Frequently Asked QuestionsBelow you'll find answers to some of our frequently asked questions. If you don't see the answer to your question, please let us know we're happy to help.
What Else Do I Get?Q: What else does my puppy come with?
A: * One-year health guarantee. *If you choose your puppy comes with the proper registration for its breed and litter type. (ex: UKC, ABKC, AKC) * All puppies are microchipped before leaving. * Medical history informing you of all the vaccinations and medications your puppy has received. * Puppy care package with food and lots of goodies for your new puppy to get settled into their new home. * Lifetime support from us here at Johnson House Bullies. ShippingQuestion: How do I get my puppy shipped? Can I come pick them up?
Answer: If coming to pick up your puppy isn't an option we offer domestic ground shipping and international shipping. Please contact us for an exact quote. Payments & DepositsQuestion: How to send a deposit or payment for my puppy?
Answer: We accept payments and deposits via PayPal "Someone you trust" / "Friends and Family" options, Zelle, Cash App, Venmo, bank money wire transfer, and Walmart to Walmart money wire. When using PayPal please use the "Someone you trust" / "Friends & Family" option when sending to johnsonhousebullies@gmail.com. Otherwise, a 3% or more fee is added to the balance. When using Zelle the payments or deposits may be sent to phone number 985-237-2349 (Name Shawn C Johnson). When using Cash App payments or deposits may be sent to account jhbrusty. When using Venmo payments or deposits may be sent to account @JohnsonHouseBullies (you will see our logo). If you have any questions please feel free to call or text Shawn at 1-985-237-2350.
Optional Ear Crop For XL BulliesWe offer our customers the option of having their puppy's ears cropped by a licensed veterinarian before they leave our facility. Ear cropping and tail docking is a personal preference and isn't required to show your American Bully. Currently, at this time, we do not offer tail docking.
Question: Will they get pain medication? Answer: Yes, each puppy is given an injection for pain before they leave the vets office. Question: How long after my puppy has had its ear surgery are they able to ship my puppy to me? or for me to come to pick up my puppy? Answer: We like to keep an eye on the incisions for a few days after to be sure all is healing well. This usually lines up with the available dates for shipping or pickup dates. Question: When do my puppies stitches get removed? Answer: Around two weeks after you may remove the stitches or have them removed at your vets office. Question: When can I post my puppies ears to ensure they stand? Answer: The incisions need to heal completely before you start to post. All stitches need to be removed and wounds need to be healed. MicrochippingQuestion: What is a microchip?
Answer: "A pet microchip—the size of a grain of rice—goes beneath your pet's skin. This permanent ID can never be removed or become impossible to read. Dog and cat microchipping is a simple procedure. A veterinarian simply injects a microchip for pets, about the size of a grain of rice (12mm), beneath the surface of your pet's skin between the shoulder blades. The process is similar to an injection and takes only a few seconds. No anesthetic is required. The microchip itself has no internal energy source, so it will last the life of your pet. It is read by passing a microchip scanner over the pet's shoulder blades. The scanner emits a low radio frequency that provides the power necessary where the chip is located to transmit the microchip's unique cat or dog ID code and positively identify the pet. If your pet gets lost and is taken to an animal shelter or veterinarian, they will scan the microchip to read its unique dog or cat ID code. This is the number used to identify the pet and retrieve your contact information, which is used to contact you and reunite you with your pet." Note from Johnson House Bullies: All puppies that leave Johnson House Bullies are implanted with a microchip. The cost for upkeep from a microchip service is about $19.99 per year or more. We do not want to see any of our productions in a shelter. Puppy VaccinationsQuestion: How long do I have to wait before taking my puppy outside or in public places?
Answer: Vets recommend waiting until 10-14 days after your puppy’s last vaccination booster — usually at around 14–16 weeks of age — before introducing them to the wonders of local parks, beaches, and walking trails. You may, however, introduce them to known "safe dogs" who are up to date on their vaccines in a safe environment such as your backyard. Below is an example of a typical vaccination schedule for a puppy. 
Heartworms & PreventionQuestion: What are Heartworms and how do I prevent them?
Answer: Since your puppy was born in the south were mosquitoes are nearly a year-round pest we recommend your puppy be on heartworm prevention for the rest of their natural life. We protect our puppies to the best of our abilities and in most cases have given at least one dose of heartworm preventative before they leave for their new homes. "Puppies under 7 months of age can be started on heartworm prevention without a heartworm test (it takes at least 6 months for a dog to test positive after it has been infected), but should be tested 6 months after your initial visit, tested again 6 months later and yearly after that to ensure they are heartworm-free." "Heartworm Disease – What Is It and What Causes It? Heartworm disease is a serious disease that results in severe lung disease, heart failure, other organ damage, and death in pets, mainly dogs, cats, and ferrets. It is caused by a parasitic worm called Dirofilaria immitis. The worms are spread through the bite of a mosquito. The dog is the definitive host, meaning that the worms mature into adults, mate, and produce offspring while living inside a dog. The mosquito is the intermediate host, meaning that the worms live inside a mosquito for a short transition period in order to become infective (able to cause heartworm disease). The worms are called “heartworms” because the adults live in the heart, lungs, and associated blood vessels of an infected animal. In the United States, heartworm disease is most common along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts from the Gulf of Mexico to New Jersey and along the Mississippi River and its major tributaries, but it has been reported in dogs in all 50 states. 
FoodQuestion: What brand of puppy food do you feed?
Answer: Right now we feed Diamond Puppy Formula Dry Dog Food. 
Question: How often do I feed my puppy?
Answer: Puppies should be fed three times a day. At around six months you may start feeding twice a day for convenience. Question: How do I switch my puppy to the brand of food I want to use?
Answer: Over 7 days or more, gradually decrease the amount of the current puppy food while increasing the amount of new puppy food. Use this same formula when they transition from puppy food to adult dog food. If you switch too fast your puppy will get digestive upset like diarrhea and vomiting that may result in needing to see a vet. 
Question: How long to keep them on puppy food?
Answer: Here at Johnson House Bullies we keep our puppies on puppy formula until they are around 13 to 15 months. Puppy SocializationSocialization is one of the most important things you can do for your growing puppy if your goal is to have a well-behaved adult dog that you can take in public situations. Below is some information that also came from la-spca.org website. "Pair treats with all exposures to make positive associations, and make sure to bank several of these for each experience. If your puppy seems frightened and won’t take treats, you should lessen the intensity of the situation until he is comfortable and taking treats again. This might mean giving him some distance if needed, or removing him from the situation temporarily.
Socialization also includes generalizations. You should continue to expose him to new things, places, and contexts to best generalize his confidence with new things. To set your puppy up to succeed, get started right away by building positive associations with as many of the exposures below as possible, as often as possible! Holding your puppy in your arms and taking him to a high-traffic outdoor market or downtown area is a great way to get multiple exposures at once." 
Critical Periods in Puppy Development
"Neonatal Period (0-12 Days):
The puppy responds only to warmth, touch, and smell. He cannot regulate body functions such as temperature and elimination. Transition Period (13 - 20 Days):Eyes and ears are open, but sight and hearing are limited. Tail wagging begins and the puppy begins to control body functions. Awareness Period (21 - 28 Days):Sight and hearing functions well. The puppy is learning that he is a dog and has a great deal of need for a stable environment. Canine Socialization Period (21 - 49 Days): Interacting with his mother and littermates, the pup learns various canine behaviors. He is now aware of the differences between canine and human societies. Human Socialization Period (7 to 12 Weeks): The pup has the brain wave of and adult dog. The best time for going to a new home. He now has the ability to learn respect, simple behavioral responses: sit, stay, come. Housebreaking begins. He now learns by association. The permanent man/dog bonding begins, and he is able to accept gentle discipline and establish confidence. Fear Impact Period (8 - 11 Weeks): Try to avoid frightening the puppy during this time, since traumatic experiences can have an effect during this period. As you can see, this period overlaps that of the previous definition and children or animal should not be allowed to hurt or scare the puppy -- either maliciously or inadvertently. It is very important now to introduce other humans, but he must be closely supervised to minimize adverse conditioning. Learning at this age is permanent. This is the stage where you wonder if your dog is going to be a woosy butt all his life. Also introducing your puppy to other dogs at this time will help him become more socialized. If available in your area, a doggy day care is great for this. Seniority Classification Period (13 - 16 Weeks): This critical period is also known as the "Age of Cutting" - cutting teeth and cutting apron strings. At this age, the puppy begins testing dominance and leadership. Biting behavior is absolutely discouraged from thirteen weeks on. Praise for the correct behavior response is the most effective tool. Meaningful praise is highly important to shape positive attitude. Flight Instinct Period (4 to 8 Months): During this period puppies test their wings- they will turn a deaf ear when called. This period lasts from a few days to several weeks. It is critical to praise the positive and minimize the negative behavior during this time. However, you must learn how to achieve the correct response. This period corresponds to teething periods, and behavioral problems become compounded by physiological development chewing. Second Fear impact period (6 - 14 Months): Also called, "The fear of situations period", usually corresponds to growths spurts. This critical age may depend on the size of the dog. Small dogs tend to experience these periods earlier than large dogs. Great care must be taken not to reinforce negative behavior. Force can frighten the dog, and soothing tones serve to encourage his fear. His fear should be handled with patience and kindness, and training during this period puts the dog in a position of success, while allowing him to work things out while building self-confidence. Maturity (1 - 4 years) : Many breeds' especially giant breeds continue to grow and physically change well beyond four years of age. The average dog develops to full maturity between 1-1 1/2 years and three years of age. This period is often marked by an increase in aggression and by a renewed testing for leadership. During this time, while testing for leadership, the dog should be handled firmly. Regulars training throughout this testing period, praise him for the proper response. Giving him no inroads to affirm his leadership will remind him that this issue has already been settled." - UCDavis | |||||
