I had always wanted a dog. More specifically, I had always wanted a puppy. And back in 2008 I was a veterinary technology student and very much an “Adopt Don’t Shop” advocate, so that is what I did. I brought home an 8 week old puppy from the local shelter. A blank slate. Because, after all, isn’t it all in how you raise them? We did all the right socialization at the right time, but by age 4 her quality of life had severely declined because of the required management strategies I had to put into place due to her human and dog aggression. I had worked with trainers, a veterinary behaviorist, and several other professionals. I even became a certified dog trainer myself. But we could not find the right concoction of behavior modification and medication to help her. As much as it tore me apart, I had to make the most difficult decision to humanely euthanize her. Among everything she taught me, I had learned a very important lesson: it is absolutely not all in how you raise them - genetics matter. I had found a new respect for responsible breeders. I never want anyone to need to go through what I had gone through. I would have never guessed back in 2008 that I would be striving to produce responsibly bred, behaviorally sound, and physically healthy dogs. Yet, here I am, and I am so very proud to be doing this most important work.