Where our dogs are family and happy, healthy puppies grow and play!

**Our new nursery is under construction and we CAN'T WAIT to reveal it!**

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Just like first time human moms can become overwhelmed with the hustle and bustle of a busy house, new dog moms also like to know their babies are safe from overbearing aunties or the neighbor kid sneezing and poking at their brand new babies. Good breeders often provide a quiet space for new moms to raise their puppies away from the regular day to day activity of their home. 

The first few weeks of life, puppies don't yet have their eyes or ears open, and are extra vulnerable to drafts, disease, and even injury. These first few weeks of life are critical for developing the basis of sound, healthy, resilient puppies and is the reason we keep these newborns in a separate, quiet room. In the past we've utilized an unused office on our main level, near our master bedroom and our living room. It was great location for conveniently keeping an eye on mom and puppies, while also taking care of the rest of the household. Unfortunately, it's also the smallest room in our house which posed some challenges.

Enter our latest project! We're excited to finally have  direction for our "efficiency unit"! It's long served as random storage space with a creepy old shower and water pipes prone to freezing in the winter, but with its completely separate entrance (privacy and lower germ exposure) off of our kitchen, its own heating/cooling system, its own bathroom and untapped potential--it will make a PERFECT nursery and safe haven for those critical first few weeks! A small bed next to the whelping box and puppy incubator will allow me to sleep next to and monitor mom and babies those first several days. I'll have access to a baby monitor and surveillance system with video and 2-way audio for when I’m away tending to other household duties (which admittedly switch to essential elements only for a while) in the main living space of our home.

We keep all necessities for whelping, mom, and puppies, stocked; from vitamins, supplements and medication, to fresh goat milk, fresh linens and medical grade baby scale for accurately monitoring each puppy's growth and milk intake. Adjustments are made daily to improve the quality and comfort of their living space and to support growth and development for each individual litter.

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The entire efficiency unit is equipped with its own climate control which is completely separate from the rest of the house, providing safe temperatures and clean air thanks to the air purifier with HEPA filters. 

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Soothing music and sounds are provided, and desensitization sounds are added and timed as appropriate for puppy development. Linens are changed out and washed daily, toys are rotated and cleaned at least weekly, sooner if needed or as appropriate for puppy progression and development. The entire space is vacuumed and cleaned daily, and each element has been chosen for ease of cleaning and safety, including our state of the art puppy incubator and oxygen concentrator.

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Once the puppies start getting up on their feet, they'll be able to expand their play space in the nursery and add a new primary living and play space in our living room among all of our normal household activities. This helps them in those critical first 10-12 weeks of life to become well-adjusted, curious, resilient and happy puppies that will last their lifetime.