Q: Will my puppy be registered?
A: There are several canine registries (The American Kennel Club, (AKC), APR, ACA, UKC) and others. Most of our puppies are registered. You will be given the opportunity to register your new puppy at the time of purchase.

Q: What does it mean to have a registered puppy?
A: Buying a registered, purebred puppy means that its family tree is documented as being exclusively one breed. Buying a registered dog does not necessarily mean that the dog will be healthier than a non-registered dog. It means that its parents are of the same breed and that the dog comes from a purebred line. AKC (American Kennel Club) is the most familiar purebred dog registry in the country. There are several other dog registries such as ACA, APR, UKC that also register purebred dogs.

Q: Will my puppy be microchipped?
A: Yes, all of our puppies are microchipped before purchase. You will be given the opportunity to register it at the time of purchase. It is extremely important to register your puppies microchip. If your puppy should ever become lost, there is a good chance that your puppy will be recovered if it has a registered microchip. In a pets lifetime, one out of three will become lost. Without enrollment registration and identification about ninety percent will not be recovered.

Q: What breeds are best for people who have allergies?
A: People who have allergies should consider dogs that shed very little. Breeds to consider are: Bedlington Terrier, Bichon Frise, Chinese Crested, Irish Water Spaniel, Kelly Blue Terrier, Maltese, Poodle, Schnauzer, Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier.

Q: How does Petland Waterford Lakes ensure the puppies come from good sources?
A: At Petland, sourcing healthy, happy puppies from the best breeders is our top priority. There are a number of factors that influence and direct our puppy sourcing:

1) Breeder Visits: Since April 2014, our Owner and his wife have traveled over 5,000 miles visiting our breeders and taking pictures. We have assembled an album that shows exactly where the majority of our puppies come from, along with who are transporters are. We have the most transparent puppy sourcing process of any store in FL.

2) USDA Inspection Reports: Most Breeders that Petland Waterford Lakes works with are USDA licensed. When a USDA inspection occurs, the inspectors are looking at how the breeder complies with the Animal Welfare Act- The 400-page-long Law that regulates breeders. Any infraction that directly harms puppies or adult dogs that are in the breeder’s care are referred to as direct violations. Petland Waterford Lakes regularly reviews the USDA records for all breeders we use- we do not buy from any breeder that has a direct violation on their most recent inspection.

3) Transporter Relationships: Transporters are the entities that bring our puppies to us. In many cases the transporters are centrally located in the country and they often pick up the puppies from the breeders. This places the transporters in an important position in our puppy sourcing. Our selection criteria and Petland’s Humane Care Guidelines have been communicated to our transporters so they help ensure the breeders we use meet our standards.

4) Petland Corporate: Petland Corporate employs Brian Winslow as the Director of Animal Welfare Education. He visits breeders all over the country and maintains a corporately circulated Do Not Buy List for breeders that do not meet our standards. He also attends all the major Breeder Trade Shows and Conventions to help us connect with the best breeders.

Q: What happens to puppies you don’t sell?
A: All of our puppies are adopted by our customers. The typical Petland puppy is in our store for less than 10 days. Petland has been in business for nearly 50 years. We know what puppies are going to find homes quickly. We work with wonderful breeders who select great puppies for us. If, for some reason, no one adopts a particular puppy in a short amount of time, we work hard to find the puppy home with adoption specials. We are very good at this. Our pet counselors undergo extensive and ongoing training in matching our puppies with our customers.

Q: What happens when a puppy goes home?
A: Petland makes every attempt to ensure puppies have a smooth transition into their new homes:

Before a puppy is adopted, trained Petland Pet Counselors match the right pet with the right customer in an effort to ensure the needs of both will be met.

Customers receive counseling from Petland Pet Counselors on the responsibilities of pet ownership. Discussions on housebreaking, chewing, grooming and nutrition are among the topics reviewed.

Petland promotes ongoing veterinary care and offers a discounted veterinary exam once the puppy is home.

Petland supports a Spay/Neuter program and offers literature explaining the benefits of this common, low risk medical procedure.

Petland provides a Puppy & Kitten Health Warranty. The warranty covers infectious diseases for an initial period and congenital and hereditary disorders for one or more years.

When a Petland puppy goes home, the new owner also receives a Puppy Resource Kit. This kit includes a basic canine obedience training instruction DVD and a toll-free phone number for free consultations with a certified canine trainer for the life of the Petland pet. It also includes information on Petland’s Enhanced Protection Program, a lost pet recovery service.

And with its Pets for a Lifetime!SM program, Petland attempts to ensure the pets it places into homes never burden an animal shelter. Petland’s program helps Petland customers find new homes for their pets if, for any reason, the owner can no longer fulfill the lifetime care responsibility.

For more information about Petland and puppy sourcing please visit www.petlandcares.com.