We are Sheila and Pierre Lemaitre, and we are blessed to live on a small country acreage that we call Guardian Angel Farm. We are located in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. It is here where we created Lemaitre Kennel in order to indulge and express our passion for dogs. We are also veteran police officers, members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Unfortunately, as police officers we see the negative side of life all too often, yet when our shifts are over and we drive through our farm gate, we are reminded of how important it is to acknowledge the many positive influences in our lives and be grateful for the animals who keep us grounded.
Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.
Our dogs bring us so much joy, love, and laughter, they are home raised as our beloved family companions. They live, play, and travel with us and it is in this type of environment that we believe dogs truly thrive. Lemaitre Kennel is a registered kennel with the CKC and the Leonberger Club of America (which strictly regulates its members); however, our dogs are house dogs and our puppies are born in the house and raised close to our hearts.
Why two breeds? Those who love dogs know that they are addictive! The more you are active in dog shows and dog activities, the more you see beauty in more than one breed. For us it is a his and hers situation. We came together as a family and were thrilled with each other's choice of breed. Rather than choose one breed over another, we love all our canine children equally, enjoying them as unified “family pack” while honouring and celebrating their differences!
Health
While the CKC does not have any rules regarding health checks before breeding, the LCA definitely does. We agree completely with the necessity of verifying the health of breeding stock prior to any breeding, this is the only way to preserve and protect the wonderful vitality and health of the breeds we love. Each breed has its own inherent health concerns, no breed is without them! For both of our breeds we have a specific set of health tests that must be done on not only our breeding animals but also their chosen mates. They are as follows:
Leonberger:
1. OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) Hips (PennHIP also when possible)
2. OFA Elbows
3. Thyroid test
4. CERF (Canine Eye Registration Foundation) certified eye exam
5. LCA Breeding Acceptability Check List (health, conformation, temperament)
Shiba Inu:
1. OFA Hips
2. OFA Patellae (knees)
3. CERF certified eye exam
We recently received high compliments from our veterinarian; we were cited as an example of what every responsible breeder should be like. We were praised for our diligence in maintaining healthy well adjusted animals and for insisting on good health and solid temperaments before breeding. It was indeed an honor to be spoken of in this manner; but, in reality, it is the minimum we can do for our animals and it is a shame that too many veterinarians see the opposite as the norm. We strongly recommend that prospective puppy buyers of any breed ask breeders about the important tests for their breed before making the decision to buy. It is simply not possible to tell if an individual dog has the potential to display or pass on these medical problems without actually testing them at the appropriate age. Our breeds are to date healthy, with few inherent medical concerns; however, every breed has potential weaknesses and it is for this reason that we insist on these tests and encourage others to do the same.
Socialization
As a Government certified dog trainer for over 20 years, I (Sheila) know that socialization is not an option but a necessity. As an all-breed trainer, I have seen far too many dogs suffer due to the lack of early socialization and I have heard far too many painful stories from owners who were at the end of the ropes because of it. As a breeder, I consider it my duty to socialize my puppies from the day they are born.
Now, as strange as it may seem, character is already evident the moment these babies slip out of their mother. Character will mature and develop, it will be affected by every action and every experience from that first moment onward, but the genetic component is already there. So the first step is to choose breeding stock with exemplary temperament and to exclude those individuals without such temperament. We will not breed a poor temperament! After that, however, it is vitally important to socialize each puppy individually from birth to adulthood.
Our puppies are whelped in the bedroom and raised in our home. They are exposed to a large variety of stimuli, not only positive but also harmless negative, so that they learn through tiny natural increments how to overcome anxiety or fear and develop solid, strong, confident characters. We constantly search out new objects and new experiences for our puppies, making sure to expose them to something new every day. We encourage experimentation and exploration, praise and reward forward social attitudes, and give them lots of one on one loving.
Once our puppies move to their new homes, it is up to their new owners to continue these lessons, but we are always there to support them along the way. Our puppies are our children’s children, and like all good grand-parents, we stand by our grand-kids and will always be there for them.
|
