Confirmed pregnant 5/18....... Both are Embark clear, excellent work ethic and have multiple working titles….check My News for updates. To all interested in a puppy please send me a request for a questionnaire to: presas.patts@gmail.com....Puppy count will be done June 15th!
BEST AWARD EVER RECEIVED!!
Common Scents Dog Sports had this award made for me after four of my dogs achieved their NASDA Urban Locating Master Champion (20 qualifying runs of both Urban Locating 2 and Urban Locating 3 and both levels had to be achieved on the same day)
Dogs are Titan, Tara, Mack and Tazzie
Thank you Lisa Wasielewski!!
and Talon got a nice ribbon for her Urban Master Champion!
7 weeks
Here’s the reality a lot of people don’t want to hear:
I do not owe you a puppy. Read that again.
I. Do. Not. Owe. You. A. Puppy.
I reject people all the time, and I am completely unapologetic about it.
You are not entitled to one of my dogs because you want one. I don’t care how long you’ve wanted one. I don’t care how much money you have. I don’t care how excited you are. I don’t care how qualified you think you are. And I don’t care if being told no hurts your feelings.
My dogs’ welfare comes before your feelings. Every single time.
These are extremely high-drive working dogs.
They are not pets you buy on impulse because they look impressive online. They require structure, consistency, training, boundaries, and an actual understanding of what you’re taking on. They are not dogs you buy, work for a few months and then shove to the back burner because you’re too busy, or you don’t want to make the commute to a club, or any other excuses not to fulfill your working dog.
I reject people who underestimate the breed. I reject people who think love is enough. I reject people who want the image of a working dog but not the reality. I reject people who get defensive when asked basic questions. I reject people who aren’t prepared to manage a working dog. I reject people who expect a puppy to come preprogrammed with adult working skills. I reject people who want a nasty aggressive “real dog”. I reject people who think money should override judgment. I reject people who think wanting a dog equals being qualified for one. And yes—I reject people based on household environment.
If your home is chaos, if your kids are screaming nonstop, have no boundaries, and adults are doing nothing to correct it, I’m not placing a high-drive working dog into that environment. Not because I dislike kids. Because I care about the dog.
A dog is not a toy. It is not something to be grabbed, chased, climbed on, screamed at, and expected to tolerate constant disorder because adults refuse to provide structure.
If you already have multiple dogs living in kennels or crates and expect a puppy to be thrown into your kennel or crate room and aren’t prepared to give that puppy the attention, training and dedicated work it requires, I’m not placing a dog with you.
And while we’re at it if you look at my dogs and think you’re going to recreate that overnight with an 8-week-old puppy, you are not the buyer for this breed.
No, the puppy does not come with basic obedience. No, the puppy is not house-trained. No, the puppy is not a finished dog. It is an 8-week-old puppy.
You are buying potential. You are buying genetics. You are buying years of work ahead of you.
If you want instant results, this is not for you. If you want a shortcut, this is not for you. If you are already asking what the puppy “comes with” in terms of training, you’ve already misunderstood what you’re getting into. I am not running a puppy store. I am not here to make people feel good. I am not here to hand out dogs to whoever wants one badly enough.
I am here to protect the dogs I bring into this world. So yes, I reject a lot of people. And no, I don’t feel bad about it.
Not even a little. I would rather hurt your feelings today than ruin a dog’s life tomorrow.
I would rather be called rude, gatekeeping, arrogant, or difficult than place a dog in the wrong home. Because once that dog leaves me, it lives with the consequences, not you, not me.
The dog.
Always the dog. So if I say no, the answer is no. No debate. No negotiation. No apology. No puppy.
-Mickey Stillwell
,
or
Here’s the reality a lot of people don’t want to hear:
I.
Do. Not. Owe. You. A. Puppy.
I reject people all the
time, and I am completely unapologetic about it. I truly try to
place the right puppy in the right home….it has to be the right
fit for owner AND puppy!! I ask potential owners to fill out a questionnaire and then I will follow up with phone conversation(s) after puppies are born and puppies are closely monitored until 8 weeks....we do a physical/temperament evaluation and at that time it will be decided who gets what puppy and they will go to new homes approximately 10 weeks.....I feel the Mom will teach the pups respect and manners between 8-10 weeks which she does not do before 8 weeks.
You are not entitled to one of
my dogs because you want one.
I don’t care how long you’ve
wanted one.
I don’t care how much money you have.
I
don’t care how excited you are.
I don’t care how qualified
you think you are.
And I don’t care if being told no hurts
your feelings.
My dogs’ welfare comes before your
feelings. Every single time.
These are high-drive
working dogs.
They are not pets you buy on impulse
because they look impressive online. They require structure,
consistency, training, boundaries, and an actual understanding of
what you’re taking on. They are not dogs you buy, work for a few
months and then shove to the back burner because you’re too busy,
or any other excuses not to fulfill your working dog.
I
reject people who underestimate the breed.
I reject people who
think love is enough.
I reject people who want the image of a
working dog but not the reality.
I reject people who get
defensive when asked basic questions.
I reject people who
aren’t prepared to manage a working dog.
I reject people who
expect a puppy to come preprogrammed with adult working skills.
I
reject people who think money should override judgment.
I
reject people who think wanting a dog equals being qualified for
one.
And yes—I reject people based on household
environment.
If your home is chaos, if your kids are
screaming nonstop, have no boundaries, and adults are doing nothing
to correct it, I’m not placing a working dog into that
environment. Not because I dislike kids. Because I care about the
dog.
A dog is not a toy. It is not something to be
grabbed, chased, climbed on, screamed at, and expected to tolerate
constant disorder because adults refuse to provide structure.
If
you already have multiple dogs living in kennels or crates and
expect a puppy to be thrown into your kennel or crate room and
aren’t prepared to give that puppy the attention, training and
dedicated work it requires, I’m not placing a dog with you.
And
while we’re at it if you look at my dogs and think you’re going
to recreate that overnight with an 10-week-old puppy, you are not
the buyer for this breed.
No, the puppy does not come
with basic obedience.
No, the puppy is not house-trained.
No,
the puppy is not a finished dog.
It is an 10-week-old
puppy.
You are buying potential. You are buying genetics.
You are buying years of work ahead of you.
If you want
instant results, this is not for you.
If you want a shortcut,
this is not for you.
If you are already asking what the puppy
“comes with” in terms of training, you’ve already
misunderstood what you’re getting into.
I am not running a
puppy store.
I am not here to make people feel good.
I am
not here to hand out dogs to whoever wants one badly enough.
I
am here to protect the dogs I bring into this world.
So yes, I
reject a lot of people.
And no, I don’t feel bad about
it.
Not even a little.
I would rather hurt your
feelings today than ruin a dog’s life tomorrow.
I would
rather be called rude, gatekeeping, arrogant, or difficult than
place a dog in the wrong home.
Because once that dog leaves me,
it lives with the consequences, not you, not me.
The
dog.
Always the dog.
So if I say no, the answer is
no.
No debate. No negotiation. No apology. No puppy.
-Mickey
Stillwell
I am hoping that ANY person looking for a puppy will read this article; VERY important information!!
Puppy buyer etiquette
I am posting this specifically because I do NOT have any puppies here now, and don’t anticipate any for a while. So you know that I’m not singling any real person out. This is because it seems that there’s a lot of confusion about the whole “proper” way to go about things. So, puppy buyers and anyone else thinking about maybe someday approaching a good breeder about a puppy, here you go:
1) STOP LOOKING FOR A PUPPY. The classic mistake puppy buyers make is saying “I need an xx breed puppy at the beginning of the fall” or whatever it may be. So they go out looking for litters due in August.
BAD IDEA.
Puppies are not interchangeable; one is not the same as the others. This is largely because every breeder has their stop-the-presses criteria for breeding or not breeding, and each has preferences for size, personality, working ability, etc. Breeder X’s “perfect puppy” is not the same as Breeder Y’s.
Stop looking for a puppy; look for a BREEDER. Make a personal connection with a breeder you feel shares your top criteria, and then wait for a puppy from them. Maybe they even have a litter on the ground, which is wonderful, but maybe they’re not planning anything for a few months. Or maybe they’re not planning anything for a year; in that case, ask for a referral to another breeder that shares those same priorities and has a similar (or just as good) personality and support ethic. However it works out, screen the breeder first, then ask about a puppy.
1b) EXPECT TO WAIT FOR A PUPPY. It’s VERY rare to wait less than a couple of months; four to six is normal. I’ve waited over a year; no, even we breeders don’t walk through the field, able to pick puppies like tulips. We ALL have to wait, and we ALL have to get matched up by the puppies’ breeder.
2) INTRODUCE YOURSELF THOROUGHLY. The initial e-mail should be several paragraphs long; block out at least an hour of quiet for the first phone call. When you initiate contact, clearly communicate three things: You are ready for a puppy, you are ready for a puppy of this breed, and you understand what sets this breeder apart from the others and you share that commitment. Specifically describe your plans for this puppy; be truthful. If you are not going to be able to go to four training classes a year, SAY SO. Don’t say “Of course, training is a huge priority around here,” or you’re going to end up with a puppy who’s flushing your toilet sixty times a day because he’s so bored and you’re not challenging him.
The ideal first contact e-mail usually goes something like
“Hi, my name is X and I’m writing to inquire about your dogs. I’ve been doing a lot of research on [breed] and I think they’re the right one for me because of [these four reasons.] I know puppies are a huge commitment, and I am planning to [accommodate that in various ways.] I’m approaching you in particular because of your interest in [whatever,] which is something I feel is very important and plan to encourage in [these three ways.]”
That’s the kind of e-mail that gets a response, and usually pretty quickly. If I get something that says “I hear you have puppies on the way; how much?” it goes in the recyle bin before you can blink.
2a) Bring up price either at the end of the first contact (if it’s been successful and you feel a connection to this person) or in a follow-up contact. It’s nice to say “If you don’t mind me asking, about how much are Patterdales in this area, if there is a typical price? I just want to be prepared.” The breeder will usually give you two pieces of useful information: Her price, and the median prices around you. That way, if you decide to go a different way, you know about what to expect. If the second person you contact names a price that’s double the median, try to discreetly find out why. A very difficult pregnancy, nationally ranked parents, a surgical AI, c-section resulting in very few live puppies, those are some reasons a breeder could be asking more and it’s reasonable. If there’s no real difference from the other breeders except price, think carefully.
3) BE WILLING TO BE TOLD NO. Not every person is the right match for every breed. That’s just fact. There is no way on earth I could make our home appropriate for a Malamute puppy, and I’d have to lie through my teeth to get approved for one. And I have my entire life devoted to keeping dogs happy. I don’t expect you to have anywhere close to the obsession I have, so that means there will be some dogs that are just plain wrong for you. If a breeder says no, ask why. If the answers make sense, don’t keep calling people until you finally get one who will sell you a puppy of that breed. Go back to the drawing board and be very humble and honest with yourself about what kind of dog really would be right for you and your family.
4) PLEASE DO NOT GET ON MORE THAN ONE WAITING LIST unless you are VERY honest about it. This goes back to rule 1. You need to understand that we think our puppy buyers are just as in love with the puppies as we are. We’re posting pictures, writing up instructions, researching everything from pedigrees to nail grinding, all so we can hand off this puppy, this supreme glorious creature of wonderfulness, with the absolute maximum chance that it will lead a fabulous life with you, and we’ve built all kinds of air castles in our heads about how happy this puppy will be, and what it will do in its life with you, and so on. Finding out that you had your name on four lists shows that you don’t realize that puppies are not packages of lunch meat, where getting one from Shaws is basically the same as getting one from Stop and Shop.
Also, as soon as your name is on one of our lists, we’re turning away puppy buyers. If we’ve sent ten people elsewhere because our list is full, and then suddenly you say “Oh, yeah, I got a puppy from someone else,” it really toasts our bread. So just BE HONEST. If someone came to me and said “I’m on a list with So and So, but she’s pretty sure she won’t have a puppy for me, and I’d love to be considered for one of your dogs and I’ll let you know just as soon as I know,” I’m FINE with that. I understand how this goes. It’s not a disaster for me to have a puppy “left over” at eight weeks because you ended up getting that So and So puppy; it’s just frustrating to have the rug yanked out from under me.
5) PLEASE DO NOT EXPECT TO CHOOSE YOUR PUPPY. This one drives puppy buyers CRAZY. I know this, trust me. I have a lot of sympathy because I’ve been there. But the fact is that when you come into my house and look at the eight-week-old puppies and one comes up and tugs on your pant leg and you look at me, enraptured, and say “THIS IS IT! He chose ME,” I’ve been looking at people coming into the house all week, and every single time this same puppy has come up and tugged at them and every single one of them have said to me “THIS IS IT!”
What you are seeing is not reality. You are seeing the most outgoing puppy, or you’ve fallen in love with the one that has the least white, or the one that has a different look from the rest of the litter (when I had one chocolate girl puppy in a litter of black boys, every human that came in the house wanted her; when I had one black girl puppy in a litter of chocolate boys everyone kept talking about how much they loved HER), or the one that’s been (accidentally) featured the most in the pictures I’ve posted. Or, sometimes, you have a very good instinctive eye and you’re picking the puppy that’s the best put together of the litter. And that puppy, of course, is mine, and you’re going to have to pry him out of my cold dead hands.
My responsibility is not to make you happy. And that, dear friends, is why I am posting this now, and not when I have a bunch of actual puppy buyers around :D. But it’s the truth. My responsibility is to the BREED first. That’s why my first priority in placing puppies is the working/performance owners, because they are the ones that will (if all goes well) use this dog to keep the breed going. It’s not that I like them better than I like you; it’s that I have to be extremely careful who I place with them so that they can make breeding decisions with the very best genetic material I can hand them. My second responsibility is to the PUPPY. I will place each puppy where I feel that it has the best chance of success and the optimal environment to thrive.
So while I do care, and I will try to take your preferences into account, do not expect to walk into my living room and put your hand in the box and pick whatever puppy you want. And do not expect to be given priority pick because you contacted me first; conversely, do not expect that because you came along late you somehow won’t get a good puppy. Sometimes the person who calls me when the puppies are seven and a half weeks old ends up with what I’d consider the “pick” for various reasons (sometimes because somebody called me up and said they’d gotten a puppy from someone else; see rule 4 above). I am going to try to do my absolute best to match puppies to owners as objectively as I can, not according to who called first.
6) ONCE YOU GET YOUR PUPPY, THERE WILL ONLY BE THAT PUPPY IN THE WHOLE WORLD. If you’ve been sitting around with your fingers crossed saying “Please, Molly, please, Molly, I only love Molly,” and I say “I really think Moe is the one for you,” you’re probably going to feel disappointed. But take Moe and go sit on the couch, and put your finger in her mouth, and realize that she has a really cool white toe on one foot but none of the other feet have white toes, and let her try to find a treat in your pocket, and I guarantee you by the time you’re five minutes out of my driveway Moe will be YOUR puppy. And a year later you may remember that you thought Molly was so pretty, but Moe… well, Moe could practically run the Pentagon she’s so smart, and her face turned out MUCH more beautiful than Molly’s did. And so on.
7) PLEASE FINISH THE ENCOUNTER WITH ONE BREEDER BEFORE BEGINNING ONE WITH ANOTHER. If you end a conversation with me saying “Well, this just all sounds wonderful, and I’m going to talk it over with my wife and we’ll call you about getting on your waiting list,” and then you hang up and call the next person on your list, that’s not OK. If you don’t feel like you click with me, or you want to keep your options open, a very easy way to say it is to ask for the names and numbers of other breeders I recommend. That way I know we’re not “going steady,” and I won’t pencil you in on my list. If you are on my waiting list, and you decide that you don’t want to be anymore, call me AS SOON AS YOU KNOW and say I’m so sorry, but our life has gotten a little crazy and I need to be taken off the puppy list.” If, then, you decide you want to get a different puppy, be my guest. Just keep me apprised and let me close off my commitment to you before you open it with another breeder.
______________________________________
What is a Title?
Not just a brag, not just a stepping stone to a higher title, not just an adjunct to competitive scores, a title is a tribute to the dog that bears it, a way to honor the dog, an ultimate memorial. It will remain in the record and in the memory, for about as long as anything in the world can remain. And though the dog her/himself doesn't know or care that her/his achievements have been noted, a title says many things in the world of humans where such things count.
A title says your dog was intelligent, adaptable, and good natured. It says that your dog loved you enough to do the things that pleased you, however crazy they may have sometimes seemed. In addition, a title says that you loved your dog. That you loved to spend time with her/him because she/he was a good dog and that you believed in her/him enough to give her/him yet another chance when she/he failed and in the end your faith was justified.
A title proves that your dog inspired you to that special relationship enjoyed by so few, that in a world of disposable creatures, this dog with a title was greatly loved, and loved greatly in return. And when that dear short life is over, the title remains as a memorial of the
finest kind, the best you can give to a deserving friend. Volumes of praise in one small set of initials after the name. An obedience, agility, flyball, herding, protection, etc. title is nothing less than true love and respect, given and received and recorded permanently.
--Author unknown.
He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion."
When I am old I will wear soft gray sweatshirts and a bandana over my silver hair and I will spend my social security checks on wine and my dogs.
I will sit in my house on my well-worn chair and listen to my dogs' breathing. I will sneak out in the middle of a warm summer night and take my dogs for a run, if my old bones will allow...
When people come to call, I will smile and nod as I show them my dogs and talk of them and about them the ones so beloved of the past and the ones so beloved of today
I will still work hard cleaning after them, mopping and feeding them and whispering their names in a soft loving way.
I will wear the gleaming sweat on my throat, like a jewel and I will be an embarrassment to all especially my family who have not yet found the peace in being free to have dogs as your best friends
These friends who always wait, at any hour, for your footfall and eagerly jump to their feet out of a sound sleep, to greet you as if you are a God.
With warm eyes full of adoring love and hope that you will always stay, I'll hug their big strong necks I'll kiss their dear sweet heads and whisper in their very special company
I look in the Mirror and see I am getting old this is the kind of person I am and have always been. Loving dogs is easy, they are part of me.
Please accept me for who I am. My dogs appreciate my presence in their lives they love my presence in their lives When I am old this will be important to me you will understand when you are old if you have dogs to love too. ~Author Unknown
"Like the oak tree, find balance at your center, and all of the branches of your life will grow in harmony to support the structure of who you really are........."
