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Puppies
Welcome to everyone's favorite place to go - the puppy page.
I have tried to answer most of the questions that people ask on this page.
If you are interested in getting a pup from us, please read through the information on our
puppy policies and practices, then take a moment and fill out our puppy application.
Thank you.
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Our current and upcoming litter plans:
2xSELs 2xAOM GCH CH Cobalt's One Eyed Jack at Arubmec, CGC TDN HT
"Jack"
Libby x Jack
Planned for early spring 2025
This litter will be all blue.
We will be looking for show potential homes as well as companion homes.
View pedigree and health information here
BISS AOM GCHB CH Lakotas Cowgirl Justice
"Libby"
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If you would like to be added to our contact list on these litters, please fill out our puppy application. Once we can confirm that we do in fact have puppies on the way, we will begin accepting deposits to reserve a puppy. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. Thank you.
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Do you have or breed mini heelers?
NO. We raise standard Australian Cattle Dogs to the AKC breed standard. We do not condone "mini heelers" as they are not a bred down purebred Australian Cattle Dog, they are cross bred with chihuahuas and toy fox terriers to get them tiny. This is taking completely different breeds who have different mentalities and drives that they have been bred for for countless generations and then crossing them together for the cute factor. It's hard for the dog to know what it is, and near impossible to test for and rule out genetic issues, as you have two different breed's genetic markers in one dog.
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Do you dock tails or remove dewclaws?
NO. We do not dock tails unless a puppy comes out with a severe kink or other deformity to its tail that requires shortening at the damage site, for the benefit of the puppy. A cattle dog uses its tail in its movements, for balance and communication. If you wish to have a docked puppy please search for a breeder that does dock, or get an Australian Stumpy Tailed Cattle Dog (different breed than the australian cattle dog). Docking once the puppy is older is not good for the puppy.
We do not remove dewclaws as recent research shows that the puppies need their dewclaws for the strength and integrity of their carpal joint. They should not be removed unless there is a very good reason to do so. In rare cases, a dog's dewclaw may be severely injured or develop a disease (e.g., a cancerous tumor) and removal under those circumstances would certainly be in the dog's best interests. These problems occur so infrequently, however, that removing healthy front dewclaws to prevent them makes little sense.
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What is our breeding focus and what are we looking for in a cattle dog?
As with most ethical breeders, we have a specific type and temperament that we desire in our dogs, and to that end we are very particular in the dogs that we incorporate into our breeding program. Our breeding focus is on temperament, physical structure and versatility. We are committed to producing dogs sound in both mind and body, so that they may perform the functions for which they were designed as well as being lifelong family companions.
We use the Puppy Puzzle method of evaluating our puppies and dogs. Conformation determines the physical structure to be able to do their job and hold up over time. Tempermant determines their suitability in a family environment and the ability to handle the daily stresses of life.
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How are your puppies raised?
Puppies are born and raised in our home amongst all the sights, sounds and activity of daily life in an ACD household.
Beginning on day 3 through day 16, we incorporate the Bio Sensor program, as early neurological stimulation makes a world of difference in a puppy's upbringing and ability to handle daily stresses of life.
By 3 weeks of age we introduce the wobble board and help them learn balance and the confidence to handle uncertainty, and we incorporate a puppy gym complete with a crinkle puppy tunnel into their world, to encourage their sense of exploration and learning. Most of the items in the puppy gym are not only toys they create noise, so this helps them expect sudden strange noises as well. We also use a potty box to instill a designated potty area to keep bedding clean and aid in housebreaking puppies quickly.
We firmly believe in what many people call the Rule of Sevens. For us it is not a hard and fast rule of any specific number, but basically the more things you expose puppies to the better they handle life. Simple things like a long walk in the pasture and small obstacles to overcome which to small bodies are huge, popping packing bubbles so that loud sharp noises aren't such a startle to them, walking on unsteady surfaces to gain their own self confidence that they have this under control and it's all just part of everyday life.
We evaluate puppies beginning at 5 weeks and watch their structure and personalities grow until their final/formal evaluations at 8 weeks of age to determine who, if anyone, will be staying with us.
Our number one priority is the happiness and wellbeing of our dogs, and we are devoted to providing the best new family match possible for any babies that do not live here with us. Once a puppy goes home with you, it is your responsibility to continue its socialization and training to ensure it is a well mannered and pleasant member of society.
Bio-Sensor program |
Rule Of Sevens
| Click here for some of our general puppy tips
Hailey and her littermates in our puppy pen, which we set up when needed in our dining room. This is right in the main flow of traffic in our home between living room, kitchen and front door.
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Are your dogs exposed to small children?
No, they are not. Our children are grown, we do not have small children running around our house and none that visit, so they do not get that exposure. We have told our sons that we are not in a hurry to be grandparents just yet, so we don't expect that coming anytime soon.... we think......
I will always advise people who have small children who are looking for a cattle dog puppy to contact a breeder that has children in their home. Right off the bat, I recommend Alexis Kurowski at Cobalt Cattle Dogs as she has a very busy household with children and all the noise and happenings that that brings. Puppies raised in her home are excellent family dogs and I could not recommend her higher as an ethical breeder and a great person to deal with. There are many across the country, but in our area that is who I recommend for homes with small children.
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What about health issues and health testing?
We complete the genetic testing on our adult dogs prior to any breeding plans being made, so that we do our best to ensure that they are not contributing to the health issues that are present in the breed. Even with the best testing results, there's always a small chance that something could happen. With that in mind, each of our puppies have written health guarantees and are hearing tested prior to going to their new families. Each of our dog's pages have their health testing results with OFA and CHIC numbers listed, as well as a link to their individual page at OFA's database, so that you can verify this information for yourself.
I only want a pet puppy, why should I choose a puppy from health tested parents?
Regardless of what you plan to do with your puppy, you have a much better chance of having a happy healthy puppy when the parents have been tested for congenital defects.
So you have a pet puppy, and you start flyball or agility competition with it? GREAT! After a few years, your dog starts acting painful, isn't as eager to go as they once were. You take your dog to the vet, and find it has hip displasia. Or let's say that you've had your dog for a few years, and all of a sudden they have a hard time catching the treat, or they start bumping into things and seem disoriented in the evenings. Upon evaluation, the vet says your dog has PRA and is going blind.
THAT is why we test. That is why you as a buyer should buy your puppy from a breeder who does test their breeding dogs - regardless of who the breeder is. Do your homework and verify the information that they tell you. Someone saying oh my dog is tested may mean something different. I have seen breeders that say their dog is health tested, that means its eyes were done - period. Breeding dogs should have a minimum amount of testing done - at the very least hips elbows and eyes. a CHIC number is much better as you know the suggested minimum of tests has been met.
The more we learn, the more science unlocks the availability of genetic testing to eventually rule out genetic diseases and the more tools we have in our box to help our dogs be happy and healthy and live pain free lives. This I believe is my favorite part of belonging to the national club - the information we have to help our breed this way and to advise our national health stations like OFA on what the minimum required tests to achieve a CHIC number should be.
Click here for ACD health concerns, terms and testing information
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Will I be required to spay or neuter my puppy when they are old enough?
Yes, you will be required to spay or neuter your puppy by 24 months of age. We do not sell pups as outright breeding dogs. We have come to this decision and guideline as a result of two of our puppies ending up in bad breeding facilities, when the people we placed them with could no longer have them and they rehomed them against our contract. We have vowed to do whatever it takes to never allow this to happen again. It is for this reason that we have these guidelines in place.
Cattle dogs for us are a passion, not a profession. Our puppies are not a commodity to us, they are our responsibility, and a reflection of our breeding program for their entire lives. We have spent many years and a lot of blood sweat and tears developing the type of dog that we love and desire for our own family, and we are absolutely not interested in contributing to the huge numbers of dogs in shelters every year. Any puppy/dog that leaves here is always welcome to come home if their new families cannot keep them whenever for whatever reason. I do not want any of our pups to end up in a shelter at any point in their lives.
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What if I've never had a cattle dog before?
If you have never had a cattle dog, please do your homework. This is NOT a breed for everyone. It is a tough breed, bred to out-think and control stubborn livestock many times larger than themselves over very rough terrain. The requirements for such a dog simply mean that they will not easily be deterred, they will out-think you, and come up with jobs for themselves that usually are not what you had in mind. Most people meet a cattle dog for the first time and think man what a cool dog! Well yes, they are. But in the wrong hands they are absolutly not. Too many times we see first time owners get one of these dogs and they have no clue what to do with all that energy, that drive, that OCD mindset, the need of a job and the overall mental and physical energy levels and needs of this breed.
Cattle dogs absolutely need socialization. This is the process of teaching your dog what behavior is socially acceptable in their world and critical in preventing temperamental issues. There are many ways to socialize your dog including sitting on a park bench and people watching for a couple hours, visiting dog friendly stores, dog classes, doggy daycare, sometimes dog parks if they are not too crazy, walks through the park, anywhere lots of people dogs and other animals are. As they graduate through the socialization levels you increase more and more things for them to observe and learn about. They are like children in that earlier socialization is the best when their minds are like sponges. Watch for fear phases as puppies will have many as they mature, and go cautiously or back them off if they are fearful. Forcing a dog into social situations they are not comfortable with is not proper socialization and may do more harm than good. There are many different phases to a dog's mental maturity as well as its physical maturity. Knowing what is required at every stage is vital to a well rounded dog.
Cattle dogs require and thrive with an owner who is firm, fair and every bit as determined as they are, who has strong clear-cut guidelines as to what is acceptable and not acceptable in their home. If you are not a natural leader, this is not a breed for you as they will become the leader in your house and set their own rules. It's just in their nature. If you think brute force is going to convince this breed, you are sorely mistaken. They can take a kick from a 2000lb bull and come back for more without blinking an eye. If you think sweet talking and bribing them to do what you ask is going to work, you have just created a monster as they will see you as their servant and they WILL become the boss with little respect for your opinions and desires unless you have what they want.
Firm yet fair guidelines, structure and leadership are what is required to succeed with this breed. They are NOT a couch potato, and they are NOT an apartment dog. Cattle dogs can be the best dog in the world or your worst nightmare - it is all up to how you raise them. So please make sure you are fully understanding what a cattle dog is, and that you are ready to have one in your life. They are a wonderful breed with a mindset above most, but they must be in a family ready for that smart and determined of a dog!
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How often do you have puppies?
We occasionally have puppies available, on average twice a year, some years not at all. We do NOT have puppies available all of the time. We breed our dogs only when we have something specific that we are looking for for ourselves from that particular mating, to further our own program. We keep only the puppies that we feel are the best fit for our program, and the ones we don't keep are made available to wonderful families on spay/neuter contracts and AKC limited registration.
Sample pet contract
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How much are puppies and how do I get on the waiting list?
Puppy prices for PET / NON-BREEDING puppies range from $2300 to $2500 and are based on each individual puppy's qualities and characteristics. Please feel free to take a look at our pet contract, which shows our guarantee as well. Prices for show puppies start at $2,500 and we will remain as co-owner of any show puppy for as long as they are sexually intact. Once they are spayed/neutered we sign off as co-owner. If you are looking for a show puppy, please private message me and we can talk to you about what we require, etc.
If you would like to be placed on our waiting list for puppies, please fill out our puppy application. This will get some of the initial chit-chat out of the way and give us a good starting place to helping match you with the best possible family member. Please note, as this is a tool to help us, there are no right or wrong answers on the application.
When we receive your puppy application, that automatically places you on our contact list. It creates a database that we pull the information from and also email the entire contact list from. Please note - sending us an email does not add you to the database, so please send us a puppy app if you would like to be on the puppy waiting list / contact list. There is a comment box in the application to include any comments or details you think we need to know to best match you with your prospective puppy.
We do not have a home phone, and my cell phone belongs to my employer, so I do not post that number on our website. If you have any questions, at any time, feel free to shoot us an email.
Puppy application |
Puppy Deposit Form |
Sample pet contract
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I am on the waiting list for a puppy, what are the procedures, what are my next steps and what can I expect?
Please visit our Puppy FAQs page for more detailed info, and check out our Puppy Pack that will be part of puppy's take home pack.
Puppy FAQs page |
View our Puppy Pack here
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