La Brisa Kennel, LLC

I'm Laura H., the breeder behind La Brisa Kennel, LLC located in Anne Arundel County, MD. I am a small hobby breeder located near Frederick, MD. I have owned Tollers since 2001 and started breeding in 2013; since then, I've whelped eight litters for a total of more than 50 puppies. I typically raise one litter of Tollers a year; the puppies are born in my living room and are moved into my kitchen when they’re about two weeks old. I start weaning them at four weeks of age and enrich them with adventure boxes, walks in the woods, socialization with other dogs and lots of exposure to strange people, sounds, surfaces, and objects. I follow Good Dog-Avidog’s Transformational Puppy Rearing program and evaluate the pups at 8-9 weeks of age with the Avidog Puppy Evaluation Test (APET). I selected the kennel name of La Brisa because of the winds that blow across the upper Montgomery County farm fields surrounding my house. My foundation stud dog was an American and Canadian Champion, a High in Trial Obedience dog, and a Master Hunter. My girls are also conformation champions with sweet, affectionate temperaments. My highest breeding priorities are maintaining the health, unique temperament, sound conformation, and original purpose of Tollers. I also prioritize building lasting relationships with the owners of my puppies (the La Brisa family). I take great responsibility in the care of my brood stock, selecting the sire and dam, raising and enriching the puppies, and matching the puppy to the buyer. I care deeply for my puppies and their new families. To ensure successful placements, I bring to your attention the following considerations: * Tollers have unique temperament traits (independent, stubborn, sensitive to unfair discipline, intelligent, and energetic) They are not small Golden Retrievers; * Tollers need a lifetime of training, socializing, and enrichment. A void in human leadership will cause undesirable behaviors; * Tollers, with rare exceptions, should be kept intact (i.e., no spay or neuter) until at least two years of age to allow for full physical and mental maturation; * Owners of La Brisa puppies should anticipate allowing me to use their dog at least once in my breeding program, depending on the conformation and temperament of the puppy; * Owning a dog is expensive in terms of time and money. It is important to anticipate the costs to maintain the health and wellness of your dog. I calculate an average of $100 per month for food, supplies, veterinary care, etc. Tollers, in particular, need social engagement and training. It is equally important to anticipate the hours spent on social engagement and training throughout the dog’s lifetime, not just when the dog is a puppy. Many Toller owners have discovered training and competing in a variety of dog sports supports the mental and physical enrichment of their companions. Examples of dog sports include hunting, agility, obedience, dock diving, scent work, tricks, barn hunt, and more; * Tollers are affectionate with some people, and aloof with other people; * Tollers can have lots of energy. That energy must be channeled into a focused activity; * Most Tollers can have an on/off switch when it comes to energy level. Ninety percent of the time they’re content to relax around the house or office; and ten percent of the time they have high energy for walks, training, and games; * Tollers can be vocal (whine, howl, and the famous Toller scream); * Tollers are a retriever; they are relatively easy to train because they’re food motivated; but Tollers are "soft", so training must be fair, consistent, and positive; * Tollers are capable of learning almost anything. I expect you to ask lots of questions, identify nearby group socialization and obedience classes, interview and select a veterinarian, commit to earning the Canine Good Citizen certificate, have buy-in from all family members, recognize a 15-year commitment to their new puppy, be willing to be mentored about Tollers, and to maintain contact with me.