06/17/2026
One of the promises I made to myself when I started breeding was that I would always be honest and transparent, even when the news isn’t easy.
Today I traveled to Portsmouth where one of my puppies, was evaluated by a veterinary cardiologist after a murmur was detected during his routine wellness exam.
Devastatingly so, Flik was diagnosed with congenital heart defects that will impact his future and long-term health.
As you can imagine, this news has been absolutely heartbreaking.
When you breed a litter, you spend months/years dreaming about the future for each puppy. You picture the adventures they’ll have, the families they’ll join, and the lives they’ll live. You do everything in your power to stack the odds in their favor but unfortunately sometimes, despite doing everything right, life throws curve balls.
Health testing, careful planning, and responsible breeding practices are incredibly important, but they can never guarantee that every puppy will be born free of every health challenge. Sometimes life reminds us that nature doesn’t always follow our plans.
The last week has been one of the hardest of my breeding journey.
I’ve cried.
I’ve worried.
I’ve waited for answers.
And I’ve carried a sadness that is hard to put into words. That’s the ugly side of breeding that a lot of people don’t see, because a lot of people don’t share.
But I’ve also been reminded why transparency matters. Responsible breeding isn’t just proven when everything goes perfectly.
It’s proven when things don’t.
It’s being honest with families.
It’s pursuing specialist care.
It’s making difficult decisions.
It’s putting the dogs first, even when it’s hard.
After a lot of thought, this boys family has decided that this journey is more than they can emotionally take on, and I completely understand and respect that decision.
So he will be staying right here with me.
His family knew him as Ollie, but in my heart, he has always been Flik. ❤️
He is still the same happy, goofy, mischievous little boy he’s always been. He still wants to wrestle with his siblings, chase toys, collect sticks he isn’t supposed to have, and soak up every bit of love and attention he can find. He has no idea what’s going on.
I don’t know exactly what his future looks like.
What I do know is that he will never spend a day wondering if he is loved or wanted.
For now, we are going to take things one day at a time, celebrate the good days, spoil him a little extra, and let him be exactly what he is right now:
A puppy.
Please keep Flik in your thoughts. ❤️🐾
