Mah Thai Kennel

03/03/2024

Wants my dinner lol

12/23/2023

We are no longer breeding. We made this decision because of our age and our commitment to support our puppy owners and take back any puppy.

We are still supporting any current puppy owners and will continue to do so. Anyone who has one of our pups has our phone number and email address.

A responsible breeder has to decide when it is time to stop breeding. We hope we have contributed to the betterment of the breed over the years The goals we set out to achieve were pretty much reached. We bred well tempered, athletic and heathy dogs. We appreciate the support of the Thai dog community and all the people who put their trust in us and are sharing their life with one of our pups.

We will keep this page active to be available for anyone needing assistance with questions about our breed. As long as we are able to support this breed we will.

We continue to share our lives with our last six Thai Dogs.

It has been an amazing experience and journey to be apart of this breed

Thank you for the memories

Gina and Rodney

09/07/2023

This one didn’t eat her breakfast and it’s still an hour before dinner. She is dying of starvation lol.

03/22/2023

Thunderstorm tonight. Angel knows her crate is a safe place. Yet another reason to crate train.

09/25/2022

08/19/2022

It is dinner time mom

08/14/2022

Two hot dogs!

07/21/2022

Pasha from our 2020 litter loving and living the good life in San Diego. Her owner is a very talented photographer.

03/03/2022

She is there in the shadows.

02/25/2022

Run free my love. You will be in my heart forever

02/15/2022

Two pups from SilkieXSinghto breeding have been diagnosed with glaucoma. We recommend you have your vet test for glaucoma at your annual vet appointment.

Loki is a product of this breeding and is negative but we still recommend his offspring be tested.

As of now these are the only two pups, living in the same home, diagnosed with this condition.

12/25/2021

How to answer the question always asked when you take your Thai dog out in public. This is Kota 2020 litter owned and loved by Robert and Lennie

10/21/2021

Love this roo!

08/13/2021

Neo, Rey and Maya living the good life. Their dads have done such a fantastic job with these three. As a breeder I couldn’t ask for better owners!

07/02/2021

Little Shelley relaxing in her crate. Crate training pays off. She chooses this as a place to relax over any other place in the living room. When I need to go outside or other places in the house I can close the door with no fuss.

Note: I do not recommend this type of crate for containment when you leave the house. They can injure themselves if they try to escape.

06/14/2021

Loki got the rattlesnake but unfortunately it got him. At the emergency vet now getting antivenin. Think good thoughts for him

Update: Loki says thank you to everyone for the kind thoughts. He is staying the night in the hospital. We got him in early so his prognosis is good. He didn’t start showing symptoms of the bite until after we got to the vet. (Swollen neck and swelling at the bite site on top of his head)

Update: Loki is home and recovering well. No side effects to the antivenin. He is on restricted activity for two weeks. We expect a full recovery. We are so happy.

06/03/2021

Phathu our 11 year old love of our lives was diagnosed with mammary cancer a while back. We were devastated and kept this news to ourselves. It was too much to talk about. She had surgery today to remove the mass and her reproductive organs.

To our surprise and joy it seems this was all cysts and not cancer. She is resting from a long surgery but we are celebrating the news that she will be with us much longer!

05/24/2021

Pasha (was originally named Luna Rey but as her family got to know her the name didn’t fit). Such a beautiful girl.

05/12/2021

Happy 11th birthday to our beautiful Phathu. You taught me how to train and learn to live life with a primitive dog. Thank you for forgiving me as I learned. Love you so much.

04/08/2021

Shin is growing big and looking gorgeous

04/06/2021

A good article on why we don’t punish or discourage the growl. I talk to my puppy owners about this. While most of my puppies don’t get to this space it is important to have this information. A growl is saying the dog is not comfortable with what is happening. It is your job to figure out how to remove the stress. This is a primitive breed and they expect humans and other dogs to understand and respect body language. If that is missed the next avenue is the growl. A well breed dog will go through these escalation steps before the bite.

https://www.pawsitiveplus.com/amp/don-t-punish-the-growl

Taken in part from "The Gift of Growling" by Pat Miller Many people are shocked when dogs begin to growl. There is something about the sound that causes a natural behaviour in human beings to either back off or freeze. It is very interesting to notice such a learned reaction. We know that a growling...

03/25/2021

It warms my heart to recieve messages like this. Knowing we did good with a breeding and a puppy match is what it is about.

“Hi Gina. Just wanted to send you a pic and give you an update. Kota is doing so good. She loves socialization class, LOVES dogs, loves meeting people and is so friendly and outgoing. She's curious, discerning, protective, highly intelligent and quick to learn. She gets to go everywhere with us. She is the most affectionate dog we've ever known. We feel so fortunate to have her in our lives. Big thanks to you from us ☺”

03/15/2021

Luna Rey living the good life in San Diego. A great match of pup to family. I appreciate people who allow me to pick the right pup for them. I usually get it right.

“10+ years ago we met a pair of Thai Ridgebacks in NOLA and decided that one day we would welcome one into our home. They reminded us so much of our Keira Monster! Their fierce loyalty, independence, intelligence, and athleticism drew us. The challenge of raising and training a purebred primitive dog captivated me. The reality of this puppy is all of that plus more! She’s the most regal, stunning, intense little puppy and she loves us both Fiercely!

Gina!!! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts”

03/11/2021

Shin on watch. This boy is gorgeous

03/03/2021

Taken from someone else’s post but it is spot on.

Yes, it is long but its important if you are looking for a puppy. I did no write this and unfortunately I do not know who did but it is very good information.

Before you begin your search please read the following written by another breeder:

This is because it seems that there’s a lot of confusion about the whole “proper” way to go about things. So, puppy buyers and anyone else thinking about maybe someday approaching a good breeder about a puppy, here you go:

STOP LOOKING FOR A PUPPY. The classic mistake puppy buyers make is saying “I need an xx breed puppy at the beginning of the fall” or whatever it may be. So they go out looking for litters due in August.

BAD IDEA.

Puppies are not interchangeable; one is not the same as the others. This is largely because every breeder has their stop-the-presses criteria for breeding or not breeding, and each has preferences for size, personality, working ability, etc. Breeder X’s “perfect puppy” is not the same as Breeder Y’s.

Stop looking for a puppy; look for a BREEDER. Make a personal connection with a breeder you feel shares your top criteria, and then wait for a puppy from them. Maybe they even have a litter on the ground, which is wonderful, but maybe they’re not planning anything for a few months. Or maybe they’re not planning anything for a year; in that case, ask for a referral to another breeder that shares those same priorities and has a similar (or just as good) personality and support ethic. However it works out, screen the breeder first, then ask about a puppy.

EXPECT TO WAIT FOR A PUPPY. It’s VERY rare to wait less than a couple of months; four to six is normal. I’ve waited a year on a couple of occasions; no, even we breeders don’t walk through the field, able to pick puppies like tulips. We ALL have to wait, and we ALL have to get matched up by the puppies’ breeder.

INTRODUCE YOURSELF THOROUGHLY. The initial e-mail should be several paragraphs long; block out at least an hour of quiet for the first phone call. When you initiate contact, clearly communicate three things: You are ready for a puppy, you are ready for a puppy of this breed, and you understand what sets this breeder apart from the others and you share that commitment. Specifically describe your plans for this puppy; be truthful. If you are not going to be able to go to four training classes a year, SAY SO. Don’t say “Of course, training is a huge priority around here,” or you’re going to end up with a puppy who’s flushing your toilet sixty times a day because he’s so bored and you’re not challenging him.

The ideal first contact e-mail usually goes something like

“Hi, my name is X and I’m writing to inquire about your dogs. I’ve been doing a lot of research on [breed] and I think they’re the right one for me because of [these four reasons.] I know puppies are a huge commitment, and I am planning to [accommodate that in various ways.] I’m approaching you in particular because of your interest in [whatever,] which is something I feel is very important and plan to encourage in [these three ways.]“

That’s the kind of e-mail that gets a response, and usually pretty quickly. If I get something that says “I hear you have puppies on the way; how much?” it goes in the recycle bin before you can blink.

Bring up price either at the end of the first contact (if it’s been successful and you feel a connection to this person) or in a follow-up contact. It’s nice to say “If you don’t mind me asking, about how much are [breed]s in this area, if there is a typical price? I just want to be prepared.” The breeder will usually give you two pieces of useful information: Her price, and the median prices around you. That way, if you decide to go a different way, you know about what to expect. If the second person you contact names a price that’s double the median, try to discreetly find out why. A very difficult pregnancy, nationally ranked parents, a surgical AI, c-section resulting in very few live puppies, those are some reasons a breeder could be asking more and it’s reasonable. If there’s no real difference from the other breeders except price, think carefully.

BE WILLING TO BE TOLD NO. Not every person is the right match for every breed. That’s just fact. There is no way on earth I could make our home appropriate for a Malamute puppy, and I’d have to lie through my teeth to get approved for one. And I have my entire life devoted to keeping dogs happy. I don’t expect you to have anywhere close to the obsession I have, so that means there will be some dogs that are just plain wrong for you. If a breeder says no, ask why. If the answers make sense, don’t keep calling people until you finally get one who will sell you a puppy of that breed. Go back to the drawing board and be very humble and honest with yourself about what kind of dog really would be right for you and your family.

PLEASE DO NOT GET ON MORE THAN ONE WAITING LIST unless you are VERY honest about it. This goes back to rule 1. You need to understand that we think our puppy buyers are just as in love with the puppies as we are. We’re posting pictures, writing up instructions, burning CDs, researching everything from pedigrees to nail grinding, all so we can hand off this puppy, this supreme glorious creature of wonderfulness, with the absolute maximum chance that it will lead a fabulous life with you, and we’ve built all kinds of air castles in our heads about how happy this puppy will be, and what it will do in its life with you, and so on. Finding out that you had your name on four lists shows that you don’t realize that puppies are not packages of lunch meat, where getting one from Shaws is basically the same as getting one from Stop and Shop.

Also, as soon as your name is on one of our lists, we’re turning away puppy buyers. If we’ve sent ten people elsewhere because our list is full, and then suddenly you say “Oh, yeah, I got a puppy from someone else,” it really toasts our bread. So just BE HONEST. If someone came to me and said “I’m on a list with So and So, but she’s pretty sure she won’t have a puppy for me, and I’d love to be considered for one of your dogs and I’ll let you know just as soon as I know,” I’m FINE with that. I understand how this goes. It’s not a disaster for me to have a puppy “left over” at eight weeks because you ended up getting that So and So puppy; it’s just frustrating to have the rug yanked out from under me.

PLEASE DO NOT EXPECT TO CHOOSE YOUR PUPPY. This one drives puppy buyers CRAZY. I know this, trust me. I have a lot of sympathy because I’ve been there. But the fact is that when you come into my house and look at the eight-week-old puppies and one comes up and tugs on your pant leg and you look at me, enraptured, and say “THIS IS IT! He chose ME,” I’ve been looking at people coming into the house all week, and every single time this same puppy has come up and tugged at them and every single one of them have said to me “THIS IS IT!”

What you are seeing is not reality. You are seeing the most outgoing puppy, or you’ve fallen in love with the one that has the most white, or the one that has a different look from the rest of the litter (when I had one blue girl puppy in a litter of black boys, every human that came in the house wanted her; when I had one black girl puppy in a litter of blue boys everyone kept talking about how much they loved HER), or the one that’s been (accidentally) featured the most in the pictures I’ve posted. Or, sometimes, you have a very good instinctive eye and you’re picking the puppy that’s the best put together of the litter. And that puppy, of course, is mine, and you’re going to have to pry him out of my cold dead hands.

My responsibility is not to make you happy. And that, dear friends, is why I am posting this now, and not when I have a bunch of actual puppy buyers around 😀. But it’s the truth. My responsibility is to the BREED first. That’s why my first priority in placing puppies is the show owners, because they are the ones that will (if all goes well) use this dog to keep the breed going. It’s not that I like them better than I like you; it’s that I have to be extremely careful who I place with them so that they can make breeding decisions with the very best genetic material I can hand them. My second responsibility is to the PUPPY. I will place each puppy where I feel that it has the best chance of success and the optimal environment to thrive.

So while I do care, and I will try to take your preferences into account, do not expect to walk into my living room and put your hand in the box and pick whatever puppy you want. And do not expect to be given priority pick because you contacted me first; conversely, do not expect that because you came along late you somehow won’t get a good puppy. Sometimes the person who calls me when the puppies are seven and a half weeks old ends up with what I’d consider the “pick” for various reasons (sometimes because somebody called me up and said they’d gotten a puppy from someone else; see rule 4 above). I am going to try to do my absolute best to match puppies to owners as objectively as I can, not according to who called first.

When I was waiting for Clue, I think I initially called Betty Ann six months before she was born. I waited through two other litters, where Betty Ann thought she might have something for me but then in the end told me no. Then I waited until 8 weeks when she thought this one might really be the one, and then another two weeks until she made her final picks and sent me a puppy. I was about ready to vomit with the tension. I UNDERSTAND. But the rewards of waiting and being matched with the right puppy are greater than any frustration with having to sit with an empty couch for a few more months.

ONCE YOU GET YOUR PUPPY, THERE WILL ONLY BE THAT PUPPY IN THE WHOLE WORLD. If you’ve been sitting around with your fingers crossed saying “Please, Molly, please, Molly, I only love Molly,” and I say “I really think Moe is the one for you,” you’re probably going to feel disappointed. But take Moe and go sit on the couch, and put your finger in her mouth, and realize that she has a really cool white toe on one foot but none of the other feet have white toes, and let her try to find a treat in your pocket, and I guarantee you by the time you’re five minutes out of my driveway Moe will be YOUR puppy. And a year later you may remember that you thought Molly was so pretty, but Moe… well, Moe could practically run the Pentagon she’s so smart, and her face turned out MUCH more beautiful than Molly’s did. And so on.

PLEASE FINISH THE ENCOUNTER WITH ONE BREEDER BEFORE BEGINNING ONE WITH ANOTHER. If you end a conversation with me saying “Well, this just all sounds wonderful, and I’m going to talk it over with my wife and we’ll call you about getting on your waiting list,” and then you hang up and call the next person on your list, that’s not OK. If you don’t feel like you click with me, or you want to keep your options open, a very easy way to say it is to ask for the names and numbers of other breeders I recommend. That way I know we’re not “going steady,” and I won’t pencil you in on my list. If you are on my waiting list, and you decide that you don’t want to be anymore, call me AS SOON AS YOU KNOW and say “Joanna, I’m so sorry, but our life has gotten a little crazy and I need to be taken off the puppy list.” And I make sympathetic noises and take you off. If, then, you decide you want to get a different puppy, be my guest. Just keep me apprised and let me close off my commitment to you before you open it with another breeder.

…Which brings us to something that is super important and most puppy people don’t realize:

EVERY BREEDER KNOWS EVERY OTHER BREEDER. Now of course I don’t mean the bad breeders, but the show breeding community is VERY small and VERY close-knit. If you’ve been on my list for three months, I’ve kept in contact with you, I think you’re getting a puppy from me, I’m carefully considering which one to sell you, and finally I match you with a puppy when they’re eight weeks old, and THEN you e-mail me and say “Sorry, I got a puppy from Arizona, bye,” my instant reaction isn’t going to be “Oh noes!” My instant reaction is going to be “From Jill?” I probably e-mail Jill several times a year, if not several times a month, and I’m probably going to pick up the phone in the next sixty seconds and say, “Did you just sell a puppy to Horace Green from Topeka? Did you know that he put himself on my waiting list three months ago and has been saying all along how excited he is?” And two minutes after that she’ll get a call from Anne in Oregon and Anne will say “Did you just sell a puppy to Horace Green from Topeka? He’s been feeding me lines for eight weeks! I had a puppy ready to go to him next week!”

And we will take your name in vain, Horace Green from Topeka, and Jill will feel bad that she sold you a puppy, and oh the bad words we will say. And Horace Green from Topeka will be a topic of conversation at the next Nationals, and t-shirts will be made that say “DON’T BE A HORACE,” and someone will name their puppy Horrible Horace and everyone will get the joke and laugh.

In the end, “Be excellent to each other,” as Bill and Ted so correctly ordered us, is pretty much the paradigm to follow. If you err, err on the side of this being a relationship, not a transaction. Try to act the way you would with a good friend, not with an appliance salesman. And the ending will be as happy for you as it is happy for us.

Just pointed out author is Joanna Kimball.

02/22/2021

Love to Dakota and Denali’s dad. He is being deployed. They are in good hands with his dad but I am sure they will miss him. Be safe and thank you for all you do Sean!

02/22/2021

Working at home has been great for forced puppy time! Raven getting lots of people time in Tucson

02/22/2021

All that and a bag of chips lol! Beautiful Luna living the life in SanDiego.

02/22/2021

Kota checking out her new surroundings.

02/22/2021

Shopping covid style! Ears almost up. Looking good Luna