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Family bred, raised and loved miniature Dachshunds
Latest news 31/8/10
1. Dachshund temperament and other stuff
Often I am asked what the dachshund breed is like. I have now written something that you can find on the About Us page.
2. RSPCA puppy farm meeting
Last week I attended an RSPCA roundtable meeting in Canberra in my voluntary role as executive officer of the Australian Association of Pet Dog Breeders Inc. (AAPDB). About 16 people attended, including other key stakeholders such as animal welfare groups, the ANKC, Master Breeders Association and so on.
The aim was to address the problem of substandard breeing enterprises, commonly known as puppy farms, puppy mills or puppy factories.
It was a productive day and soon I will be in a position to release the outcomes.
In the meantime, a public rally against substandard breeding is being held on Sunday September 19, at 12 noon, on the steps of Victoria's Parliament House in Melbourne. A great opportunity to raise public awareness about the plight of dogs in these puppy mills.
I encourage people concerned about dog welfare to visit the AAPDB website and see how this new association is working to identify, recognise and foster breeding excellence in Australia.
3. Litter news ... litters now on way (in time for pups to be in their homes by Christmas)!
Among those of you awaiting a puppy, thank you for your patience. I appreciate your commitment to us and we hope to have the pleasure of bringing you your puppy in the weeks and months ahead.
I have found a picture of a Basset Hound and Dachshund from 1780! This is seriously old and when you check it out you'll see how the Dachshund breed came from the Basset line. In fact the Dachshund is thought to have originated in this century, so this image is as close the the original model (!) as I have ever seen and probably ever expect to.
5. Some new pics have been added to the 'where are they now' pup pics. Click here to see.
And what a difference 3 weeks make...playful little critters!
Just when Mum had come through to the lounge for respite ... look who wandered out from the laundry and found her! But she's not too bothered; loves those pups bigtime.
Bomber says...
click to find out plus other dachshund trivia stuff!
Industry leading facility
We are happy to announce that we will have more beautiful mini dachshunds as the year progresses with the building of our first class breeding facility well under way.
Roof is on. The acid staining of the slab is a success - I am in love with the nice marble like finish. The bricks are being painted grey outside to blend in with the distant mountains and cream inside for light and cleanliness. It's the painting job of my lifetime! So far the dogs seem to approve.
How great is that floor? Well, I like it at least.
We have painted the kennels grey as this blends in best with the backdrop of the beautiful mountain range. In fact you can hardly notice it. A big part of being a dog breeding enterprise is we are a gift to the environment. Native grasses are returning to our under-stocked farm and red gums are regenerating everywhere! We are particularly proud of this since the Red Gum Grassy Plains have been identified as endangered. We are working with government to preserve this.
We are also accredited under Land for Wildlife, which basically means we encourage the growth of native species and don't get all twitchy when a tree falls over and feel the need to rush out there with a chainsaw! Fallen trees make great habitats for native creatures to hide and nest. And native plants also provide food.
The building you see will be an acoustically sophisticated brick building, that when finished will be complete with a lounge, TV, pot belly stoves, kitchen, music and big runs. Only two dogs are housed together and in every run will have a big concrete pipe hillock. And seven pianolas have now arrived, making swing, jazz and ragtime the order of the day. (Any unwanted piano rolls most welcome!).
In addition, our dogs will have access to a large dam to swim in on extra hot days and can enjoy walks with us over our 120 acre property.
This development sees my husband and me (at 48 years of age) fulfilling the dream of a lifetime to breed mini dachshunds in a first-class environment that all breeding dogs deserve.
Our breeding commitment
We are miniature dachshund breeders (members of PIAA and founding members of the Australian Association of Pet Dog Breeders Inc.) and we are passionate about widening the gene pool for the betterment of our puppies and the dachshund breed as a whole.
We are equally passionate that all our dogs lead a happy, loved and fulfilled life as valued members of our family. Our breeding facility is now being built and we believe it will set a new benchmark in dog breeding in Australia (pics above).
A critical factor of breeding sound animals is a wide gene pool. Accordingly, we NEVER inbreed or 'line breed' (breed relatives to relatives) and oppose this irresponsible practice. We are dedicated pet breeders, which means our breeding program is driven by dog health and happiness.
Our breeding dogs include overseas dogs (genetics). For example, our registered Australian Champion Long Haired Mini Dachshund (rising 9 years old) and a Smooth Haired USA registered dog we imported (who carries a recessive gene for long hair) produced the outstanding pups above: two silver dappled Smooths and one black Long Haired. Arguably these pups have the widest genetic mix in Australia resulting in high health, beautiful little dachshunds destined for loving pet homes.
Our dogs are DNA tested for the hereditary disease PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy) known to occur in mini long haired dachshunds. Patches, Mousse and Marty are certified 'Clear' of this disease, meaning they neither have the disease nor carry the disease, so it is impossible for any of their progeny to develop PRA at any age. We also screen for a genetic skin condition called Acanthosis nigriccans that afflicts some mini dachshunds.
Like humans, or any other species, no one can guarantee a dog will never get an illness during its life. But what can be said is that sound breeding practices that involve careful selection, testing and screening for known prevalent disorders will set them off to a good start.
We are committed to improving the mini dachshund breed through responsible breeding and delivering the public healthy, happy pets.
Click here for more pics of our mini dachs and where they are now!
Family bred, raised and loved Miniature Dachshunds
Lots of colours and patterns - Australia wide and USA genetics