Preparing for

Your New Border Collie Puppy

We want you to be happy with your new family member — and your puppy to be happy with their new family! Here’s how you can prepare for your new Border Collie puppy.

Light brown border collie puppy

Prepare for the Arrival of Your New Family Member:

Schedule Your Puppy Pickup

Contact me for pickup date and time — emailing is best.

Plan Your Travel Route

Decide on your travel route and where you will stop to give your pup and break if you are traveling more than 2 hours. Rest Stops, Gas Stations, Fast Food Restaurants and Dog Parks are a no-go. They are heavily visited by other dogs. You want to protect your pup by taking a bathroom break in a low dog traffic area, like an office park that has trees and grass.

Create a Puppy-Proofed Area

Create a puppy-proofed area where your puppy will be when you are not home, when you’re sleeping, or when you can’t supervise him directly.

Get Some Sleep

Get a couple of good nights’ sleep. You will need energy and patience.

Clear Your Schedule

Clear your schedule, plan for enough time to spend some quality time with your pup and time to add his/her schedule to your daily routine.

Learn

Read the PDF version of “Before You Get Your Puppy” and other articles and videos I send out.

Pick a Veterinarian

We want you to take your new pup to your vet within 3 business days of picking him/her up. You pup will have been to our vet for an examination, his first puppy shot and microchip; BUT I want you to be a good consumer and have your puppy checked. You will need to establish a vaccination schedule and heartworm, flea/tick prevention program.

Find a Sitter

Find baby sitter(s) for times that you are away – like work, shopping etc. Or if you don’t have a sitter, create your puppy-proofed area with litter tray, crate and maybe an Xpen.

Sign Up for a Puppy Class

They should be ready for class 2-3 weeks after you get your pup. Talk to your friends, neighbors and veterinarian for suggestions on a local puppy class.

Choose Your Puppy Food

Decide what food do you want to feed. Go to Dog Food Advisor  and find a dry puppy food to fit your budget or you can keep him/her on Royal Canin Medium Puppy. If you do switch, remember to switch foods gradually.

Your New Border Collie Puppy

What to Bring for Puppy Pickup:

  • Cashier’s check or cash (Unfortunately we had an issue or two over the years.)
  • A crate with newspaper. Puppy will ride best (less sway) behind the passenger seat.
  • Water container or bucket
  • Small collar and leash
  • Food bowl if traveling more than 6 hours

We Provide You With:

One sweet, healthy puppy that has been socialized and examined by our veterinarian, given his/her first puppy shot and microchipped.

Plus:

  • Health record to take to your vet
  • A copy of our signed contract that also acts as a Bill of Sale
  • AKC Registration
  • Microchip registration information
  • AKC Health Insurance — Free for the first 30 days, once activated
  • A blanket that smells like mom and littermates
  • Gallon ziplock bag of puppy food – We feed Royal Canin Medium Puppy, but you can slowly transition your pup to another quality puppy food.
  • Forti Flora by Purina Vet, a super probiotic to add to their food the first week
  • Puppy Kong and snack kit
Pickup Your New Border Collie Puppy