At SaltyDawg Kennels our goal is to improve the integrity of the breed while breeding healthy puppies with ship shape temperaments whether for companions, conformation champions or working titles. All our puppies are raised with their optimum health in mind, which requires feeding as nature intended the best holistic healthcare available in New England. At SaltyDawg Kennels we believe in Natural Rearing and we will only place our puppies in homes that are of like mind. All our dogs and puppies are fed a biologically appropriate raw diet and although we prefer homes willing to feed the raw diet we will place puppies in homes feeding superior quality kibbles. We feed and recommend the BRAVO Raw Diet. Our dogs are vaccinated with care. We do not believe in over vaccinating. Please click here to learn about the dangers of vaccines. If you are not serious about health issues, do not bother to apply for one of our puppies.
We offer a small in-home breeding program, which places your puppy in the heart of our home for the crucial first ten weeks of life. We pride ourselves on the socialization and care we dedicate to your puppy from the day it is born. Your puppy will have received numerous visitors including our 14 grandchildren and been exposed to as many sights, sounds, scents and road trips as possible. As we usually have seven dogs at home, are active in our local all breed club, our breeds' National and regional clubs, and compete in conformation, obedience, water trials, lurecoursing and agility, your puppy will be socialized with other dogs.
Visitors are always welcome. Puppies are available to homes on a select basis.
We believe dogs should be good travelers so your puppy will make frequent road trips in preparation of his/her travel home. At seven weeks they will be temperament tested and we will begin the process of matching puppies to families.
Besides DNA testing our own dogs for Storage Disease (GM1), PRA (Optigen) and Juvenille Dilated Cardiomyopathy our show/breeding dogs have hip and elbow x-rays at two years of age, which are submitted to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. In addition PennHip x-rays are sometimes used to provide a more intensive evaluation of the hips. All our dogs including our puppies have annual eye examinations submitted to the Canine Eye Registration Foundation (CERF).
My full time passion is to provide you and your puppy the best possible start. Due to our size and devotion to your puppy we usually have a waiting list. (This is an excellent time for you to prepare your home for this new family member). I urge you to read The New Complete Portuguese Water Dog Book, by Kathryn Braund, Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats: The Ultimate Diet by Kymythy R. Schultze, C.C.N., A.H.I., Stop the Shots by John Clifton, Ruff Love by Susan Garrett, and Click to Win by Karen Pryor or any of her books on clicker training. Please inquire before purchasing as I may have copies available. Other recommended readings are The Portuguese Water Dog by Carla Molinari, Dogs are from Neptune and The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson, The Dog Listener by Janet Ferrell, The Tao of Bow Wow. All are different and valued training philosophies, take from them what will work for you and leave the rest.
All prospective SaltyDawg puppy families MUST BE interviewed and we recommend you visit our home and experience the PWD in its home environment to determine if this is the right breed for your family. If you do not enjoy a dog with enthusiasm that demands attention, likes to lick, is mouthy, is too smart for their own good, jumps and needs a job, then this is not the breed for you.
Please note that providing a home for one of our puppies is a life long commitment to the puppy as well as a working relationship with us. Whomever you decide to purchase a puppy from please be sure you are comfortable with establishing a long-term relationship. This is one of the most important factors I take into consideration when selecting a placement.
Most of our puppies have prospective homes before they hit the ground and all SaltyDawgPWDs are co-owned on the AKC registration papers for the safety of our puppies and to preserve the integrity of the breed until spaying/neutering takes place. Once spayed or neutered I will sign off the AKC registration papers if requested.
Wishing you paw prints on your heart and licks on your face we thank you for your interest in the SaltyDawgPWDs and look forward to hearing from you.
Karen, Jim and the SaltyDawg Crew
Please visit www.pwdca.org to learn more about the Portuguese Water Dog as well as the health concerns in this exuberant breed.
