225 Gunns Rd, Ellenboro, North Carolina 28040, United States
Important Things to Consider before you buy
Adding a new family member is a huge decision. Although it is easy to be swept away by an adorable face or a heartbreaking story, consider wisely from whom you choose to select your baby. Not all breeders are the same. Beware of accepting an inferior individual when you are in a hurry or heartbroken.
Fox Point Farm/Charlotte Cannon does Genetic Testing on All our Parents
Von Willebrand’s Disease (VWD, Pseudohemophillia, Vascular hemophillia)
VWD is a clotting disorder that can result in uncontrolled bleeding, depending on the type of VWD. It is a very serious disorder with no treatment or cure. DNA tests are available to detect carrier, clear, and affected dogs.
Collie Eye Anomally (CEA, Choroidal hypoplasia, CH)
CEA is a recessively inherited disorder that causes abnormal development of the choroid - an important layer of the tissue under the retina of the eye. Since the choroid layer does not develop normally from the start, the primary abnormality can be diagnosed at a very young age. There is no treatment for CEA.
Multi-Drug Resistance (MDR1, Ivertmectin sensitivity)
Multi-Drug Resistance is found in a number of herding breeds, and results in a sensitivity to certain medications. It is found as the result of having the MDR1 gene – better known as the multi-drug resistance gene mutation. Veterinarians are well aware of the possible presence of this gene in herding breeds, and appropriate precautions and alternatives are provided. DNA testing for normal and affected dogs is available.
Degenerative Myelopathy (DM)
DM is a progressive disease of the spinal cord in older dogs. The disease has an insidious onset typically between 8 and 14 years of age. It begins with a loss of coordination (ataxia) in the hind limbs. The weakness gets progressively worse until the dog is unable to walk. The clinical course can range from 6 months to 1 year before the dog becomes paraplegic. If signs progress for a longer period of time, loss of urinary and fecal continence may occur. DM is not painful.
Gallbladder Mucoceles (Hepatobiliary disease, Mucinous cholecystitis, Mucinous hyperplasia)
GM causes obstruction of the gallbladder's storage capacity due to the formation of a thick, mucoid bile mass inside the gallbladder, impairing its ability to function. The accumulated bile may extend to the gallbladder, resulting in necrotizing cholecystitis - tissue death due to inflammation of the gallbladder. It is most common in middle-aged to older dogs.
Hip Dysplasia
Hip Dysplasia a painful, often crippling disease caused by an abnormality of the hip joint where the head of the thighbone (femur) does not fit properly into the pelvic socket. It is often progressive, causing inflammation, pain, and arthritis. The inheritance of hip dysplasia is polygenetic and multifactored, meaning more than one mode of inheritance is involved and environmental factors such as weight and growth rates can also play a part. The hips of breeding dogs should be evaluated by a specialist in canine orthopedics prior to breeding.
The breeder of every litter is clearly marked. Not all breeders do as much testing as I do. Please ask what each breeder tests for.
We offer the best Health and Temperament Guarantee Anywhere
We are so confident in our program that we offer the BEST GUARANTEE IN THE BUSINESS! Your puppy/adult is guaranteed against any health, personality, size, training problem for the first three years. Return your puppy/adult during the first three years for ANY REASON for a FULL REFUND of your purchase price (and of course you may choose to get another puppy instead).
We will take back any puppy or adult we have sold (or placed), at any time, for any reason. We will not judge you if your life changes and you need to give up your dog. We are here to support you and your dog, do not hesitate to request our help, we do not wish to ever see our dogs in need of a rescue group. We live on a farm and have plenty of room to keep any of our dogs (or other shelties) in need of a home.
We breed only when we have clients ready and waiting
All that being said, we are well aware and concerned about pet overpopulation in this country. We only breed girls when we have qualified, suitable families desiring puppies. We believe shelters and rescues are doing their best to help needy dogs find excellent homes.
We encourage you to consider a rescue when looking for your next family member. But we also see the need for responsible, ethical breeders with a positive vision for the future of their breed to produce excellent puppies for your consideration too. If nobody is looking to the future, only accidental and for-the-money litters with a myriad of problems will be available to buy/adopt and our beautiful breed will be lost. There is a need for responsible breeders to still produce puppies for their clients who desire excellence.
Deposits
No puppy will be held without a full paid deposit.
Most deposits are a total of $500. If you are a Premium List member your Premium List deposit is applied to the deposit of your chosen puppy, and you must place a second $250 deposit to hold your specific puppy.
If you are not on our Premium List, but you see a puppy you desire and it has be come available, please submit the entire $500 puppy deposit to hold. Although we do accept cash and checks, PayPal is the fastest, safest and preferred way to make your deposit.
Payment is required before your puppy leaves. You may use PayPal (we can send you a money request), mail a check (14 days early to allow it to clear), or bring cash with you.
No checks will be accepted at pick-up/meeting, cash only.
Raising Toy Shelties is a labor of love
Lastly, please understand raising Toy Shelties is a challenging task.
Sometimes getting tiny girls to cycle, stand to be bred, get pregnant and carry puppies full term is the most challenging part.
They don't all make great moms, few do in fact. It generally takes 2-3 years of trying before we can see if one of our girls is going to make a good mom.
Before birth, moms need extra monitoring in case delivery is tough; and occasionally super tiny moms need a c-section.
Complications in delivery, taking too long to deliver and breathe, can cost a tiny puppy its life fast.
Puppies take enormous amounts of time once they are born to make sure they are growing and cared for properly. Many puppies need tube-feeding to get started; they are so tiny they fatigue before they can drink enough milk on their own to survive and grow. Puppies need perfect temps (about 85 degrees) and perfect humidity. They need constant supervision the first few days to keep mom from accidentally suffocating one (or more) by lying on them (their voices are soft; their screams are unheard).
Suffice it to say, breeding toy shelties is a labor of love with many heartbreaks and tremendous cost, but when the puppies are here, healthy, adorable and meeting their new families, all the effort is worth it!
Due to such high demand for quality puppies, we co-breed with the following breeders.
Your Premium List Deposit qualifies you for FPF puppies and for their puppies as well:
* Wendy James
* Ann Moore
* Marsha Williams
Potty Training Puppy Apartment
Potty Training challenges are the biggest reason puppies, adults and elderly dogs are given away. We are super excited bc we feel we have found the solution for these issues, the Puppy Potty Training Apartment! It is a simple yet revolutionary way to train your puppy or adult!
They come in many sizes and are perfect for dogs of all ages. We recommend the Medium size for most puppies.
We use the Puppy Potty Training Apartment and we have a discount code, FPF28040, so you can too!
AKC Registration
Toy and Mini Shelties are considered 'undersized' by the AKC, but they are the original Shetland Sheepdog of UK type.
Almost all of our Shelties are registered with the AKC as AKC Shetland Sheepdogs. Being 'undersized' or below the height for the AKC breed standard limits your participation in AKC Conformation showing only.
AKC puppies raised by us are eligible for all other AKC Programs including AKC Agility and Herding competitions.
Many of our AKC registered Shelties come from Championship Conformation lines, so even though they are tiny, they are structurally and conformationally very correct. Occasionally a puppy will grow to be 'in size', these puppies are completely eligible for ALL AKC Events including Conformation.
We strive to raise perfect Shelties in tiny packages, and most of our Shelties must be seen to appreciate their size and correctness because in photos they look exactly like standard size Shelties. Make an appointment to come visit us today to see our beautiful dogs!
ALL our puppies are now eligible for either AKC Shetland Sheepdog or AKC Canine Partners registration! AKC Registration provides a multitude of benefits! Now these benefits are available to all our puppies! In your Puppy Pack you will receive either a traditional AKC Registration Form or a new AKC Canine Partners Registration Form. See AKC Canine Partners for more info about the new program!
We are obsessed with raising Toy Shelties that are as long-lived and healthy as standard size shelties. We believe some of our choices actually make our shelties healthier than standard show breeder's puppies.
"Line-breeding" or 'in-breeding' is a common, accepted and recommended practice amongst many show breeders. They breed in 'families' to "set" consistent type, coat, head shape and overall conformation characteristics. I understand from a genetics point of view that by 'doubling up' on certain genes/dogs/families that a breeder is more likely to produce puppies with more consistent looking exteriors, I believe having fewer genes in the gene pool puts the puppies at more risk for health and personality defects.
We believe 'out-crossing' (breeding unrelated dogs) is the best way to avoid bad recessive genes that create these health and personality problems that can severely shorten your dog's life and make things very expensive as well. Please understand by outcrossing size within a litter can vary.
The vast majority of our puppies are toy-size or minis as adults, but there is an occasional small standard that pops out too. We do our best to recognize them and predict their size at birth and at least before they go home.
Please know they may be the healthiest standard sheltie you can find, with the best temperament and would be fully eligible to show in AKC Conformation competition.
Some other toy sheltie breeders have a few unethical practices to watch out for too.
Some breed dogs with health defects (heart murmurs, liver shunts, kidney issues, etc) to produce tiny shelties. These issues can cause a dog to be smaller than it would be normally, and these issues can pop up in puppies of any breed who are smaller than expected.
Make sure your breeder has their adult dogs checked before breeding them, and ask what their policy is if a puppy turns up with an issue. Ethical responsible breeders will fully investigate the issue and many times retire one or both of the parents.
There is also a popular practice in some breeders to withhold food from puppies and adults in an attempt to 'stunt' their growth. This is obviously dangerous and stupid, most dogs will grow 'late' once they get proper nutrition, but damage to internal organs can be irreversible and significantly shorten their lives.
Please be aware that buying the 'runt' from a standard litter (or any litter) can be risky as well. Many true runts have internal problems who make them so tiny.
Don't fall for these common 'tricks', they could cost you a broken heart and loads of money.
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