9.10.22 - I have retired from dog breeding! I had a wonderful time breeding my females and raising their pups, finding them quality homes, and raising them well. I decided to pursue my other passions (many of which I batted away for years because I had blinders on for my breeding business).
Breeding can be done successfully, professionally, and humanely. Please take your time to research and find a qualified breeder before you make a purchase! Or you can find your next best friend at a no kill shelter near you.
Adopt and Shop Responsibly!
About Us
When I was 11 or so, my family got our first Cocker Spaniel, Sammy. He was a chunky, goofy, lovable Cocker, with a beautiful blonde coat and a freckled face. Little did I know that he would be the Grandfather of my very own dog, Max. Prior to Sammy, my family had owned mixed breeds adopted from the local SPCA, filling my home with wagging tales since childhood. I could not imagine a life without dogs in it!
My family began breeding Cockapoos when I was an early teenager, where my personal experience assisting in breeding dogs began. Gracie was our first Cocker Spaniel female, and would be the grandmother to my Maxine. They had stunning lovable Cocker Spaniels, and the family grew from there. I was always taught to appreciate an animal’s personal space, and that owning one was a huge responsibility; this is extraordinarily true with breeding. Breeding exceeds the normal parameters of owning a dog, as it involves time, money, expertise, and a lot of patience. Nonetheless, it has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Each day spent with my cockapoos hiking, delivering puppies, or relaxing in the grass, is a day spent knowing that I am giving my dogs the best home and life that I can.
I am a no-kennel breeder, meaning that my girls are raised under my roof, sharing my couch and TV regularly. There are many illnesses that can arise from dogs bred in unsanitary kennel-space including kennel cough and kennel blindness. Not all kennels are bad, and some are luxuriously crafted and maintained; it simply depends on the breeder’s quality of care. Furthermore, most kenneled dogs do not receive individual attention due to the volume of dogs often owned by kennel-based breeders. Therefore, it is important no matter what the breed to research your breeder carefully and understand their everyday practices and level of transparency.
My love for cockapoos alone does not qualify me as a breeder, and the responsibility of birthing a family’s best friend does not weigh lightly upon many breeders. Therefore, in addition to growing up with dog breeders as parents, I have taken multiple courses and earned multiple certifications to better understand dog breeding, genetics. I have earned certifications through Duke University’s “Duke Canine Cognition Center” as well as AKC’s (American Kennel Club) Canine College. Each course is designed to further educate breeders and dog owners on the anatomy of breeding, genetic variation, diet, exercise, and much more. By taking these courses, I have been able to understand my dog’s individual need as well as the needs of cockapoos more specifically, especially with regards to cockapoo training.
Each breed brings with it unique variations and challenges, which requires me to understand the strengths and weaknesses of my breeding choices. To ensure the future health of my cockapoo puppies, my females have been tested for the genetic issues usually arising in either Poodles or Cocker Spaniels.
Qualifications & Certifications
Dog breeding may sound simplistic in theory, but the practice is far more involved than many people think. In addition to the daily social and physical health requirements of dogs and puppies, a deeper understanding of the following fields are recommended:
genetic variation and inheritance
disease and illness
diet & exercise
emergency medical intervention
anatomy & physiology
breed standards
Below are my certifications in various courses and fields. Additionally, I have a Bachelors degree in Anthropology, concentrating in Forensic Anthropology & Medical Spanish Interpretation. Coincidentally, one of the most enlightening courses on dogs I have taken was through Duke University, in which the professor is an Anthropologist studying our evolutionary history with dogs. Dogs are, aside from humans, the most successful species on earth: they have us aiding in their reproductive success, hunting is typically not a necessity, they hold a wide range of occupations from therapy animals to first responders, they are well researched and cared for with respect to aging and disease, etc.
I am always happy to discuss the topic of dogs in breadth and depth with families, or simply enjoy the wagging tales and laughter that comes from adopting your puppy. Either way, I am happy to continue educating myself daily, and want to assure my customers of the quality and care provided by Atlas Puppies.
My Previous Studies
As anyone can tell you, life leads you in many different directions, even when you feel like you’ve had it all figured out. As many others nowadays, I have become somewhat of a renaissance man out of necessity. I juggle many different passion-projects with the hopes to make many of them into self-operated small businesses.
🥃 My current, full-time project is hosting guests in a stunning French-American, fine dining restaurant and Bed & Breakfast. It’s a renovated, Victorian mansion, with a stellar staff and cuisine to die for! I’m blessed to have worked in the hospitality industry for over a decade, building my skills and knowledge and working with creative chefs from around the world. I select which local artists we host, what’s grown and planted where, photograph our products and maintain our social media & website, as well take the time to communicate with guests about the home and exciting things to do in the area
I hope to take this experience and shift it into owning my own bed and breakfast one day; and/or having multiple hosting locations. I love to rethink the style and efficiency of a home, decorate, and host guests. As a history nerd, I’m always attracted to old homes and their histories.
💀 I have a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Anthropology and medical interpretation (Spanish), studying for a few years afterwards in Forensics (osteoarchaeology in Perú, facial reconstruction, human decomposition, etc). And while I thoroughly enjoyed my studies, the time and expense of my degree is/was counterproductive to my financial and mental health. I had spent 7 years pouring money and time into a degree that would reward and challenge me mentally, but would leave me financially burdened with debt and little income, with little stability. While waiting tables in fine dining establishments, I was making the same amount of money as professors in my field who were fighting for tenure. It made me do a difficult rethinking of my career.
📸 More recently, I’ve m finally broken ground on my passion project of photography! While still in it’s early stages, I’ve been able to incorporate my photography skills in both hospitality and dog breeding. The future I’m building allows me to combine photography and my love for dogs into one rewarding career!
In summation, I hope that we can all fuel our passions and encourage others to find theirs! I want to spend my time cultivating a life worth living: hiking, photographing, gardening, swimming, and exploring with my dogs by my side. If I can provide an amazing, healthy, happy start for your puppy, I want to do that as well.
