Our breeding program, puppy rearing, and placement practices are the result of the guidance and education received from reputable breeders, mentors, veterinarians, nutritionists, trainers, and other specialists.

MountainAsh Australian Shepherds are available to approved homes. Preference is given to experienced homes that will follow our guidance and commit to healthy lifestyle choices:

• mental enrichment and structure from training (e.g. obedience, rally, agility, tricks, games, etc)
• an active lifestyle with age-appropriate exercise while avoiding injury and obesity
• excellent nutrition from a balanced raw food diet
• vaccination protocol with antibody titer testing to maximize disease protection, prevent over vaccination, while minimizing vaccine related health risks
• holistic approach to health care and limited exposure to flea/tick pesticides
• spay/neuter no earlier than 18 months of age to ensure proper physical and mental development, while reducing the risk of musculoskeletal issues, autoimmune diseases, cancers, and more

Companion puppies are $2,800 regardless of colour or gender. Show and performance prospects are available by private treaty. Adolescent and adult dogs who have additional training and socialization are available on occasion and priced accordingly.

A $200 deposit is required to secure your name on our waiting list. This deposit will be deducted from the purchase price of a puppy.

Puppies are placed with the following:

• non-breeding contract with health guarantee and strict 18-24 months old spay/neuter obligation
• lifelong breeder support and guidance, keeping in touch, boarding services at a nominal fee
• Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) registration, and eligible for registration with the American Kennel Club and/or Australian Shepherd Club of America, if desired
• wellness exam health check by a licensed Veterinarian, health certificate, vaccination per Dr Jean Dodds protocol, fecal exams (deworming, if needed)
• permanent identification by microchip - registered with the CKC and CanadaChip Recovery database
• eye examination by a certified Veterinary Ophthalmologist to check for hereditary defects
• puppy package with a supply of raw food, bones/chews, high value training treats, collar, leash, long line, toy, etc
• owner guide binder with current daily routine, raw feeding guide, vaccination schedule, health record, reputable trainers, suggested books and articles, details on exercise, training, safety, general care, grooming regime, breed specific supplies, tools and equipment

Other expenses, such as, purchasing a crate, travel or shipping, food, shelter, veterinary care, training, etc, are the responsibility of the buyer.


Placement Process
Puppies remain in our care for 9-10 weeks. Assessments are on-going as the puppies develop, but tests and evaluations for temperament and structure take place at 8 weeks of age. Although our puppies are all the same breed, each puppy is an individual with their own unique features - personality, appearance, structure, energy level, drive, and instinct. These evaluations help us place the right puppy in the appropriate forever home. We have had great success!

Puppy placements cannot be finalized until after their evaluations, veterinary health check, and ophthalmologist eye exam. This means that puppies are not specifically destined to their forever homes until 9-10 weeks of age.

If you would like to join our waiting list, please contact us with a brief introduction about your home, lifestyle, and what you are looking for in a dog. We welcome your questions. References from MountainAsh Australian Shepherd owners are available upon request.


Commitment
MountainAsh Australian Shepherds are an integral part of our family. Each and every puppy we raise is an extension of that family. We make a commitment to provide lifelong support and guidance for the well-being of each of our puppies. If you welcome one of our dogs into your home you will be joining the MountainAsh family. We maintain a relationship with every home.

We encourage keeping in touch via phone, text, email, Facebook, and reunions. Owners are invited to join our private Facebook group and connect with the other members of the MountainAsh family. This group provides an excellent opportunity to ask questions, share adventures, upcoming events, birthdays, brags, pictures and videos. We also share educational information and use this space for discussion.


Boarding Services
We offer boarding services at a nominal fee. We are happy to have MountainAsh Australian Shepherds back while their families go on vacations that cannot include them. The dogs often enjoy spending time with their birth family. It is not necessary to use a boarding kennel that requires unnecessary vaccinations and exposes the dog to pests. While in our care, the dog will receive lots of physical and mental stimulation to maintain a sound body and mind. They are also bathed and groomed.


O U R   A P P R O A C H

• Puppy Rearing & Training - Puppies are raised in our home, receiving lots of love and attention as they grow, and ongoing socialization as they develop. With continued love and guidance, as well as clear boundaries and rules, in their forever homes they will thrive as adult dogs and serve as wonderful active companions with the potential to excel in any venue.

• Socialization - puppy socialization begins as a neonate while in the breeder’s care and should continue in their forever homes. The word "socialization" is often misunderstood. Socialization is not only about interacting with other dogs. Socialization means teaching life skills. Exposing a puppy to every possible skill that they might need to be a happy, confident, well-adjusted adult dog.
  
  We follow the "Puppy Culture Program" - age appropriate socialization and training specifically developed for puppies, which includes Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS) per Dr Carmen L. Battaglia. Our puppies are also exposed to noise conditioning with sounds of fireworks, thunderstorms, horns, engines, vacuums, sheep, ducks and geese, dogs, babies, and many others. Puppies are exposed to a variety of people, children, sights, sounds, textures, and other animals.
  
  Puppies are socialized in various controlled environments to ensure enriched positive experiences. This is done in our home, on our property, and other select locations. We follow Monique Anstee's puppy socialization list "Socializing Your Puppy: how it should look", and "The Puppy's Rules of Twelve" by Margaret Hughes. Both Monique and Margaret created a wonderful set of guidelines about what puppies should experience with the breeder and in their forever homes.
  
  
• Raw Food Diet - MountainAsh Australian Shepherds are fed a holistic raw diet. Feeding a balanced raw diet provides a range of benefits that processed dog kibble diets can never hope to match. At 3-4 weeks of age our puppies are introduced to a home-made raw mush that is easily digested. As the weeks progress puppies are fed a variety of pre-packaged raw food with bone, organ, fruit and veggies, raw meaty bones, and supplements. By 7-8 weeks of age puppies are accustomed to eating three meals per day. Adult dogs are fed twice per day. Complete feeding guidelines, meals, supplements, chews, training treats are outlined in our owner guide.
  
  
• Foundation Training - puppies are well-started on their foundation skills and training before going to their forever homes. Puppies are accustomed to having a collar on and some leash walking, while they also become familiar with a vocabulary of words. To further this basic training, puppies should be enrolled in at least two 6-8 week series of obedience classes before 12 months of age. As an intelligent, active, and highly versatile Herding breed, Australian Shepherds thrive when they are mentally and physically stimulated. Training should become a hobby for the life of the dog.
  
  
• Crate Training - puppies are well-started on their crate training. There are many benefits to crate training and, when done properly, a crate becomes a safe and comforting place for a dog. A dog that is crate trained will be comfortable if confined for car/plane travel, vets/groomers, dog sitting, new environments, etc. If this skill is not taught at a young age they will panic and suffer undue stress during times of confinement. Crate training is preparing a puppy with life-skills. It is beneficial to have a crate available to the dog as their space for the duration of their life.
  
  
• House Training - puppies are also well-started on their house training. Crate training is our favourite method of house training. The key is confinement, scheduling, and timing. Set up a routine, and never correct a puppy for relieving itself, but give plenty of praise when they go in the right place. Take puppies outside as soon as they wake up, after eating, have played, or appear restless. As a general rule, puppies do not have full muscle control until approximately 16 weeks of age. Be patient and have a good sense of timing!
  
  
• Grooming - Australian Shepherds are a double-coated breed. The undercoat protects them from the elements – both hot and cold. Coats are very functional - dirt and debris fall off as the dog dries and a quick brush to get out any seeds, burrs, etc. Australian Shepherds should never be shaved, but always brushed. Shaving damages the coat and changes the texture which can cause matting and other problems. Puppies are regularly handled, bathed, groomed and have their nails trimmed with a Dremel tool. Line brushing helps keep the coat healthy while removing dirt and loose hair. Puppies should get use to being handled and having this done at an early age to maintain a proper grooming regimen. It should be a pleasant time together.
  
  
• Vaccination & Holistic Health - We follow the canine vaccination protocol designed by Dr Jean Dodds DVM, an immunologist and foremost expert in pet healthcare. This protocol includes antibody titer testing to maximize protection while minimizing vaccine related health risks. We also seek counsel from a holistic veterinarian that is in full support of natural rearing. They often have additional certifications in homeopathy, Chinese medicine, acupuncture, chiropractic and other holistic approaches which allows them to draw from alternative methods to promote health and longevity in their patients.
  
  
• Spay/Neuter - We require a much later date of 18-24 months for spay/neuter based on studies that prove dogs need to physically and mentally mature before being altered - growth plates in particular must be allowed to complete their closure. The long-term health risks associated with early spay/neuter are well-documented. Studies have proven that there are permanent growth issues in dogs that are altered before maturity, while also increasing the risk of injury, behavioural issues, urinary incontinence, a wide variety of musculoskeletal issues, autoimmune diseases, cancers, and more.
  
  
• Drug Sensitivities - Australian Shepherds, and several other breeds, can carry a genetic mutation (MDR1) that makes them sensitive to certain drugs. Use of those drugs can cause serious neurological illness or death. Naturally reared dogs often do not attract parasites. We do not recommend using flea/tick/worm pesticides unless absolutely necessary (and never on a monthly basis). Administering these toxic insecticides can be detrimental to long-term brain and organ health. In many cases, seizures, neurological illness, or death have been reported in Australian Shepherds after exposure.
  
  
• Exercise - age appropriate while avoiding injury and pet obesity - Puppies have growth plates, which are areas of soft, immature bone from which bones grow and lengthen. These plates don’t fully close and harden until 18 months of age. It is critical that all strenuous, high-impact, repetitive activities are kept to a minimum until these growth plates have closed. Not doing so could cause permanent injury, a weakened skeletal structure and a dog that is more prone to injury, ALC tears and other issues - hip and elbow dysplasia. There are also many serious health issues associated with pet obesity. We must be advocates for our dogs.