Our English Shepherd Puppies - English Shepherds at Bear Creek Ranch

August 23, 2017

We’re not a commercial breeding operation so we do not expect to have puppies available very often. The 2017 pups went to their new homes in mid-late October.

The puppies were socialized to a variety of people, animals, objects, sights and sounds. They were taken for a ride in the car and received the beginnings of house breaking / potty training.

We used the “Misty Method” of potty-training. Followed by formal crate training. Our pups began at 4 weeks of age. By the time the pups went to their new homes at 8 weeks, they had been in potty-training for a month!

We’ve practiced natural rearing. I’m happy to say most of the homes are implementing a grain-free diet and many are willing to try the raw food diet for their new pups.

This litter is registered with the UKC.

Some of the activities we did

October 12th — Another great week of new experiences. The pups heard nearby gunfire and everybody was solid. We’d done sound-sensitivity training before the pups were 4 weeks old, and I’m happy to see it’s paid off. They have started actual crate training (in pairs so it’s less stressful being away from the rest of the pack). These are just the beginning steps, but I hope it makes your job easier. Pups also “helped” a lot in the garden. Well, do 9 puppies actually help? 🙂 Maybe not, but it was lots of fun. They walked on the chicken wire. They were also taken for a very, very short ride in the garden cart (a few feet). Why do I do things like this with the pups? It builds their confidence and trust in us. See the lovely family photos at 5 weeks! And photos at 6 weeks. And now at 7 weeks.

The Girls

The Boys

River

Timber

If you are interested in adding any ES to your household…

• Read all you can about the English Shepherd breed here and elsewhere online and see if the breed is right for you.
• Read all you can about natural rearing including the “Biologically Appropriate Raw Food Diet” and discussions about over-vaccination in dogs.
•

WE ARE NOT PLANNING A LITTER THIS YEAR. SO SORRY.

PUPPY BUYERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE

Thank you for taking the time to answer the following questions. “Required” just means a response is required. There are no wrong answers. This information will help us find the best puppy for you and hopefully keep the pups out of a puppy-mill. (200 ESs seized in Montana. If you visit the story link and get a survey, try reloading the page or select “prefer not to reply”.)

Your Name (required)

Your Email Address (required)

Your Telephone (if you'd like us to call you.)

Best time to call you? And the state you live in, please.

Section 1. ABOUT THE BREED

How did you hear about the ES and why do you want one? (required)

Are you aware that ES are medium-large, active dogs that shed? (required)

Section 2. OTHER ANIMALS YOU OWN

Do you own any other dogs? If so, tell a little about each. (required)

Do you own any other animals or livestock? (required)

Have you raised a puppy before? (required)

Are you prepared to take care of this dog for 10-15 years? (required)

Have you ever returned a pet to a breeder or give a dog away? If so, why? (required)

Section 3. YOUR LIVING ARRANGEMENTS

Would you describe your residence as urban, suburban or rural? (required)

Do you have a fenced yard? (required)

Section 4. YOUR FAMILY

Do all family members support the addition of an ES puppy to the family? If not, who is not in favor of getting an ES, and why? (required)

Are there children in the home? Were there ever any problems with your children and dogs? (required)

Does anyone in your family have allergies to dogs, or dislike dogs? (required)

Section 5. LIVING CONDITIONS FOR THE PUP

Will this pup be an outdoor-only dog? (required)

What would a typical day for your dog look like? (required)

Where will the dog spend most of the day? If we ask, can you send a photo of where the dog will spend most of the day? (required)

How many hours per day will the puppy be alone? (required)

Where will the puppy sleep as a pup, and later as an adult? If we ask, can you send a photo of the sleeping arrangements? (required)

Section 6. NATURAL REARING

Have you read our webpages that discuss natural rearing, diet, vaccines, and chemicals? (required)

Are you willing to try a home-made diet for the pup's first year of life? This is not a requirement for a puppy sale, but we want you to know it's importance. (required)

Are you interested in a pup that is vaccine-free?
(required))

Section 7. PLANS FOR THE PUP

Do you intend to breed this dog? (required)

Will this dog be working on a ranch or farm? (required)

Do you intend to compete in dog sports with this dog? (required)

Section 8. ABOUT YOUR INDIVIDUAL PUP

What type of personality do you want in this puppy (tough, soft, in-between) ? (required)

Do you need a dog with a high herding drive, low herding drive or somewhere in-between? (required)

Do you prefer a male or female, and why? (Males are larger than females.) (required)

What sort of activity/energy level are you comfortable with (high, moderate, low)? (required)

Section 9. OUR RELATIONSHIP

Are you on a waiting list with any other breeders? (required)

Are you willing to travel to northern Idaho to pick up your puppy and meet the parents? (required)

Are you willing to stay in contact with us and discuss any concerns or issues you have with the dog? (required)

Do you agree to give us right of first refusal should you be unable/unwilling to keep the dog? This includes selling or gifting the pup to a third party. (required)

So we know you're not a robot, what is 12 - 8=