Lilly Bits O' Heaven - Angelic Shichon Puppies
How do we begin the process of adding a LillyBit
to our family?
The best way to inquire is by email, this way we can send you all the information you need to get started and if you want to proceed further we will provide you with our screening questionnaire.
What does a LillyBit puppy come with?
A well puppy vet examination, first vaccination, de-wormed, back dew claws removed, blankie, crate trained, litter box trained, our written health guarantee and our unparalleled follow up care .
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you raise your puppies?
Our puppies are raised in our homes. We raise them on purpose, which means, over the years we have developed methods that we implement at key ages in your puppy’s early life, starting at birth. We give our puppies plenty of affection, handling and kisses but also believe that beyond the normal puppy love we have a responsibility to give them the best start possible to being an exceptional pet.
How much is a Lillybits puppy?
Our puppies are $3000.00 for a male or female plus $650 - $850 for unaccompanied travel expenses if applicable. We do not charge more for special colors, gender, or reduced size.
Do you ship your puppies?
Yes when possible, currently Alaska Airlines is our only option, and we love them! We do have many families locally here in the Northwest who have been to our home, met our dogs and quite frankly, become friends. We always encourage you to spend the extra time and pick your puppy up in person, we will meet you at the airport if needed!
Do you provide a written health guarantee?
Yes. We have a five year written health guarantee.
Where are you located?
I (Heather) am located on the coast, not too far from Chinook, Washington.
What is the average lifespan of a LillyBit?
Twelve to fourteen years.
How do you pronounce Shichon?
Pronounced: SHEE-shon
Are the LillyBit parent dogs also shichons?
Yes.
Are you a kennel?
No, we are not a large kennel operation. I live in an urban beach neighborhood a few blocks from the ocean and Angie lives in a small suburban neighborhood on a cul de sac. Our dogs are underfoot, and part of our everyday lives. We share stories on our Instagram @onemoreheather that are candid and show our home in a transparent manner.
Do you have a screening process?
Yes, we carefully screen each home before we agree to place one of our puppies. We reserve the right to refuse a puppy to any situation we deem not in our pup’s best interest right up until the time they leave our home. You can find our questionnaire on our back site or blog here: LillyBits Companion Site
Do you have a waiting list?
We do work from a wait list. When our wait list is open we will put a notice on our blog and also in our stories on Instagram. Our whole process is transparent on our blog, with our selection process, and wait list explained. LillyBits Companion Site
Do you accept deposits on upcoming puppies?
Yes. A deposit is required to have your name added to our wait list. With a deposit in place you and I can rest assured that we are fully committed to the process of adding your new four legged family member to your household. If you are not comfortable placing a deposit you are welcome to watch our site for available puppies and we are happy to answer your questions about upcoming litters. Our deposits are $500.00.
Is my deposit refundable?
No. Deposits are non-refundable in any case.
How do we select our puppy?
Your puppy will be so much more than gender, color and markings. We focus on compatibility therefore our families do not choose their puppy until their little personalities and temperaments are apparent. Normally, this is around five weeks old. Again the selection process is explained on our blog: LillyBits Companion Site
Should I get two puppies?
This is up to you, but my advice would be: No. Two puppies can actually be more than double the work and prolong the process of each puppy being fully trained. Because our focus is always on finding the best fit for our dogs, only twice in LillyBits fifteen year history have we agreed to place two puppies together.
When should I add a second puppy?
Adding a second puppy is ideally done when your first dog is the dog you want it to be, so that your current dog can model good behavior for your new puppy. This is different for each family but it seems like right around a year works well.
What are the differences between a male and female?
Other than the obvious, lol… we treat each dog or puppy as an individual rather than a gender. Choosing a puppy that has a temperament that is compatible with your family is much more important than gender or color. We believe that males and females make equally good pets.
When can we expect updated pictures or video?
The pictures and video are provided as a courtesy to our families. I understand how exciting it is to be adding a puppy to your life and the pictures and video are anxiously awaited. However, my first job is to actually care for your puppy and their parents and this often fills my work day. We always offer pictures of each puppy and a selection video, often a playtime video. Sometimes, I will do more than that. I enjoy taking pictures and making the videos and may grab my camera to try and capture a moment that I find entertaining.
Questions in regard to videos: In the video my puppy is the quiet one, does this mean they aren't playful?
There are many, perhaps hundreds of variations to this question. My puppy is playing while others are sleeping, is he/she hyper? My puppy makes a bark in the video is he/she yappy? My puppy is wrestling in the video is he/she alpha?
The answer to all of these inquiries is much the same. The videos are meant to be fun, they show you a moment of your puppy's day and I would discourage over analyzing what your puppy may or may not be doing at that moment. All puppies sleep, eat, bark, growl, wrestle, play, act shy, act gregarious at different times during the day. After all they are experimenting with all the things they can 'do'. For instance the puppy sleeping through the video could be labeled the 'mellow' one but if you took the same video a half hour later that puppy could be pulling on his/hers brother's tail and then be labeled the 'alpha' one. When it is time to select your puppy we will talk about the puppies and their personalities in detail.
We really hope that you enjoy the little home movies of your puppy!
When can our puppy come home?
Rather than a specific age we actually look for maturity milestones that tell us your puppy is ready to embark on his or her new life. Even a week can make all the difference. We want your puppy to be fully weaned, be sleeping in a crate with the door shut for three hours while holding potty and within our puppy play area be using the litter box reliably (nice firm stools) without accidents. Also, we will begin to see your puppy preferring our family to their mother and siblings. We want your puppy to be ready to leave the nest and we know you do too! We do not allow any puppy to leave our home before eight weeks of age and normally these milestones are met between 8-10 weeks of age.
Is there something can we do to renew the comfort of the lovie blanket that was sent home with our puppy?
Yes, often the lovie sent home with your puppy will need to be washed. We wash all our puppy bedding and lovies with a very small amount of Downy Fresh Protect April Fresh beads (pink ones). This can be found at Costco and will remind your puppy of their first home with us. Remember, just a very small amount is needed. Dogs have great noses and we don't want to overdo a good thing!
What vaccinations will my puppy need?
There is so much information on vaccinations and different opinions. Your puppy will have his first vaccination from us at eight weeks old. Our puppies receive Nobivac Canine 1-DAPPv as their first vaccination. Our research and our veterinarian's advice is to administer the first vaccine at eight weeks of age. We have been told and our research has shown that the mother's immunities passed on to the puppies make vaccines administered before eight weeks of age ineffective. We follow the vaccination protocol as suggested by Washington State University Veterinary College of Medicine. You can find that here: WSU Vaccine schedule. As always, we suggest you follow advice of your veterinarian. Vaccine protocols and parasite prevention can vary by region.
What about de-worming?
Our puppies are de-wormed beginning at two weeks of age. Our deworming schedule is as follows: Nemex 2 at two, four and six weeks of age. Panacur given at seven weeks of age for five days consecutively. If there is an indication or a fecal exam shows a need for Albon then we use Albon for seven consecutive days. We always de-worm our Mothers before they are bred and every time their puppies are de-wormed to prevent any re-exposure.
A word about parasites: We do everything possible here to ensure our puppies are parasite free and follow a strict de-worming regimen. The reason there are so many companies, options and types of de-wormers available is because parasites are common in dogs. They must be de-wormed. Parasites have varying lifecycles, even with our best efforts here at LillyBits, occasionally, not often, a puppy will go home and test positive on a fecal examination for a parasite. This is nothing to get too excited about. Your vet will give you the appropriate de-wormer, they are normally palatable and work quickly. We do not send puppies home if their stool is not firm here at our home and your puppy has been completely de-wormed as suggested by our vet.
Additionally, our adult dogs have lives outside of being parents and we won't make apologies to anyone for that :) They go on walks, they play in the backyard and we even take them to the park and the BEACH *gasp* on sunny days! We de-worm our adults regularly, just as we should, but we are unwilling to compromise their quality of life just because of the possibility of a wee bug. All of our adult dogs are washed and their little feet disinfected after they visit the park or beach to be on the safe side. Of course, no visits to the park or beach for Momma dogs who are expecting or have puppies, that is just common sense.
What type of payments can you accept?
We accept Paypal, Venmo, Zelle pay offered through: Bank of America, Chase, Wells Fargo & US Bank, Popmoney email transfer, cash in person at the time of selection. With Paypal we add 4% to the amount due to cover the fee Paypal charges. We do not accept personal checks, money orders or cashier's checks. We ask that no money is sent to us prior to being invoiced. Deposits are always made through paypal. Venmo is our preferred payment method.
When is payment due?
Normally families select their puppy around five weeks of age. We send invoices out after the selection process and full payment is due including shipping (if applicable) immediately upon selection. If you are a local family you are welcome to bring payment with you to your selection appointment.
Who designed your website?
Me. I designed and I maintain the LillyBits website. This is our third generation design from our original format. Our logo and graphics are designed by Codi Goodis. She owns Wally, a LillyBit and our Pearl's brother. Although we know the saying: "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" we kindly ask that you respect all of Codi and my hard work on our images and refrain from "right clicking" to borrow. Our images are protected by copyright.
Do you have references?
So many! Happy to share!
