Dogs I understand… people not so much!

I’m a canine enthusiast by default… one could even say that I was raised by dogs! People have long proclaimed that I’m gifted with dogs… from running my own training/walking/sitting business in middle school, to running a specialized doggy daycare as a young adult. I’ve handled everything from overzealous Retrievers, to overstimulated Bullies, to reactive German Shepherds, & protection trained Malinois. It was fun & taught me a ton… but it ultimately led to the realization that Shilohs suit my soul.

I first learned about Shilohs from a dog breed book I read back in middle school. I still have that book, with my original highlighter marks… knowing that I would come back to it someday! Sure enough, I did just that in 2018, when my husband first suggested we look in to adding a Shepherd to our pack. I carefully studied back up on Shilohs, King Shepherds, various German Shepherd lines, Wolf hybrids (like the one I had in high school), & even Caucasian Shepherds. The Shiloh checked all my boxes… having the structure I preferred, stringent standards, & bred for versatile companionship. Like breed founder Tina Barber said, “Shilohs are the total dog… bred for beauty, brains, & brawn!”

I met my first Shiloh by complete surprise, over a busy holiday weekend in Moses Lake, WA. There were crowds of people, boats, other dogs, & overall chaos ensuing… but this dog instantly drew me in with his massively majestic, gentle, & calm presence. I asked if I could pet him (a rarity for me), & when the owner told me his breed, I immediately recognized it from my readings. If I was smart, I would’ve asked who the breeder was (still kicking myself)! That dog was unlike any dog I had met before… exuding a brilliantly balanced energy. I hope to produce dogs that radiate a similar magical effect!

The vast majority of my time is spent studying all things dog. Canine behavior is something I became fascinated with early in life… not much has been more enjoyable to me, than analyzing how canines communicate & coexist in a natural pack dynamic. Canine nutrition soon became a primary focus, after battling endless health issues with my previous dogs, which inevitably led me down the rabbit hole to holistic & homeopathic care. As I’ve entered the realm of responsible breeding, topics like structure/movement, phenotype/genotype, & pedigree/COIs have dominated my interest level. I’m always hungry to learn more from the experts! If I don’t know the answer, I usually know where to find it from a reputable source… & I love the questions I can’t answer, because its another opportunity for me to expand my own knowledge! For this reason, I’ve created the Canine Chronicles Blog (coming soon), where I’ll do my best to share my own knowledge/experiences for reference. The rest of my “free time” typically goes to exercising/training/competing my dogs, outdoor adventures, hobby photography, the gym, meal prepping, & movie nights with the hubby.

I’m here for my fellow dog nerds, under the mentorship of Wilderness Kennels & in training with the International Shiloh Shepherd Alliance (ISSA). My promise is to always aim for ethical preservation & betterment of our amazing breed. I value building lasting relationships both in & out of the Shiloh community… for the purpose of fully supporting my puppy owners & furthering breed development.

Dogs are my passion, but Shilohs have become my purpose.