Graceland Kennel   Marshfield, MO 417-496-1157 417-468-3900 Fax

History

I am the second generation of our family, which has raised and trained dogs. I was brought up from the day I was born in a show ring, as I became older I worked with the trainers helping them to get their dogs ready for the ring. My father ran our kennel with some of the best German imported Shepherds that could be found. He held training classes at our home from the time I was to little to remember. I strive in my breeding program to keep the standard of the breed into the USA. I am committed to the breeds that I raise and only strive for the betterment of the breed. Because of my history with the AKC I am not only concerned with the conformation  but also the health of the dog.  I feel both are important to keep the breed standard in all breeds.  By browsing my breeding dogs you can see I have selected some dogs that I feel I can more than achieve this with.

All our puppies are very socialized and do not live their life in a cage.  Our females and male breeders are a part of our home.  They are exercised and have play time in our play yards.  They all have names and are loved and cared for as our own house dogs.  Our breeders are groomed on a regular basis and see a vet once a year for checkups and teeth cleanings.  Our puppies are crate trained to the best of their ability at their age, they experience many things before they come to your home.  They are raised on carpet and have heat and air-conditioning just as our house dogs do.  They learn to go in and out a dog door even as a puppy.  We do not over breed our females and give them a rest in between breeding, we let them enjoy life without puppies hanging on them 24/7.  We also retire our breeders into homes.  These dogs are spayed or neutered and given away to people that are approved by our standards.  Keep in mind we reserve the right to refuse anybody the purchase of one of our puppies.  You must meet OUR requirements to purchase one of our puppies or dogs.  

Graceland Kennel is also very committed to spaying and neutering pets.  Because we believe in this so strong, we do sell some dogs on a spayed and neuter contract only.   We feel that this may not eliminate all unwanted breedings but is the best for the health of your puppy.  Also, we feel that in the event you choose to place your puppy elsewhere it will stop the purchase of that puppy to a puppy mill producer.   

As you have read we are very committed to the quality of our dogs and thank you for taking the time to look at our web site and if I can help you find the right puppy or dog for you or your family please contact me.

MY YORKIES

I have chosen my breeders from carefully selected yorkies and have raised most of them from puppies. I have been careful in my selections to maintain the yorkie standard. Health, teeth, joints, ears, coats, personality and then size are my goals to perfect. All my puppies are born in my home with careful monitoring of not only the puppy but the female. Each puppy is socialized in the home setting. Being handled, fed, played with and loved until they are old enough and emotionally adjusted to go to their new home. Each puppy is an individual with different stress levels. Because of this, not all puppies are sold at eight weeks. Our puppies do not go home to their new owners until I feel that they have adjusted to parent and litter separation which is a very stressful time in their lives.

Because of the tiny size of my puppies, which average from two and a half pounds to five pounds, I have the final decision whether the puppy will be sold to certain homes. I do not recommend these small babies in homes with small children, because of this I reserve the right to sell or not to sell. Also, shipping becomes a problem because of their sizes.

PUGS

We got into the pugs because of our two boys.  They both wanted a pug as a house pet so, this is how I began to raise pugs.  In my venture to find some nice puppies to meet my standards I ran into several problems.  After a lot of research and help from my vet I found that it is not easy to find a nice healthy pug.  Breeders ranged from 25 pounds to 5 pounds.  With the help of my vet I was able to find two very nice females.  After several months of raising these two puppy pugs in my home and found out that they are so good with children I went to my vet for help in finding some nice breeders to raise the same for other people.  There are many health issues with pugs, more than people truly know.  Our goal is to breed these problems out.  To be able to offer a healthy puppy for people with children.  So far I have some nice breeders, with a couple set backs we strive to better this breed.  It is one of the best house pets you can purchase.  There personality is only to love.  We have by far perfected the breed, but we do our best in offering a very loving, healthy puppy.

ENGLISH BULL DOGS

I guess I am always up for a challenge.  When I find a breed that people have destroyed in the back yard or to just make a buck in their pocket it pushes me to make the breed right.  With all the health issues in a bull dog this has been by far my hardest challenge.  I have spent years finding my breeders and I promise you this I have walked away from more than I have ever bought.  For every 20 dogs I have looked at to purchase to put in my breeding program I have maybe brought one home.  I have found that it is easier to raise my own breeders, but this has been hard as I do not believe in in breeding.  So I have had to search for some nice breeding lines that I can bring into my program.  Though I have had to give away several I have developed some nice breeders.  So far I have some males and females which I have had no health issues with.  My goal in life is to have all my dogs OFA'd.  I have now accomplished this with my newest breeding male, JAKE.  He has just recently passed his preliminary evaluation with OFA, he has passed with a rating of fair.  I do believe that when I have him X-rayed in December to have him certified he will pass with a good rating.  Even a fair rating for a bulldog is so hard to get.  Like my AKC representative said, "it gives me goose pimples to think of a bull dog passing OFA".   My vets do recommend me as a breeder which says a lot for my bull puppies.  As well as they do recommend my males for breeding to other breeders.