We raise beagle puppies as a hobby and for a little extra money on the side. We have about six or seven litters each year, depending on our females' cycles.
We raise the puppies on our large covered patio......which has an iron fence around it to keep the puppies in and the larger dogs out. The puppies grow up on concrete, which is much more clean and sanitary than puppies being in wooden/wire pens or on the dirt/grass.
Emerson has built us two large shallow whelping boxes (one is in the photo below) which have a vinyl flooring - they are easy to keep very clean and dry. The puppies are born in one of the whelping boxes and stay in there [with their mom] until they begin to walk around and explore (about 3 weeks old).......it's about that age that they learn how to climb out and have the run of the patio to play.....
After they get to be about 3 - 4 weeks old, we usually let 2-3 puppies in the house each evening for playing, socializing and cuddling. Our jobs allow us to work at home some, so we're not away from our house a lot. ...........the puppies get lots of attention and socialization.........even with our two cats and my shih-tzu mix spoiled-rotten Bailey.
Our adult beagles all live together outside.......having full run of our large back yard all the time........
Dogs come in heat twice a year......we ALWAYS skip a cycle between litters to give our females a rest. Our beagles are our pets and we take great pride in their health, well-being and happiness.
The puppies get their first puppy shot when they are six weeks old. We recommend buyers consult their vet to see when s/he prefers to give the second and third puppy shots. We purchase our shots from our local vet. We also give our puppies a de-wormer once each week beginning at three weeks of age. A shot/medical record will be provided with your AKC paperwork when you purchase a puppy. People ofen purchase two puppies at a time so they can keep each other company.
We ship all over the United States.......we primarily use Continental Airlines, they seem to be the most pet-friendly in our experiences. The puppies don't seem to mind the flight and the cargo people are always really organized and kind to the puppies.
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