The Breeder Whose Allergic to Dogs
I have always loved dogs. I fantasied about being a dog trainer or a veterinarian, but I also love kids and wanted a larger family for myself. After my second pregnancy, my body changed, and I found I had become allergic to dogs. I was devastated, thinking I could no longer have dogs, I even went a few years without dogs and felt empty. My friend had a poodle and I went over to her house and to my surprise I found I didn’t have an allergic response to her poodle, I was just fine! My world changed, I could own a dog again, and while I couldn’t work with any breed, I could work with hypoallergenic ones, breeding naturally became the sweet spot of finding a way to work with dogs every day, while also being available to my growing family.
Four Ice Creams & a Cavalier
On a Sunday afternoon I took the kids to get ice cream, as I was sitting there, worried my youngest would let that cone drip all over he hand, I saw this beautiful dog across the way. She was sitting there perfectly, attuned to her people, watching them, and licking up the occasional dripped ice cream. It was exactly the temperament I had always adored.
It started my research and the more I read, the more I fell in love with the Cavalier. A few weeks later I met a friend who had three of them, and after talking with her, I was sold. I had to find a way to have some Cavalier in my family and breeding program … but those darn allergies. That’s where the Cavapoo entered the scene.
The Intelligent, Intuitive, Family Dog
When I first heard of doodles I had been torn between the labradoodles and the goldendoodles, having both Goldens and Labradors as a kid. I ultimately decided on goldendoodles, it was a hard decision. Yet, a few years later I had the opportunity to bring home a beautiful labradoodle girl as a family companion and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.
As that puppy grew, I fell in love with her, but she impressed me with her temperament, playfulness, and her structure was perfect, she moved so easily. I had a thought that so many of my families would do really well with a medium dog, one that was super playful, but also more emotionally in tune with the family in the quieter moments. And then it hit me, could I use my beautiful Cavapoo stud with my labradoodle girl? Could this be the perfect medium-sized, intelligent, family-oriented, and intuitive dog that was also allergy-friendly? I was so excited to see if I could finally create that perfect puppy for so many of my families–I was also excited to have a little bit of Labrador back in my life, too.
My Problem with Ice Cream & Dogs
My husband always rolls his eyes when we go to get ice cream, I often get 2 or 3 scoops, not because I need that much ice cream, but because I simply can’t decide on just one flavor–I have to have at least 2! As you may have noticed, I also have the same problem with dogs, oh how my life would be so much simpler if I only had one breed to manage and plan around, but, alas, I can’t decide, which is why I have 3!
We Thought Dog Problems Were Just Part of Life
Growing up, it seemed like every dog had something.
Some struggled with hot spots. Some were overweight. Some developed diabetes. Others dealt with allergies, ear infections, itchy skin, or chronic discomfort that never seemed to fully resolve.
At the time, I thought that was just normal.
Dogs got older. Dogs got itchy. Dogs gained weight. Dogs needed medication. That was simply part of owning them.
But then we had Sadie.
Sadie’s yeast infection became so severe that her skin was darkening and changing texture, almost like elephant skin. We took her to three different vets, including a specialist, and still didn’t have real answers. Even without a diagnosed bacterial infection, we kept leaving appointments with another round of antibiotics and the same sinking feeling that we were no closer to fixing the actual problem.
It felt like we were treating symptoms, but not asking why her body was struggling in the first place.
That was the turning point.
We started wondering if food could be playing a bigger role than we realized. Could better nutrition support her body differently? Could reducing unnecessary ingredients and giving her food her body could truly use make a difference?
We had heard about raw feeding and, honestly, we felt like we had nothing left to lose.
So we tried it.
Sadie Opened the Door
Sadie became the dog that made us question what we had always accepted as normal.
Raw feeding was not a magic wand. By the time we changed her diet, her body had already been struggling for a long time. She improved, and her quality of life was better, but she was never able to fully return to complete health.
Still, the difference was impossible to ignore.
Her story showed us that nutrition matters deeply. It may not undo every problem, especially when the body has been under stress for years, but it can give the body what it needs to function, heal, and cope better.
Sadie was the beginning of a much bigger shift in how we cared for our dogs.
Lowering the Load on the Body
Sadie also taught us that food is only one piece of the picture.
Her body had been through a lot by the time we found raw feeding. Years of chronic symptoms, repeated treatments, and unresolved inflammation had taken a toll. Better nutrition helped, but it could not erase everything her body had already been carrying.
That changed how we looked at health.
We began thinking less in terms of one single cause and more in terms of total load. What is the dog eating? What is their immune system dealing with? How much stress are they under? How often are we asking the body to process unnecessary ingredients, chemicals, medications, or environmental exposures?
We are not anti-vet and we are not against appropriate medical care. Sometimes medication is necessary. But we do believe the body does best when we are thoughtful about what we ask it to handle.
For us, that means choosing high-quality food, supporting the gut, avoiding unnecessary exposure when possible, and making decisions that help the body stay strong instead of constantly asking it to recover.
Building Dogs Who Can Handle Life
Over time, we also began to understand that health is not just about avoiding stress.
Some stress is useful. Puppies need to experience normal life. They need new surfaces, new sounds, new challenges, changes in routine, and safe opportunities to adapt. That kind of appropriate stress helps build confidence, stability, and resilience.
But stress has to be balanced.
When a dog’s body is already overloaded, even a good diet can only do so much. Too much stress can capsize the system. It can show up as digestive issues, skin problems, behavior struggles, immune weakness, or a dog that simply does not recover well.
That is why our approach is not just about feeding raw.
It is about raising and caring for dogs in a way that supports the whole animal: nutrition, environment, stress, recovery, gut health, and thoughtful decision-making.
Sadie started the journey, but she also taught us this lesson clearly: a strong dog is not built by one choice. A strong dog is built by reducing unnecessary burdens while giving the body enough healthy challenge to become resilient.
Breeding Life Photos – Behind the Scenes