What sets a responsible breeder apart from the rest?
The Best Start in life and a desire to always improve……
There are some prospective puppy owners that do not give a thought to how their puppy is raised in the eight weeks prior to them leaving the breeder. They are unaware that it is not just the puppies first 8 weeks, but the entire time their mother lives at the breeders home, that is the most important period of their puppies life.
The mother dog is born with the embryos she will have access to for the rest of her life. She doesn’t make any more or make new ones, what she has is what she uses to produce her offspring for the rest of her breeding life.
The study into Epigenetics (is the study of how your behaviours and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes work) have shown that the embryos may be influenced by the manner in which their mother is raised, not only her diet, but her environment and her behaviour. They can also be subjected to environmental stressors such as chemicals within the home, the area they are exercised, vaccinations and modern chemical treatments for parasites and so on.
Having studied canine nutrition and gained a level 3 Ofqual qualification, We have learnt how important it is to provide the mother with a lifestyle that is free from harm. This begins with her diet and environment. All our dogs, whether breeding or not, are raised on a species appropriate fresh food diet. We do not use any chemical-based products in or on our dogs unless it is absolutely necessary and there is no alternative. Our home is free of chemical substances, and we use natural remedies for everyday health situations that may occur.
There are some prospective puppy owners that do not give a thought to how their puppy is raised in the eight weeks prior to them leaving the breeder. They are unaware that it is not just the puppies first 8 weeks, but the entire time their mother lives at the breeders home, that is the most important period of their puppies life.
The mother dog is born with the embryos she will have access to for the rest of her life. She doesn’t make any more or make new ones, what she has is what she uses to produce her offspring for the rest of her breeding life.
The study into Epigenetics (is the study of how your behaviours and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes work) have shown that the embryos may be influenced by the manner in which their mother is raised, not only her diet, but her environment and her behaviour. They can also be subjected to environmental stressors such as chemicals within the home, the area they are exercised, vaccinations and modern chemical treatments for parasites and so on.
Having studied canine nutrition and gained a level 3 Ofqual qualification, We have learnt how important it is to provide the mother with a lifestyle that is free from harm. This begins with her diet and environment. All our dogs, whether breeding or not, are raised on a species appropriate fresh food diet. We do not use any chemical-based products in or on our dogs unless it is absolutely necessary and there is no alternative. Our home is free of chemical substances, and we use natural remedies for everyday health situations that may occur.
DIET – “Our genes make their day-to-day decision based on chemical information they receive from the food we eat. Information encoded in our food and carried from those foods original source, a microenvironment of land or sea”.
Diet has a massive effect on the way our dogs behave, learn, thrive and reproduce. It is here that the wellness begins, in the gut. Our dogs are subjected to the same neurotransmitters that we are.
Behaviour and Mental Health
Studies have also show that behaviour can be affected by diet. There are several neurotransmitters that play a key role in behaviour, serotonin being one of them. As 95% of serotonin is produced in the gut, a poor gut flora can affect the production of this important hormone. There are few processes within the body that are not affected by serotonin, and it has a wide-ranging role, including the regulation of energy balance, food consumption, GI and endocrine function, sexuality and attention, memory, aggression, mood, reward, perception and anger.
For a bitch to grow and raise healthy puppies, she not only needs to be physically healthy, but she also needs to be mentally strong and robust.
Dopamine is another neurotransmitter playing a key role and it is estimated that 50% of the body’s total is produced in the gut. It is associated with the reward mechanisms in the brain and plays a part in pleasure seeking. It is both inhibitory and excitatory, depending on the receptors it acts upon and contributes to the control of voluntary movement and influences learning, attention and emotion. It is one of the major neurotransmitters in reward-motivated behaviour.
If the bitch is deficient in either of the above neurotransmitters, it can have a detrimental effect on the birthing and rearing of her puppies. So, you can see, that in order for us to produce healthy, happy puppies, we have to start with the mother.
But that’s not all. Once our Mum’s have done their initial job and we have a healthy litter of puppies, the work starts for the breeder.
For a bitch to grow and raise healthy puppies, she not only needs to be physically healthy, but she also needs to be mentally strong and robust.
Dopamine is another neurotransmitter playing a key role and it is estimated that 50% of the body’s total is produced in the gut. It is associated with the reward mechanisms in the brain and plays a part in pleasure seeking. It is both inhibitory and excitatory, depending on the receptors it acts upon and contributes to the control of voluntary movement and influences learning, attention and emotion. It is one of the major neurotransmitters in reward-motivated behaviour.
If the bitch is deficient in either of the above neurotransmitters, it can have a detrimental effect on the birthing and rearing of her puppies. So, you can see, that in order for us to produce healthy, happy puppies, we have to start with the mother.
But that’s not all. Once our Mum’s have done their initial job and we have a healthy litter of puppies, the work starts for the breeder.
Socialisation and desensitisation – ENS & ESI
All our puppies start their journey towards being a happy and confident puppy with ENS (Early Neuro Stimulation) a handling process which we use from 3 to 16 to introduce puppies to mild stresses.
Why – When you use ENS you expose puppies to mild stresses in a controlled way and handling them stimulates their bodies to release adrenaline. Adrenaline release is what happens to dogs and puppies when they become stressed. Once you have actioned the ENS, you return the puppy to their litter and mother. The puppy will learn that an adrenaline release and becoming stressed, is not a reason to become anxious. This enables the puppy to cope more easily with stress in adult life.
We also use ESI (Early Sent Introduction) a process where you expose the puppy to a different scent on a daily basis in a controlled way.
Why – ESI has shown to enhance the dog’s ability to use their nose. As dog’s examine and understand the world through their noses, puppies exposed to this were able to deal with new smells and environments in a more balanced way.
As soon as the puppies are up and toddling about, they are introduced to different textures underfoot, obstacles and noises. Some of breeders believe that puppies shouldn’t be allowed outside. Whilst we have a duty to care for our puppies, we also have a duty to ensure the puppies we breed are fit and healthy and that means physically and mentally.
When puppies encounter an obstacle, they need to use their brain to work out how to navigate around it, pick it up or climb over it. As puppies explore their world initially with their feet and then their sense of smell, as breeders, we can use this natural process and provide them with different types of obstacles to work through. Providing varying surfaces within their whelping box, they don’t have to be high, will encourage them to investigate. Surfaces like, carpet, bubble wrap, rubber flooring and such.
After mastering that, which doesn’t really take long, we add higher and larger obstacles and toys. A raised bed will encourage them to clamber and climb, a small ramp, will also bring them joy! And tunnels are the best thing since sliced bread. Obstacles that move when touched or collapse, are a source of entertainment. Also, many dogs are not aware that they even have back legs. When dogs start at agility, you can see this fact, as when traversing the plank, often their back legs fall off.
The navigation of these new surfaces and obstacles must come from the puppy themselves. It is up to them to manage their own schedule of acceptance and exploration. When allowing them to do this for themselves, it has a far more enriching and positive effect on them going forward. They have decided to move forward, and they have decided how to navigate their world for themselves. However, whilst it looks like they are just having fun, they are, more importantly, connecting neuro pathways within their brain. They are also strengthening and growing their ligaments and muscles. These then will keep the puppy and dog from injuring themselves and giving them confidence to navigate life.
We also profile our puppies. What does this mean? Throughout their time with us, we watch them, understand their likes and dislikes, what they are motivated by and things they are confident with and areas they may need a little more work on. As a new owner of one of our puppies, you will receive a profile of your puppy, for you to use as you continue with their ongoing socialisation.
After all this, we also offer lifetime support for your puppy. It matters not how old they are, if you are experiencing issues, whatever the topic, we are here to help and are only a phone call, message or social media post away.
Why – When you use ENS you expose puppies to mild stresses in a controlled way and handling them stimulates their bodies to release adrenaline. Adrenaline release is what happens to dogs and puppies when they become stressed. Once you have actioned the ENS, you return the puppy to their litter and mother. The puppy will learn that an adrenaline release and becoming stressed, is not a reason to become anxious. This enables the puppy to cope more easily with stress in adult life.
We also use ESI (Early Sent Introduction) a process where you expose the puppy to a different scent on a daily basis in a controlled way.
Why – ESI has shown to enhance the dog’s ability to use their nose. As dog’s examine and understand the world through their noses, puppies exposed to this were able to deal with new smells and environments in a more balanced way.
As soon as the puppies are up and toddling about, they are introduced to different textures underfoot, obstacles and noises. Some of breeders believe that puppies shouldn’t be allowed outside. Whilst we have a duty to care for our puppies, we also have a duty to ensure the puppies we breed are fit and healthy and that means physically and mentally.
When puppies encounter an obstacle, they need to use their brain to work out how to navigate around it, pick it up or climb over it. As puppies explore their world initially with their feet and then their sense of smell, as breeders, we can use this natural process and provide them with different types of obstacles to work through. Providing varying surfaces within their whelping box, they don’t have to be high, will encourage them to investigate. Surfaces like, carpet, bubble wrap, rubber flooring and such.
After mastering that, which doesn’t really take long, we add higher and larger obstacles and toys. A raised bed will encourage them to clamber and climb, a small ramp, will also bring them joy! And tunnels are the best thing since sliced bread. Obstacles that move when touched or collapse, are a source of entertainment. Also, many dogs are not aware that they even have back legs. When dogs start at agility, you can see this fact, as when traversing the plank, often their back legs fall off.
The navigation of these new surfaces and obstacles must come from the puppy themselves. It is up to them to manage their own schedule of acceptance and exploration. When allowing them to do this for themselves, it has a far more enriching and positive effect on them going forward. They have decided to move forward, and they have decided how to navigate their world for themselves. However, whilst it looks like they are just having fun, they are, more importantly, connecting neuro pathways within their brain. They are also strengthening and growing their ligaments and muscles. These then will keep the puppy and dog from injuring themselves and giving them confidence to navigate life.
We also profile our puppies. What does this mean? Throughout their time with us, we watch them, understand their likes and dislikes, what they are motivated by and things they are confident with and areas they may need a little more work on. As a new owner of one of our puppies, you will receive a profile of your puppy, for you to use as you continue with their ongoing socialisation.
After all this, we also offer lifetime support for your puppy. It matters not how old they are, if you are experiencing issues, whatever the topic, we are here to help and are only a phone call, message or social media post away.