Our
Breeding Philosophy
As breeders, Mark & I have a strong ethical breeding philosophy. We want to produce magnificent family companions that possess great temperaments, are sound, healthy, and also good representatives of the breed in type and conformation. We raise our puppies in our living room with lots of love, attention, and early obedience training. Mark, Seamus, Zeus, and Gaia on the trail at Tubbs Hill in Coeur d'Alene, ID
Temperament is of great importance to us. This breed is known for it wonderful temperament and it is an absolute necessity, for these dogs will be a part of your family. Leos need to be able to get along well with people, children, and other dogs. They also need to be comfortable in crowds and around noises.
We only breed dogs with sound and unflappable temperaments. Some of a puppies temperament is genetically inherited, the rest is highly affected by a puppy's early experiences. We raise our puppies in our home and expose them to various objects, noises, and people of all ages in the formative early weeks. We also do early training in the whelping box and teach the puppies to sit for food or attention as soon as their eyes are open. To aid in house training when you take a puppy home we litter box train the puppies while in the whelping box. To help insure the puppy will become a confident well adjusted adult it is imperative that you continue constant socialization to other people, objects, children, noises, and dogs during the first four months of a puppy's life, and thereafter. We require that all families who take a Tir na nOg puppy home continue with weekly socialization and enroll in obedience classes before 4 months of age and take at least two series of classes.
For each breeding we research the structure, health, temperament, and type of the dogs involved, their siblings, and ancestors. It is our goal to make decision that will improve the breed and produce offspring that come as close as possible to following the standard and being the ideal Leonberger. No dog is perfect, but we do everything we can to minimize and improve upon our dogs own weakness'. We select mates who will complement our girls type while having strengths that will compensate for any structural faults she possesses without compromising on temperament and health. We are open and honest about any known health issues that run in the lines of our dogs and their mates.