Haven Hills Farm

09/17/2022

The puppies this week:

Each week gets better with these guys and I might have to stop writing, ”we couldn’t be more pleased,” because the next week we inevitably are.

The puppies are nine weeks old. We continue with regular field time, house time, play dates, and morning walks. This week we also began to play new games. Game # 1 is called The Crate is the Place of Treats and Amazingness. Game # 2 is called The Long Pully Thing (Leash) Means Treats Just For Following!

Not only are the pups learning so very much, but I am, too!

I’m serious about my goals with these babies. While nutrition, health, and selection of parent dogs is a beginning, it isn’t everything. A lot of how well they do in their forever homes depends on how we set them up now. I care about this. Sometimes it surprises me how much I care about this.

In my journey as a breeder I’ve avoided being an “expert” which would place me in a mindset of no longer needing to learn. I love the things I know already, but as I talk with potential buyers, add to and follow training group discussions, and read about the LGD breed in tandem with positive training methods, I am being introduced to the world of dogs in a way I hadn’t considered possible.

Near the end of his life, when Isaac Newton was complimented for his work, he said he felt he was a boy playing on the seashore. With all he contributed to science, he knew there was so much more out there he hadn’t even tapped. A quote I heard as a girl in school from Einstein went something like this: “The more I know; the more I know I don’t know.”

I feel this wonder!

These animals are so much more than a job accomplished on our farms. When handled well they become willing partners in the work we give them. The history, the effectiveness of positive training, the potential of each little fluffy marshmallow under my care, the men and women who have asked good questions whether they have chosen to purchase a puppy or not—they have all made me feel rich in ways I couldn’t have anticipated.

We still have seven pups available, but I already feel so very rich. The best treasures in life have nothing to do with money.

09/10/2022

Our Puppy website is up and live! Check it out to see what Haven Hills LGDs are all about 😊

Our eagerly awaited Great Pyrenees livestock guardian dog (LGD) puppies are on the ground and ready for new homes on October 10th, 2022!

09/09/2022

Olympia, WA.

The Marshmallows this Week:

Our LGDs in training are seven weeks and tell us they are ready for more, and our work just gets more fun.

We continue play dates, house time, and field time. And while these things stay the same, we have seen a marked difference in the attitudes of the dogs.

We also made some big headway in the pastures with the larger stock where the group approached both pigs and goats with us watching to keep everyone safe. When Redlegs (one of our Nigerians) challenged Green Boy, he ducked away and then barked to tell her he didn't like her acting like she would head-butt him--good boy! My son was right there and there was no harm to either.

These types of watched-over interactions are actually one of the things we aim for. As LGDs learn to read the body language of the different animals, they learn to respond to them without getting hurt. Duck when a goat head butts--bark to back them off. A young LGD who is thrown into a pasture or pen without this training is liable to end up with a concussion or broken ribs from aggressive stock.

As they have gotten bigger their greetings have gotten bigger, too, with jumping, play-biting, and pulling on clothes. You can imagine how overwhelming this can get with nine little marshmallows piled around our feet, all playing with us and asking for attention at once!

This has been a great opportunity to begin teaching manners. We say, "uh-uh, sit," and push their bottoms down. When they are sitting we give them a treat, tell them "good," and pet them. A few have caught on to this and it is so much fun to see them run up to us, sit, and mark us (look up at us) waiting for the attention they want.

Another highlight was our vet visit. My oldest son and I piled Rosa and her brood into the car and took them into town to see our vet, who kindly took on ten dogs in one waiting room and examined each. While it was a little hectic trying to get nine marshmallows who haven't completed their leash training into the vet at once (we opted for carts on the way out), it was well worth it. Each one passed with flying colors--hearts, ears, eyes, skin, skeletal structure, reproductive, and mouths all looked good. The vet also commented on their good weights and how well they are all growing. Our work and prayers are paying off.

Seven are still looking for their forever farms. PM me, Shannon, for details.

09/08/2022

Vet visits today and all with a clean bill of health!

09/02/2022

The Puppies This Week Part 1:

We are making incredible strides in their sixth week, so I’ve decided to break this up into two pieces. Part one is an overview. Part two (coming soon) will showcase individuals, talk about personality test results, and where we see each one fitting in the grand scheme of things

This week our walks took on a whole new character as pups began to follow us farther and better, with Rosa, their Mom, modeling great behavior. This lays the groundwork for so much in later life.

We continue our play dates and socialization and each week is different. This week we saw more running, jumping, and play fighting.

We still instruct guests how to teach “soft mouth” by crying like a puppy when the pups bite down too hard. We’ve seen really good responses. Pups don’t mean to hurt us. But they do love to chew. Allowing them to mouth our hands and telling them in doggy language when it hurts teaches conscientious play. Many will look up at us and then mouth softly, either that, or run off to chew on something else. They are smart dogs.

We also continue with field time to be around the farm stock. And all day, every day, they are next door to the chickens.

This week we tried beginning leash lessons and also began introducing the pups to inside the house.

Leash lessons have a ways to go—as pups quickly learned they could pop off their baby collars and then come to us without that long obnoxious pulling thing attached to them.

The house lessons were more encouraging. After fussing a bit about this strange place with no grass, they all settled down for naps or to chew quietly on their toys. The kennel is there with them and kennel lessons will begin soon.

As with everything else, we expect to see continued improvement in weeks ahead as we harness the natural abilities and intelligence of these dogs and aim it in good directions.

09/02/2022

A short video about graduated positive training methods: The Walk.

Pups have shown us this week that they are ready to follow!

So, armed with a can of tuna, (full of great omegas and protein and easy for little teeth to chew) we lead puppies out with mama for short walks in the cool of the morning. Mama models attentiveness to me, and puppies follow.

Young minds are maturing quickly, and we are laying the groundwork for new owners: desire to please, attention to owner, following, as well as “walks are fun,” and “this is how dogs are.”

This little exercise prepares for later perimeter walks that will teach the territory they are to guard as well as later leash training and obedience.

We don’t need to force these incredible breeds to learn what is already written in their DNA; we just need to harness each opportunity as they mature and work at levels they are ready for.

08/27/2022

Puppy Updates

It’s been a few weeks since I posted to our page, here, so prepare for a photo collage!

Follow along to see the progression of what we are doing at each stage and read the captions to understand the Haven Hills Difference.

There’s nothing like a big family living their best lives on a little farm to give you the quality you hope for in your new LGD, farm helper, pet, and, perhaps, best friend.

Six of nine are still unspoken for. PM me, Shannon, for details.

08/07/2022

The puppies this week:

They are three weeks old now. Their eyes are open, they have learned to toddle, and they are beginning to play with us and each other.

While most of their time is still spent napping and growing, they are beginning to explore the "wide world" of their little house (at night) and their space between the chicken houses outside (in the day). Their close neighbors, our laying hens, have gotten used to them and the puppies seem to take the hens' presence as a given. Of course those strange feathery creatures can be part of the family! Pyrenees draw a wide circle around themselves and include many when they are raised right.

Nursing on Mom is still their favorite thing, but cuddling their humans has come as a close second.

All are still gaining well with our largest boy hitting 4 1/2 lbs this week and the smallest of the small ones--girl--nearing 3. We couldn't be more pleased, and we look forward to the coming weeks where we get to introduce them to all the variety of training that will help them become respectable members of society and joys in their new homes.

07/30/2022

Two weeks old, and today we hosted a puppy play date!

07/26/2022

We are selling our mini milk goats as we prepare to move to standard sized milk goats. This is the best of our herd as we have kept them to the last. All are up to date on their CDT vaccines, in good health, and will have hooves trimmed and be dewormed upon leaving for their new farms. Feel free to message me with any questions or for more information.

07/24/2022

Our Kunekunes are 1 week old!

07/24/2022

One week old today--hooray!

07/16/2022

And even more babies are here! We couldn't be more thrilled than to announce the birth of nine beautiful Great Pyrenees puppies from our livestock guardian, Rosa.

The Great Pyrenees breed is a wonderful working breed that easily crosses over the working dog lines to be great pets or companion animals. They are known for their sweet natures and natural ability to bond with the animals and people they are raised with. They naturally will guard the perimeter of what they deem "their property" from wildlife.

Our girl, Rosa, even takes issue with hawks, eagles, and crows. Since Rosa reached working age (approximately 18 months), we have not lost animals from any coyote raids. Also, we have been able to extend our garden outside the fence as the deer now avoid our property due to her loud bark and regular rounds of the perimeter of our farm. The greatest thing about Rosa, though, is how she has bonded to our family. She follows us on our farm rounds and watches over the kids when they play, even accompanying them when they take to the woods. She is sweet with visitors and has even taken it upon herself to train visiting pups to not chase the chickens or other animals by angling her body between our poultry and eager pups so that she can steer the one away from the other.

Casper is a working dog from Prosser, WA, who is big, beautiful, strong, and equally as sweet natured as Rosa. We wanted puppies to be a joy to their new owners so the ability to do their jobs as well as non-aggressive natures were our highest priorities.

07/16/2022

Babies are here!

Meet our newest batch of Kunekunes.

Kunekunes are a heritage mini pig breed that thrive on pasture and are known for their gentle natures as well as diminished rooting behavior. And not only that, but their colors are BEAUTIFUL!

PM me, Shannon, for details on individual pigs.

11/11/2021

Hello World

11/10/2021

Chunky babies at 1 week old!

11/02/2021

Oh, the amazing things that are happening on our farm this fall! We have goat kids available, one beautiful colored egger rooster, and now 8 new spotted Kune Kune pigs :-)