Boondocks Irish Wolfhounds - AKC Reg.

Boondocks Irish Wolfhounds

Boondocks Irish Wolfhounds - Boondocks is a Registered Kennel name with the American Kennel Club.

Email: [email protected]

Active Member in Good Standing of the Irish Wolfhound Club of America since 2007
Northstar Irish Wolfhound Club - Member 2011 - 2022 / Secretary from 2013 - 2021
Great Lakes Irish Wolfhound Association Member 2010 - 2017 / 2022 - Present
Iowa Hound Association (AKC Licensed) Est: 2022 - President
AKC Breeder of Merit
AKC Bred With Heart
Owner of PineTree Interiors LLC (Flooring Sales & Installation) Est. 2006
Member in Good Standing of the West Liberty Chamber of Commerce (former Board Member)
IWCA Judge's Education Mentor
Currently working on getting my Judge's License for Irish Wolfhounds - I have judged numerous breeds at AKC Sanctioned B Matches.

I am a conservation breeder of the Irish Wolfhound, dedicated to preserving and advancing Irish Wolfhounds through the purposeful pursuit of the Irish Wolfhound Club of America written breed standard, the Standard of Excellence.

See Litter Plan Tab at top of page

I breed for myself, and I want a puppy that is bred to the highest possible standard – The Standard of Excellence
Most breeders have a contract that you must agree to and sign when buying a puppy. The relationship between you the owner and me the breeder is for the lifetime of the puppy. Puppies are living creatures and are a product of genetics and the environment. It is for that reason I cannot and will not guarantee nothing will ever go wrong with your puppy. What I can do is offer you a Warranty against certain health conditions and before breeding make sure the sire and dam are healthy. The Irish Wolfhound Club of America recommends the following health testing. Heart, Eyes, Hips and Elbows prior to breeding along with Liver Shunt Testing (a Bile Acid test) of the puppy before they go to their new home.
My breeding philosophy (personal Code of Ethics) is that I do everything I can to produce a healthy, emotionally sound and well-bred puppy. I will do everything in my power to minimize the risk of health or behavioral problems through my knowledge of the parents and grandparents. I will provide you with all the breed education at my disposal. If it is something I am not familiar with, rest assured I do know people who have many decades of knowledge, and I will seek the answer for you and me.
I cannot force you to feed your puppy a specific food, I cannot force you to attend puppy classes, and I will not ask you to sign a contract saying that you will. I do hope you want to do the best you can for your new puppy, and I would hope you will always turn to me to discuss any and all concerns or questions you might have.
Because I breed for myself first and foremost, I do not breed indiscriminately, I do not breed for color, I breed always with the Irish Wolfhound Club of America Standard of Excellence in mind. I do not charge different prices for “rare” colors (there are no rare colors in Irish Wolfhounds). I do not charge more for males or females, I do not charge more for AKC Limited versus Full Registration. My philosophy is clear, I breed to try and produce a dog that is an improvement of its sire and dam, always with the Standard of Excellence in mind.
I stand behind every dog I breed, and I will for their entire lives. I will help you; I will support you and I will take back your dog at any point in its lifetime. I will not contribute to the problem of unwanted dogs. Please understand that I am responsible for bringing this life into this world and I will remain responsible until the day he or she passes. It is a responsibility I take very seriously.
Respectfully,
Jeanie Pitzenberger

My first two Wolfhounds came from really bad breeders although I did not know it at the time.
I soon realized it when I went to a few local All-Breed Dog Shows, then to the Great Lakes Irish Wolfhound Association Match in Racine, WI.
My second, I decided to show at Irish Wolfhound events and All Breed Shows, although he was not the best, we learned together, and we did achieve a Championship title along with his Canine Good Citizenship and a Rally Novice Title. Not every Champion should be bred, so I neutered him.
I purchased him from a woman who now operates from Independence, Kansas. I did not know at the time, but she pumps out puppies, strictly for profit, that is how she pays her bills, one litter after another. She only goes to All Breed Dog Shows, hires professional handlers to acquire titles to SELL MORE PUPPIES. He was dog and people aggressive; he used to accompany me into my store but soon started growling at the customers and I would have to put him away when the grandkids came to the house. Temperament is genetic and you should never breed a dog with any type of temperament issues. He constantly had to be supervised around people. At the age of 5 he also developed Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM), and rear end weakness due to Hip Dysplasia. She wanted to use him to breed a couple of her females, and I refused. His Conformation was poor, straight in the front and rear, full dewlap, no rise, not much bone and substance, no tuck up, but the worst fault was the temperament. An example of this kennel's breeding practices can be seen here. Check the Irish Wolfhound Database to view iwdb.org search Paris Nunneley Centurion Queen, this poor girl was bred 8 times, the first before she turned 2 yrs old. Breeding an Irish Wolfhound female before 2 yrs or age is the equivalent of a 12-yr girl having a baby.

My first litter was born Jan. 6, 2015, and I kept 2 puppies to carry on. Any other planned breedings will be to establish my breeding program. Quality before Quantity, you cannot mass produce Quality. With that in mind my goal is to produce quality Irish Wolfhounds that are sound both physically and mentally, adhering to the Irish Wolfhound Club of America's - Irish Wolfhound Standard of Excellence.
I try to get to as many Irish Wolfhound Specialties as possible, my dogs are always Owner Handled. Attending Specialties is a must, anyone who does not, is not a serious breeder, who wants to preserve the breed and only cares about titles to SELL MORE PUPPIES. Attending and showing at ONLY All Breed Shows is a GAME and one in which the player participates in, to gain more profits. If you are serious about the Science and Art of Breeding, you will attend Specialties and show to Judges who are Breeder / Owners themselves.

It’s all about the puppy, isn’t it?
When you choose to bring a puppy into your home, it should involve a very thoughtful decision- making process. After all it is not a pair of shoes you are ordering on Amazon.
As you begin your search, please consider the following:
Although no standardized legal definition for “puppy mill” exists, a definition was established in the Minnesota case Avenson v. Zegart in 1984 as “a dog breeding operation in which the health of the dogs is disregarded in order to maintain a low overhead and maximize profits”.
If they do not health test the sire and dam prior to breeding, if they do not Liver Shunt Test every puppy before it leaves for it's new home, if they release puppies to their new homes before 10 weeks of age. They are maintaining a low overhead to maximize their profit, that is the very definition of a "puppy mill."
Puppy mills are commercial breeding facilities that mass produce dogs for sale either directly to consumers through classified ads or classified ads on the internet, such as Facebook, Puppyfind, Next Day Pets, Craig’s List or Pet Stores. They have even started to place ads on the AKC site in their every increasing search to off load puppies as quickly as possible.
In most states, these commercial breeding kennels can and do legally keep hundreds of dogs in cages (kennels) for the sole purpose of continuously churning out puppies. This is what they consider a job. This is their cash crop and only source of income.
Adult animals are continuously bred until they can no longer produce. They are only motivated by profit.
Some things to keep in mind when searching for that perfect puppy.
Be a responsible informed consumer
A Reputable Breeder will show where the dogs spend their time and introduce you to the parents. If the Sire is not owned by the Breeder, they will show you photos, health records and contact information for the Sire’s owners. Explains all the puppy medical history, including vaccines, and gives you a Veterinarian Health Certificate with all their contact information. Does not have puppies available all year round, let me repeat this one. A Reputable Breeder will not have puppies available all year round. They will however keep a waiting list for interested people. They will ask about your family’s lifestyle, why you want a dog and your care, training plans for the puppy. They will have health tested the Sire and Dam – includes full cardiac work up, eye exam, hips and elbows. (Heart and Eyes to be performed by Specialists in their field and not their local vet). They have Bred with a purpose, knowing the strengths and weaknesses of the Sire and Dam. What are the weaknesses they would like to correct, what does the resulting breeding bring to the puppies. They must have a knowledge of the Breed Standard. Know what the health issues are. The care of the puppies and general order of the kennel. Health Checks: Liver Shunt Testing all puppies prior to going to their new homes. A Quality Breeder will do the tests, it is their responsibility. Run, don't walk from anyone that states they will Liver Shunt Test for an additional fee. Puppies should only be released to their new homes between 10 & 12 weeks of age. If someone allows the puppies to leave at 8 weeks of age or younger, they are a puppy mill and their only motivation is profit. What kind of support does the breeder offer? Do you receive all health information, feeding instruction, grooming, etc. in a packet. A Sales Contract – which includes health warranty, return policy, breeding restrictions. Home screening – if all the breeder is concerned about is how you are to pay for your puppy, such as you can use paypal, we take credit cards etc., rest assured as soon as they have your money, you will not hear from them again.
Responsible breeders are involved in the preservation of their breed, it is not for financial gain. They breed for temperament, soundness and good genetics and take great care to select parents that possess the traits they are looking for in the offspring. They are breeding for themselves and not to supply a market. It is more than breeding JoJo to Fred because, well Fred is right here and the last litter they had sold, right. Quality responsible breeders would never breed a female 4 times, let alone 8 times, only a for profit only commercial puppy mill.
We do not make a living off selling dogs. Please do not deal with anyone who has puppies available all the time or who tries to market rare colors, claims my dogs are bigger, etc. If you are told that the breeder is “USDA Licensed” or “USDA Inspected” that only means that minimal standards of food, water and shelter have been met. It says nothing about meeting the needs, welfare of the dogs. AKC registration papers also tell you nothing about the condition of the dog or how it is raised and breeding practices. We work hard to support our dogs, our dogs do not support us.
Responsible breeders do not churn out puppies all year long. They do have waiting lists and sometimes you will wait a year or two, but once again this is not a pair of shoes you are ordering off Amazon.
In conclusion – Responsible breeders will be a member of the parent club and also members of regional breed clubs, many are members of several regional Irish Wolfhounds Club, along with members of their local All Breed Club.
#boondocksirishwolfhounds where Integrity is more than just a word.
#integritymorethanaword
#AisA
#Youcantmassproducequality
#purposefullybreddogs
#qualitynotquantity
#WolfhoundGuardian

Code of Ethics
Covers all aspects of owning, exhibiting, breeding, selling and protecting the Irish Wolfhound.

1. I put the welfare of each of my Irish Wolfhounds above personal gain, profit and personal convenience.
2. All my Irish Wolfhounds will be Micro-chipped. All puppies are micro-chipped before they go to their new homes and enrolled in AKC Reunite.
3. Every effort is made to educate potential new owners about the history, care and characteristics of the breed. Including all health issues and longevity.
4. I will not advertise litters for sale in newspaper classified ads, Puppyfind, Next-Day Pets, Pet Central etc., I will use the AKC Marketplace of which I am a Breeder of Merit and will announce here on my Website, including my Facebook Page when I am planning a litter.
5. I do not breed for the Pet Market and will never sell puppies to pet stores, or puppy brokers.
6. Before breeding I will have homes available for the puppies I do not keep.
7. I do have a Contract that will be read, initialed, dated and signed. A signed copy will be provided to the buyer in their binder.
8. I do not breed for personal profit or commercial exploitation, I breed to keep puppies for myself to show and possibly breed in the future. The puppies which I do not keep will be available for sale on a Limited Registration only. They will not be able to be bred or shown. They will however make wonderful companions for approved homes.
9. I will never breed a bitch before the age of 2 and the bitch will not be bred more than 3 times in her lifetime.
10. No puppies will be released to their new homes before 12 weeks of age.
11. All puppies before going to their new homes will have appropriate veterinary care, will be parasite free, will have all age appropriate vaccinations and will be micro-chipped.
12. All new homes will have a "real" fenced yard for exercise. These are large powerful sighthounds and must not be allowed to roam free.

Because things happen in life, in my contract there is a clause that if for any reason, something should arise where you can no longer care for the dog. The dog (regardless of age) will be returned to me. Which is also the reason why I am a Co-Owner, I brought the puppies into this world and I am responsible for them until the day they pass. It is a responsibility I do not take lightly.
A very well known and respected Arabian Horseman (Ed Strand of Strand's Arabians Stables) taught me that breeding is a Science and a Art. It does not matter if it is horses or Irish Wolfhounds, the goal is to improve the Sire and Dam. If you are not breeding with that purpose in mind and you can not clearly state what the strengths are, you are trying to improve, and weaknesses you are attempting to eliminate all you are doing is breeding strictly for profit.
#boondocksirishwolfhounds where Integrity is more than just a word.
#AisA #Integritymorethanword

The girl that started it all. Grand Champion Bronze / Multiple Best of Opposite Sex in Specialty / Multiple All Breed Group Placing / Multiple National Owner Handled Group Placing Brimstone Boondocks Serenity (River). Always Owner Handled.