Beware of this breeder! The breeder was extremely difficult when I contacted her a few months after I got my Toy Aussie and he was showing signs of fear and aggression. She was very defensive and blamed me for his condition. At the time, she said she didn't believe in socialization for puppies because they needed to exposure to your environment not hers. I have it in an email she sent me! That was my first RED FLAG. I challenged her on this as a long time dog owner who had trained 5 dogs previously. She later added Puppy Culture to her program after our conversations. I hired a dog psychologist to examine the dog and I was warned that I would always have problems with the dog if I kept him. Further conversations with Shawna, I made plans to meet to return the dog, without refunding my money. I noticed a certain coldness in her when asked what would happen to the dog, I feared she would have him destroyed or that he might not make it back to the kennel. She wanted to meet my on a highway and send a friend to get him. Fearing more for the puppy than the effect this emotionally disabled dog would have on my life I ended up keeping him. I hired 5 different trainers in NY and Los Angeles. I made progress, it was mostly I learned how to handle his triggers. I was now living with special needs dog with fear based aggression. He is a beautiful dog, he only likes me and has to be put in a crate in another room when people come over to my home. The reason I wanted an Aussie was so he could go hiking and walk with me. I wanted an active dog but he can't do that either because he is easily triggered while on the leash by other dogs. He lunges at other dogs if I am not 100% vigilate to prevent it. He is full of fear walking around, he never relaxes. He is unable to abide that other dogs live in the building and is highly aggressive to any dog in the elevator or in the lobby. I have to steer him around other dogs to avoid any contact. Owning this dog is one of the worst mistakes I have ever made. As a long time dog owner and lover of animals, I have spared no expense in normalizing this dog to live his best life. Unfortunately, I have had numerous wrist injuries to my right hand, sprains and torn ligaments from holding the leash when he lunges. After 8 years, I am done. I can no longer do this, with the hand injuries and disruption to my life as Shawna would say - we are not a good fit! I told Shawna the kind of dog I needed for my lifestyle and she said this dog would be perfect. Something happened to this dog at an early age, or he received some bad genes. All the dog trainers I hired said the same thing, he was a very difficult case. It is unconscionable how this breeder operates. I would never have tried to return a dog if there wasn't a enormous issue at stake. A year of so later, she just told me to call a Aussie rescue organization, that I didn't have to return the dog to her as it says in the contract.
Read these words as a warning. Perhaps Shawna has learned more about dog breeding and training now. However as a business person she is ruthless and I don't believe she has the dog's best interest at heart. You do not want this same experience, be very careful where you get a dog, even if the dog is beautiful or cute. I made the effort to go the kennel, I met the dogs and Shawna in person before I bought my dog. It has been a terrible experience. read more