During the summer we offer a ground delivery for our puppies in the Eastern region of the United States.  Naturally this type of delivery is not as flexible and everyone goes as a group so it requires a bit more patience and flexibility for our families I'm afraid but hopefully the reward is worth it!

We have been able to help families in Canada and Alaska during the cooler weather so yes please inquire we'd love to help.  I'm afraid though we cannot fly into Hawaii simply because they require an extended quarantine for the puppies upon arrival, so I'm sorry about that...
 

In the past, we used to send the registration paperwork for each puppy through the airlines (if the puppy was delivered via plane).   We no longer do this.  We've had a few bad experiences over the years where the registration paperwork "vaporized" somewhere during delivery.   So we now send all registration papers through the mail.   You will typically receive them within 21 days of the time that you receive the puppy.  

We also worm our puppies with Strongid T at 3 and 6 wks of age.  Again, if a puppy is within our care after 9 wks of age, we continue their worming cycle if flight is not pending right away.  Once under veterinarian care with your family, a simple stool slide during their vet visits will let you know when your next worming is necessary.  All puppies will acquire worms at some time, it's a simple fact.  So even though they've been wormed, it's an ongoing process throughout their puppy stage and they will still need to have this monitored for some time and will undoubtedly have worms to some extent when they come home most often so don't worry.  Just continue to keep this current like their vaccinations for the overall health of your new puppy and they will naturally move through the process.  Worms as they continue to increase again, will also produce symptoms to look for with a stool that may become loose or even tinged with blood slightly, a pudgy belly of course is everyone's best alert it's time to worm again, etc.  so just be aware of your pup's normal bowel habits and personality.  If they are playful, have a good appetite, all seems normal except a stool change or a pudge to the belly and pause in weight gain, worms would be a definite possibility and common for puppies so schedule a checkup and go from there.

Please note, even though loose stool or even diarrhea can be a sign of worming needs for a puppy, do not mistake the same need if the symptom is vomiting - Vomiting is NOT a symptom to take lightly.  This is one symptom that always requires immediate veterinary attention in my opinion.  If you have a young dog or puppy who has a sudden loss of appetite and may seem lethargic and vomiting, that is a signal to get a vet's opinion.

One of the most common things in pups too in a community environment, we've found over the years is coccidia.  This is an intestinal parasite found in puppies when they are young.  It will also produce a looser stool and more frequent bowel movements which can again progress to a trace of blood in the stool as well.  It is very easily treated with an oral medication or pill form of a medication called Albon that won't kill it but will inhibit the ability for it to reproduce further and boost your puppy's own immune system which ultimately has to work it out and like worming requires treatment to correct itself and not be allowed to progress, so if you see these signs over the course of your puppy's growth a stool slide again will diagnose and treat this as well before it is allowed to progress.  Coccidia I've found too normally needs a simple 5-7 days of treatment, but I've had it occasionally require a second round even, so a recheck is a good idea.

Yes, we are aware that diamond puppy food experienced a recall several years ago due to a bacteria in the corn.  We removed the feed from our routine at that time until the investigation was completed and feel confident in their findings and decision to have it available again.  During it's absence we tried several feeds and are not as satisfied with the overall quality of the others nor the effect on our dogs stool, coat, weight, etc.... 

So, just try to choose a food that has great nutritional breakdown, that first year is so very important.  We like to keep our pups on a food that has a high crude protein percentage.  Your vet might also recommend what he or she prefers.  You can probably expect a stool change with a diet change but it should be very temporary and not ongoing. 

Please take into account the nature and personality of a growing young dog before purchasing.  If a young pup shows behaviors you do not approve of whether it be chewing, jumping any other natural responses to their environment, give them a stern "no" and discontinue play briefly they will learn what not to do and truly want to be your friend and please you - don't ever write that type of behavior off as bad temperament and not just address it.  They need discipline and guidelines mixed with tons of love and they'll adapt to you and your family.  Do remember that a young child's response to a playful puppy is important too.  I know my youngest tends to squeal and run when she's around a very active puppy and what does the puppy do?  play harder it's a game to them!  So, don't punish a puppy for being a puppy, be a responsible owner and train him/her to be a part of your family - the rewards are greater than you can imagine!

Once our pups are posted for sale, it is strictly a first come, first serve option. We do not consider a puppy sold until a deposit or payment is placed.   Please note that we have many inquiries and phone calls on individual puppies and are happy to answer all questions you may have but cannot consider a puppy sold until an actual reservation has been placed on an individual puppy.  We do try our very best to return calls and messages in the order received in an order to be fair to everyone.  Unfortunately we've had to answer many disappointed callers or emailers over the years who are told the pup they've been inquiring about has now been sold and is no longer available.  And it's hard... but to be fair to everyone and most importantly to do the right thing for the puppy to find his or her best suited home is to answer all questions, do my best to do it in the order they come in and consider them available until an actual reservation and deposit have been placed.  I've made the mistake this year in particularly of considering a puppy someone's pending a deposit and you'd be amazed at how that can come back to haunt you and ultimately the puppy loses, he/she misses the chance to get their home when the buyer is not committed after all.  So, don't take it personally, it's just a lesson learned unfortunately for us both.

Are your pups considered show quality?

Simple answer is no... "show quality" is a term that is simply not my goal for our puppies and they are certainly not represented here as being so.  We do not breed specific lines or champions, etc. anything of that nature.    Sometimes and this is just an opinion of course, but the "qualities" that are so sought after are sometimes extremities purposely bred and that is not my desire.  We try our best to concentrate on one thing, providing our families with a well bred, healthy puppy as best we can knowing these are living breathing animals who cannot be pre-determined to be anything no matter how hard you try. 

We represent our pups to be pet-quality babies only for that reason.  Granted there are many breeders who love our dogs and who have built their own kennels from the roots of Squeeza-Bulls puppies and we'll do our best to advise on the type of dogs we've held back ourselves and had success with over the years. We will also gladly recommend someone in your area with some of our babies when we are alerted to their litters also.  We certainly do not limit registration against breeding and gladly place our pups in breeder's homes of course.  But even then we naturally recommend that any breeder even ourselves make the final determination whether or not to breed their dogs, once maturity has been reached and in consultation and advisement from a veterinarian you trust.  You can choose pups that are great candidates to be moms or dads but when they reach adulthood is the true time to make a final decision about whether or not to breed.  All responsible breeders can agree with that logic.  Breeding to remain extreme in all features and continuing to breed for certain characteristics by line breeding is just not our goal here at Mallard Point.  Our babies are family raised with one goal in mind to find that family to match with them who has their best interest as their priority overall.  We do not claim in anyway, to have champion lines for our pups or conform to exact rules for the show ring.   For us personally it is not our hope for our babies to be bred with that intention and our competitive pricing is a natural benefit and reflection of that desire and goal.

What is the best way to contact you during or after a purchase for questions and concerns?

The number on our "contact us" page is our home number and feel free to call anytime.  We do our best to check messages at least once each day and return calls.  We are a family, not a business first - so there are times we are not available by phone and hope you can respect that but we'll do our best to help anytime.  The absolute best way to reach me is to leave an email with your name, your phone number, your state or time zone (so I can be careful not to call too early for our West-Coast customers, or too late for our East-coast customers) and the nature of your question and I will be happy to contact you as soon as I can.  I routinely can monitor my email more often than the phone and even remotely, so that's the quickest way to get a response from me to be honest.  If a day or two passes and you don't hear from me, don't hesitate to write again - we get tons of mail and go back and forth battling spam like everyone so it can get buried unintentionally.  But, we are here and will do our best to help.

My puppy has loose stool should I be concerned? 
Puppies will undoubtedly have stool changes so immediate alarm is not necessary.  But, make certain that a loose stool is not accompanied by a change in activity, appetite, vomiting etc.  other symptoms that could alert you there is a possible viral alert.  Loose stool on it's own, with a puppy that is eating and drinking properly is not a major concern if they are playing normally and this is the only symptom.  Culprits can be worms, intestinal parasites, or things of that nature that puppies can have all of which can easily be treated once diagnosed by a simple stool slide.   Change of food and water can also cause a temporary stool change but again temporary.  But, if your puppy continues to keep a stool that is progressively loose, or diarrhea, etc.  that does not correct on it's own in a normal window of time, I would advise there is an underlying issue that might need treating and would ask your veterinarian.  But, if your puppy is vomiting, has a loss of appetite, will not drink water, is not playful these are all symptoms to check with urgency and seek more immediate veterinary care.

And I can't believe I'm now adding this one, but .... we're not all Southerners! 
My dog arrived and he had some fleas..... what do I do?
Fleas unfortunately are a common pest we deal with and fight off here in the South.   It's a simple fact I cannot deny, and no matter how hard I try I will never defeat them totally.  So there.  Please know first of all if your puppy arrives and has no sign of ever having a flea, I have performed some miracle and am not sure how I did it, but hope I can do it all over again!   In the South, unfortunately, our pest control people and my veterinarian and most anyone who has animals routinely outdoors will tell you that we have an official flea season and you just have to combat it with proper treatments and fight the losing battle best you can.   I guess I've known this all my life, and I sometimes forget that in colder climates this is normally not an issue and can have a customer upset with me that their puppy had a few fleas whether I've bathed them and even been able to provide flea spray depending on the puppy's age of course.  Because, even if I have a puppy who I can find no sign of fleas with before leaving home, once we encounter the dog park where they go to the bathroom prior to flight, stay in boarding, transport and unboarding with other animals flying as well as in a space that has had countless animals come through - I still may not be able to be assured I've completely ruled that out.  So, please, if you are lucky enough to be in a state where fleas are not common feel blessed.  I may move there too! 

If you think this may be an issue for your household,  prior to arrival, purchase a flea product to apply before bringing them into your home.  Most veterinarian approved products will kill live fleas within a few minutes and truly  what you want to avoid if this is not a pest you currently treat for is to bring it indoors where you can have to treat a space as well if they are able to be in number and reproduce to any extent.  You can have your veterinarian recommend something or choose an over the counter, but please know not all flea products are approved for young puppies and read the label very carefully before choosing a product for this purpose.  I would recommend Revolution probably, it is available in a puppy formula from your vet and if it is not needed for flea treatment, it also begins heartworm treatment and has other great benefits to me.  But, don't take my word on medication referrals we use, always ask your vet first.
 

With so many scams on the internet, how do I know who to buy from?

We've raised our bullies and represented our partner breeders since 1993.  I used to never hear of fraud and never got asked this question.  But, now unfortunately I hear it everytime I post a new litter of puppies and finally decided to add it in to our frequently asked questions.  I hear it all too often.... Families that have saved their money, families who have young children excited about their first dog, individuals who don't know who to trust for this companion because they've been taken in already.  It's very sad.  It's pathetic, but it happens everyday.  Our own pictures get routinely stolen and posted for sale on other sites, in ads, etc.  So, I say to you - yes, it happens.  It's a real threat especially online.  Unfortunately it's an area that con artists can prey on innocent people who are not expecting someone to lie to them and take their money and send them to an airport to wait on a new puppy with their family that never arrives.  So be very guarded in your search, but don't give up - there are many good people to outnumber the bad!  Just shop smart.  If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.  If there is a wild story to accompany the sale of a dog, be careful.  If your only option for payment is to wire money or send it via money gram, that is a red flag to me.  Most importantly, just know that it does happen to good people all the time and if you are aware and are careful that is one of the best safeguards for you.  Because most often it's the people that don't expect it that are caught off guard that it happens.  Are we the right breeder for you?  Maybe - maybe not.  But, while you are here visiting our site, I hope you can learn something new about these wonderful dogs and learn more about what you do or don't want in your next family member, what questions to ask your breeder, and make a wiser choice here or somewhere else.  I ultimately don't have the right dog for everyone... but if it's you, I'll be happy to help if I can.

And you know above and beyond actual financial fraud, you need to be aware of who you choose as a breeder just personally too.  Read over the warranty, make sure the terms are terms you are comfortable with because ultimately that's how things will be handled if situations arise that you are displeased with.  Make a list of things that are most important to you in your new puppy, in your breeder, etc. and make sure you meet those guidelines before purchasing.  Are you comfortable with the person you are basically entering into a contract with?  I would be, so I advise you to be also.  And that's just good advice, prepare for the unexpected first and then fall in love with a pup.  They'll love you right back!

Do we have countless friends earned who write, who mail in pictures, who send Christmas cards, who send their friends to get a southern bred bully, who we know give our babies the best homes in the world?  absolutely.  And do we have some complaints from over the years, or enemies made we couldn't somehow reason with?  absolutely.   I just try to be a fair and honest person to deal with and try to always stand behind what we said we would do when the unexpected odd situation arises.  And I'll do that for you too if you choose us. 

Can you provide any general advice on care for a new puppy?

I can't pretend to be an expert in all situations and all puppies and environments and owners but I realize first time puppy owners have lots of questions and hopefully some of these tips I've researched to assist our families can be helpful for you....

My puppy seems to be constantly chewing. Why does this occur? One of the characteristics of puppies is chewing. Puppies are trying their new teeth so chewing is a normal behavior. The puppy’s baby teeth are present by about four weeks of age. They begin to fall out at four months of age and are replaced by the adult (permanent) teeth by about six months of age. Therefore, chewing is a puppy characteristic that you can expect until about 6-7 months of age. It is important that you do what you can to direct your puppy’s chewing toward acceptable objects.  You should provide items such as rawhide chew bones, nylon chew bones, and other chew toys so other objects are spared.
 

Can I trim my puppy's sharp toenails?  Puppies have very sharp toenails.  They can be trimmed with your regular finger nail clippers or with nail trimmers made for dogs and cats. If you take too much off the nail, you will get into the quick; bleeding and pain will occur. If this happens, neither you nor your dog will want to do this again.  Therefore, a few points are helpful:  1. If your dog has clear or white nails, you can see the pink of the quick through the nail.  Avoid the pink area, and you should be out of the quick.  2. If your dog has black nails, you will not be able to see the quick so only cut 1/32" (1 mm) of the nail at a time until the dog begins to get sensitive.  The sensitivity will usually occur before you are into the blood vessel. With black nails, it is likely that you will get too close on at least one nail.  3. If your dog has some clear and some black nails, use the average clear nail as a guide for cutting the black ones.  4. When cutting nails, use sharp trimmers.  Dull trimmers tend to crush the nail and cause pain even if you are not in the quick. 

work in progress, more tips coming soon!

I hope these questions and answers have been of some help to you as you research this breed and interview potential breeders you would like to do business with. 

I encourage you to always review these type things before you buy...
there are many cute puppies out there but finding a breeder that you feel comfortable with and agree with their terms and their breeding program's goals is very important.... it's not just a purchase; it's truly a relationship you are entering into as buyer/seller as well as hopefully a long life with your
new family member... - so be aware of fraud potential out there, research your breed, be aware of your veterinarian's requirements and pricing, speak with your breeder, know the warranty terms if any of your breeder and be comfortable with them as a buyer also - ask the questions that are important to you as an individual and as a customer before the sell.  then fall in love with your favorite pup!