I want to discuss what it means to be a responsible breeder. It is about prioritizing the health, temperament, and overall quality of the dogs. It involves careful selection of the breeding pairs, thorough health testing, and proper socialization of the puppies.
We follow the standards and guidelines for responsible breeding practices such as; health testing, proper vaccinations for adults and puppies, veterinarian care, responsible puppy placements, and ongoing support for puppy owners.
Being a responsible breeder is NOT just about producing healthy puppies; it's about positively impacting the breed and ensuring the well-being of each dog here. Our dogs are not numbers on a board, our dogs are our family! They all have names, they all run and play daily! They have beds and toys, they are leash trained, very socialized, and friendly. I dedicate my life to our dogs they are my babies! We retire them between 5-6 years of age. That is when we take applications for rehoming them.
THE ROLE OF BREEDING FACILITIES & KENNELS:
Having a breeding facility or kennel plays an essential role in maintaining the health and safety of the dogs. These facilities provide a controlled environment where breeders can ensure proper care, nutrition, and socialization for the dogs and puppies. They are NOT locked in small cages all day just sitting there. Our dogs have a huge exercise area where they play in a pool (weather permitting), listen to music, and play with other dogs, kids, and toys! We even let them run the fields once they are mowed down in the spring. Having a facility allows us to keep things sanitized properly and efficiently to ensure our dogs stay happy and healthy. For example, let's say we had one of our dogs out and it picked up some nasty canine disease. Having them in a home would make it hard to control and guarantee the spread of the disease/virus to other dogs as well as being able to properly sanitize completely. In our breeding facility, we can sanitize with a fogger to reduce any canine bacteria and we can guarantee the safety of the other dogs and quarantine if needed. We wouldn't be able to do that in our home. We do sometimes whelp a litter in our house. We have raised dogs and puppies in our home and have found over the years that it is more beneficial for the puppies and dogs to have their own quiet safe space, they get just as much if not more socialization and training.
It's important to remember that having a breeding facility or a kennel doesn't automatically make someone a bad breeder. The key is to ensure that the facility meets the standards and provides a conducive environment for all of their dogs and puppies.