Our Philosophy
From the beginning, our philosophy has been to never operate as a breeding facility that confines their dogs to traditional kennels. Our property spans 32 acres, and we aim to allow the dogs to make the most of that space and have the freedom to choose whether they want to be indoors or outdoors with us.
Australian Shepherds are an active breed and active breeds not only need space but also require directed exercise. With the freedom we provide, we also have a directed exercise program. Each day, the dogs are taken on walks. These walks allow us to interact with each of them, and assess their health and physical well-being, and emotional state. Not only is it great for the dogs, but it is great for us as the owners.
Just like any dog owner, we need a safe place to contain our dogs when we're away or in an emergency. We've dedicated a large part of our home to creating separate crate rooms for the girls and boys. Each dog has their own crate for nap time and dinner time. Our rule is that no dog should be contained for more than four hours in a twenty-four-hour period. Outside of their crates, we have several small exercise yards that we use during bad weather or when we're away.
But this isn't everything! You cannot pass through our home without tripping over a dog. All of the dogs are welcome in our home! At night, you will find dogs in our bed or in dog beds surrounding our bed. You will find a few on the living room couch or on dog beds in the living room. We have always had an open-door policy because, first and foremost, all of the dogs are our pets first.
Nutrition is an important part of our program. It has taken many years to refine a nutrition program that is ideal for not only our breeding females but also for our sires. Nutritional needs differ greatly from a pregnant female all the way down to a retired stud dog that lays around all day. Nutrition plays such an important role in the longevity and health of all dogs. Starting off with good nutrition and continuing that routine throughout their lives is important. Our oldest dog is now sixteen and still going strong.
At Triple Lake Ranch, the well-being and joy of our dogs are our top priorities!