Hollytree Dalmatians

04/09/2025

Nice day at the * Hartselle, Alabama dog park! It was cool and the Dalmatians had the zoomies! 🇨🇦 Kimber and 🎀 Kate !

04/09/2025

Buying from an ethical, responsible breeder takes care of a lot of uncertainty and future issues. A breed is your dog mentor for life!

The debate over buying dogs from breeders versus adopting from shelters or rescues is always nail-biting. Advocates for adoption often cite overpopulation in shelters and the need to save lives as compelling reasons to avoid breeders. Concerns about puppy mills and unethical breeding practices also....

04/04/2025

It is Spring in the State of Alabama! I posed 🇨🇦 Kimber under a group of trees in my neighborhood.

04/04/2025

😃 As any dog person knows, all dogs need exercise as well as training and socialization.
Dalmatians were used as hunting dogs, watch/ guard dogs ( not attack dogs) and used in barns around horses. They are known as the Coach Dog for horse and carriage, and this translated into a Fire Dog when fire wagons with pumps were pulled by horses.
🚲🚲 I exercise my dogs by taking them for bicycle trots. We average 3 to 4 miles a day, depending upon the weather. They were trained individually at about age 10 months and traveled on a limited, strict distance, until they were over age 16 months. By the time a dog is mature at 24 months or 2 years old, they are usually fit upwards to 12 miles. I rarely go over 6 miles. In the Summer, it is simply too hot to do more than about 2 - 3 miles and enjoy it.
🥎⚾️⚽️ We also stop to watch a ball game, sniff around, or visit someone. 🐴 I did have horses and they would accompany me to the barn to run in a fenced in pasture or a nearby huge, huge farm. 🐾 Here is my current crew: Left to right: Enzo, Petunia, Kimber, Kate, and Camden. 🏅🏆All are AKC Champions and AKC Grand Champions. They have the 🏅AKC Temperament Test and the 🏅Canine Good Citizen titles. Enzo and Petunia have a BCAT which is a Coursing Ability Test title. 4 have all of their OFA health testing and the other 2 will complete hers this year.

03/28/2025

🎀 Kate 🎀 waiting on her bites of Arby's roast beef and cheese! Kate is an AKC Grand Champion, also, with 2 obedience type titles.

03/28/2025

😊 For a reward and fun, when one of the Dals wins an 🏅award, the entire crew gets bites of 🍔🍔cheeseburgers! Kimber won but this time, we visited Arby's and got 🫔🥪 roast beef sliders with Swiss cheese! 🤩 Kimber won several ribbons in 2 days and also 10 points on her Grand Championship! She was politely waiting for the "OK" to grab her food!

03/28/2025

Selecting a purebred and why - - an article from Cornell University.
It gives explanation to those considering a quality, purposefully bred puppy.

Selecting a purebred puppy  Can you explain to me about “pure breeds” — why are they so coveted if there are a lot of health problems that come with those types of dogs?A purebred dog is one whose parents are registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC) or a similar registry as purebreds of...

03/18/2025

. . . 😊 Proud to be a breeder, Owner & Handler! 💕

The purchase of a well bred purebred did not sentence another dog to death.
The purchase of a well bred purebred did not cause an increase in the number of dogs in shelter.
Someone wanting a dog with a predictable temperament from healthy lineage did not cause another dog to not get adopted.
Someone's meticulous research and support of only the most responsible of breeders is not the problem. It is not what you should be mad at. It is not what you should be pushing the blame onto.

I am not the one who brought these dogs into the world irresponsibly and left them in a shelter. Responsible breeders are not the ones who put dogs into shelters either.
It is my home, my life, and my choice of what kind of dog to bring into it. Maybe I needed a working dog, a sport dog, or simply a companion puppy to raise of a breed I enjoy. No matter the reason, the choice to support a reputable breeder did not send a shelter dog to its death.
A breeder who health tests, temperament tests, studies pedigrees, proves a dog worthy of being bred, and only breeds when doing so is of benefit to the breed is not contributing to the number of homeless dogs.

The number of homeless dogs in the world is a problem, but it is not a problem exacerbated by reputable breeders and those who purchase from them.
Your neighbor down the street who refuses to contain his unaltered dogs IS contributing to the problem.
Your friend who impulse bought a dog at Pet Land IS contributing to the problem!

That guy on Craigslist pumping out the trendiest designer mix as fast as he can IS contributing to the problem.
Your relative who just HAS to let their dog have one litter “so she can experience motherhood” or because “she’s just so sweet” IS contributing to the problem.
Your old high school classmate who bought a high energy working breed without taking the time to research its needs and realize it was not a good fit for their household ahead of time IS contributing to the problem.

A reputable breeder offers their lifelong support. A reputable breeder would never allow their dogs to end up in a shelter to begin with. A reputable breeder makes it a contractual obligation to return dogs they have produced back to them should you find yourself unable of keeping it.

It is understandable to be angry about the number of homeless dogs in the world, but if you take a deeper look, you will find your anger is misplaced.

If you take a deeper look, you will find reputable breeders and those of us who purchase from them are just as angry, we are just pointing fingers at the right causes.

In conclusion, blaming responsible breeders for shelter dogs is like blaming Harvard graduates for crack babies.

01/24/2025

"Don’t Buy A Dog From Me IF . . ."
- - - -(What reputable breeders want you to know)
Originally written by Julie Houseman Cauthers, Oct. 09, 2023.

If you want to buy a dog and walk away, don’t buy one from me.

If you want to pick a puppy because it came to you when you sat down or gave you a cute look, don’t buy one from me.

If you don’t want to take my recommendations on what food to feed or what is best for the health and well being of the dog, after years of experience, don’t buy a dog from me.

If you just want a puppy NOW, because you need it for a Christmas gift or to be in Senior Pictures, don’t buy one from me.

If you never plan to update me on how the dogs is doing or send a picture once in a while, don’t buy a dog from me.

If you want a dog to live *only* in the backyard, run loose on a farm and run on other's property, or turn them out to roam "just to go potty," this is not going to work.
If you never take the dog to training class, dog activities, walks, a swim at the lake, or car trips, she's not part of the family.

If you don't allow your sweet dog in the house to be a part of your family, definitely don’t buy a dog from me.
If your dog is chained and living in all sorts of severe weather, that will break the Contract you signed. If you want a stuffed animal, or a lawn ornament, you can buy one made of fuzzy fur, cement, or plaster, not much care needed.

⭐️ However, if you want a puppy that has parents with health testing, that was socialized, loved and made a priority from the day it was born, I have this.
⭐️Do you want a puppy who’s temperament and activity level has been carefully chosen to fit your lifestyle? ⭐️ If you want a puppy selectively and purposefully bred to the standard set forth by our breed club, then maybe you do want to buy a dog from me.

⭐️ If you want a breeder who will at anytime in the dog's life take them back, no questions asked, this is me.
⭐️ I'm a breeder who is there 24/7 for you and your dog. I will answer questions and concerns and will work hard to help you resolve any issues. If I do not know, I will seek the information or refer you to the proper expert. If you want someone to fall back on, you might want to buy a dog from me.

⭐️ If you want a breeder who loves each puppy/dog with all her heart, considers you part of the family and will support, laugh, brag, be proud of, or have a cry with, I am here for you all the time. If this relationship is one you would like, then we might be a match.

✅ Reputable breeders should never be lumped in with puppy mills, backyard breeders or those who broker dogs.

✅A reputable breeder will be able to provide health clearances, a five generation pedigree, an explanation as to why they bred the two dogs. While doing this, most of the time they will make little or no money. What money they might get is reinvested into the dogs one way or another. They continue to preserve the best in their breed.

✅ A reputable breeder knows their dogs, and can realistically tell you what to expect and when. They can guide you toward veterinarians, training facilities, dog events, and performance events, as well as diet and products that will benefit your dog.

✅ A reputable breeder will be your friend, a guiding hand, a mentor, and a strong shoulder.

So whatever choice you make, make it with the best interest of the dog in mind. If that’s not your plan ….. then don’t buy a dog from me.

01/24/2025

When it's cold, the dogs like to curl up on the sofa with a blanket. Enzo and Toonya (Petunia) ready for a January nap!

01/24/2025

A Winter sunset the first week of January, 2025. The cold air seems to show in the low and spread out clouds. The dogs were enjoying the 55 degrees and wanting to run a good ways instead of trot.

01/24/2025

It warmed up to 50 degrees on January 1, 2025 which allowed us to continue our bicycling. I call these our "Bike Hikes!" Last year, 2024, we covered about 1, 400 miles for the Dalmatian Club of America's "Distance Program." It is open to DCA members.

01/24/2025

🇬🇧 Camden plays and runs in the snow not long after it started falling. ❄️🌨❄️❄️☃️❄️

01/24/2025

😂 I told the Dalmatians to "Wait" while I took the photo, and 4 of them sat in the snow! ❄️☃️❄️ Not for long though and they were off and running! January 10, 2025

01/24/2025

Our first good snow of the Winter, January 10, 2025. This is AKC Grand Champion Kimber! She loves her coat.

01/24/2025

Here's to good things that happen in the year 2025, and a prayer for strength to get us through the bad things.

01/24/2025

Santa Claus was good to all the spotted family! They all got new dog beds, blankets, 2 toys each and 2 large bags of dental treats!
Oh, and a cookie or two!
( A.I. generated)