We breed infrequently and only when we are in a position to add to our own kennel. The most important factor in choosing homes for the rest of the litter is not whether the puppy is going to be campaigned in the show ring but that it is going to be loved in a forever home. Our one condition of sale is that if at any time the new owner is unable to care for the pup he/she comes back to us. We are quite clear as to our responsibilities and would suggest that all breeders should consider whether or not they should breed if they are unable/unwilling to do the same. Given the rapid escalation of the popularity of DDBs (now in the top 20 breeds) we are concerned that some people are motivated by greed and that rescue will ultimately pick up the responsibility for the inevitable influx of unwanted dogues.  It certainly won’t be those breeders who relinquish any sense of responsibility as soon as the cash hits their pocket.  Ok rant over!!

Some time ago we reached a stage in our Bullmastiff breeding program whereby we felt we had gone as far as we could within our own lines. We felt that we needed to bring some height and substance back into our line but did not want to compromise the qualities which Tartuffe has achieved over the years through careful line breeding – good construction, sound movement and winning personalities!!!  In truth one out-cross was eminently more successful than the other.Hence the reduced numbers of bullies in our kennel today as we could not continue to breed from these lines. There can be a very high cost to out-crossing!!!!
Fortunately however our mating of Lynn McGroarty’s beautiful boy Hudson to our Cali produced our Gianni and Chiara.  Chiara will be mated later this year and again we think we have chosen well for her intended!

As you know we are relative newcomers (can’t keep saying that – it’s 5 years now!!) in relation to our Dogue De Bordeaux breeding but the same rules apply in terms of our principles and belief system.  We are so very happy with our foundation bitch Libertia Secret for Tartuffe, our Sorcha, from Mark & Peri Burnside at Libertia Kennels in Northern Ireland – thank you both so much for this beautiful girl!   As you know we have Amelie and KoKo out of Sorcha and love what they have produced for us (with help from Henry & Boss) in our new babies.  We now have 3 generations at home with us, which is a great sense of achievement.

We have some exciting plans for our future breeding program and hope they produce the outcomes we would hope for the continuation of healthy and happy Tartuffies!

We are all aware of the very real threat that exists to our right to own and enjoy our dogs. One only has to reflect on the recent situation in Dublin where certain breeds of “dangerous dogs” are being banned from living in council tenancies. Can you imagine how the prospect of such enforcement must feel for these people and what could ultimately happen to their innocent pets? So, what is it all about? Such intransigent behaviour is often a knee-jerk reaction to a tragic set of circumstances where a child is hurt by an aggressive dog. We all abhor such events but, let’s be honest, experience a certain sense of relief when it does not involve our particular breed.

At Tartuffe we have worked hard over the years to raise our dogs emulating what they would experience in their natural habitat as best we can, especially around diet. So why stop there we asked ourselves – how does pack behaviour in wolves play itself out in our kennel and in our lounge? Then we hit upon Jan Fennell whose work in canine communication and behaviour was inspired by Monty Roberts – The Horse Whisperer. Jan Fennel - The Dog Listener – has developed her thinking and practice to successfully train people to manage and understand their relationship with their dog differently thereby reclaiming the Alpha status in the hierarchical order the Amichien way – stress free living for us and our dogs.

We have been very fortunate to work in partnership with one of Jan Fennell’s students – Carin Webster. Carin and her husband Marc have been good friends since they bought a pup from us many years ago now. They immediately bought into the natural feeding regime so it came as no surprise to learn that Carin had taken the learning a stage further and had completed her training with The Dog Whisperer.

We are determined to give any pup we breed the very best possible start in life. It is so much easier to get it right from the beginning rather than have to “fix” bad behaviours. So what does this translate into for our puppy people?

We will provide every puppy person with the following lifetime care package: -

* KC Accredited Breeder's Registration
* First Vaccination
* Microchipped
* Worming record
* Four weeks Puppy Insurance
* Free Royal Canin Puppy Pack
* Comprehensive Feeding Guide
* Behavioural Management Advice Pack & DVD
* Reduced rates for the services of a trained "Dog Listener"
* Natural Canine Health DVD

And of course a lifetime guarantee of support and guidance.

It is important to realise that the feeding of pups does not start the day they arrive, or at the point of weaning!! The preparation of a bitch in relation to diet is vitally important and inextricably linked to the well-being of any litter she will carry and raise. Of course we must also remember that it is incumbent upon us to ensure that our stud dog is also well fed, healthy and in good condition. We have fed the natural diet for about 13 years now and have seen a marked difference in the well-being of whelping bitches and their pups. Other raw feeders had told us that they had noticed a marked difference in the whelping process, size of litter and availability of milk - this has certainly been our experience too!

Preparation is the key in terms of the bitch’s diet, but do be careful not to overfeed - we do not increase any girl’s intake until two thirds through her pregnancy. We continue with our raw bones but reduce the balance about 25% of her overall feed - remembering that this natural source of calcium can help prevent eclampsia. We also spread her intake over three meals a day. We begin a routine of additional vitamins and minerals - cod-liver oil, kelp, Vitamins E & C and Multi B. We increase the more concentrated foods such as meat, eggs, liver, kidneys, flax seed oil etc - all nutrients that promote growth. We also give her some ginger to aid digestion and raspberry leaf a couple of weeks before she is due to whelp - this eases the birth process.

We will never cease to be amazed by the amount and quality of milk our girls produce for their puppies throughout, and ensure this by giving them fenugreek and brewer’s yeast, which stimulate it’s production. During the time our girls are on feeding duty we always make sure they have extra meals - after all, most of the goodness they receive is going straight back into the babies!!!

As soon as they reach 2-3 weeks we begin the weaning process with puppy porridge, minced beef and eventually minced chicken wings. We always feed goats milk and goats yogurt and lots of cheese. Another favourite feed is scrambled eggs (from our own hens) with added cheese and goat milk. We have also invested in a commercial meat grinder and grind our own chicken wings beef and tripe. The growth rate of the pups is impressive and so different from our kibble fed litters. We do not have the fat roly-poly puppies, which so many of us love to see, instead we have solid, but lean babies whose growth rate is very even.

The experience of rearing litters on a natural diet has, for us, reinforced the clam that ‘natural is best’!!! We would be more than happy to discuss any aspect of our experience with you - please feel free to contact us. We do not profess to be experts but practical experience can often help to allay the anxieties, which, we believe, might promote a life-changing experience for your dogs and puppies!!!