I have worked in the veterinary profession in a small animal practice for over 20 years. Animals have always been my passion. In addition to being employed as a veterinary technician, I have spent the majority of my years being active in the farming industry. I have hand raised a multitude of bottle lambs, baby calves, hatched chicks from an incubator, and assisted in every aspect of raising livestock. There has been laughter and joyful times, many tears, hard work and oftentimes hard lessons. But I would not trade this life I have chosen for any amount of riches. I found my greatest passion in raising small ruminants. Of all the species I have worked with, sheep have proven to be the biggest challenge by far. During my early years as a shepherd, I became acquainted with the Maremma Sheepdog. And with that first experience, I fell in love with this incredibly unique breed. My first Maremma, Snow, was given to us by a young man who decided that raising sheep was not his forte. I purchased his small flock of Suffolk sheep, and along with them came a big white dog packed into a 16 foot stock trailer. Snow was the ultimate image of a perfect livestock guardian and hence, my inspiration to promote this incredible breed. I also had the great privilege of being introduced to my first Border Collie, Chase. It wasn’t until then that I discovered the true meaning of a soulmate. An intelligent, loyal companion and working partner, with a keen ability to communicate without even a spoken word. That’s the definition of a Border Collie. I decided to try my hand at raising and training Border Collies too. I attended several herding clinics, built a round pen and went to working the stock. Much to my surprise, it was incredibly easy to bring out the herding instinct. And being in a controlled environment, the round pen, it was also easy to teach them the basic commands. I found this new hobby both rewarding and challenging, but also found it becoming increasingly difficult to part with them once they were started. So with that, I stopped breeding Border Collies.
Border Collies and Maremmas are very unique in character and genetic makeup. The two are bred for very distinct purposes. Border Collies have a strong prey drive, which is what helps them to excel in herding and gathering the stock. The Maremma Sheepdog has a very low prey drive and protective nature, which makes them an excellent candidate for guarding livestock. It is my goal to maintain the integrity of these two uniquely incredible breeds; to preserve and promote the inherent qualities, to selectively breed for working instinct, sound and predictable temperament, optimal health and lastly, conformation. It is my responsibility as a breeder to assure that the pups I raise are placed in suitable situations where they will be properly cared for, with owners who will help them achieve their fullest potential as a working partner.
I found my greatest passion in raising small ruminants. Of all the species I have worked with, sheep have proven to be the biggest challenge by far. During my early years as a shepherd, I became acquainted with the Maremma Sheepdog. And with that first experience, I fell in love with this incredibly unique breed. My first Maremma, Snow, was given to us by a young man who decided that raising sheep was not his forte. I purchased his small flock of Suffolk sheep, and along with them came a big white dog packed into a 16 foot stock trailer. Snow was the ultimate image of a perfect livestock guardian and hence, my inspiration to promote this incredible breed.