Copyright © Elena Ralston - 2009 - All Rights Reserved
Breeding Philosophy
Producing puppies that will grow up into outstanding representatives of this magnificent breed is our main goal in breeding. We focus on producing healthy and highly trainable puppies. We select the best studs in the country for our females to ensure that the next generation excels in every venue, be it conformation, performance, service, or family companionship. We believe that contribution of a stud dog to the genetic makeup and working ability of our pups is very important. Therefore we select dogs for breeding based on the ‘total dog’ concept, which includes their genetic compatibility, type of their temperament, working ability, health and conformational quality.
While the role of the sire of the pups is very important, we believe that the role of a dam is much larger. The dam of a litter takes care of her pups for the first 7-8 weeks of their lives and becomes their first life coach. It is from her they learn their first important lessons and imprint on her behavior and reactions to the world. Having a goal of producing puppies of high trainability and confident, friendly temperaments, we train our girls to the highest-level possible before they produce their first litter. We constantly introducing them to the new challenges and mentally stimulating environment to ensure their well rounded, balanced mental development. We believe that this way each dam becomes an excellent role model for her puppies. We breed out females every other season to give them enough physical and mental rest, and also to allow them to continue working on their titles.
Puppies are born in our bedroom and raised in our home and yard environment. We spend hundreds of hours caring for, socializing and developing puppies with exposure to many new experiences. Each puppy begins Early Neurological Stimulation program as soon as it is born. Their training begins as soon as they could see and hear. Various games are introduced when pups begin walking and playing. Games are designed to introduce puppies to the basic obedience, tracking, agility and problem solving. As puppies continue growing and become more coordinated games become more complex stimulating problem solving behavior.
Along with their mind and physical development our puppies go through the housebreaking, crate breaking and collar/leash breaking. They are introduced to a wide variety of different surfaces, environments, animals and people, including children. By the time they leave our house to go to their new families our puppies are ready to take the world. They are prepared to become excellent performers and well-behaved companions. By 7 weeks they are well started in the housebreaking, started walking on leash, have been introduced to basic obedience commands, crate and traveling in the car. We strive to provide to our puppies the best possible conditioning, social and mental development that should make their further training an easy and enjoyable task.
Each puppy will be vet checked, wormed and vaccinated. We offer FIVE years written health guarantees and support and advise for the life of our pups. We take lifetime responsibility for all the puppies we produce, therefore our contract requires the return of any puppy or dog that a new owner can no longer keep, for whatever reason. No refunds (except for things covered on the guarantee of course). They may not be sold, or given away without our permission. They may not be dropped off at a humane society, or animal shelter ~ those are for unwanted animals. We ALWAYS welcome our puppies back!
All our puppies’ temperament tested at 6 1/2 weeks old using PAWS testing system. Our ultimate goal is to match each puppy with the right family. We believe that the puppy must fit into the environment where it is being placed to ensure development of that perfect relationship between an owner and a dog. We do not choose a pup for you, but we do make our recommendations and reserve the right to deny the choice if we feel that it is not a right puppy for the environment. Puppies are released to their new homes after they turn 7 weeks old. This is the age we believe that they begin to crave for on-on-one attention and care, and this is the age they begin to bond the best with their new owners.