Shadowhills Border Terriers

23/12/2025

Tadpole pickup this morning! 😂😂🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🐾🐾🐾🐾

23/12/2025

People wonder why I love my veterinarians! It’s because when I need them they are always there for us. They take care of all our dogs, from routine care to minor issues to OFA exams to breeding. And when we have breeding things to do, even if it’s Christmas Eve, they are there for us!
Our vet schedule for the next two weeks! ! 🤪🤪🤪🤪

Minor vet check and treatment,
breeding,
breeding,
OFA exam,
breeding u/s,
OFA exam,
OFA exam,
Breeding u/s.

LOVE YOUR VETS!

22/12/2025

Very nice thought! And with the trials of the past three months hopefully behind us, we anxiously, and eagerly, anticipate the arrival of not one, but two, litters early in the coming year.
We at Shadowhills have a lot to be thankful for in 2025. And we will post more later. But enjoy the depth of the dark tonight. Relish the dawn. And continue to hope and pray for the coming year!

Reflecting on the Winter Solstice ❄️

As we welcome the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year, let's take a moment to pause and reflect.

It's a time to honor what has ended, and what is quietly waiting to be born. This beautiful image perfectly captures the serene magic of this season—a moment to let go of the old and prepare our hearts for new beginnings.

What are you honoring today, and what new seeds are you planting for the coming year?

21/12/2025

Today’s dog wisdom….

18/12/2025

Big day today!
Hoping for positive results!

James x Pepper
Should be a grand match!

17/12/2025

The one that got away…..
This showed up in memories. “Tango”, RIO x Stevie.
We were just mentioning him this evening. Here at 6-7 months of age.

16/12/2025

Fabulous short list from Canine Conformation and Construction.
Pay extra heed to #4 and #9 and 10.

Wise Words

by the late Raymond H. Oppenheimer

Consistently breeding top show dogs is an art and the legendary British expert succeeded in a difficult breed - the Bull Terrier. These basic breeding principles must be studied to breed your own show dog!

1. Don't make use of indiscriminate out-crosses. A judicious outcross can be of great value; an injudicious one can produce an aggregation of every imaginable fault in the breed.

2. Don't line breed just for the sake of line breeding. Line breeding with complimentary types can bring great rewards, and with unsuitable ones, it will lead to immediate disaster.

3. Never take advice from those who have always been unsuccessful breeders. They would have proved their opinion through their successes if their opinion were worth having.

4. Don't believe the popular cliché about the brother or the sister of the great Champion being just as good to breed from. For every one, that is, hundreds are not. It depends on the animal concerned.

5. Don't credit your dogs with virtues they do not possess. In other words, don't be kennel blind. Self-deceit is a stepping stone to failure.

6. Don't breed from mediocrity. The absence of a fault does not signify the presence of its corresponding virtue.

7. Don't assess the worth of a stud dog by its inferior progeny. All stud dogs sire some animals of lesser quality at times; what matters is how good their best efforts are. Conversely, don't judge a stud dog by one outstanding offspring produced out of many and always remember that the stud dog only makes up for half of a great dog.

8. Don't allow personal feelings to influence your choice of a stud dog. The right dog for your bitch is the right dog, regardless of who owns it.

9. Don't allow admiration of a stud dog to blind you to his faults.

10. Don't mate with animals that share the same fault.

16/12/2025

Your Monday morning wake up motivation!

13/12/2025

This evening we helped “Draco”, CH Shadowhills Sorcerer’s Apprentice At Stonehaven, CGC, over the Rainbow Bridge. Alice’s final dog and, with Ellie, the pride of her life.

Draco was by “Gizmo” out of “Charly”. If there hadn’t been Alice, there may not have been a Charly and thus not a Draco. Draco was shown entirely owner-handled by Alice, groomed by Alice and trained for the show ring by Alice. Draco finished his AKC Championship with 4 majors in his first four shows! They would have all been in one weekend (the big N Ca Terrier and Sacramento KC weekend) but he cut his foot one show day and had to sit out a show. Not to worry, he simply finished the following weekend.

Despite all his disabilities at the end (a tri-geminal nerve sheath tumor and its resulting loss of faculties) he was a great dog who was no trouble to care for. He never complained, never growled, never stopped trying, and politely let you treat him. He maintained his excellent hard coat all through his life. My vet even commented on it at the end. But most of all he remained a good dog, one whom anyone would be proud to call their dog, and one who maintained his dignity til the end.

We wish you God speed, my little man! Go join your momma, Alice, and your best friend, Ellie, and run free in the sun, chase those squirrels, and get those rats! I am honored to have bred you and very proud of how you lived your life. You are a true Border Terrier and a testament for the breed. Sweet, courageous, loyal, and loving. ❤️❤️🐾🐾🌈🌈

12/12/2025

Happy 1st Birthday to the “Music” litter!
Elliot, Brio, Roy, Muddle, Ruby, and Bruce!
It’s been a good year and we are very proud of all of you and thankful for your wonderful homes!