We are alternative breeders. What this means is, that we do not follow the mainstream. We feed fresh, raw food. We do the minimum amount of immunizations and titer to assess our dogs’ immunity rather than automatically do booster vaccinations. We do not believe in neutering until a dog is full-grown, (2 1/2 to 3 years). If you wish to never neuter we are on board with that. We do alternative flea and tick applications. We apply natural and homeopathic remedies whenever possible.

We love our vets and are grateful they are here to help us out in an emergency. They are a business, however, and some are promoting procedures and medicines that do not always work well for dogs. We always say; don’t take your dog to the vet unless he/she is sick. Trust yourself. You will know when they are not feeling well. Many will try and talk you out of raw food and talk you into many vaccinations. They will try and convince you to neuter early even though there are good studies out now that weigh the risks and benefits: the risks way outweigh the benefits. It is best to try and find a vet who is homeopathic or at least naturalistic. Often if they are doing acupuncture and/or herbs, they will be in this category. They will not read you the riot act when it comes to the raw food diet or try and scare you into thinking it is unhealthy for your dog and you. They will think titering is a good idea.

Studies have shown that dogs are often fully immunized with one vaccination if administered at 16 weeks or older. And we believe that not all vaccinations are necessary. The only one required by law is rabies. The others are up to you. Just remember, you are the customer. This is your dog and you must advocate for them. The first immunization is usually the DA2LPP. We recommend that you do not give this shot at all. It is never good to immunize a dog with more than one vaccination at a time. The wombo combo shots, which is what they are often called, contain multiple modified live viruses mixed with various bacteria.

Some are long-term vaccinations and can last over 3 years or a lifetime while others are not and may not last a year or are unnecessary, to begin with. If your dog has an adverse reaction, you will not know which one is causing the reaction. The A2 stands for Bordetella, or kennel cough and hepatitis. The L is for Leptospirosis. The P is for parainfluenza but does not protect against the canine flu and the last P is for Parvo. Distemper has pretty much disappeared but there have been cases in the south and in the cities where dogs are brought in from other countries. We do not have a quarantine time in this country.