Below are pictures of us and our family, human and canine! I"ve also added information near the bottom of the page pertaining to the care we give to our dogs & puppies.
My Husband, Heath Myself, Tammy
My husband and I married on May 21,2007. He never had puppies before! What a change for him? I don't think he can remember life without these precious pups and is quite fond of all of them. I, on the other hand, have been a dog lover all of my life having my first Cocker Spaniel, Corky, when I was 4 years old.
Sammy 3 months old
My mom was a dog lover also and had a Pomapoo named Muffins. We decided to breed Cockapoos for those that love their pets but have allergies like mom did. My breeding experience and love for animals in general guides me every day. We absolutely love these dogs and to us there are no better breeds for loving family pets!
Our Boys....
Christopher's graduation pictures
Jacob, Shiloh & Murphy
Our Canine family & best friends
Sammy, Sonny, Belle, Sophia, Gracie, Rahne, Shiloh & Murphy
Sophie as a pup snuggling my tigger slipper
Murphy in his Spidey shirt with our friend Sam! Just adorable
Gracie sitting on my shoulder. Taken with Jake's cell phone. So cute!
Our days are long, starting at 6am, 7 days per week, with our first bathroom break and breakfast. We are outside roughly every 2 hours throughout the day. Baths are given every 3-4 wks over a 2-3 day period. Nails are trimmed monthly and hair is brushed at least 2 times per week. Hair cuts are given every 2 months. We feed our dogs Beneful premium dog food. They are given fresh water throughout the day until 8pm. Bedtime is at 10:30 which includes milk bones for everyone. Once per month everyone is treated with K9 Advantix. Floors are swept daily and mopped every other day. Needless to say with 11 dogs playing outside, there is a lot of dusting to be done! All of our dogs are vet checked yearly and kept current on all vaccinations.
When we are expecting puppies we start with the care of our Dams. They are given puppy food & vitamins before, during and after pregnancy to ensure they are receiving the proper nutrition for healthy mom and babies. Dams are wormed before breeding as a precaution. Studs are also seperated for 2 weeks before and during Estrous to allow only the wanted stud to mate with her. That is the only time we use our outdoor kennels during the day. The studs are brought in at night to sleep in their kennels (which avoids marking everywhere) comfortably. During the last 3 weeks of pregnancy moms are not allowed to climb or jump up and down in order to keep babies safe and healthy. We prepare her whelping area so she will become familiar with it before labor. This is usually in the kitchen or downstairs bathroom. Both places are quiet and clean easily. Cleanliness is important for healthy mom & pups.
Mom's temperature is taken during the last week of gestation so that we'll notice any drops in temp. indicating the onset of labor. We also listen for babies heartbeats at least once per day so we'll know roughly how many babies to expect and hopefully notice any potential problems that may require a visit to our vet.
When mom's temp drops, I sleep with mom until the babies arrive. We are always with mom in case she or her puppies need assistance.
Once the puppies arrive and all is well, mom is left alone to rest and bond with her puppies. We make certain that she is producing milk and that all pups are nursing. For the next few weeks, we weigh the puppies to be sure they are gaining weight properly, check the dam for any swollen glands or rise in temperature. The whelping area is kept clean, babies are socialized asap and throughout their time with us. Mom is on an increased diet for milk production and given fresh water at all times.
Babies are bathed, nails trimmed and familiarized with clippers so they will become comfortable with the grooming process. They are wormed every 3 weeks. When they are able to walk and have had their first shots, the puppies are allowed outside for play time. For their safety, we've made a play-yard just for them.
In addition to all of the above, (I'm certain I haven't thought of everything :) We answer phone calls and emails on a daily basis. The website is maintained and updated with new photos that are taken as well as information on the puppies and their parents.
Certainly the profit is low when considering the enormous expense and endless hours devoted to our dogs and puppies. When you give your heart to your dogs and puppies, they give you their unconditional love. There's nothing better than that to us. We've met many wonderful families and have made life long friends. We feel that we are truely blessed to have these dogs and puppies in our lives!
Photos of our home in the Shenandoah Valley
Some visitors expect to see rows of chainlink fences with dogs houses in each when they visit. We will finish fencing our yard soon but for now it is fenced on 3 sides and we also have an invisible fence for our pet's safety. They are allowed to roam throughout the yard freely! It doesn't look like a large kennel facility because it isn't. There are 2 kennels, one 8' x 16' and the other is 8' x 32'. Those are used only when males need to be seperated during our female's heat cycles. They are shaded with a cedar mulch ground covering.
Our puppies have a seperate play area outside just for them. This keeps them safe while they are playing. While in use, the mulch "flooring" is changed frequently. All of their own toys are kept in the play yard and they consist of teething rings, rattle toys, balls, etc. We never give our puppies plush toys to play with. They are hard to clean therefore they can hold bacteria and germs. Puppies are not allowed outside until they are almost 6wks of age or until they've had their 1st shots. Their immune systems are still developing until approx 12-16 wks of age so the longer we wait the safer the puppies will be. By the time they are outside, the pups are already well on their way to being paper trained. They have a little house in their play yard so they can nap while their siblings are playing or just have some alone time from the group if they so choose.
We do not want to have so many dogs that we are unable to spend as much time with them. Our home is like your home except that we have more crates for nite time because we have more dogs. Some of the older more trusted dogs (with slippers, shoes, etc :) sleep upstairs with us at night. Usually it's Sammy, Belle, Gracie and Sonny who sleep in our room(s) as it's 2 rooms attached and Cleopatra sleeps with our son Jake in his room every night. We have lots of toys, especially frisbees because they love to play frisbee. A large Sunroom was added to our Victorian by the previous owner. It is where babies and moms are cared for when puppies are 3 wks or older. They each have a gated off area so they feel comfortable and can continue to care for their puppies with little stress from the other dogs. We can not let everyone run through the house at the same time. Trust me, we've tried it! We alternate throughout the day as we go in and out. Some hang out in the Sunroom with their toys and blankets, while the others roam through the house. My office seems to be the room of choice. They like to lay in the oversize chair or next to me on the rug while I am working.
I hope this gives you a good idea of what are daily lives are like and how we include our dogs and puppies in are lives throughout the day, everyday! They are truly a part of our family and treated as such. My husband and I both work from the home which makes it possible for us to spend more time than the average pet owner with our canine family.
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