Oakwood Manchester Terriers

"Oakwood" is the prefix for dogs bred and lovingly raised in my home. I breed very selectively so when I do breed a litter, I am implementing a thoroughly researched multigenerational plan to produce dogs of superior quality, health and temperament. My priority as a breeder is to produce only the highest quality puppies.

Photo of Am Ch Oakwoods Hollywood

Once our pups are old enough to travel we head out to shows for lots of fun and socialization. Oakwood dogs finish without "kennel packing" - putting their littermates and retired Champions into the ring in competition with them to "stack" the points and wins... they are shown on a limited basis and prove their quality in legitimate competition by consistently winning in national and international competitions.

I show my home bred dogs proudly from the Bred-By Exhibitor class and any dog that does not meet my high standards is altered and placed without finishing, even when they already have major wins to their records. I prefer to strive for excellence in quality rather than bragging about finish entire litters of pet quality dogs.

I do not tolerate the mediocre in my breeding program. A small well thought out breeding program produces puppies that are well socialized, healthy and beautiful.

My Vision of Temperament:

A breeder must have a vision of what they want to produce in their bloodlines and what characteristics are important to them to reproduce in their dogs. At Oakwood, I am as focused on producing dogs of stable temperament while ensuring my dogs exhibit the highest quality in conformation and breed type. A solid personality makes both a wonderful life-long companion for those pups who are beloved pets as well as those who are lucky enough to be selected to be show dogs.

Oakwoods D'Artagnon - multiple group placing Manchester in Canada

Oakwood dogs are first and foremost family companions and need to be a joy for their owners to have in their homes. All our dogs live peacefully together in my home. I tolerate no aggression and expect all dogs to get along together.

(Adult GPs Jatz and Venture and Adult Manchester Geisha with GP puppies

Dickens, Savanah and Rain and Manchester puppy Hollywood - taken in 2009)

Puppies begin socialization at birth and are handled by family members and visitors until immunized. Puppies begin taking trips to local parks, dog handling classes, puppy match shows and to any available community activities to meet new people.

My Vision of Health:

The Manchester Terrier is, in comparison to other breeds, relatively free of inherited diseases. To ensure we are working with breeding animals least likely to produce pups with inherited genetic disorders, all dogs are DNA tested for vonWillebrands Disease (a bleeding disorder) or have been proven clear by parentage. We x-ray to ensure there is no evidence of Legg-Perthes disease (Toy Manchester Terriers) and do routine heart screenings with a certified cardiologist. We complete opthamological screenings 3 year cycle. Thyroid problems can be inherited and are not uncommon in any breed especially in a dog's elder years. We complete baseline thyroid testing between 2 and 3 years of age and screen for thyroid biannually thereafter.

I do not believe in over-vaccination and applaud the AVMA for their vaccination protocol. AVMA has finally acknowledged that, just like humans, animals remain at full immunity for life once properly immunized with a series of shots during infancy. This means that yearly booster shots, which can cause serious illness to a fully immunized adult dog, can be eliminated. Only rabies, which is required by law, are routinely given to our adult dogs. Oakwood dogs are fed a combination of high quality commercial dog food supplemented with a raw diet of human grade foods and Honest Kitchen dehydrated organic dog food. "BARF" or Bones and Raw Food is a commonly accepted feeding method for those interested in natural or alternative methods of feeding and is now available commercially.

Cousins Gotcha and Noel (Std & Toy)

Our 2003 AMTC National Award of Merit Winners - Punch (Standard) and Cajun (Toy)

Punch also won a National Award of Merit from the veteran class at the age of 10 at the 2010 National in Lincoln, Nebraska

My Vision of Conformation:

While the intent of any breeding program is to produce that breeder's next spectacular specimen for the show ring, at Oakwood, temperament and health are of equal importance as proper conformation in choosing a stud dog or brood bitch for a breeding program. Improving a dog's structure for the conformation ring is a very long and slow process involving complicated control of multifaceted genetics and just a bit of luck. Breeders cannot ignore the importance of temperament and health while working toward their vision of their ideal dog's conformation. Since all Oakwood puppies, whether they compete in conformation or not are first and foremost companions living as beloved pets, Oakwood's emphasis is on temperament and health without sacrificing structure. A sound dog constructed with properly angulated shoulders and rears makes for a dog who moves effortlessly and can still perform the work it was bred to do.

I am striving to produce sound dogs of correct structure for competition worldwide, not just in the United States. Dogs are selected for my breeding program that are sound in body and that epitomize my vision of what the ideal breed type should be. I never sacrifice my vision of excellence for a dog show win and I spay/neuter and place show prospects into pet homes if they do not meet my high standards as they mature. I will not present a dog in the show ring that I believe is unsound.

My loving family, Christmas Eve 2009, the whole crew went to Grandma's house for the holidays

My vision of my responsibility as a breeder:

I love my dogs with a deep passion and have a tremendous commitment to ensuring each one has the best life possible. While it breaks my heart each time I place a beloved adult who has retired from both the show ring and from my breeding program, I believe I am doing the right thing for the dog. My dogs deserve the best life. I do not own kennels and do not believe dogs should kept out of the house and in a kennel where they would be isolated from the love and attention they deserve. I choose instead to find wonderful forever homes where each dog can be the center of their new owners universe. My heartache at placing them turns into joy as I get photos of my beloved dogs in front of Christmas trees with their presents, on boats, hiking with their doggy backpacks, just lounging on the couch or dedicating their lives to being service dogs, I know I've done the right thing when I see how pampered and loved my retirees are in their new homes. In order to continue to home raise and properly socialize and train my next generation to be wonderful ambassadors of their breeds, I limit myself to keeping 6-8 adult dogs. The testimonials I receive from the new owners are so rewarding that it makes me sure that I am doing the right thing for my best friends. I believe it is cruel to warehouse retired dogs in cold and isolated kennels to live out their lives alone and without love.

"If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there” ~ Lewis Carroll

FUN PHOTOS OF OAKWOOD DOGS BEING DOGS!

P .E . T. A . supporters believe in " the elevation of animals to the moral and legal status of people and the eradication of virtually all uses of animals — for food, companionship and even medical research. If animal- rights activists have their way, we will see the abolition of everything from recreational fishing and visits to the zoo to the use of guide dogs for the blind and household pets of any kind. Forget about eating meat or sushi or strapping on leather shoes and wool sweaters. And don't even think about donning a silk scarf or drizzling honey on your dairy-free dessert. Animal-rights activists object to beekeeping because it subjects hive queens to "rape racks," and P ET A opposes the use of silkworms because they are "feeling beings." -Colleen Carroll Campbell