An educated pet owner is a good pet owner!  I love learning about this precious breed and I believe you will, too!  If you are interested in a future adoption and you are new to the breed or if you are an experienced Chihuahua owner, we hope that this page will help fill in the gaps of your learning and showcase this incredible dog breed, the mighty Chihuahua!  We have three other pages we ask you to read if you have adopted one of our puppies, or if you are hoping to adopt one of our puppies.  We require customers to read the page titled Molera, the page titled Hypoglycemia, and the page titled Puppy Care.

  

Contacting us:

Please, note that we respond prompty to your emailed questions, however, we do not take calls.  Email is our best mode of communication.  We do ask that before you contact us, you take time to read over this page and the home page.  We believe that the information here will answer many of your possible questions.  If after reading these two pages, you find you still have questions, do not hesitate to ask!

Thank you

sjo14@satx.rr.com

 

 

I Would Like to Adopt a Puppy, What is My Next Step?

 

All you need to do:

  1. Read the Helpful Information page

  2. Be patient. The demand for puppies is high.

  3. Frequent the home page on an every other day basis. That is where you will find the current updates on all things puppy related.

  4. When you see availability notice, mark your calendar for that specific date/day/time frame.

  5. On that specific date/day/time frame, stay on the puppy page and beneath the gallery of past puppy photos there, we will, during that time frame, post the puppy photos and stats and when you see those puppy photos/stats, the puppies are available for deposit.

  6. Notify me through email of the puppy you want to add to your family. All you needy type in your email is the name of the specific puppy and the word HOLD. If you are the first one to request that puppy, then I will email you a confirmation and soon thereafter I will email you the PayPal invoice so you can pay the deposit to hold that puppy.  We do not accept calls or text request on the day we post puppies as available…only emails, please.

  7. Make sure you have a trusted vet that is familiar with the Chihuahua breed.  If you do not yet have a veterinarian, you can glance at our “Vet Recommendation” page and hopefully find one in your area.

  8. Make sure you can do the pickup in the time frame given on the stats or at least a few days or so within that time frame.  If you will be flying into either the Austin airport or the San Antonio airport to pickup your puppy, please book your flight for either late morning or early afternoon.  We do not do early meet ups or high traffic times.  Confirm with us your airport pickup time prior to booking your flight, please.

  9. Make sure you want to add that puppy to your family, as deposits are non-refundable.

  10. Know your pickup plan options ahead of time.  If you will be needing pet transport for puppy, we do not recommend a pet ground transport as the puppy is too small and the risk for low blood sugar is a very real possibility. If you decide to fly into the San Antonio airport, we are willing to do a puppy pickup at the airport.  We do not charge for this delivery service.  We are no longer offering transport to the Austin airport due to the increase in traffic and my health decline.  If you and your family will be driving yourselves to pick up puppy, that is a safe option, and we can discuss puppy’s needs for the long drive home.  We meet customers at the local Buc-ee’s off IH 35 here in New Braunfels.  The address is 2760 I-35N, New Braunfels, TX 78130.

We have many pages on our website to educate the Chihuahua lover.  Read over each of them and watch the few videos we have posted on those pages.

Be patient, as the demand for puppies is extremely high currently.

 

When are Puppies Made Available for Deposit?

Beginning in June 2022 we will not be making our puppies available till they are between 7-8 wks of age. (Previously we made puppies available at 4-5 wks of age).  What this will mean for customers is that puppy will be ready to go home 1-3 weeks after they are placed on hold (at 9-10 wks of age). Details of each litter will still be posted on the home page, but no photos/stats until the date they are made available for deposit and posted on the Available Puppy page.

How do I place a puppy on hold?

As many of you know, we have struggled with our availability protocol due to the high demand for puppies.  So, please understand that we do not produce huge numbers of Chihuahua puppies.  We will not have puppies for all the people seeking to adopt. So, with this said, here is our current plan for making puppies available for deposit.

On our home page, 3-5 days prior to the availability date, we will post the date/day the puppies will be made available.  We will probably make it a 1 hour window of time.  We will still adhere to the first come/first serve practice.  Then, on that date, during that time frame, we will post puppy information and photos on the puppy age for you to view.  This will be posted beneath the gallery of past puppy photos on that page.  When puppies are posted, they are available for deposit.  (We do not send out photos of puppies prior to the availability date.)  If a customer is the first one to request that specific puppy, we will email them a confirmation email and follow up with the PayPal invoice for them to pay the deposit to hold that puppy.  If the customer is not the first customer, we usually will not follow up their email with a reply.  Sometimes we do follow-up with #2 customer to let them know that they are second in line and if #1 falls through then they will be notified.  Deposits should be paid upon receiving the PayPal invoice in your email inbox.  You do not need to be a member of PayPal to use the service. Remember that ONLY DEPOSITS hold puppies, so please stay close to your PC, laptop or phone so when I email you the invoice for the deposit, you will be able to promptly get that completed.

I will try to promptly post on the puppy page and home page, the status of puppies and which ones are on hold and which ones are available still.  But my first priority of time is to the customers that secured a puppy and following up with them.

Remember to read the stats prior to requesting that puppy.  We are clear with pick up dates on the stats.  If you will be unable to pick up your new puppy during the general time frame we have in their stats, you must alert me to that prior to paying the deposit.  It may be advisable for you to adopt a puppy from a different litter at a later date.  Puppies go home from 9-10 wks of age.  This allows them to bond nicely with their new family.

What Should I Do to Prepare for Puppy’s Arrival?

If you are a customer that secured a puppy, congratulations!  Your homework will be to begin collecting items for his/her arrival.  We also request you go ahead and schedule that very important “Establish Service” vet check within 3 days of your pick up.  We have been working hard on our Veterinary Recommendation page, so if you do not already have a trusted vet, familiar with the Chihuahua breed, check out that page.  We will email you puppy care information sheets after your deposit is collected.  There are four pages on our website you will need to read over and share with your family if they will also be caregivers for puppy.  The pages we require you familiarize yourself with are the Helpful Information page, the Hypoglycemia page, the Molera page and the Puppy Care page.

We have many pages on our website to function as an educational platform for our customers.  We also suggest finding Youtube channels on dog training, house training, puppy care in general.  We enjoy “Sweetie Pie Pets” and have permission to add their videos to our website.  We know many of you have owned Chihuahuas for decades, but remember that puppies are in a different category than an adult Chihuahua.  It may be you need to refresh your knowledge base of the breed and puppy requirements.  We will email you some important information sheets after your deposit is paid.  Print these out, read them and begin collecting the items you will need for his/her arrival to your home.  Read some good books on the breed.  We have book suggestions on this page.  We also recommend PetChiDog’s Giant Book of Chihuahua Care, by PetChiDog.  If you sign up, they will send you emails with fun, educational material on the Chihuahua breed.

 

 

Video Education for Customers Before Puppy Comes Home

Update: September 2021  Due to declining health on my part, we are no longer offering phone consults to our customers prior to puppy pickup.  We have, however, made a series of videos, 12 to be exact, of the topics we think are important to share with you before your new puppy comes home!  After the litter exam, we will be sending you, via email or phone, the video links so you and your family can watch all the videos and re-watch them if necessary.  It is our hopes that these videos will instill confidence in our customers that when they bring puppy home, they know what to look for, what to do, how to handle issues that may arise, such as low blood sugar, picky eating, etc.  We do ask that the customers read the following pages prior to watching the videos.  It will lay a firm foundation for the content the videos offer.

 

Customer will be required to read over 4 pages on our website.

The Helpful Information page

The Hypoglycemia page

The Molera page

The Puppy Care page

 

 

Deposit Information

We require a $200 deposit to hold a puppy.  This deposit is collected through the PayPal invoice.

You do not need to be a member of PayPal to use this service.

 

What is the Routine for Puppies While at Hill Country Chihuahuas!

 

  • Puppies are wormed at 2,4,6 and 8 wks with Pyrantel Pamoate.

  • Puppies receive their first puppy shot between 6-7 wks of age.

  • Puppies visit our vet’s office for the all important litter check between 7-8 wks of age.

  • Photos of your puppy are updated every two weeks and sent to you via email.

  • After the vet check, we will email you and let you know how the vet check went, puppies weight and we will schedule your phone consult and pick up visit and email you the invoice.

  • Final payment is not due till your pickup visit.  We accept cash for the final amount.

  • Puppies usually go home at 9-10 wks of age.  9 weeks is usually accepted, unless puppy is on the smaller side, then it may be 10 wks.

  • The pickup visit usually takes 10-15 min.  Papers are signed, payment is made, photo is taken and then customer and puppy go home to bond and start building memories!  Due to Covid we are no longer meeting customers here at our home for the pickup visit.  We will gladly meet them at the Buc-ee’s off I-35 and FM 306.  The address is 2760 I-H35, North New Braunfels, TX 78130, Exit 191.  We will meet outside, in the parking lot and ask that you wear your mask and being your own pen for signing paperwork.  If meeting in south Austin is an option you would like to utilize, then we will deliver your puppy to a location off Slaughter Lane and I-35 in south Austin.  This typically cuts your driving time by two hours round trip.  We do not charge for this delivery.  Please, let us know ahead of time so we can make plans.

 

How Much Will My Puppy Cost?

Our pet pricing range from $2500-$3500, depending on many varied factors.  Each puppy is priced individually in the litter.  We do not necessarily charge more for either coat length or sex.  These are pet companion prices, without AKC breeding rights.  If breeding rights are desired, we do charge an additional fee ($550).  Email us for more details if you are seeking full rights on a puppy.  We are required by state law to charge state taxes of .0675% (Beginning April 1, 2022, the tax will go up to 8 1/4 %).  That will be added to your puppy pricing.  Your final payment is not due till your pickup visit.  The deposit, when paid to hold your puppy, will be deducted from the puppy pricing.

 

Visiting Policies

The well being of our puppies and dogs is paramount to us and therefore we do not offer visitation to customers.  Many infections can be easily brought into our home/yard/porches on the soles of shoes and even the fabric of clothes.  We are thankful that we have not had an outbreak of infection in our history of dog breeding, but those we know and love have experienced this type of thing and it is heartrending. 

Although, we began a no-visiting policy due to the pandemic, we have decided it is in the best interest of our breeding program to continue this policy.  The risk of Covid virus required certain life style changes to assure the highest level of protection.  Those changes were made and our lives altered.  However, the risk of canine Parvo virus has always been high and so we are trying to make certain changes to assure our dogs and puppies are in a low risk environment.  Please, take opportunity to view the many photos we have of our yard and our home.  The “About Us” page has many photos of our family, too.  Thank you!

 

 

Items to Collect

  1. The IRIS 4-panel exercise plastic playpen with door or without door.  You can find these through Amazon, Walmart, Chewy.com, Petco, and Petsmart.  They now come in lots of different colors and are lightweight, easy to clean and lift.  I use these all the time for different locations.  Storage is also a breeze as the panels can come apart and slide under your bed when not in use.

  2. Diamond puppy formula dried food~ can be found online or at Tractor Supply, purple bag.

  3. NutriCal or NutriStat.   (We use Doc Roy’s FortiCal Gel from Revival Animal Health. 800.786.4751)  However, there are many other brands you can find that will be just as good.  Please, bring the tube with you for pickup, if your drive home will be longer than 45 min.

  4. We have for several years now been producing smaller sized puppies.  Due to this we are now requesting that customers also buy DYNE to have on hand when puppy comes home.  We use Dyne here on a daily basis and drizzle it over the dried kibble.  Dyne is a wonderful product and encourages puppies to eat during relocation stress when their appetite may decrease significantly.  Dyne does not need to be refrigerated and all you need to do is shake up the bottle and drizzle it over either puppy’s moist food or dried kibble.  It is full of nutrients and flavor and high in calories.  It smells like melted homemade vanilla ice cream!  Amazon sells it and Chewy’s sells it and you may find it at your local feed store, also.

  5. Bed~ Ross has a large selection and affordable pricing.

  6. Puppy pads

  7. Food and Water dish that is connected.  Puppies are adorable and sometimes use their food dish as a bed and gallop over the water dish with glee!  We want to make sure that food/water will not easily tip over and spill.

  8. Pedigree puppy formula canned food or Pedigree adult chunky ground beef or chunky ground chicken formula.  Your puppy is eating both here at our home.  During relocation stress the moist food is very important to assist several things, including hydration since the main ingredient is water. Dried food can be a bit boring for puppy while he/she is processing their new surroundings during relocation.  But they rarely turn down the moist food, so calories going into puppy are always helpful in preventing low blood sugar!

  9. We do not mind if you want to change food as puppy matures, however, it is not advised in the first 1-2 months and when you do finally do it, please remember to do it gradually so that it does not upset puppy’s gut.

 

 

How Much Will My Puppy Weigh as an Adult ?

We do not guarantee the adult weight of your puppy.  Ever.

The Chihuahua breed conformation states a weight up to 6 lbs.  However, some Chihuahuas grow larger than the 6 lb range.  Breeders use a Chihuahua Weight Chart to estimate the adult weight of a puppy.  Please, know that we never guarantee the adult weight of a puppy.  There are many reasons for this, but mostly because it is impossible to do accurately and consistently.  We have witnessed the weight chart be wrong too many times to depend on it’s estimates with assurance.  Adult weight is a “Wait and see” situation.  We have seen large puppies turn into small adults and small puppies turn into large adults. So, with this said, we will give our customers the Chihuahua weight chart estimates for the available puppies.  But there are no guarantees, at all.

If weight is a priority to you in the adoption choice, then we highly recommend you adopt a teenager or young adult since the adult weight estimate by 7 months is more accurate.

We want all our puppies to be significantly loved and valued regardless of their adult weight.  If you will love and value your puppy less if he/she grows to be over (or under) the weight you had planned, then I am not the breeder for you.  Remember that even a 6 lb Chihuahua is still a small dog in the canine world.  A Chihuahua is a little dog with allot of love to give!  We hope you are the type of pet owner that will welcome whatever size your puppy grows to be!

Pet Carriers

Chihuahuas find it absolutely splendid to be near their person.  Carriers allow this wonderful little creature to stay close to our hearts while allowing our hands to be free.  We recommend the Pet-A-Roo Pet Carrier!  It is tested by our family members and works very well and holds up nicely, too.

 

Chihuahua Art Work!!!

One of our customers is a very talented artist and he is available to paint YOUR Chihuahua!  His paintings are realistic and beautiful.  He captures the many details and what a great addition his paintings would be to your home and family.  For someone that has lost a beloved Chihuahua, this idea would make a thoughtful and meaningful gift.  Here are a few of his paintings and his contact information is also listed below.

Email: philmlaker@gmail.com or odiaz1003@gmail.com

 

Treat and Dietary Suggestions!

  • We have been experimenting on moist puppy food.  The Royal Canin Starter was a popular food…. for awhile, then the puppies stopped eating it.  We have had good reports of Cesar’s puppy food and the tried and true Pedigree puppy food in the can has also been well liked by the puppies.  We are still experiementing and by the time you adopt your new puppy, we will be able to offer you a brand the puppies are consistently eating well.

  • Whimzee’s is a great chew treat and the ingredients can be digested, unlike rawhide chews.  Please, avoid raw hide chews for the safety of your Chihuahua.

  • A tube of NutriCal is not optional.  We were using Under the Weather gel, but it went up, up, up in pricing.  We are now using the tried and true NutriCal.  They also sell NutriStat which will also work well.

  • CET Veggie-Dent~  Unfortunately, Chihuahuas are known for several dental issues.  #1 They hate to let go of those puppy teeth!  Then we must pay the vet to pull those little puppy teeth out and give room for their adult teeth to come in, nice and straight.  This treat product assist those puppy teeth to come out!  Just make sure that you put these chews in your own ziplock bag where no air will get in because they will loose their flavor and then lay on the living room floor with on one chewing on them.

  • Diamond Puppy Food~ We really have been pleased with this dried kibble for many years now.

  • Doc Roy’s GI Synbiotics~  This product is the best I have found for gut health.  It has a scoop inside and you scoop up what appears to be sawdust, and sprinkle it over the dog’s dried kibble.  So, when your dog eats the dried kibble they are also ingesting this wonderful product to promote good balance of bacteria in the gut.  A healthy gut, a healthy dog!

  • Revival Animal Health: 800.786.4751   This is a great company and we buy many of our vet supplies from them.  The Doc Roy’s products are their brand.  We also buy our Doc Roy’s Forti Cal from Revival and it is affordable and the dogs/puppies love the flavor!  If you call them, ask for their free catalog.  It is very educational to read and browse through.

Grooming

Chihuahuas are easy to groom and there is no need to make an appointment with a professional groomer.  We find this Mane’n Tail Detangler is an excellent spray for the long coats.  It makes their long coat silky and smooth and seems to keep their coat cleaner for a longer period of time.

This shampoo is the BEST we have found!  We now order it from Amazon.  It’s packaging is strong and durable and one squirt goes a long way.  The smell is amazing and lingers for days and days.  It has antibacterial ingredients to keep your puppy healthy, too!

We like short toe nails on our doggies.  Your puppy will come with his/her dew claws removed and your puppy will have had their toe nails clipped numerous times while in our care.  It is part of their socialization.  We encourage you to find a nice little pair of kitty cat toe nail clippers that are similar to the ones pictured above.  We use these on not only our puppies, but our adult dogs, too.  All you need do it to tip off the toe nails on a routine basis and your puppy should allow you to do this without a fight or a melt down.  Be brave and trim those toe nails!

 

Chihuahua Books for Your Library

If you are a person that likes to read books rather than only online material, here are some suggestions on good Chihuahua reading!  The breed has a long history and it really is fascinating!  My favorite of all time books on the Chihuahua is the Pet Library’s Chihuahua Guide.  It can be difficult to locate and some copies I first bought were in bad condition and held together by a rubber band…. but oh!  Such great information from this little book.  Written by Hilary Harmar, from England, in the late 1960’s, this book is an excellent source of information.

 

Long Coat and Smooth Coat

Chihuahuas come in two coat lengths: the long coat and the smooth coat.  When we breed a long coat to a long coat, all the puppies in the litter will be long coats.  However, if we breed a smooth coat to a smooth coat or a smooth coat to a long coat, the puppies in the litter can be either/or coat lengths.  In those litters we must wait for 3-4 wks after puppies are born, to accurately determine their coat lengths.  In those litters, puppies will be made available for deposit only after we know their coat lengths.

Cozy Petz Boutique

If you want custom made sizes and designs for your new Chihuahua’s wardrobe, check out the Cozy Petz Boutique!  Above you will see how adorable her creations are and I have heard they are affordable, too!  Thank you, Cathy H. for recommending this talented lady!

    

Blow Out in the Long Coat Chihuahua

Long coat Chihuahuas are born with a lovely, fluffy coat of puppy fur!  Somewhere around the time of teething, you will notice a lanky looking teenager and wonder where your fluffy puppy disappeared to!  This is normal and we call it “Blow Out”.  Some people call it “Puppy Uglies” and in the Pom breed it is very pronounced.  Some Chihuahuas have this event for only a short period of time and then the adult coat begins to come in and by 12 months to 14 months they are a magnificent example of a long coat Chihuahua.  But other lines can take up to 24 months before their adult coat is finally in, in all it’s glory!  Do not despair!  This is normal and it will pass!  The long coat Chihuahua is typically easy to groom and does not need professional grooming  or trimming of their fur.

        

Due to Covid, we are no longer having pickup at our home.  Pickup visits usually occur at Buc-ee’s here in New Braunfels off the highway, exit 191. 

If you are flying into the airport to pickup your new puppy, we can meet you at the Austin airport or the San Antonio airport.  We will not be willing to do early morning or late at night or during high traffic times, however.

We do not charge for the above deliveries.

We are located between Austin and San Antonio, Texas.  We are close to the little, historic town of Gruene, TX.  

We are no longer able to ship our puppies.  Laws changed several years ago and closed that door for puppy transport.  However, we have several ways for you to do your puppy pickup.  #1 You are welcome to come to our home and pick up your new puppy!  Most of our customers choose this option.  (Please, see above Covid 19 changes) #2 If you are coming a long distance from the north, we are more than willing to meet you in south Austin for your puppy pickup.  My dear sister lives in Austin, so I usually schedule the pickup and then get a nice visit in with her, too, before heading back home.  #3 If you are flying into either the Austin airport or San Antonio airport we can meet you at the airport in the baggage claim.  Then you can pickup your puppy and turn around and fly home! (We can delivery puppy to the airport but customer will need to come to the parking lot area for pickup of their new puppy.  We will not be entering the terminal due to Covid 19 risk.)

 

I retain the right to choose the best home for my dog/puppies and refuse any sale for any reason.
I also retain the right to refund a deposit and terminate a sale if I feel there is a reason to do so.

 

Contact us:

Email is the very best way to reach us.  Texting is 2nd best mode of communication.  Due to health issues and family responsibilities, we do not do calls.  But for basic questions, please take the time to read over our website and hopefully you will find many answers on this page.  We try hard to keep our home page updated daily or every other day with current information.  We will promptly return your email inquiries. Thank you for this consideration.

sjo14@satx.rr.com

 

Texas Licensed Breeder

License #138

Dog and cat breeders are regulated by the

Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation

PO Box 12157

Austin, TX, 78711-2157

1-800-803-9208/512-463-6599

www.license.state.tx.us

www.tdlr.texas.gov