So, either you clicked on this page first because your in search
of a new beloved member of your family, or perhaps for curiosity sake. Either
way, here you are. Before you get to the photos of our baby butterflies, we
encourage you to read the several paragraphs below.
We
do not breed often and only because we want a new member to our family. Listed below you will find what available pups or adults we
may have. Our puppies will not be
placed until they are 12 weeks - 6 months of age, current on all vaccinations, worming, and
have been spayed/neutered. We believe that a dog raised in a clean, natural,
raw environment is a healthier dog. We also do not vaccinate for Leptospirosis, at any age.
By raised naturally, we mean we feed a completely natural, balanced diet to our dogs. We do not put unnecessary chemicals in or on our pets. This includes flea
products. we live in a heartworm free area so this is not an issue, thankfully.
Within days of pulling our dogs off commercial based kibble we saw dramatic
results, and it just keeps getting better. If your interested in more
information about this, please visit our links page to view the books we recommend
or email us.
Before going to their new homes our pups will also have had their first vet check, which
will include checking for Patellar Luxation, eye, and heart defects. Their dew
claws will be removed at 3-4 days of age, by our vet. Our
puppies come with a one year limited genetic health guarantee, a copy of their 5 generation
pedigree, medical information, a sample of our raw food diet, a familiar toy with scent of
the litter to comfort them, travel water bottle with electrolyte
supplement to help
prevent hypoglycemia during transit (this can be an especially stressful time),
disc of photos including photos of parents and entire litter, puppy care packet,
transfer paperwork for registration, and a lifetime of support
by us, the breeders. I also begin teaching the pups to wear a light quick
release collar when they are 6-8wks of age for a few hours per day. This gets
them use to a collar for when later on we begin leash work. This way they are
more into what is going on, and less attention to what the weird scratchy thing
is around their neck.
The pups are also desensitized to a crate at 8wks during
the weaning process. This can be a VERY trying and stressful time for a new
owner to listen to their new baby scream and howl as if their life is over when
put in the crate for the first time. We strongly feel crating is an important
part of the training process, and when properly used, a safety device. There for we begin training early to make
it an easy, less traumatic, transition to their new home. If we place an older
dog or pup, they will be trained in basic obedience as well, even the show
dogs. I bought into the "old wives tale" of never teach a show dog to
sit when I first started at conformation showing. That was a HUGE mistake! If you can teach a dog to sit, you can teach it to
stand, along with any other "trick". You will notice that most of
our dogs have titles at both the beginning and end of their name, that is
because we feel a dog should be beautiful both in mind and structure.
We do sell to honest, sincere, loving show homes. We will not
sell to large kennels or those looking for "show" dogs with nice pedigrees just to breed.
Selling a dog as a "brood" animal is a sugar coated term used by a
breeder selling a lower quality animal. You will not find any "brood"
dogs here. Any
dog sold by us as show quality must be shown, with a good effort put into
obtaining a championship title. We
do not feel our hard work should line the pockets of others out there looking to make a
quick dollar. If you want a cheap companion, go to your local rescue shelter.
Thousands of unwanted, perfectly acceptable pets are euthanized every day, most
because the owners simply "did not have the time." The more
people buy into the "designer" mutts the more of a problem they are creating
and the more animals are killed by someone's decision, lacking integrity, made
on a whim.
Papillons, long ago first loved by royalty and
used to rid the castles of small varmints, have since been bred for generations
to be companion animals. They need to be on our laps, under
our feet, and a total part of the family. Housing an animal on concrete, away
from human companionship, on wire floors, in kennels, or for primary use
as a cash crop is NOT an acceptable life, for
ANY breed.
New to the breed? Perhaps you saw a photo of one
in a magazine, or an ad on the television. So, now your not sure where to go from there and
you by chance stumbled across our site. Newbies are welcome here! We have experienced how very difficult it is to get started
in the Papillon show world. When I first went searching for an addition to our
family, I was shocked by the behavior of several breeders I contacted. Only now,
after raising this breed, doing more research, and being ringside for the last few years have I learned
why. For every step forward, someone out there is taking us two steps back.
While some may have stronger contracts then ours, and some less, we have
the same goal in mind now - protect our breed's future and educate those who are
willing to listen. Our show dogs are sold on a co-ownership only. We do this
simply to protect our dogs. Some may say "well, if you trust the new owner, this
is unnecessary." To each their own is my reply. Our dogs are a life time commitment, no
matter where they live. If
your looking to show, please present to us that you are serious and sincere, have done your
research, and ready to make the commitment. Showing dogs is not for the faint of
heart, it can really bring out the best, or the worst, of a persons character. Make sure
your entire family is in agreement of this choice. Whether you plan to show
yourself or to use a handler, it's a financial commitment that best be carefully
thought over before jumping blindly into.
We've now branched further into the agility
world. The more we train the more we are learning that it takes a very special
dog to be able to run and stay healthy. This dog must be of proper structure and
soundness, and possess outstanding character needed to perform. There for
puppies will be additionally screened for performance quality, not just any pup
will be offered to performance homes. We want performance dogs to be able to
hold up to the constant running, jumping, weaving and leaping required to
perform. It's sad to see how many wonderful, talented dogs break down over time
due to poor structure or health issues. The papillon is an amazing athlete when
properly trained, its our job as breeders to make sure your puppy can have a
great chance at achieving your goals.
In rare cases will we place a show
quality puppy under six months of age. We'd rather start the dogs out ourselves,
and most times a show dog is bred for us to show ourselves anyhow. If we
don't have a show puppy available we may know of someone who does. We
encourage performance homes as well, and strongly feel that a well bred Papillon
can do anything, and we're out to prove it!
If your not sure where to look or go, email us.
We’re happy to take future butterfly lovers under our wing and mentor them. We
also offer handling services to anyone who purchases a pup from us, and are
happy to teach the owners to handle themselves. However, if you have a pup of
your own, or wanting to learn to handle, drop us a line. We are happy to handle
small breeds and our prices are VERY reasonable. We do it for the love of the
dogs - not a career. If the dogs aren't having fun, neither are we. At this time
we will only handle dogs ringside and do not bring outside dogs, not of our
breeding, into our home. We show in the American Kennel Club, United Kennel
Club, and the International All Breed Canine Assoc. venue. Our puppies are
registered with AKC and UKC. We allow them to be registered additionally with
ONLY the following registries, IABCA, Canadian Kennel Club, and if exported the
registry of their country. We do not approve of any other registry
in the United states.
WHERE OUR DOGS GROW UP-
Our puppies are raised in our home and experience daily life
with both us and all of our dogs. They begin life in our bedroom where mom can
have a quiet and peaceful atmosphere to raise her babies in. From birth they stay with mom in a large crate, which is
lined with a
special bumper pad system attached to a solid floor that I can slip a heating
pad underneath. This keeps the pups nice and cozy and safe from crawling out.
The pups mom especially appreciates this den like environment. Each day they are
weighed and given the Volhard Aptitude test. When the puppies begin to crawl and play they are brought out to the living
room and get to interact with everyone who comes to visit. We set up a 4' x 4'
exercise pen for them to wander around in. This is where they begin potty
training and are quickly learn the different areas to sleep, eat, and potty in.
Just recently we have started training the baby butterflies to potty in a litter
pan, with amazing results! We do not raise our butterflies on news paper, we feel the ink isn't healthy for
them, and the ink is hard on their coats. Instead they are raised on potty pads
covered in a flannel blanket. This helps the pups build strength and develop
proper structure. When
appropriate, the puppies are
brought out on short visits in the yard, if the weather permits.
The pups get interactive toys to play with at
around three weeks of age when they begin to crawl, such as boxes, balls with
bells in them, different surfaces to walk on and feel. This also includes their
diet. Watching a four week old pup chew a chicken neck or thigh for the first
time is always entertaining. They are always discovering something new to amuse
themselves with!
They are
also brought to the local farmers market where we have a garden booth. Everyone enjoys
helping to work on their social skills. From the moment the puppies
eyes begin to open, we start taking them on car rides. This is just one of many
things we do to work on building healthy companions.
The puppies are exposed to various training tools and toys to enhance
their senses and more resistant to stress. From day one our puppies are given the Vollard Aptitude test,
exposed to early neurological stimulation, as well as the TTouch method. Please
visit our links page to view these methods stated by their founders. Growing up,
the pups are taught to stand nicely on a table for grooming and health checks,
so medical visits are less stressful. Bath time is given once a week and each
time they are taught to stand for a dyer and brushing. In addition to this we
trim up their nails and paw pads - teeth are checked weekly to see how their
bite develops. We
encourage new owners to continue training with basic obedience lessons
given by a reputable trainer who has experience with toy dogs. This encourages good behavior and a
wonderful butterfly to live with. I once read some place that it's hard to
live with a beautiful fool, I couldn't' agree more!

We have
spent a great deal of time, energy, and research on our dogs, so that only the
best will shine through.
You can be guaranteed that our puppies are happy,
healthy, and behaviorally sound when continuing our training methods.
After reading everything above, you’d like to be considered for one of our pups please
send us an email with the following information. If everything is not included,
we may respond, but more then likely it will just be deleted. Please inquire
with integrity. We don't need a novel, life history, or DNA.. just the honest
facts.

-Where do you live? City, state, country
-Please tell us about you and your family. Do you have any
hobbies? Do you have children, if so what are their ages? Who will be the
primary care giver for your new butterfly?
-Do you have any other pets? Please include breeds,
species, types and
if they are spayed/neutered. Do you have any experience with this breed or
others?
-Where will the dog be living? (house, kennel, apartment)
- If you live in an apartment, please tell us
how you will care for the dog, such as potty time and providing a proper amount
of exercise. We discourage taking dogs to dog parks. They are an incredibly dangerous environment
for toy breeds, and too often filled with ignorant owners.
-Do you rent or own your home? We like to see
photos of the home if possible, especially those out of state. If renting we will
need contact information to your landlord.
- Do you have an adequately fenced in yard? By
this we mean, even if you have a chain link fence, papillons can still slip
through gates and even the tiniest spots. We require all homes to have properly
fenced yards. I have a two year old pap who can still slip through the bars of a
baby gate.
- Are you willing to keep in touch with us and
become part of our extended family, throughout the life of your new companion?
We like to build relationships with those who are wanting to bring one of our
butterflies into their home. After all you are bringing part of our family to
become a part of yours.