Our puppies are home grown
From the time they are born, Excel Shu-Ku puppies live in our home as
family members. We do not kennel them and they are not allowed to go outside unsupervised.
Each puppy is handled daily and tracked weekly with weight, growth, and feeding charts. At
the appropriate age, puppies are introduced and handled by our children. Puppies remain
with their dam until at least 10 weeks of age. These are a few of the many advantages to
breeding only limited litter(s)per year.
Excel Shu-Ku dogs/puppies are from breedings determined to benefit the breed, with
soundness, temperament, and conformation in mind. Sires and dams are either OFA or PennHIP
certified, clear of hip dysplasia, CERF’d clear of eye defects, and pass a battery of
other health tests.
All dogs/puppies are raised on a natural meat based diet consisting mainly of VIAND dry dog
food with a healthy dose of meats, veggies and supplements we feel so strongly about this
food & feeding method we require all of our puppies dogs to remain on the food through
out their lives. Before
leaving our home, all puppies will have their first set of inoculations, have been
micro-chipped with an AVID brand chip.
How we raise em...
Early on…
Excel Shu-Ku Akitas places socialization as a high priority. Our puppies are whelped and
raised in our home, socialized from birth with children, adults, and other animals. We
evaluate our puppies daily for physical and behavioral attributes. From day one we
condition them to become well-adjusted family companions. This process begins early on
with the biotinus test or the "vigor of life test". On day three of the
puppy’s life we begin an imprinting program similar to, and including, the Biosensor
method. Stimulation exercises practiced daily between the ages of 3 days to 16 days give
the neurological system a head start. Continuing with the regimen of new daily
experiences; different textures, shapes and colors are introduced to the puppy. We include
indoor and outdoor ( weather permitting) playtime with theme days such as ball day, box
day, water day, and sand day. The more new objects, noises, and obstacles the puppies are
exposed to, the more neural connections they make. This gives the puppies important
positive references to welcome new experiences for the rest of their lives.
As they grow older…
At around 4-5 weeks of age we move puppies into a separate playing and sleeping areas
– the beginnings of potty training. Before puppies leave for their new homes at
around 10-12 weeks of age, they will have been introduced to:
-Sleeping in a crate at night
-Obeying simple commands (sit, down, stay)
-Walking on a leash
-Inhibit bite when mouthing humans
-Car rides (confined in crates for safety)
Additionally, puppies are kept with their dam until at least 10 weeks of age. This allows
them to benefit from her lessons in canine social behavior.
Formal evaluations for temperament are conducted on day 49 with Volhard’s puppy
aptitude test. Structural evaluations are completed using the Puppy Puzzle method is done
at exactly 8 weeks of age. We make final puppy placement determinations using all the
information we have gathered throughout the puppies 10 weeks of life.
Excel Shu-Ku Akitas ...how can I get one?
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