Highland Moor Kennel

Highland Moor Kennel Program Update 🤍 It’s been a busy and exciting season here at Highland Moor Kennel, and I wanted to take a moment to share a little update on where things currently stand with our program. Right now, we are in the very early stages of a possible litter between Dreamer and Mattie. It is still too early for confirmations, but we are hopeful and cautiously optimistic. Dreamer has been acting a bit differently already, and we are enjoying watching and waiting through these early weeks. As always, nature has its own timeline, so for now we are simply taking things one day at a time and letting her tell us the story. 🤍 One thing I am incredibly grateful for is the amazing families who continue to support and believe in our program. Our waitlist remains very solid, and I truly cannot thank everyone enough for the patience, trust, and excitement surrounding these future puppies. It means more than you know. For those newer to our page, Highland Moor Kennel is a small preservation-focused Rough Collie program located in West Virginia. My focus has always been on health, temperament, structure, and raising puppies that are deeply connected to their people. Our dogs are part of our home and daily life first and foremost, and every planned litter is carefully considered with the future of the breed in mind. As always, puppies from our program are raised with extensive early socialization, household exposure, handling, and age-appropriate enrichment. I firmly believe those early weeks matter tremendously in shaping confident, adaptable companions. We also continue to work toward our long-term goals in conformation and preserving the classic Rough Collie temperament that so many families have fallen in love with over generations — gentle, intuitive, intelligent, and deeply devoted. I’ll continue sharing updates as we know more about Dreamer over the coming weeks. Thank you all for being here and following along on this journey with us. 🐾

✨ Highland Moor Program Update ✨ The last week here at Highland Moor has definitely reminded me that breeding dogs is equal parts science, patience, timing… and a whole lot of humility. 😅 Dreamer came into season right on schedule, and after several days of carefully watching behavior, timing, and letting nature take the lead, Mattie and Dreamer achieved a successful tie yesterday. 🙌🏼 As many of you know, I try to be very transparent about the realities of breeding. Timing is never guaranteed, dogs don’t read calendars, and sometimes even when everything looks perfect on paper, nature has its own plans. This week was a great reminder of how important it is to truly know your dogs as individuals and to listen to what they are telling you rather than relying only on textbook timelines. Dreamer has consistently shown herself to be a later ovulating girl, and this year’s breeding timing lined up much more naturally with her behavior and cycle pattern. Now we officially enter the waiting game! 💕 We likely won’t know anything definitive for a few weeks yet, but I’m feeling hopeful and grateful today. Most importantly, Mattie is now getting some much deserved rest and recovery time after giving this breeding everything he had. 😊 Thank you all for following along, supporting my program, and understanding that ethical breeding often comes with unpredictability, learning experiences, and a lot of patience. Now we wait and see if puppies are on the way for early July! 🐾

Breeding isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. From the outside, it can look simple—plan a litter, time it right, and puppies follow. But the reality is much different. Breeding is part science, part instinct, and a whole lot of patience. There are no guarantees, no matter how much planning goes into it. I want every litter—not just this one—just as much as the families waiting for their next fur baby. I feel that excitement too. But breeding windows are short, and at the end of the day, it’s not just about what I want—it’s about the dogs. My priority will always be the parent dogs first and foremost. Their health, their well-being, and their readiness come before anything else. Because without healthy, well-cared-for parents, there are no healthy litters. That’s a line I won’t cross, no matter how much I may want a different outcome. Sometimes timing doesn’t align the way we hope, and that’s part of doing this the right way. It can be disappointing, especially when everything seems to line up on paper. But I won’t force something that isn’t there. That’s not fair to the dogs, and it’s not how I run my program. What I can promise is honesty, integrity, and compassion in every step of this journey. You’ll always get the real side of things here—not just the wins, but the challenges too. We’re not done—we’re just working through the process. And when it does come together, it will be worth the wait. Thank you for being here and trusting the journey with me.

Final Litter Update – Ready for Their Next Chapter 🐾 It’s hard to believe we’re here already—this sweet group has reached the final stretch before heading home. Over the past several weeks, these puppies have grown into confident, curious, and well-rounded little Collies. Each one has developed their own personality, and it’s been such a joy watching them figure out the world around them. They’ve been busy behind the scenes with: * Daily handling and continued socialization * Exposure to household sounds, new environments, and new experiences * Beginning crate routines and structured mealtimes * Outdoor exploration and confidence-building time * Lots of human interaction (their favorite part) Temperament-wise, I’m really happy with this group. We’re seeing a nice mix of thoughtful, people-focused puppies along with a few that bring a little extra spark and playfulness—exactly what I aim for in my program. Physically, they’re looking great. Nice coats coming in, good structure, and overall thriving. They’ve been eating well, growing consistently, and transitioning smoothly into their routines. As we get closer to go-home: * Final vet checks and first vaccinations are scheduled * Microchipping has been completed * Go-home folders and puppy packs are being finalized * Individual updates will continue for each family These last days are always a mix of pride and a little bit of “how did it go so fast?” Each of these puppies has been raised with intention, and I’m confident they’re heading into homes where they’ll be loved and continue to thrive. To my puppy families—your patience, excitement, and trust mean more than you know. I can’t wait to see these puppies step into their next chapter with you. — Caryn, Highland Moor Kennel 🐾

🐾 5.5 Week Puppy Update 🐾 The puppies are officially 5½ weeks old, and this is where things really start to get fun—and busy! They are now fully engaged with their environment, exploring more confidently and interacting with each other in more intentional ways. Playtime has turned into full-on puppy wrestling matches, complete with little growls, pounces, and tail wags. We’ve made the transition away from mom, and the puppies are now eating multiple solid meals per day. They are doing great with their food, showing strong appetites and good structure during mealtimes. This stage is important for building independence, and they are handling it beautifully. Their personalities are really starting to shine through. Some are more outgoing and curious, while others are a bit more thoughtful and observant—but all are developing exactly as we’d expect at this age. We are continuing with early socialization, including exposure to everyday household sounds and new textures, helping to build confident, well-adjusted puppies. They are also becoming more aware of people and are starting to seek out interaction, which is always a favorite milestone. Cleanliness is improving as well, with puppies naturally moving away from their sleeping area to potty—an early step toward future training. Overall, this group is developing nicely, and we’re very pleased with their progress at this stage. More updates soon as they continue to grow!

Puppy Update – 4½ Weeks Old 🐾 Life in the puppy nursery is getting busy! You may have noticed I haven’t been posting quite as frequently lately, and that’s because the puppies are starting to rely less on mom and more on me these days. 😅 We are now eating two large mush meals a day, with a few nursing sessions from Annie throughout the day as well. In between meals and nursing, my job is mostly cleaning up puppy messes and keeping everyone comfortable. The puppies were also wormed for the second time, which is part of their normal health routine at this stage. As you can see from their weight chart, everyone is growing beautifully. They’re getting big and chunky! Just like human babies, a little puppy baby fat is perfectly normal and exactly what we want to see at this age. They’re becoming more active every day and starting to show their little personalities. It’s such a fun stage to watch them grow. More updates soon as the adventure continues!

Puppy Milestone: First Taste of Real Food The puppies reached an exciting milestone this week — their first introduction to real food. Up until now, they have relied entirely on Annie’s milk for their nutrition. Around this stage in development, their teeth are beginning to come in and their curiosity about the world (and food!) starts to grow. Introducing puppy mush is the first step in the gradual weaning process. The first meals are always more about exploration than eating. There is a lot of sniffing, stepping in the bowl, and licking before they really understand what this new food is. It’s a messy but very important learning experience. Over the next couple of weeks the puppies will slowly transition from relying fully on mom to eating more solid food while still nursing from Annie. This helps their digestive systems adjust gently while supporting healthy growth. Annie is still doing a wonderful job caring for them, but as the puppies grow she naturally begins spending a little more time away from the pen while they learn to become more independent. Every week brings new developmental milestones, and this one is always fun to watch as the puppies begin discovering food for the very first time.