IcelandicSheepdogStandardLitterInformation

Hello Folks,

I felt that it would be a nice thing to explain the regular process that is involved in getting a Icelandic Sheepdog Puppy from our kennel. We have a number of things that happen in every litter, and I thought it would help interested puppy buyers/new owners to be if they could get a sence of what they can expect.

A bit of History on the Kennel, We are Honored to be the second oldest Icelandic Sheepdog Kennel and Breeder in Canada, Pineridge Icelandic in B.C. is the only other active breeding kennel in Canada that is older then our. This means for our puppy owners, that we have a long history an experance within our chosen breed. I have been lucky enough to travel to a number of countries in Europe to meet over a hundred ISD's and have now traveled across N.A. to meet many more ISD.

Of the living Dogs in Canada at this time, I am quite lucky to have traveled and spent time with almost all of the different kennels, I even made a point of traveling to retired ISD kennels and meeting the great and gentle "old timers" I honestly feel that I can say, that I have a very good idea of what the typical Icelandic should be like in temperment and type.

One of the Greatest Honors I have had to date was in Finland where I was asked to Judge a Fun Match of Icelandic Sheepdogs, just under 40 dogs were there that day, and it was a true pleasure to get to put my hands on that many wonderful dogs.

In Canada, I have now been asked to given a number of Judges Seminars both in Eastern and Western Canada. I have had Icelandic Sheepdog Gatherings at my home over the year. I am now currently asked by new breeders to evalute their litters. Although I am quite busy with my own dogs and litters, I am also a mentor to a few select Icelandic Sheepdog Breeders in N.A.

I look forwad to continuing my education in both the breed and in dog breeding in general. I believe in education and if you check out my education page, you will find that I attend one or two or more different dog events or seminars year for many! years now.

If you look at my show dogs site, and some of the things my puppies have grown up to do, you will see that I have worked very hard to import some of the Top Show/Working Lines from Europe and Iceland. Health, Temperment and Type are all very important to me..

1) Learn the website, I recommend that you follow the different highlighted links thoughout the site and learn as much as possable about the breed and my own dogs, this will give you a good idea of what my "type" of Icelandic Sheepdogs look like, as well as give you a idea of where my focus on my own dogs is in regards to Doggy Sports etc. - Currently Conformation and Herding.

2) Once you feel that you would indeed like to put your name on our reservation list for a coming litter, you can email me, (Be aware that getting me on the phone is truly next to impossable, I highly recommend email as the way to get me) and I will send a copy of my puppy application to fill out and send back to me, either by email or snail mail, once I have read it and have a understanding of what you are wanting and if I feel that my dogs and breeding program can in fact provide you with a puppy that fits your families wants, I will phone you and a talk in person about the breed and the dogs. I am always happy to answer questions about the breed by email or by phone.

The pet price for one of our puppies is currently $800 dollars, regardless of Sex, Color or Pattern. We try and keep our wonderful well-breed Icelandic Sheepdog Puppies the same price as a well bred Lab Puppy. This Price includes our $200 Dollar Deposit, Vet Check, Age related Vaccines, Microchip, Deworming (X2), Formal Temperment Tests by Best Friends School of Dogs, Formal CERF Test , and Formal Herding Test. Most of my "Pet" Puppies are in fact Show Qaulity, that is they meet the breed standard with no known faults, and could be shown if the owners were interested. Most family homes would like to alter their pets and I feel that its more important to place the puppies into loving wonderful homes first an formost.

I am always looking for folks interested in a Show or Breeding Icelandic Sheepdog, if this is something you are thinking about.. talk to me.. This is a very! rare breed.. with only a few litters born per year in Canada at this time.. I would be very interested in hearing from you and would love to help you find that special puppy that matches your needs.

I breed for a very stable Family/Therapy/Show Dog with good work ability, but as an example, if you are looking for a top Flyball Icelandic Sheepdog, I would in fact recommend other breeders programs more then my own..

3) Once you are on the waiting list for a litter with a deposit in place, now the wait begins. On average most of my Icelandic Sheepdog Puppy Buyers wait about three to six months to get a puppy from our Kennel. Most of the time, most of the puppies in any given litter are reserved before being born.

4) I send out emails that the expecting mom to be, has started her heats, then update when the breeding has taken place with a email that will give approx birthing date etc.

5) Unltrasound Results! Always a exciting day for everyone, me included!

6) Fat expecting Momma Photos- I just can't resist this, I always have to send the waiting lists, photos of the expecting momma looking huge.

7) Puppies have arrived!, and now the fun starts.. I do weekly photo updates, and create each puppy its own Grow out pages on the website. This is a huge favorite of current and past puppy owners, I have a lot of my current Puppy owners that love to watch the new litters grow out. I will be putting in a link here to Greenstone Harvest Moon's Grow out pages.

Harvest Moon's Page One
Harvest Moon's Page Two
Harvest Moons Page Three
Harvest Moons Stack Photos

I could go into great detail on the grow out photo pages, but as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words... so check them out and you will see what its like.

8) Formal Temperment Tests done by Kim Cooper at Best Friends School of Dogs, the folks on the waiting list are sent each puppies results. A photocopy of this test and its results are sent in the New Owners Puppy Package.

9) First Vet Check, and Vaccines Given at between seven to eight weeks, microchip or Tatttoo time. The Vet Check and all records are included with the puppy for the new families vet to have.

10) Formal CERF Exam done, and results shared with the Puppies owners and a Photo Copy of the parents current CERF Test Results and the Puppies CERF comes in the Puppy Package for the new owners.

11) Formal Herding Temperment test -Done on ducks - A copy of the Test Results are included in the puppy package for the new owners.

12) At this time the final choices are made for who gets what puppy out of the litter, I am always interested in hearing from the owners to be on what puppy they are looking at, and I will make every effort to try and make sure the matches are good ones for both puppy and family.

13) The average age of my puppies going home to a local home that the owners are picking the puppy up at is ten weeks of age, this give the puppies enough time with their mothers and the rest of the pack, develops their minds and bodies to be ready to go to a new home.

Possable Show Breeder Puppies and or Flying puppies, I will make the final choices on the top pick puppy (normally only one puppy in the litter if I am lucky) at the older age.. I will not normally fly puppies before 12 weeks, The only time this rule will bend is in case of summer or winter flight embago's coming into effect and therefor I will choose to send them after ten weeks if that is the best thing for the puppy..

13a) Possable Show Breeder Puppies will also have a Puppy X-ray taken of their hips and a photocopy of the letter from my vet with the results will be included in the new owners puppy package.. If Pet or Working Puppy owners request this done, the cost of X-ray/Vet Visit will be paid by the New owner to be, Only on Puppies being Sold as Possable Show Breeder Puppies will I include this in the basic cost of the puppy.

In all things the welfare of the puppy comes first!

14) Two to Three weeks before the puppies are ready to leave for their new homes, I will contact the puppy owners by phone and we will have a visit to confirm that they are happy with my recommendations on who will fit their needs and requirements as per their application. At that time, the rest of the puppy payment is required if you are sending it by mail.. I will take a personal check but it must arrive a min of two weeks in advance to clear at the bank before the puppy is sent to you. If you are picking up your puppy, most often the new owners will just bring Cash or a Certified Check both of which are just fine as well.

15) Puppy Arrives home, The big Day! I will call and or write by email with in a few hours of expecting you to arrive home to confirm that all is well..and answer any questions about the puppy, the paperwork or any other concern.

16) Within the first week, you can expect me to drop you a note and just ask , how's it going? and again, we can have a visit and talk puppy..

17) At this point, I leave it to the new owners to keep in touch with me, I love getting updates! I adore new puppy photos!, I love to see the dogs grow up and hear about puppy classes! Show results, Agility Results and the list goes on! I love to see photos of the dogs with their familes.

I am interested and will do my best to answer your questions for the dogs lifetime, and I will ALWAYS take back any of my puppies if for some or any reason, you need to rehome one of my Icelandics.. In truth in all my years of breeding, none of my puppies have needed to be rehomed to date.. but I am sure it will happen at some point in the future.

Most of my owners pop me a note and photo every six months to a year, and that works great for everyone, I love to get the updates and they love to keep an eye on the website and blog to see what is all up in my world.

I will do everything in my power to breed healthy, good tempermented, and structurally Sound parents, I will do everything in my power to whelp and raise, healthy, good tempermented and sound puppies, and I will work very hard to provide the new owners with all the health and temperment data I can. I will use all the tools available to me as a breeder to work to place the correct puppy in the right family.

At this point in time it now become up to you the new family to raise, train and enjoy your new Icelandic Sheepdog.. Treat them well, train them well and love them lots and I swear that they will return that love ten fold to you!