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Q. What should I bring when I pick up my puppy?
A. We suggest some or all of the following: crate, towels, baby wipes to clean potential messes, camera, leash, water, small
collar, directions to kennel, puppy food, and our phone numbers. If picking up your dog at the airport, be sure to call the airline
to find out exactly where to pick up your pup, as it is seldom at baggage claim.
Q. What is the best age for a puppy to enter a new home?
A. Most experts agree that 7 weeks of age is optimum.
Q. What is the method for choosing a puppy?
A. Unless otherwise stated, puppy choice is first-come, first served ... not according to the order that deposits were received.
In other words, if you've reserved a male, you can choose a male at any time, as long as that puppy has not already been
chosen by someone else. Same with females. Many people choose via photos we post on this site, or by visiting the puppies in
person, or sometimes they ask us to make the choice for them. You do not have to wait until a puppy is 7 weeks old to choose
him/her. Many people choose puppies when they are only one or two weeks old. If we have puppies that are not reserved by
deposit and they are old enough to go home, you will choose your puppy when you arrive to pick up him/her.
Q. I see photos of you guys hunting all over the United States, and you also compete in field trials. How do you get
permission from your wives to do all this hunting, training and trialing?
A. We don't. Forgiveness comes easier than permission. We suggest waking up at 4:00 AM and feigning a trip to the kitchen
for a drink. With water running, reach into the oven for the brush pants, boots and shooting shirt you've hidden days before
(she'll never find them in there), and quickly dress in the dark. Quietly load up the dogs and gear, and push the truck out of the
driveway and well away from the house before cranking it up. Hunt until the dogs give out, and deal with the fall out when you
get home. If "She Who Must Be Obeyed" looks a bit ornery upon your return, soothe her with a gift of quail, pheasant or
grouse. While she may playfully complain about dressing your game, deep down she's quite pleased that you're finally including
her in your favorite pastime.
Q. Do you offer stud service?
A. Yes, but only as it pertains to canines. Please give us a call.
Q. Is crate training a puppy cruel?
A. Absolutely not! In our opinion, it's the best and fastest way to house train a pup. See our Crate Training article.
Q. Are English Setters and Brittanys good with kids?
A. Yes, they are great family dogs. Neither breed is known as a "biter," and in general, Setters and Brittanys love children.
Q. Do you offer a health guarantee?
A. Yes. We want you to be completely satisfied with your puppy. If a vet finds that your puppy has a hereditary
defect/disease, we will refund your money or replace the puppy.
Q. Do you offer training?
A. When time permits, yes, we may take on dogs for training. However, we generally suggest you employ the services of Pat
LaBree: patlabree@yahoo.com, 207-827-7892 or 229-928-9811.
Q. Can you give me directions to the kennels?
A. Please ask. We have two locations (Taylorsville & Canton, GA) so the directions depend on where the litter is located.
Q. What dog food do you recommend?
A. We recommend Purina foods. There are many good foods out there, and the choices can be dizzying. Purina ONE and
Purina ProPlan are always excellent choices.
Q. Where can I get quail for training my bird dog?
A. North of Atlanta, try J&S Farms, Burt Jones, 60 Gentry Rd., Kingston, GA 30145; 706-291-7276 or 706-346-2645; http:
//www.jandsfarms.com/. In the southern part of the state, try Ocmulgee Quail Farm, 229-938-5806 or 229-938-1395,
kim@flighquail.com, www.flightquail.com.
Q. Are Brittanys or English Setters prone to hip or joint problems?
A. In general, these breeds are not highly prone to hip problems. According to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA),
46 breeds are more likely than English Setters to suffer hip dysplasia, and 53 breeds are more likely than Brittanys to be
dysplastic. Hunting breeds rating worse than English Setters and Brittanys include Beagle, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Golden
Retriever, Gordon Setter, Boykin Spaniel, Basset Hound, and Field Spaniel. In terms of trends, hip dysplasia is becoming even
less common in Brittanys, being reduced 49% since 1980, while the rate has fallen 64% for English Setters ... So the breeds
continue to get even better.
Q. Can you pass on any kennel tips?
A. Sure ...
* Buy a Brittany.
* Plastic barrels make great dog houses, and they're cheap, if not free. Simply cut an opening in one end, thoroughly rinse, and
screw the barrel to a couple of 2 x 4 boards to keep it from rolling. For an added feature, attach a piece of plywood to the top
to serve as a lounging deck.
* A dog often defecates as far from its house as possible. Place the house at the back of the kennel, and they'll usually "go" at
the opposite end, right where the door is, where you are more likely to step in it, and/or the dog is likely to step in it right before
jumping up on your wife. To reduce this problem, place dog houses toward the front of the kennel.
* Don't buy the expensive shade tarps you see advertised in popular dog-supply catalogs. Instead, make a trip to Northern Tool
& Equipment (or a similar store) where you can buy an 8' x 10' Nylon Mesh Tarp for a mere $20 ... Which is 50% to 70% less
than many of the shade tarps sold via pet stores, catalogs, etc.
* If your kennel location or budget makes concrete impractical, #7 granite pea gravel is a nice alternative. You can cover about
1200 square feet of kennel space, and have some gravel left over, for less than $500.
* To prevent your dog from jumping against the kennel gate as you approach to let him out, don't swing the gate out toward
you. Swinging the gate in toward the dog teaches him to keep some distance between himself/herself and the kennel door as
you approach.
* Room for two dog boxes in the kennel? Face them in opposite directions so your dog can always get out of the wind.
Q. My wife will only let me have one dog. Should I get a Brittany or a Setter?
A. That depends. If you want a dog that hunts with great desire, style, and thoroughness, you'll want a Brittany. If you prefer
a dog that hunts in the same county as you, go for the Britt. Looking for a dog with exceptional scenting ability and a knack for
retrieving? Choose the Brittany. If you desire a dog with unsurpassed beauty and a short tail that won't sweep your post-hunt
bourbon off the coffee table, buy a Brittany. Want to avoid snickers from hunting buddies as you let your dog out of the
truck? Again, choose the Brittany. For anything else, go ahead and purchase the Setter. (Note: the fact-based opinions
expressed above may not be shared by one half of QPK's ownership.)
Q. It seems like every time I visit your website, you have puppies, but they are all reserved. What gives?
A. Because we breed high-quality dogs at very reasonable prices, they sell very quickly. Often all the pups are reserved by
deposit long before the litter is whelped (born). The only way to guarantee a puppy for yourself is to place a $100 deposit (also
inexpensive compared to industry standards).
Q. If you had to recommend just one dog-training book, which would it be?
A. "Gun Dog" by Richard Wolters.
Q. What's the deal with intestinal worms in puppies?
A. Almost all puppies — regardless of pedigree, breed, breeder or gender — are born with roundworms. By the time you pick
up your puppy, he/she will have been treated for roundworms and hookworms. However, you will probably want to have the
pup dewormed again shortly after getting home. Although a case of roundworms is generally not serious, a severe infestation
can cause death by intestinal blockage. The treatment is easy and inexpensive, and not difficult at all on the puppy, so get your
pup treated if necessary.
Taylorsville, GA
Canton, GA
info@Quailpointkennels.com
Chris Kahlan 770-378-2407
Greg Bayer 678-773-5667