BREEDING PLANS FOR Winter 2024

Rip

Taff

Rip and Taff are the two potential studs we are considering to pair with Ekko this winter. Both are comparable in temperament with very sweet personalities. They possess a wonderful off switch, able to settle well indoors and outdoors. They are low arousal boys even in high arousal situations. They have neutral to friendly personalities towards other dogs, children, livestock and people. Rip and Taff are both proven studs with progeny in sports/performance and herding. The main difference is that Taff is an open level dog vs. Rip who is started on livestock and used as a chore dog.

Ekko

Ekko is our foundation female. She is all the things we’ve envisioned for our program and more. She is our most neutral and well tempered dog, while also being sweet and friendly. This girl wants to learn, wants to work, wants to please, but… she also loves to hang out and just be with you. Ekko is the definition of a heart dog, and we hope to produce heart dogs for all the future puppy owners.

Ekko x Rip or taff

*Please note that breeding plans are just that… plans. And like most plans, they tend to change with the ebb and flow of life. Our hope is to pair Ekko to the stud best suited for our breeding program goals..

Planned: December 2024/January 2025, but dependent on Ekko’s heat and Mother Nature.

Litter: Ekko averages about 6 pups per litter.

Activities: The goal is that the puppies in this litter will have the potential to excel in a variety of homes, such as: working, sports/performance and active companion.

Temperament: medium to high drive, neutral to friendly with a good off-switch and low to medium arousal.

Size: medium 35-40lbs

Coat: medium rough coat

Ready to go home spring 2025

Our waitlist is filling up quickly, so if you’re interested in a puppy from this litter, please fill out an application.

Meet the Previous litter

by Rip out of Ekko, whelped 2/25/2024

temperament testing

Poet

The test are as follows:
• Social Attraction - degree of social attraction to people, confidence or dependence.
• Following - willingness to follow a person.
• Restraint - degree of dominant or submissive tendency, and ease of handling in difficult situations.
• Social Dominance - degree of acceptance of social dominance by a person.
• Elevation - degree of accepting dominance while in a position of no control, such as at the veterinarian or groomer.
• Retrieving - degree of willingness to do something for you. Together with Social Attraction and Following a key indicator for ease or difficulty in training.
• Touch Sensitivity - degree of sensitivity to touch and a key indicator to the type of training equipment required.
• Sound Sensitivity - degree of sensitivity to sound, such as loud noises or thunderstorms.
• Sight Sensitivity - degree of response to a moving object, such as chasing bicycles, children or squirrels.
• Stability - degree of startle response to a strange object.
Social attraction: 4 - Interested in the new space, but came ready with his tail down to the tester for pets.
Following: 3 - Followed readily, wagging and tail up, looking at tester.
Restraint: 3 - Settled, struggled, then settled with some eye contact.
Social dominance: 3 - Cuddled up to the tester and wanted to love.
Elevation dominance: 3 - No struggle, relaxed.
Retrieving: 3 - Chased and returned object to tester.
Touch sensitivity: 3 - Five to six seconds before responding.
Sound sensitivity: 3 - Listened and located the sound and went to investigate.
Sight sensitivity: 2 - Looked at and moved toward the object. Put feet and mouth on it.
Stability: 2 - Looked and walked to the umbrella and smelled it cautiously.

Novel

The test are as follows:
• Social Attraction - degree of social attraction to people, confidence or dependence.
• Following - willingness to follow a person.
• Restraint - degree of dominant or submissive tendency, and ease of handling in difficult situations.
• Social Dominance - degree of acceptance of social dominance by a person.
• Elevation - degree of accepting dominance while in a position of no control, such as at the veterinarian or groomer.
• Retrieving - degree of willingness to do something for you. Together with Social Attraction and Following a key indicator for ease or difficulty in training.
• Touch Sensitivity - degree of sensitivity to touch and a key indicator to the type of training equipment required.
• Sound Sensitivity - degree of sensitivity to sound, such as loud noises or thunderstorms.
• Sight Sensitivity - degree of response to a moving object, such as chasing bicycles, children or squirrels.
• Stability - degree of startle response to a strange object.
Social attraction: 2 - Came readily with tail up to the tester, pawing and wanting all the pets.
Following: 3 - Followed readily, wagging and tail up, looking at the tester.
Restraint: 3 - Settled, struggled, then settled with some eye contact.
Social dominance: 6 - Went away and stayed away.
Elevation dominance: 3 - No struggle, relaxed.
Retrieving: 3 - Chased and returned object to tester.
Touch sensitivity: 3 - Five to six seconds before responding.
Sound sensitivity: 4 - Listened and located the sound.
Sight sensitivity: 1 - Looked and went to attack and bite playfully.
Stability: 2 - Looked and walked to the umbrella and smelled it cautiously.

Myth

The test are as follows:
• Social Attraction - degree of social attraction to people, confidence or dependence.
• Following - willingness to follow a person.
• Restraint - degree of dominant or submissive tendency, and ease of handling in difficult situations.
• Social Dominance - degree of acceptance of social dominance by a person.
• Elevation - degree of accepting dominance while in a position of no control, such as at the veterinarian or groomer.
• Retrieving - degree of willingness to do something for you. Together with Social Attraction and Following a key indicator for ease or difficulty in training.
• Touch Sensitivity - degree of sensitivity to touch and a key indicator to the type of training equipment required.
• Sound Sensitivity - degree of sensitivity to sound, such as loud noises or thunderstorms.
• Sight Sensitivity - degree of response to a moving object, such as chasing bicycles, children or squirrels.
• Stability - degree of startle response to a strange object.
Social attraction: 3 - Came readily with tail up to the tester wanting pets.
Following: 3 - Followed readily, wagging and tail up, looking at the tester.
Restraint: 5 - No struggle.
Social dominance: 5 - Rolled over and licked at the tester’s hands.
Elevation dominance: 3 - No struggle, relaxed.
Retrieving: 3 - Chased and returned object to tester.
Touch sensitivity: 4 - three to five seconds before responsding.
Sound sensitivity: 4 - Listened and located the sound.
Sight sensitivity: 2 - Looked and investigated item playfully, putting feet and mouth on it.
Stability: 2 - Looked and walked to the umbrella and smelled it cautiously.

Fable

The test are as follows:
• Social Attraction - degree of social attraction to people, confidence or dependence.
• Following - willingness to follow a person.
• Restraint - degree of dominant or submissive tendency, and ease of handling in difficult situations.
• Social Dominance - degree of acceptance of social dominance by a person.
• Elevation - degree of accepting dominance while in a position of no control, such as at the veterinarian or groomer.
• Retrieving - degree of willingness to do something for you. Together with Social Attraction and Following a key indicator for ease or difficulty in training.
• Touch Sensitivity - degree of sensitivity to touch and a key indicator to the type of training equipment required.
• Sound Sensitivity - degree of sensitivity to sound, such as loud noises or thunderstorms.
• Sight Sensitivity - degree of response to a moving object, such as chasing bicycles, children or squirrels.
• Stability - degree of startle response to a strange object.
Social attraction: 2 - Came readily with tail up to the tester, pawing and wanting all the pets.
Following: 2 - Followed the tester readily with tail up and underfoot.
Restraint: 2 - Struggled and flailed.
Social dominance: 3 - Cuddled up to the tester and wanted to love.
Elevation dominance: 6 - Did not struggle, but endured.
Retrieving: 1 - Chased the object, grabbed it and ran away.
Touch sensitivity: 5 - two to three seconds before responding.
Sound sensitivity: 5 - Cringed, backed away and hid.
Sight sensitivity: 2 - Looked at and moved toward the object. Put feet and mouth on it.
Stability: 2 - Looked and walked to the umbrella and smelled it cautiously.

ode

The test are as follows:
• Social Attraction - degree of social attraction to people, confidence or dependence.
• Following - willingness to follow a person.
• Restraint - degree of dominant or submissive tendency, and ease of handling in difficult situations.
• Social Dominance - degree of acceptance of social dominance by a person.
• Elevation - degree of accepting dominance while in a position of no control, such as at the veterinarian or groomer.
• Retrieving - degree of willingness to do something for you. Together with Social Attraction and Following a key indicator for ease or difficulty in training.
• Touch Sensitivity - degree of sensitivity to touch and a key indicator to the type of training equipment required.
• Sound Sensitivity - degree of sensitivity to sound, such as loud noises or thunderstorms.
• Sight Sensitivity - degree of response to a moving object, such as chasing bicycles, children or squirrels.
• Stability - degree of startle response to a strange object.
Social attraction: 6 - Curious, but did not come toward the tester.
Following: 6 - Decided not to follow and went to check out the space.
Restraint: 5 - No struggle.
Social dominance: 3 - Cuddled up to the tester and wanted to love.
Elevation dominance: 6 - Did not struggle, but endured.
Retrieving: 3 - Chased and returned object to tester.
Touch sensitivity: 2 - six to eight seconds before responding.
Sound sensitivity: 6 - Ignored the sound and was unfazed.
Sight sensitivity: 2 - Looked at and moved toward the object. Put feet and mouth on it.
Stability: 5 - Showed little interest and was unfazed.

RHYME

The test are as follows:
• Social Attraction - degree of social attraction to people, confidence or dependence.
• Following - willingness to follow a person.
• Restraint - degree of dominant or submissive tendency, and ease of handling in difficult situations.
• Social Dominance - degree of acceptance of social dominance by a person.
• Elevation - degree of accepting dominance while in a position of no control, such as at the veterinarian or groomer.
• Retrieving - degree of willingness to do something for you. Together with Social Attraction and Following a key indicator for ease or difficulty in training.
• Touch Sensitivity - degree of sensitivity to touch and a key indicator to the type of training equipment required.
• Sound Sensitivity - degree of sensitivity to sound, such as loud noises or thunderstorms.
• Sight Sensitivity - degree of response to a moving object, such as chasing bicycles, children or squirrels.
• Stability - degree of startle response to a strange object.
Social attraction: 2 - Came readily with tail up to the tester, pawing and wanting all the pets.
Following: 6 - Decided not to follow and went to check out the space.
Restraint: 5 - No struggle.
Social dominance: 3 - Cuddled up to the tester and wanted to love.
Elevation Dominance: 4 - Struggled, settled then licked the tester.
Retrieving: 3 - Chased and returned object to tester.
Touch sensitivity: 5 - two to three seconds before responding.
Sound sensitivity: 5 - Cringed, backing away to hide.
Sight sensitivity: 2 - Looked and investigated item playfully, putting feet and mouth on it.
Stability: 3 - Curious and looking at the umbrella, but uninterested in moving toward it.