Why Gravelle Family Farm?
HOW WE RAISE OUR PUPPIES
HEALTH TESTED PARENTS
...because this is where exceptional puppies begin.
Our parents are carefully chosen based on these 3 pillars: health, temperament, and appearance. Each one is just as important as the other. Our parents have OFA (Orthopedic foundation for Animals) testing done as well as full genetic panels before breeding. They are raised in their own individual forever loving families. No kennels here!
PLANNING AHEAD
...because exceptional puppies don't happen by accident.
Each of our breeding dogs and breeding pairs are meticulously planned and thought out months - sometimes YEARS - in advance! The planning never ends. We study each of our dogs genetics, temperaments, etc. to make sure we are producing the absolute best puppies with well rounded temperaments, consistent coats, and best overall health.
WHELPING & CARE
If mama ain't happy, nobody's happy!
Our mama's are treated with the absolute best care before and after whelping puppies. In addition to regular grooming, they receive high quality nutrition to help them stay healthy while nursing their puppies. And we know they aren't just moms. They still get frequent affection from our family and fresh air & playtime in our huge fenced in yard.
PUPPY CURRICULUM
...giving your puppy the best start at life.
Beginning on day 3, we start ENS (early neurological stimulation) and ESI (early scent introduction.) These gentle maneuvers are shown to improve heart rate, adrenal glads, stress tolerance, and increase resistance to disease. After completing this, we begin the 10-step puppy massage once daily until they leave our home. This ensures our puppies are exposed to various types of touches, handling, and sensation that will make them more tolerant to grooming and overall handling. We also begin socializing our puppies at 3 week of age to different sights, sounds, textures, etc. We work to empower our puppies (not enable) so they can enter the world confidently.
TEMPERAMENT TESTING
...because what's on the inside matters most.
At 7 weeks of age, we perform a puppy temperament (aptitude/personality) test on each of the puppies. We look at each pup's individual energy level, confidence, drive, stress to noise, adaptability, assertiveness, to name a few. We create a profile for each puppy & send to the families before puppy selection occurs. We highly encourage our families to choose their puppies based on temperament first versus appearance alone. This ensures each puppy goes to a family where they will thrive! Puppy selections occur in order of each families deposit on the waitlist.
FAMILY RAISED
...from my heart to your home.
Where puppies are born and raised makes all the difference in such an influential stage of their lives. Our puppies are raised in our "dogdominium" (barndominium), which is an extension of our home. Our puppy home is kept meticulously clean, and puppies, as well as their mamas, are kept warm, safe, and nurtured during their time with us. Our puppy home is divided into 2 areas: whelping area and play area. The whelping area is kept more quiet for whelping mamas and newborns. The play area is outfitted for enrichment, & empowerment for older puppies. This is also where our puppy families can come visit and select their puppy!
WHAT'S NEXT?
Let's get a pup!