We got our first Boston in 2001. We have been in the "dog world" since the mid 90's and have been around, trained, shown, etc. for many years. We started breeding Boston Terriers in 2004.

The only good reason to breed is to improve the breed! In order to do this, we try to keep back a puppy from every litter (as every litter was planned for a particular purpose), or forfeit pick puppy to friends/associates in order to make a contribution to the betterment of the breed. We're breeding for the “total dog” and feel that being a good show dog and being a healthy and good breeder, shouldn't be mutually exclusive. We feel that a dog should be all these things with an excellent temperament to boot. Please see Our Story page for more information.

We are members in good standing (since 2003) with the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) and the Boston Terrier Club of Canada. I (Cassidy) used to be affiliated with a couple of Obedience clubs before getting into breeding. Please see our About Us page for more information about our experience.

Yes! In some cases, our breeding stock is also AKC and/or FCI registered if imported. All of our puppies are CKC registered and our pet puppies are sold with Limited Registration.

While the focus of our breeding program is on health and temperament, given that we're breeding to breed standard, yes, we show our dogs in CKC sanctioned events on occasion. We hope to get to shows in the U.S. in the future and it's a dream for us to show in Europe as well. We're also hoping to get involved with Obedience again, as in the past. Since we prefer to show our dogs ourselves (rather than sending them to reside at a Handler's home to be shown) and due to the demands of family and our kids' rigorous sports schedules (and caring for the puppies/dogs of course!), we do not get out to the shows as much as we would like. So, we get to the shows as often as humanly possible. We have been very fortunate to have had dogs who have finished their Championships very quickly and have not needed to spend months or years showing to get a Championship on him/her. We're also very fortunate to work with reputable breeders (and breeder/Vets and breeder/judges) overseas, whom show the dogs we buy from them for us and some have also shown our exported dogs (and their get) in their breed club shows, the World show and Crufts.

As per our Our Story page, we breed for health, so we do not in-breed or closely line-breed (indeed we have bloodlines from around the world). Unfortunately there are not many Boston breeders in Canada and therefore the gene pool is small, which is why we import frequently. We work with breeders who have a similar focus on health and we go however far is necessary, to facilitate our goals. In our experience, dogs from Europe are generally healthier and this is in part, due to the way FCI Kennel Clubs and dog shows are run and some clubs have health and performance restrictions/requirements in order to register puppies/dogs, in order to maintain the integrity and quality of breed bloodlines.

Just because we do it, doesn't mean it's easy! I will be honest and say that it always bothers me when people imply that we/breeders must not care, as they say that they couldn't possibly do what we do (and part with the puppies), as it would break their heart, as they would care too much. Without going into too much detail, after having worked at Vets and an Animal Shelter and having seen the tragic cases, adopting puppies out to loving homes is nothing compared to that (without these previous experiences, I could not breed and adopt out our puppies). Plus, we also started with several dogs that came to us as adults (that had been bred before) to help "ease" us into breeding. When it came time to their retirement, we were sad, but we were happy for them that they got to retire in a stellar home, as an only or one of a couple dogs. If we had started with several puppies and raised them to adulthood ourselves, we'd quickly be out of breeding, as we wouldn't have been able to start a breeding program and continue on (as we wouldn't be able to part with them)! Indeed our original dogs (our foundation) stayed in our family. In comparison to the tragic cases that I used to see come into the shelter or Vet, what we do is very satisfying and positive and I usually get to know prospective puppy parents very well over the course of the waiting period (being on the waiting list) and the two months of pictures and updates. It certainly helps “ease” my mind having the expectations, screenings and policies that we do. If we're not comfortable with a particular owner and we feel that they won't provide a good home for one of our puppies/dogs, we do not adopt our puppies/dogs out to them. It's never easy however and yes, we do cry from time to time when they leave us. As for parting with adults, we live in denial that we will ever have to do that and do not focus on that - otherwise, it'd be too hard. We tell ourselves that they're staying, unless for some reason, they're not “fitting in” with the ever evolving "pack". In this case, we are acting in their best interest to place them in a home where it's a better situation for them. To part with an adult dog, a breeder has to be selfless and DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THE DOG. If a home cannot provide at LEAST the same amount of care and quality home as they are accustomed to, then we don't let them go. We do what's in our dogs' best interests. Of course, we will always have dogs that will stay here for the duration of their life, but unfortunately, to be fair to them all and provide the proper care and attention, we cannot keep them all. "Animal hoarding" is never appropriate or okay!

If you want a dog representative of their breed and bred to standard, then generally, yes. If you go to a breeder who shows their dogs, the chances are greater that the breeders' dogs are within breed standard and that you will be getting a dog, representative of its breed. Further, if the breeder shows, they are more likely to be breeding (to the standard) to improve the breed and not just breeding for money. Showing dogs is expensive!

Yes! There are rules, regulations and ethics a breeder has to follow in order to be a member and remain a member in good standing with the CKC. A non-member is not bound by the same rules, regulations and ethics and a prospective owner has “power” in dealing with a breeder if unfortunately there should be problems or issues that need to be dealt with (e.g. receiving their registration papers, etc). Also, chances are greater - if you adopt from a registered breeder (as opposed to a non-registered breeder), that they are passionate and dedicated to the improvement and preservation of their breed and not just breeding to sell puppies. If a breeder breeds registered dogs and is NOT a CKC member, one must question why, as the CKC offers significant discounts on registrations, etc. to its members.

We feed our puppies and dogs TLC puppy and lifestages dog food. The TLC company/food was founded in 1994. TLC is a premium, holistic, biologically appropriate diet, formulated by professionally trained nutritionists. TLC is an ancestral-based, meat-first diet, meant to mirror a pet's ancestral diet. TLC is free of artificial flavors, colours, and preservatives and the ingredients are fresh, never frozen and arrive daily from North American farms, fisheries, and suppliers. You will not find TLC in stores, as their food is sold exclusively online, made fresh, packaged, and shipped FREE (in Canada and the United States) directly to your doorstep. Given TLC's unique business structure, TLC is able to produce and distribute the highest quality food possible, at a very reasonable price (and most often lower than a comparable food sold at a pet store). While TLC Whole Life Dog Food is 100% complete and balanced and formulated to meet AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles for all life stages, for the quality of our dog's life (indeed, we as people wouldn't be happy if we had to eat the same thing every day!), fertility, their longevity, happiness and superior nutrition, we also provide toppers (Canisource Grand Cru, Smack and home cooked) and supplement with antioxidants, prebiotics, probiotics and omega fatty acids.

YES! In addition to home cooked foods, dehydrated raw toppers, omega fatty acids and pre and probiotics, we also supplement with NuVet Plus. Nuvet is an amazing immune system builder. We believe in it so much that in addition to giving it to our own dogs, in order to maintain our 12 month health guarantee (and optional two year guarantee), one must continue to give it to their puppy/dog as well. While we encourage our puppy parents to supplement with fatty acids and pre and probiotics (and home-cooked or dehydrated raw toppers when their puppies are older), we do not require it in our contract. Hundreds of thousands of dogs and cats are using NuVet to support their immune system and provide optimal health. A strong immune system will protect them from environmental and food toxins such as back yard pesticides, hormones, germs from public places, and even toxic formaldehyde in furniture and carpeting. NuVet isn't just a vitamin. It’s an immune system builder with a precise balance of vitamins, minerals, omega fatty acids, amino acids and high-potency antioxidants. That’s why it works so well through all three stages of a dog’s life. Boston puppies' knees often go loose during a growth spurt between the ages of 8-9 months of age and we recommend NuJoint Plus as well, during the ages of 6 months and 12 months of age, to help with this growth spurt. Indeed, we believe so strongly in it that we do offer an extended guarantee, if one chooses to supplement with NuJoint Plus during the critical period.

Our dogs live in our smoke free home and not in a kennel or barn (yes, people do phone and ask us this). We have no indoor/outdoor runs or separate building(s). Our dogs play inside our home and outside during the day and have lots of outdoor time, house time and rest time. Our dogs are crate trained and housetrained and are crated when we're not home and at night. We also allow some of our Bostons to sleep with us.

Our dogs get lots of regular indoor and outdoor play (in our fenced yards). Bostons' needs for exercise are moderate and can be met playing in the house and outside. Of course there are walks around our beautiful waterfront neighborhood and handling/training classes as our schedule allows as well.

We have approximately three to four litters a year at most. Sometimes we only have one or two. We breed our dogs when they're ready (and physically able and healthy) and we do not "fill orders". It's often difficult to judge how many litters we will have as it depends on when the girls come into season (often they come in late and then all come in at the same time at a later date), their health status (i.e. body condition, ability to carry pups, recovery from a previous litter, etc.) and the clearance from our Veterinarian that a female can be bred.

We do not like to breed our girls too early (age wise), nor do we want to start breeding them too late in their lives either, as it has been our experience that they have much more difficult labours, pregnancies and recoveries when they are older. It is not worth risking losing them on the operating table to breed them too late in life (i.e. many breeders prioritize show titles and this often takes a very long time to complete, thereby delaying breeding). We don't start breeding our girls before a year and a half old and we like our girls to retire at four to five years of age at the absolute latest - sometimes younger if it is better for them. Since pretty near all Bostons (and some Boxers) require c-sections, we generally breed these girls only once a year and only three times. However, this is not an absolute number and if they can only have one litter, they have one. If the Vet recommends a "back to back" breeding based on age, time in between litters, etc. we may do that as well. It all depends on the female and what our Veterinarian says about their suitability for breeding at that time. Every decision we make is based on the health status of our females and our Veterinarian's opinion as to whether our females should be bred or not and when. Again, this all depends on the females heat cycles, health, and previous pregnancies and deliveries. There are many different opinions as to whether females should be bred "back to back" or heats/breedings skipped. Indeed, many reproductive Vets suggest breeding back to back whenever possible, as they say that each heat a dog is not bred, adhesions/scar tissue is left and therefore the chances of future reproductive issues increases. Indeed, each time a dog has a heat and is not bred, there is a chance of life-threatening pyometra (pus in the womb) happening and an emergency spay to save her life. All things considered, at the end of the day, we do what's in the best interest of our girls. Our Vet also helps us to determine when they should be retired and indeed, more often than not, we retire our girls YEARS before they say we could/should (i.e. they're healthy enough to breed until much older).

Yes, our dogs are extensively health tested. We test for breed specific issues (please see our dogs' pages) IN ADDITION TO these genetic disorders: 2,8-dihydroxyadenine (DHA) Urolithiasis Acral Mutilation Syndrome Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Alaskan Husky Encephalopathy Alexander Disease Amelogenesis Imperfecta Bandera's Neonatal Ataxia Benign Familial Juvenile Epilepsy Canine Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency (CLAD), type III Canine Multifocal Retinopathy 1 Canine Multifocal Retinopathy 2 Canine Multifocal Retinopathy 3 Canine Scott Syndrome Centronuclear Myopathy (Discovered in the Great Dane) Centronuclear Myopathy (Discovered in the Labrador Retriever) Cerebellar Ataxia Cerebellar Cortical Degeneration Cerebellar Hypoplasia Cerebral Dysfunction Chondrodysplasia Cleft Lip & Palate with Syndactyly Cleft Palate Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA) Complement 3 Deficiency Cone Degeneration (Discovered in the Alaskan Malamute) Cone Degeneration (Discovered in the German Shepherd Dog) Cone Degeneration (Discovered in the German Shorthaired Pointer) Cone-Rod Dystrophy Cone-Rod Dystrophy 1 Cone-Rod Dystrophy 2 Congenital Dyshormonogenic Hypothyroidism with Goiter (Discovered in the Shih Tzu) Congenital Hypothyroidism (Discovered in the Tenterfield Terrier) Congenital Hypothyroidism (Discovered in the Toy Fox and Rat Terrier) Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome (Discovered in the Golden Retriever) Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome (Discovered in the Jack Russell Terrier) Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome (Discovered in the Labrador Retriever) Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome (Discovered in the Old Danish Pointing Dog) Congenital Stationary Night Blindness (CSNB) Craniomandibular Osteopathy Cystic Renal Dysplasia and Hepatic Fibrosis Cystinuria Type I-A Cystinuria Type II-A Deafness and Vestibular Dysfunction (Discovered in Doberman Pinscher) Degenerative Myelopathy Demyelinating Neuropathy Dental Hypomineralization Dilated Cardiomyopathy (Discovered in the Schnauzer) Dominant Progressive Retinal Atrophy Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa (Discovered in the Central Asian Ovcharka) Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa (Discovered in the Golden Retriever) Early Adult Onset Deafness For Border Collies only (Linkage test) Early Retinal Degeneration (Discovered in the Norwegian Elkhound) Early-onset PRA (Discovered in the Portuguese Water Dog) Early-Onset Progressive Polyneuropathy (Discovered in the Alaskan Malamute) Early-Onset Progressive Polyneuropathy (Discovered in the Greyhound) Enamel Hypoplasia (Discovered in the Parson Russell Terrier) Epidermolytic Hyperkeratosis Episodic Falling Syndrome Exercise-Induced Collapse Factor VII Deficiency Factor XI Deficiency Fanconi Syndrome Fetal Onset Neuroaxonal Dystrophy Focal Non-Epidermolytic Palmoplantar Keratoderma Generalized Progressive Retinal Atrophy (Discovered in the Schapendoes) Glanzmann Thrombasthenia Type I Glanzmann Thrombasthenia Type I (Discovered in Great Pyrenees) Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy (Discovered in Terriers) Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy (Discovered in the Irish Setter) Glycogen Storage Disease Type Ia Glycogen Storage Disease Type IIIa, (GSD IIIa) GM1 Gangliosidosis (Discovered in the Portuguese Water Dog) GM1 Gangliosidosis (Discovered in the Shiba) GM2 Gangliosidosis (Discovered in the Japanese Chin) GM2 Gangliosidosis (Discovered in the Toy Poodle) Hemophilia A (Discovered in Old English Sheepdog) Hemophilia A (Discovered in the Boxer) Hemophilia A (Discovered in the German Shepherd Dog - Variant 1) Hemophilia A (Discovered in the German Shepherd Dog - Variant 2) Hemophilia A (Discovered in the Havanese) Hemophilia B Hemophilia B (Discovered in the Airedale Terrier) Hemophilia B (Discovered in the Lhasa Apso) Hereditary Ataxia (Discovered in the Norwegian Buhund) Hereditary Elliptocytosis Hereditary Footpad Hyperkeratosis Hereditary Nasal Parakeratosis (Discovered in the Greyhound) Hereditary Nasal Parakeratosis (Discovered in the Labrador Retriever) Hereditary Vitamin D-Resistant Rickets Type II Hyperekplexia or Startle Disease Hyperuricosuria Hypocatalasia Hypomyelination Hypophosphatemia Ichthyosis (Discovered in the American Bulldog) Ichthyosis (Discovered in the Great Dane) Intestinal Cobalamin Malabsorption (Discovered in the Beagle) Intestinal Cobalamin Malabsorption (Discovered in the Border Collie) Intestinal Cobalamin Malabsorption (Discovered in the Komondor) Juvenile Encephalopathy (Discovered in the Parson Russell Terrier) Juvenile Laryngeal Paralysis and Polyneuropathy Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy L-2-Hydroxyglutaric Aciduria L-2-Hydroxyglutaric Aciduria (Discovered in the Westie) Lagotto Storage Disease Lamellar Ichthyosis Lethal Acrodermatitis (Discovered in the Bull Terrier) Ligneous Membranitis Lung Developmental Disease (Discovered in the Airedale Terrier) Macrothrombocytopenia May-Hegglin Anomaly MDR1 Medication Sensitivity Microphthalmia (Discovered in the Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier) Mucopolysaccharidosis Type IIIA (Discovered in the Dachshund) Mucopolysaccharidosis Type IIIA (Discovered in the New Zealand Huntaway) Mucopolysaccharidosis Type VII (Discovered in the Brazilian Terrier) Mucopolysaccharidosis Type VII (Discovered in the German Shepherd Dog) Muscular Dystrophy (Discovered in the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel) Muscular Dystrophy (Discovered in the Golden Retriever) Muscular Dystrophy (Discovered in the Landseer) Muscular Dystrophy (Discovered in the Norfolk Terrier) Muscular Hypertrophy (Double Muscling) Musladin-Lueke Syndrome Myeloperoxidase Deficiency Myotonia Congenita Myotonia Congenita (Discovered in the Labrador Retriever) Myotonia Congenita (Discovered in the Miniature Schnauzer) Myotubular Myopathy Narcolepsy (Discovered in the Dachshund) Narcolepsy (Discovered in the Labrador Retriever) Nemaline Myopathy Neonatal Cerebellar Cortical Degeneration Neonatal Encephalopathy with Seizures Neuroaxonal Dystrophy Neuroaxonal Dystrophy (Discovered in the Papillon) Neuroaxonal Dystrophy (Discovered in the Rottweiler) Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis 1 Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis 7 Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis 8 (Discovered in the Alpine Dachsbracke) Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis 8 (Discovered in the Australian Shepherd) Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis 8 (Discovered in the English Setter) Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis 8 (Discovered in the Saluki) Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis 12 (Discovered in the Australian Cattle Dog) Obesity risk (POMC) Osteochondrodysplasia Osteochondromatosis (Discovered in the American Staffordshire Terrier) Osteogenesis Imperfecta (Discovered in the Beagle) Osteogenesis Imperfecta (Discovered in the Dachshund) P2RY12-associated Bleeding Disorder Paroxysmal Dyskinesia Persistent Müllerian Duct Syndrome Phosphofructokinase Deficiency Polycystic Kidney Disease Prekallikrein Deficiency Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (Discovered in the Alaskan Malamute) Primary Lens Luxation Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (Discovered in Basset Fauve de Bretagne) Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (Discovered in Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen) Primary Open Angle Glaucoma and Lens Luxation (Discovered in Chinese Shar-Pei) Progressive Early-Onset Cerebellar Ataxia Progressive Retinal Atrophy (Discovered in the Swedish Vallhund) Progressive Retinal Atrophy (Discovered in the Basenji) Progressive Retinal Atrophy (Discovered in the Golden Retriever - GR-PRA1 variant) Progressive Retinal Atrophy (Discovered in the Lhasa Apso) Progressive Retinal Atrophy (Discovered in the Papillon and Phalène) Progressive Retinal Atrophy (Discovered in the Shetland Sheepdog - BBS2 variant) Progressive Retinal Atrophy (Discovered in the Shetland Sheepdog - CNGA1 variant) Progressive Retinal Atrophy 1 (Discovered in the Italian Greyhound) Progressive Retinal Atrophy Type III Progressive Rod Cone Degeneration (prcd-PRA) Protein Losing Nephropathy Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Phosphatase 1 Deficiency Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency (Discovered in the Basenji) Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency (Discovered in the Beagle) Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency (Discovered in the Pug) Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency (Discovered in the West Highland White Terrier) QT Syndrome Renal Cystadenocarcinoma and Nodular Dermatofibrosis Rod-Cone Dysplasia 1 Rod-Cone Dysplasia 1a Rod-Cone Dysplasia 3 Sensory Ataxic Neuropathy Sensory Neuropathy Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (Discovered in Frisian Water Dogs) Shaking Puppy Syndrome (Discovered in the Border Terrier) Skeletal Dysplasia 2 Spinocerebellar Ataxia (Late-Onset Ataxia) Spinocerebellar Ataxia with Myokymia and/or Seizures Spondylocostal Dysostosis Spongy Degeneration with Cerebellar Ataxia Spongy Degeneration with Cerebellar Ataxia (Discovered in Belgian Malinois) Stargardt Disease (Discovered in the Labrador Retriever) Trapped Neutrophil Syndrome Van den Ende-Gupta Syndrome von Willebrand's Disease, type 1 von Willebrand's Disease, type 2 von Willebrand's Disease, type 3 (Discovered in the Kooiker Hound) von Willebrand's Disease, type 3 (Discovered in the Scottish Terrier) von Willebrand's Disease, type 3 (Discovered in the Shetland Sheepdog) X-Linked Ectodermal Dysplasia X-Linked Hereditary Nephropathy (Discovered in the Navasota Dog) X-Linked Hereditary Nephropathy (Discovered in the Samoyed) X-Linked Myotubular Myopathy X-Linked Progressive Retinal Atrophy 1 X-Linked Progressive Retinal Atrophy 2 X-Linked Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (Discovered in the Basset Hound) X-Linked Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (Discovered in the Cardigan Welsh Corgi) X-Linked Tremors Xanthinuria (Discovered in a mixed breed dog) Xanthinuria (Discovered in the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel) Xanthinuria (Discovered in the Toy Manchester Terrier)

NO!!!! These colours are NOT CKC acceptable/recognized breed colours! These colours are therefore not within breed standard and dogs of these colours cannot be shown in conformation (dog shows) events and will be disqualified. These are not "rare" colours, they're unrecognized colours as these colours were not in the genome of the original/foundation dogs and interbreeding/mixing was introduced at some point, in order to produce these colours. Thus, breeders who breed to breed standard, using dogs that truly go back to the foundation dogs of the breed, do not "miraculously" produce puppies of disqualifying colours. In order to register these puppies/dogs in Canada, a breeder must indicate that they are of an acceptable colour (when they are not, obviously) on their registration forms, thereby being untruthful.

The old saying "you are what you eat" is true and we care about what our puppies/dogs eat and how they grow and develop. The nature-nurture debate has been long-standing and previous estimates on the contribution of nature vs. nurture has been 60% and 40% respectively. Now, given the world we live in, soil depletion, pollution, toxins, etc, some estimate that the contributions of the environment (i.e. nurture) can play a larger role in a dog/organisms' health than previously thought. That said, we want our dogs to be fed a natural food that is made of premium ingredients, sourced in North America.

Assuming that your dog's gut biome, yeast colonization and parasites have first been addressed, we would then discuss with you approved food options.

Most experts agree that today, the nutrients in our food are being impaired by soil depletion, poor soil quality and pesticides. Many experts agree that because of this, it’s not possible to get all of the nutrients we require, from our food and that supplementation is necessary in order to receive adequate nutrients and nutrition. To exacerbate this problem, when our food is cooked, nutrients are further depleted from our food. While in theory, eating raw food is ideal (which is fine for fruits and vegetables!), in order to maximize nutrition, but when it comes to meat, most experts would agree that there are health risks (bacteria, illness, etc.) to eating raw meat. Many advocates of eating/feeding raw (human and pets alike) promote the soaking of raw meat in bleach or peroxide prior to eating, which in itself, could be problematic with regards to ingestion. Not to mention, that not every person/breed of dog has the enzymes to digest raw meat. At any rate, raw feeding (which we distinguish from dehydrated or freeze dried raw) is a conversation for another time... Dog food is made from the same food sources as human food loses nutrients too (no matter the quality) when the food is baked/made. This is why we feed and recommend NuVet to our dogs and puppies and require our puppy parents to continue to give our puppies NuVet for at least the first year of life. Bostons in particular (and other brachycephalic breeds), have an increased need for pre and probiotics added to their diet and NuVet helps to support this need. As a dog breeder, our puppies/dog’s health is our top priority. Hundreds of thousands of dogs and cats are using NuVet to support their immune system and provide optimal health. A strong immune system will protect them from environmental and food toxins such as back yard pesticides, hormones, germs from public places, and even toxic formaldehyde in furniture and carpeting. This is not just a vitamin. It’s an immune system builder with a precise balance of vitamins, minerals, omega fatty acids, amino acids and high-potency antioxidants. That’s why it works so well through all three stages of a dog’s life. For puppies - Fills the immunity gap all puppies experience. Shortly after birth, maternal antibody effectiveness is greatly reduced. By 8 weeks your puppy’s immune system is at a vulnerable point. Once in their new home, the immune system is weakened by the stress of adoption and exposure to novel bacteria and viruses in their environment. This is also when the vaccine series is started. Vaccines are most effective if the immune system can respond properly. Starting NuVet Plus now is important to helping your puppy grow into a healthy adult. For dogs in their prime - Improves the luster of their skin and coat while providing the necessary antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins, mineral and more to sustain their body’s peak performance during the prime of their lives. For older dogs - Helps provide the nutritional requirements to help them live long, happy, and productive lives in their senior years. *NuVet is not available in stores, and is only available to the general public with an order code from an authorized pet professional*

Having pet insurance is a requirement of adoption and in maintaining our health guarantee. As reputable breeders, we go to great lengths and expense, to maximize our puppies/dog’s health and to promote their longevity. In order to facilitate this, we frequently import high quality dogs, health test (indeed, we’re running the largest DNA genetic health testing panel in the world to date) and provide high quality food and supplements to our dogs. Thus, our efforts to produce healthy puppies starts well before breeding/conception and lasts through gestation, after birth, raising puppies until they’re ready to go to their new homes and supporting our puppy parents after adoption, for the duration of their puppies’ life. As reputable breeders, we feel it’s our responsibility to start our puppies out on the best possible path and to establish healthy habits (food, supplements, health insurance) for our puppy parents to follow, that will maximize their puppies’ health and longevity. We do our maximum to produce healthy puppies and we expect our puppy parents to do the same; to do their maximum to maintain and promote their puppies’ health, throughout their lifetime. We think it’s a reasonable expectation for our puppy parents to have pet insurance for their puppy/dog during the first year of their puppies/dog’s life, as indeed it’s the most critical year of their life. During the first year of life, puppies have the physical, emotional and mental stress of going to a new home, learning about their environment, rules and training, vaccinations, spaying/neutering and it’s a period of significant growth and development. Our guarantee is a genetic guarantee only and does not cover the costs of regular health care, accidents, injuries, or contracted illnesses. Even the healthiest, most health tested dog in the world is not impervious to cancer, accidents, illnesses and to the environment and world we live in today. Genetic testing/tests are not a 100% guarantee that your dog will never become ill, or will be 100% healthy throughout their entire life. Rather, genetic testing is a probability of health/susceptibility to disease/illness and the environment (and how the puppy/dog is raised) determines the expression of those genes/genetics. Therefore, a breeder/genetics are not 100% responsible for health or illness, nor are they the sole to blame for health issues down the road. The cost of Veterinary care has increased significantly in recent years and it’s not uncommon for certain procedures or treatment to cost up to $8000 or more. Does the cost sound high, or hard to believe? One of our puppies inhaled a kibble and it got lodged in his lung and he ended up at a specialized Veterinary clinic on life support and if it wasn’t for his puppy parents having health insurance (the 6 weeks free health insurance we start our puppies on), it would have cost them over $8000! Or one of our other puppies who contracted viral Meningoencephalitis, requiring costly MRIs, spinal taps and treatment to save his life. It’s not a question of whether our puppy parents would spend $8000 (I think as puppy parents we all would) to save their dog’s life, it’s a matter of whether they could. Times, economy and life circumstances change and having health insurance ensures that our puppy parents will do everything within their power (and have the means) to provide optimal health care, treatment methods and lifesaving procedures, in favor of euthanasia. It is our sincere hope that puppy parents will continue health insurance (and our feeding and supplementation recommendations) well past the guarantee period, but unfortunately, genetic health testing, placing our puppies in excellent homes and lifetime breeder support aside, once puppies leave us, we have little to no control over how our puppies are raised, fed, or the environment in which they live. We’re breeders and not insurance brokers and other than the peace of mind in knowing that our puppies’ health and welfare are safeguarded, we do not benefit financially whatsoever, when our puppy parent’s buy pet insurance. We do not stipulate which company our puppy parents must use, nor the coverage they must carry. We simply want to know that our puppy parents have the means to provide optimal, specialized health care, if necessary, that would make the difference between life and death. On a personal note, I can’t tell you how horrific and devastating it is to receive a call/message from a puppy parent that their puppy has had an accident and has been injured and that they won’t return the dog and also do not have the funds to get their dog the medical treatment they require. As animal lovers, pet owners, reputable breeders and human beings, with this situation a possibility, in good conscience, how could we possibly continue to breed, produce puppies and be able sleep at night???

No. As previously mentioned and as per our Policies page, we do not allow any visitors when we have un-vaccinated puppies, pregnant mothers and are breeding females and we do not allow people "off the street" to come in and handle the puppies (YOUR puppies!). We do not expect people to give us money “blindly” and feel that between the information and pictures on our website, our phone conversations and the pictures/video and the updates we post on our "Puppy Parent's Site" as the puppies develop, we more than compensate for this. In addition, $1300 of the total Puppy Deposit ($1500) is ​refundable (or one can put 100% toward a pup from another litter) if when people come to pick up their puppies they don't like us, our dogs, their puppy or our home. We feel that we're taking a chance on you (8 weeks of pictures, updates and time invested, etc.), just as much as you're taking a chance on us and our dogs. How would you feel if we had an “open door” policy and we allowed people to come in and handle your puppy and have to tell you (after 6 weeks of updates and pictures) that your puppy has died of Parvo, Pnemonia, Kennel Cough, etc? Not to mention, we void our own guarantee (as it applies to contagious diseases exhibited within the 10 day incubation period, leaving here). If one is uncomfortable reserving a puppy before physically seeing the mother, the father and the puppy, one is more than welcome to wait until the puppies have been vaccinated and are ready to go, to come see what pups we still have available (upon approval of one's application). Please be advised however, that this as never happened however, as we have always maintained a waiting list. We will also refer you to another breeder(s) who may have a different practice/policy of choosing puppies.

Many would say that in an ideal world, it would be great if people could send their deposits in and pick out their puppies in person when the puppies are ready to go. Unfortunately, this never happens. Given that Bostons usually have small litters and individuals usually have a preference for either a male or female, choices of puppies are usually limited. Because Bostons are a breed bred for companionship, they all tend to be very even-tempered and adaptable to new environments, etc. Their main drive in life is to be with their families. Given the breed characteristics and temperament of the breed, choosing often falls to more superficial things such as size, markings, looks, etc. People usually have a pretty good idea as to which puppy they want and grow fond of a particular puppy through our correspondence with regards to regular pictures and/or videos and updates on development, personality, temperament, activity level, disposition, etc. IF at any point a puppy is not developing in such a way as to suggest that the prospective owner will not be happy with their choice, we will suggest another puppy and/or discuss this with the prospective owners. The mandatory application (and phone conversation) that must be completed prior to submitting a Puppy Deposit (and reserving a puppy) also helps us to determine suitability of not only the breed, but also for a particular puppy. We find that when there is this physical "distance" until puppies are ready to go, it allows us as breeders, to observe and steer prospective puppy parents towards the most suitable puppy and puppy parents are also more able to accept suggestions based on logic, than their hearts. That is, if people chose in person, they would be more likely to make a decision based on their feelings in the moment, rather than suitability. After all, the puppy that runs right to you, isn't always the best puppy for everyone (as they're usually the most dominant). That said, we find that most Bostons have the "run right to you" temperament 😁

Home-raised puppies are a lot different than puppies raised in a kennel! Our puppies are raised in our sterile Maternity room (which is in our bedroom) and then at 3-3 ½ weeks old, they are moved to our dining or living room. Our puppies are well-socialized with kids, cats, other dogs and are well accustomed to household noises. They are given bones, chew toys and other toys for early stimulation. Our pups are raised in puppy pens and x-pens (not pens with closed sides or pens with grated bottoms!), so even while confined to the space of the puppy pen, they can still interact with the other dogs, cats, our children, etc. When the puppies are large enough, they are taken out of their puppy pen for supervised play with our children and some of our other dogs. We start nail clipping at 2 weeks of age and in addition to regular handling and care, our dogs are “stacked” (stood and placed) regularly for pictures. We post pictures of our puppies' pen in our puppy parent's section of our site, so you can see where their puppies are kept. Once the puppies are older, depending on the time of year, they're taken outside for play, but also to start the housetraining process. We live in a small waterfront community and the puppies become accustomed to outdoor nature noises, as well as the sounds of lawn mowers and cars, bikes, trucks, trailers (and boats), four wheelers, golf carts, etc. going by.

Due to a number of reasons, NO, we will not place two puppies/littermates together at the same time under any circumstances and we recommend at least one year in between puppies. When one adopts two puppies at the same time, the puppies tend to over-bond and they do not have the opportunity to develop as an individual. Serious behavioural and emotional issues often result (separation anxiety, fighting, aggression, etc.) and this over-bonding also affects their training and bonding with their human family and other people. Also, when you have two puppies who tend to be similar in temperament and personality, they tend to get into squabbles (indeed, our home becomes VERY loud when the pups - more often Boston puppies, are around eight weeks of age) and when they get close to sexual maturity (and go through their developmental stages of fear and dominance), these squabbles often turn into serious fights. Please see the links below for more information. Littermate Syndrome is a Risk When Raising Sibling Puppies Problems Associated With Adopting Two Puppies at the Same Time Raising Two Pups at a Time: Why It's a Bad Idea

​Our Boston puppies are typically ready to go at 9 weeks of age. IF a Boston puppy is small or not over 3 lbs by the time they are to be vaccinated however, or if we feel they need more time to develop, we will keep them back until they are over 3 lbs and a little larger. We do this to prevent vaccine reactions.

Yes, our puppies are seen and examined by a licensed Veterinarian, certified healthy, microchipped and vaccinated prior to going to their new homes. Our puppies are also de-wormed (several times prior to adoption) and sent home with a Revolution (for internal parasites, fleas, ticks, mites & heartworm) treatment.

​Absolutely! We offer lifetime support, in addition to a lifetime “welcome home” policy for our dogs. Indeed, our contract prohibits our dogs being relinquished to a shelter, rescue, etc. and MUST be returned to us!

Both waiting lists and waiting pools are for prospective puppy parents who meet Bedford Kennel's requirements for puppy ownership, but with waiting pools, prospective puppy parents are not given a number/place/spot on the list. That is, with a waiting pool, prospective puppy parents are not ranked based on when they get onto our list. Further, a waitlist means that each prospective puppy parent is ranked, so that when a spot opens up, the first on the list gets an offer for a puppy. The next opening goes to the second person on the list, and so on. We have found over the years, that this system doesn't work (for many reasons) and is not an efficient way of maintaining a list/pool and placing puppies appropriately. After all, puppy parents' criteria for a suitable puppy varies widely (size, sex, colour, temperament, purpose, etc.), as do the time frames in which they would like to adopt, availability of puppies and their life circumstances. While we will send out bulk litter announcements, with a waiting pool, the onus is really on the prospective puppy parents to watch our Litters page for upcoming litters and confirmed pregnancies, but to also contact us to express interest in a litter(s) before the litter is born, so that we can streamline our contacting and Litter Announcement(s) procedures. Thus, while there is more "responsibility" on the puppy parent with the waiting pool, there's also much more control with regards to availability. All homes created equal, choices of puppies are chosen in order of puppy deposits received.

Registered companion Boston Terriers from reputable breeders of Champion and health tested bloodlines in Canada usually START at $4000 AND UP for PET puppies, depending on location (c-sections are much more expensive in some areas), sex (some breeders charge a different price for males and females), bloodlines, health testing and whether the breeder charges and pays taxes.

The “Bully”, brachycephalic breeds cannot be compared to most other breeds, given that they are “man made” and can not propagate on their own without the help of humans. These smaller breeds usually have small litters of 1-3 puppies and most require costly c-sections to deliver (c-sections usually range in price between $3500 and $7000 (usually higher end) in most places in Ontario, depending on where you live (and if it's an emergency clinic).

Our dogs are extensively health tested. Our dogs are from Champion bloodlines from around the world and we import regularly (a plane ticket from Europe to Canada is approximately 1600 euro and up for the flight alone, PLUS all the extra costs; veterinary, cargo fees, taxes, etc. in ADDITION to the purchase price) to promote genetic variability in our lines. We also show our dogs when time allows, however (in our experience), regular importing costs MUCH more than earning a Championship title on a dog. Indeed, we have finished many dogs over a weekend (with a good entry of dogs - more dogs, more points awarded). The cost of c-sections in our area is also quite high, comparatively. Our prices are reflective of the costs involved to operate a high quality breeding program and maintain our high standards. That being said, any breeder will tell you that while it seems that we're all "getting rich", what we charge is never enough and when you love and care about your dogs (i.e. they all get optimal health care, etc.), the "income" never covers all of our expenses. I don't know ANY breeder whom is wealthy from breeding quality dogs! At the end of the day, our dogs cost more because of the level of health testing and frequent importing we do. To put it plainly (and excuse my candor), if a puppy parent/buyer doesn't value these things, then it's their prerogative to decide where and how they spend their money and to choose a breeder whom does less or no health testing, doesn't import, etc. Everyone/all parties must do what they feel comfortable with and we we choose to run our program the way we're running it.

For deposits and payments, we accept email money transfer, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, etc. For final payment and pick up in person, we accept debit/Interac, Visa, MasterCard and American Express. Due to fraudulent bills, we prefer to not accept cash, but will in some circumstances. Credit card service fees are now including in our pricing. *We do not accept cheques/checks of any kind, for any reason, sorry!*