*PUPPIES*
Please see the links below for information about our Sales Contract, GSP Health Testing, Puppy Aptitude Testing, Shipping puppies, and links to pages for each of our past litters.
***ATTENTION:
Puppies are due in October 2026! SABLE to BONNET are the parents of what will be our GRAND FINALE litter. Send us an email if you are interested in this litter.
Setting Expectations
Author Unknown
Listen… when you get a PUPPY, expect a PUPPY. Not a fully trained adult dog.
Expect a baby that knows four basic things: eat, play, sleep, poop, repeat.
Puppies aren’t born knowing house manners, bite inhibition, leash walking, or how to politely greet people. Those are all things we, as their owners, teach them over time.
No matter how many questions I ask on an application, how much information I send home, or how many times I explain that puppies go through a “land shark” phase and exhibit completely normal puppy behaviors, there will always be people who bring home a puppy expecting them to behave like a fully trained adult dog.
Puppies bite. They chew. They bark. They whine. They dig. They jump. They chase. They have accidents. They get overtired and use their mouth even more. They test boundaries, explore the world with their mouths, and have very short attention spans. None of these things mean they’re “bad” puppies. They’re simply being puppies.
Every puppy, regardless of breed or breeder, has to be taught what is expected of them. That doesn’t happen overnight, and it certainly doesn’t happen within the first 24 hours of bringing them home, or not even within a week of bringing them home.
I can provide guidance, resources, and prepare families as much as possible, but I can’t make someone apply that information once the puppy is home. As the saying goes, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.
When you bring home a puppy, expect a puppy. Not a dog that’s already fully trained. The time, patience, and consistency you invest during those first weeks and months are what shape them into the wonderful adult dog you’re hoping for.
Raising a puppy is a commitment. It’s equal parts rewarding, exhausting, hilarious, and frustrating. The hard days don’t last forever, though. With patience, consistency, and training, that little land shark grows into the incredible companion you dreamed of.
Puppyhood is a season, not a personality. Enjoy it while it lasts, because one day you’ll miss those silly puppy shenanigans.
Don’t Buy a Dog from Me
(What reputable breeders want you to know)
If you want to buy a dog and walk away, don’t buy a dog from me.
If you want to pick a puppy because it came to you when you sat down or gave you a cute look, don’t buy a dog from me.
If you don’t want to take my recommendations of what food to feed or what is best for the health and well-being of the dog, learned from years of experience, don’t buy a dog from me.
If you just want a puppy NOW, because you need it for a Christmas gift or for it to be in Senior Pictures, don’t buy a dog from me.
If you never plan to update me on how the dog is doing or send a picture once in a while, don’t buy a dog from me.
If you want a dog to live in the backyard, run loose on a farm, and never share time in the house with your family, definitely, don’t buy a dog from me.
However, if you want a puppy that has parents with health testing, that was socialized, loved and made a priority from the day it was born;
A puppy whose temperament and activity level has been carefully chosen to fit your lifestyle,
A puppy selectively and purposefully bred to the standard set forth by our breed club, then maybe, you do want to buy a dog from me.
If you want a breeder who will, at any time in the dog’s life, take them back, no questions asked, a breeder who is there 24/7 for you and your dog for questions and concerns and will work hard to help you resolve any issues, then you might want to buy a dog from me.
If you want a breeder who loves each puppy/dog with all her heart, considers you part of the family, and will laugh or cry with you at any time, well then, we might be a match.
Reputable breeders should never be lumped in with puppy mills, backyard breeders or those who broker dogs. A reputable breeder will be able to provide health clearances, a five-generation pedigree, and an explanation as to why they bred the two dogs. While most of the time they will make little or no money, what money they might get is reinvested into their dogs, one way or another.
A reputable breeder knows their dogs, and can realistically tell you what to expect and when. They can guide you toward veterinarians, training facilities and products that will benefit your dog.
A reputable breeder will be your friend, a guiding hand and a strong shoulder.
So whatever choice you make, make it with the best interest of the dog in mind and, if that’s not your plan, then don’t buy a dog from me.
Author unknown
Why can’t I pick MY puppy!?
(taken from Badlands Australian Shepherds)
One of the hardest shifts for puppy buyers who get their first ethically-bred dog is letting go of getting to “pick” your puppy and I understand why it’s a tough shift. Especially in a breed that can have flashy bold markings.
Breeders shouldn’t match puppies based on who placed the first deposit or who fell in love with a photo or even what puppy ran to you first. We should be evaluating puppies carefully over time, because who they are matters far more than how they look.
We’re watching structure, movement, confidence, recovery, drive, and most importantly overall temperament. We’re comparing littermates: against each other, against the breed standard, and against our puppy applications. We’re looking at how each puppy develops week to week. How they handle startles, who’s at the front to check things out and who hangs behind to make sure it’s safe.
This is ongoing evaluation, that results in pages of notes and lots of scribbled out lines.
Coat color (while fun in our breed) doesn’t tell you how a puppy will handle stress, mature mentally, or fit into your lifestyle. A good match is about compatibility, not cosmetics, I promise.
Puppies change daily and ethical breeders wait until they have enough information to make our perfect placements. So bear with me; I know it feels like an eternity waiting to hear who’s going home with you! This is why I strongly believe pet owners should “pick a breeder, not a puppy.” (If you’re getting a Badlands puppy, I normally don’t make placements until 8-9 weeks.)
When you trust a breeder to match you with the right puppy, you’re not giving up control. You’re going to get the very best puppy for your family, with so much thought put into the decision! Your breeder knows each puppy like the back of their hands! I promise, I’ve never had anyone hand a puppy back to me because it wasn’t flashy enough.
SHIPPING
Sorry, we do not ship puppies. Toni and Michelle live in New Mexico and Texas - hot country. Much of the year, it is not safe to ship a puppy as cargo in a plane. You should plan how to pick up your puppy. We will work with puppy buyers as best we can. For instance:
We have met buyers, their friends or professional handlers at shows to deliver puppies.
Toni can meet buyers that fly into the Clovis, NM, Amarillo or Lubbock, TX, or Albuquerque, NM airports.
Michelle can meet people at Victoria, Austin, San Antonio, Houston or Corpus Christi.
Under special circumstances, we might meet buyers part-way to help reduce driving distance.
Most of the major airlines will permit you to carry an under-the-seat pet in the cabin - GSPs can fit under the seat until about 9 weeks of age. Smaller air carriers or corporate jet services are also an often-overlooked option! They are usually more flexible about what you carry on the aircraft, you don't have to arrive as early, and they fly into smaller, more convenient airports.
Another option may be Go Fetch Pet Transport - you can also find them on Facebook.