I’m writing this from inside Cameo’s whelping box. Eight puppies are piled up around me — most of them asleep, a couple of them deciding my voice is very interesting. This is actually part of the job: sitting with them, talking, being a normal human presence they learn to find unremarkable. But more on that in the blog post I just published.
Here’s the short version of February at the farm:
Cameo’s litter is here. Eight healthy puppies from her very first litter, and she’s been an incredible mama. Dad is Sevro. Some puppies are already reserved, but I do have some puppies available — and they’ll be ready to go home mid-May.
The shipping window is closing. This is the thing I most want you to hear: airlines stop shipping live animals when temps hit 85°F, which usually happens in late May here in California. The window doesn’t reopen until early September. I run my own shipping coordination service and handle everything for out-of-state families — but we need enough lead time to make it work. If you’ve been thinking about a puppy, now is genuinely the time to reach out. My older puppies (almost 16 weeks and five months old) are especially time-sensitive.
Also worth knowing: a lot of my out-of-state clients fly into Fresno — about 45 minutes from the farm — rent a car, and drive home with their puppy. It’s a wonderful option if the timing for shipping is tight or just not your preference.
Tom and Cindy picked up Jimmy. Tom had been on my waitlist for over a year, waiting until his beloved Kuvasz, Polo, passed of cancer before he was ready for a new companion dog. The day Jimmy turned 12 weeks old, Tom and Cindy drove out and took him home to join his new big sister, Gidget the Golden Retriever. I don’t have words for how much I love these moments.
Leo flew to Oregon. Lisa’s puppy made the trip safely and has been absolutely thriving. She told me he’s the smartest puppy she’s ever seen. I filmed him doing clicker training at the vet’s office and the airport — videos in the blog post — because this is why I recommend training early.
Julian and Mabel are heading to Pennsylvania. A sheep rancher named Melissa reached out about finding a partner for her aging livestock guardian dog, Squeaky. We talked through all her options, and she ended up reserving both Julian (a three-year-old neutered male) and Mabel (a seven-month-old female) so they could go together. It’s the right call — and Melissa moved fast once she knew what she wanted. If you’re thinking about an adult or older adolescent livestock guardian dog, that’s the lesson: don’t wait.
Surprise goat babies. I said I was done breeding goats. Three of my does disagreed. Three does, six kids, only one girl. Of course. They’re adorable. I’ll be listing them on my goat website soon — reach out and apply if you’re interested now. (Let me know you’re interested in the surprise kids on your application.)
The new road looks amazing. And the construction crew that built it — running heavy equipment right next to my puppy pastures for over a week — accidentally gave my puppies one of the best socialization experiences of their young lives. I’ll let you read about that part in the full post.
There’s also something I’ve been learning about the value of building a team and asking for help — I’ll be writing about that in full soon.
For now: if you’ve been thinking about a Maremma Sheepdog puppy, please don’t wait until after the shipping window closes to reach out.
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