“Drum Cairn” is a lifestyle block nestled between hills in the Manawatu/Rangitikei region, & it is here that I bred a limited number of very desirable, small & cuddly, companion dogs. Our local Vet Club is renowned as one of the best in the region, & all our pups & dogs have a thorough examination when vaccinated or visiting.
“Drum Cairn” puppies are born in the lounge, & nighttime whelplings re
sult in sleepless nights & countless coffees. Every pup is carefully monitored from birth & throughout its time with us, receiving lots of attention, parasite treatments when needed, & the very best food money can buy. I strongly believe that meat & offal (usually raw, sometimes cooked) & safe bones, are best for dogs, however, all our pups get quality: kibble, tinned, & dog sausage as well as the raw meat. I believe a variety of foods are good for the young gut as it prepares pups for their new homes & the diets they will have. We are advocates of “grass” training rather than newspaper or p*e pads, so from an early age pups learn to seek grass for toileting, this helps with housetraining later. We do not crate-train very young pups, leaving that until they are a bit older & have better control over their bladders - they are free to toilet, on grass, whenever they have the need - I feel it is kinder. Often pups know simple commands, lead & tie up quietly, before heading to new homes. Each pup comes with feeding, care & training instructions, & I am only a phone call away for help & advice if needed. For the lucky few, who welcome a “Drum Cairn” puppy into their home, they are welcome to collect their new family member from here... meeting both parents & all the other dogs (fancy fluffies & working sheepdogs) or we are happy for the pups to travel by approved pet transporters; we have one we use, but there are a couple of other highly recommended companies. Who is Drum Cairn’s CEO… that would be me, Anna; & I named “Drum Cairn” after a relative’s sheep farm, Drumcairn, in the Wairarapa, where I used to visit annually as a child until my uncle retired into town when I was 15. It was there my passion for horses, dogs & farming evolved. At 17 I left my family in Auckland & chased a career on the land - amazing everyone by sticking with it until my late 30’s. To say it was hard in those days for a woman with a team of dogs & a passion for sheep farming is an understatement. It was a man’s world back then. My life was my dogs… breeding, training, working stock, & dabbling in dog trials; & although I gave up farming, after bashing my head against the wall of acceptance for too long, I kept a couple of favourite bi***es, continued to live in the country, & bred the occasional litter. In a nutshell, I have been breeding & training dogs for over 50 years, & although I no longer breed working dogs, I do have 3 young ones today, that I am training. Heading dog “Bell” goes back to my very first dog, “Rod”, who I was given when I was 17 (not many people could say that, so she is very special). I’m lucky, “Drum Cairn” has a great contour for training young sheepdogs & rearing the occasional foal out of my gorgeous mare. However, my passion & focus for the last few years has been breeding carefully selected pet dogs; all the experience & knowledge from breeding for... brains, natural ability, health, conformation, agility & trainability in working dogs, is invaluable for what I am doing today. So, what do I breed now? I have totally fallen in love with Cavalier King Charles Spaniels & breed a couple of purebred litters a year. Plus, due to the popularity of Cavoodles, breed 1 or 2 litters of them a year as well – the pups are out of my purebred Cavaliers & by my sweet wee Toy Poodle. I have had other breeds & bred a litter or two, but have decided on the above… if you want to know more, & why, you only need to ask…
If you are looking for a small & devoted companion, who is healthy, & smoochy, bred by a knowledgeable & honest ‘DOGIRL’, who is happy to share health, care & training tips gained from over 50 years devoted to dogs, look no further…
Please bear in mind, this is not a puppy mill, there are only a few pups available each year, & just as you are fussy where your pup comes from, I am equally, if not more, fussy about where my pups go – only the best homes are good enough. ALL my photography & written words are protected by NZ copyright laws.
