1.  Choosing the right puppy for you.  Because every puppy is not right for every home or every home is not best for every puppy, Awangarda takes care to help determine each puppy's personality and traits before making placement decisions.  Our careful socialization process gives the opportunity to get to know each puppy and anticipate what its particular needs will be.  Awangarda accepts deposits on litters within 90 days of their expected arrival.  Personal preferences for coloring, temperament, and sex of the puppy make the process fairly complex.  Weekly pictures attempt to capture the evolution of the puppy's dynamic personality as it develops.  Keep in mind that PONs do change drastically in coloring over their lifetime.  The only relevance of the color of the puppy to its adult coloring is the general hue.  PONs have deep coloring at birth which begins to fade as early as 6 weeks and continues to fade until approximately two years of age.  At that point, the coloring of their birth will begin to return.  A PON at 18 months of age may well have only a faint tint of coloring remaining.

2.  Temperament.   Some puppies will naturally be more active, while others are more quiet.  These traits do make an indication of their adult temperament if carefully watched and analyzed.  Given the recommended training, love, and structure in their life, Awangarda's puppies would succeed in any home.  That does not mean that every home would be right for every puppy.  Temperament is a relative issue.  Because PONs were bred to herd, they take a particular interest in their surroundings and their family, and they will be effected by the issues in their environment.  The herding instinct can have interesting expressions within the dynamics of the family.  The innate intelligence if respected and nurtured, is incredibly rewarding, but it does require the owner to be "one step ahead" of the PON.  Providing a structured environment limits the opportunities to take control, which will mean that the dog will be more enjoyable. 

3.  Home requirements.  While it is optimal to have a fenced in yard, it is not necessarily required since PONs do not generally go too far from home.  Some equipment is recommended for both the dog and the family.  1)  Crate for sleeping/travel.  2) Outdoor kennel to give the dog a neutral space where it can be without restrictions.  These are available in 4x4 size for the deck or yard at under $200 from Pet Edge (see About PONs, PON care tips.)  3)  Soft muzzle to use for behavior modification when the dog is barking, getting too excited about something, or other undesirable behavior.  The soft muzzle is a neutral way to tell your dog that its behavior is not acceptable.  They will respond very well to this method, better than verbal or any other restraint. 

4.  Children.   PONs, if socialized with children, make excellent pets and companions.  Usually they think they are one of the kids and will compete as if they are.  Care should be taken to teach the dog that its teeth are harmful, and to maintain respect for the children in the home.  Here again the soft muzzle is very useful.  Children should never be allowed to engage in "rough play" with the PON.  PONs are bred to control, and they do not always understand this interaction, which bodes for a bad experience for both the child and the dog. 

5.  Grooming.   Maintaining the coat will be the biggest challenge for the PON owner.  It must be thoroughly brushed at least weekly in order to keep the undercoat from becoming matted.  A monthly grooming trip will likely maintain your PON's coat if you do not intend to do this yourself, but ideally bathing at least twice a month will maintain the coat. 

6.  Getting the puppy to your home.   It is Awangarda's opinion that where ever possible, it is best for the dog and for the prospective owner to arrange to pick up the puppy.  Most airlines allow the puppy to travel with the passenger in a soft-sided carryon.  Travel alone is traumatic for the puppy and can result in initial adjustment problems for the puppy.  With this in mind, Awangarda understands that it is not always possible for the prospective buyer to pick up the puppy and we will arrange to ship VIP (one-day travel) on an airline.  The cost of the shipment is the buyer's responsibility as well as the cost of the crate required to ship the puppy.

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