Puppies
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Our aim in raising puppies is and always has been, to provide a puppy who is genetically the best we can produce, and well socialized by the time he or she goes to their new home - regardless of whether the pups will be indoors, outdoors, herding, or hiking, SAR or agility bound.
This is a most critical time in a pup's life... they have so much capacity for learning in those first weeks and it actually increases the intelligence and neural connections in their brains to be learning new things. So our 'job' is to expose the pups to everything we can think of during this time.
By the time they go to new homes at 8 weeks they will have had one-on-one time with humans, learned about the sounds on TV or music playing (they like classical), will have been picked up and cuddled by many people, talked to, played with toys, met new 'big dogs' who are not their mother and learned how to interact with them, been on grass (if there is any) or snow, or carpet or linoleum.
If possible taken in a car somewhere (although we do not always have time for that one), taught their names, taught to come when called, and sometimes they learn other commands like 'go pee'... not always successfully.
We worm our puppies at 3,6, and 8 weeks. They get the first shot at 6 weeks, and 2nd at 8 weeks, and still need 3rd shot at 12 weeks and 4th at 16 weeks along with a rabies at 16 weeks.
Our male is a sweet, energetic guy who is has a great personality and is always ready to work hard. We only keep mother dogs who are the full package also... working dogs who have good bold temperaments and are good mothers... so that genetically we cut down the odds of having pups that are shy or afraid.
The philosophy of Mission Falls Ranch is also that we breed 'like to like'... sire and dam that are similar in temperament level and drive level. We can then predict with a fair amount of accuracy that the pups will all be the same. You can close your eyes and pick a good one out of a litter.
Breeding a shy dog to a bold dog does not make for middle of the road temperament... it makes for a litter of some of each (this is what Joan learned after decades of breeding). The colors, the coats, or the ears, are just 'frosting on the cake' and we don't breed for that. It is what is under the hood that is the most important.
Puppies: $1200.00 USD
Please click HERE to view upcoming litters and photos of each pup for any litters on the ground.
With a dog in your life there is always a reason to smile.
