color or gender preference? If you have one, yes, as this helps greatly in narrowing down which kind of dog to show you.
Is there a difference in personality/training requirements between male and female Cavaliers? In the Cavalier breed there are no issues with either gender in house training provided the dogs are fixed. A very small and negligible difference between the genders exists in the level of friendliness that tilts slightly towards the male gender in this particular breed. Cavalier breeders like to use the phrase “The females love you, the males are in love with you”. Both genders make excellent pets, but the usual tendency of the male to be a less attractive choice for a family pet in other breeds does not exist with the Cavalier.
Is marking an issue in house training a male Cavalier? Marking only occurs if the dog has not been neutered before he has fully matured. If he does not start lifting his leg before being neutered, he won’t mark after being neutered.
Can I purchase a Cavalier for breeding? No, the dogs that we breed are bred specifically to be family pets. If you wish to obtain registration papers for the dog you purchase (which is optional), we require proof that the dog has been neutered/spayed before we send them to you. We make exceptions for licensed breeders on this, and only after a rigorous review of whether the individual puppy is fit for breeding and usually at an additional charge for breeding rights.
When should I have my pet neutered/spayed? The best age for neutering a male is 6 months old, and spaying a female should also be done at at least 6 months old. Spaying is a more invasive procedure and has a longer recovery time than neutering.
How can I pay for my puppy? We prefer cash, money order or certified check if you wish to take the dog home with you the same day. You can also pay by personal check but we require the check to clear before you take the puppy home. We do not accept credit cards or bank cards.
Do you do deposits if I wish to put a hold on a particular dog? Yes, you can mail us a personal or certified bank check for 50% of the full amount of the dog in advance and reserve the dog that way, and we are happy to hold onto dogs for a certain amount of time before you pick them up if you need time to make accommodations for the dog or if you are planning a vacation.
What determines the price of the puppies? It is based primarily on the physical appearance of the puppy. The breed standards specify a certain weight range, color coordination, facial appearance and other aesthetic attributes of the dog.
Does temperament or health factor into the price? No, if on a rare occasion we have a puppy that has any health issues or personality problems, we immediately designate them as a rescue. We have yet to breed a Cavalier or Havanese with a poor temperament and we only rarely have puppies with health problems. Most individuals looking for a bargain on a dog are not expecting the additional amount of monetary and emotional costs that go into raising a dog with health problems so it would be dishonest for us to sell a dog under the impression that it would be a bargain purchase.
What is the minimum age for taking a puppy home? For the Cavalier breed, the usual minimum is 12-13 weeks of age and a minimum weight of 5 lbs, although occasionally they may have to be a week or two older depending on their maturity level and weight.
Why do they have to be that old before they can leave the kennel? The Cavalier breed is one of the slowest in terms of development from the infant stage to the puppy stage where they can be independent of both their mothers and their litter mates. As such, they require more time than most breeds to properly socialize, and for their immune systems to develop fully so that they can cope with the big change from being in a kennel with other dogs to being in a home situation.
Do I receive health information and immunization records with the puppy? Yes, we include a copy of the latest health check that is certified by our veterinarian. Health checks are done every two weeks. We also include a photocopy of our records of immunizations given to all puppies in the litter of the puppy you buy. If you are purchasing a dog that is 15 weeks old or older, they will have had every immunization except for their rabies shot. Although in many breeds it is common for the Rabies vaccine to be administered at as young as 12 weeks of age, we believe that it is healthier for a Cavalier to receive it at the age of 6 months due to the frail nature of the breed's health when they are puppies.
What are my rights as a dog purchaser? Under the Pennsylvania Dog Purchaser Protection Act, you are required to take your new puppy to your own veterinarian within 10 days of taking him home. If your vet encounters any significant health issues or physical impairments that our vet missed, you are entitled to either a full refund or a different dog of equal value. We provide a copy of the state law with your other paper work and you can read the law on our website.
What is a Cavanese? It’s a hybrid breed that combines the Cavalier and Havanese breeds. They tend to have a more easy going personality that is similar to the Cavalier, but look closer to the fluffy, smaller Havanese breed. They tend to be lower in price and are not a recognized breed so they do not come with registration papers.
Do you remove dew paws? No, if a puppy has dew paws then this is to be taken care of by your vet.
Where can I find out about house training my Cavalier? We provide information and a schedule for house training pups in the Potty Training section.
What information is there about Mitral Valve disease, which is prevalent in the breed? Early onset of Mitral Valve disease, which usually occurs at around 6 years of age, is pervasive in the Cavalier breed. But if the right steps are taken it can be dealt with. The most important way to deal with it is to catch it early through regular heart checkups with your veterinarian. The indicators are found through a very methodical examination of the dog's heart beat, involving at least a minute straight of observation of the heart's rhythm. If caught in its early stages, there is anecdotal testimony that blood pressure medication (beta blockers) will reduce the onset of the disease and the dog can live a long life. These medications can be bought at Walmart in person form, and the dosage for a Cavalier is about 1/3 of what the average person takes.
Is the heart history of the parents of our future puppy available? Yes, we can show you official documentation regarding the health of all our breeders. We can not 100% guarantee that all of our lines are fully free of Mitral Valve disease as most of our breeders are under the age of 6 years, but in many cases we also have records that go back additional generations and still show no presence of heart issues.
Is there a warranty on a puppy with respect to heart health? Yes, we guarantee the puppy's heart health for a period of 1 year. During this period, if a murmur or other issue should come up then you are entitled to a full refund. In the event that a puppy has a heart murmur during any of our regular veterinarian checks here at the kennel, he/she is immediately designated as a rescue.
Are there any other health concerns common to the Cavalier breed? The only other common concern is loose hind knee joints. Most small dogs have loose knees when they are young which will later tighten up with exercise and continued growth. Very rarely (we've only encountered 5 dogs with this condition in about 5 years of business) the puppy's knees will not tighten when they reach adolescence, which is another condition falling under the rescue category. This condition is correctable through surgery, but the procedure is expensive.
Can we receive registration papers for our puppy? We can provide registration papers for all of our puppies. Most of them can be registered with AKC (American Kennel Club), and all of them can be registered with ACA (American Canine Association). As a rule we do not sell dogs for breeding except to state licensed breeders, so one of the conditions for getting one of our puppies registered is proof of the dog being neutered or spayed. Most customers opt out of getting registration papers primarily because the principle purpose for registration is either show or breeding, both of which are negated by getting the dog fixed. Most of our dogs are not show quality and are not intended for breeding, and if we have a puppy who falls into that category, we keep them to replace older breeders who are soon to be retired and placed with families seeking a full grown dog.
How much should I feed the puppy per day? The full amount for a single day is about 1 cup of kibble, particularly the Nutri-Source Small/Medium Breed Puppy food we provide for the first week and a half of your time owning the dog. Dogs that are 12 to 18 weeks in age should be fed 1/3 of a cup 3 times a day. Once at 18 weeks, it goes to 1/2 cup twice a day, and at around the age of 10 months on up it goes to a single feeding of 1 cup per day. Never give the puppy any less than 1 cup per day, though sometimes if the puppy becomes overly sluggish or is constantly tired, a little extra might be needed, but consult us first about this and do not simply free feed the puppy. We also provide 1 lb. of a fresh food by Natural Select Fresh Pet that will supplement your puppy's diet for the first 2 weeks of owning the puppy. This food is to be given once per day after the dog eats the dried kibble (otherwise he/she won't eat the kibble) in the amount of about 1/16 a pound. The weight of the fresh food is measured out on the outside of the wrapper to the 1/8 of a pound.
What should I do if my new puppy hasn't pooped all day? If the dog has been eating regularly, the primary cause of this is a lack of exercise. Make sure that the puppy is getting plenty of attention and is taken out to run around your yard. The puppy's bowels are stimulated by activity so giving them time to run around should correct this. If an entire 48 hour period has elapsed and this has not solved the problem, contact us immediately and let us know.
What should I do if my new puppy isn't drinking? If the puppy won't drink her water, this is likely due to him/her still getting used to drinking/eating without her litter mates being present. The best way to deal with this is to give the puppy either vanilla ice cream, vanilla yogurt, or goat's milk which will be more appealing to the puppy because of the dairy content. It is a good idea to stay with the puppy while trying to get him/her to eat as well.
What if puppy goes to the bathroom in the crate? There are a number of reasons why this might happen. The first thing to do is make sure that you are adhering to the Potty Training schedule and not giving the dog water or food immediately before crating it without outside time. In addition to activity, eating and drinking can stimulate the puppy to go soon after, especially in the 12 to 18 month age range, so be sure to give the dog outside time after feeding. If the poop looks loose or has a peculiar odor to it, this could be due to not giving the puppy the 2 lower digestive medications that we provide upon purchasing the dog at some point during the first 10 days of owning the dog. The worming medication can cause loose stool temporarily after it has been administered so it is a good idea to be extra conscientious about taking the dog outside to do it's business.
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