-- Meet the Breeders --
Laura and Todd Garrett, their 3 children and their animal companions - Ella, Sable, Blue, Buster & Coco
Ella
Retired
Daughter of Ellie & Pyro
(see below-Watsons)
Buster's mom
(not used in breeding program)
|
Sable
Retired
Violet's mom
(see below-Watsons)
Blue's mom
Daughter of Scarlett
|
Blue
Expecting mom
Daughter of Sable
|
Buster
Neutered male
(Our daughter's best buddy)
Son of Ella
(Never Bred)
|
Coco
|
<<<=== Our fuzzy misfit. She loves having puppies around to play. Her first litter to experience was Sable's 3rd litter. Coco helped "raise" Blue and Buster.
|
Aggie
1998-2010
Scarlett's mom
Sable's & Pyro's grandma
Ella's & Blue's Great-Granny
|
Brindie
1996-2009
Our "Nanny" passed away November 2009. She was a big part of raising and socializing the pups and deeply missed.
|
Scarlett
2003-2013
Sable's mom
Ella's Grandma
Blue's Grandma
Pyro's mom
(see below-Watsons)
|
Pictured above are the Garretts' dogs which are very much a part of their family circle.
They are all great with our children .. and quite protective, when appropriate.
Here is a letter from the main caretaker of the pups, Laura:
How the pups are raised:
"A lot of time is spent caring for the pups .. from the minute they are born. My children and I love to hang out with mom and help her get through the whole birth. We closely watch each pup for the first two weeks. Keeping an eagle eye on the pups is crucial to ensure they aren't sat on by mom .. rolled up in the bedding .. and that they are getting enough of mom's good milk. Needless to say, I don't get much sleep during the first few weeks! After the first three to four weeks, I can start relaxing a bit .. as does mom. This is when puppies are able to wobble around ... and the fun begins! The puppy playfulness kicks in and my kids love it!
From the moment of birth to about 3-1/2 to 4 weeks old, the pups and mom are kept in our master bathroom. When more room is needed, the pups are moved to the back patio which our house wraps around allowing us to keep a constant watchful eye on things. Around week 4 or 5, the pups are introduced to real food - softened. We try to capture milestones and share via pictures posted on this site. The pups are given shots at 6 weeks and 8 weeks of age.
If the pups are doing well with eating dry food and seem less dependent on mom, we allow them to go home at 7 to 8 weeks of age. They are quite playful at this age. It is a sad time for our children but a good life lesson. Understanding the pups don't stay small long does help the kids accept the departure of the pups. Additionally, knowing the pups are going to new owners that are going to love them just as much as we have is comforting. In those moments of departure, my kids realize they helped get the puppy ready for its new owner(s)."
The temperament of our pups:
"For the most part, the Doberman breed has a good temperament. What I have found with our pups, however, that there is something exceptional about their temperament. I whole heartedly believe it has to do with the fact that we are handling them from the minute they are born. The pups are handled and loved on the entire time they spend in our care. It makes a noticeable difference."
Role of Protector:
"What you are going to find with all our pups is confidence. Our Dobes are submissive only to us, their human owners. In every other area they are extremely confident and cower to nothing. The moms of our pups greet everyone who comes to visit the pups with good manners. As long as our Dobes can tell we are okay with the people being there, then they are okay with them, too -- and will insist that hand at their side is petting them!! As for the pups, they tend to approach everything with curiosity. Instinctively, they are checking things out. "
Cleanliness is IMPORTANT!
"Many of our pups sell out of state .. so who is witnessing the living conditions of the pups? My CHILDREN!! They are with the pups all day long. I cannot afford to let things get too messy. I am constantly cleaning up after the pups and sanitizing surfaces, bedding, and other items involved with caring for the pups with iodine, bleach, alcohol, Odoban, Thieves, and/or vinegar. My washing machine is also constantly running!
If you will look closely at the pictures throughout this site, you will notice that there are no droppings in the yard, the bedding is clean and the pups LOOK clean! There is no telling how many times I am bathing the pups before they go home. Let's be honest, when a whole litter of pups starts doing their business .. it gets messy. It is a constant job but with the kids around, I HAVE to stay on top of it! There is no keeping the children away from the pups :) "
From the Heart:
"Through some of what I have written here, I hope you are able to get a real good depiction of who we are and how we care and love the pups. I take my role of caring for the pups very seriously. In this breeder's environment, it is not just up to the pups' mother. I don't want our female stressing herself out anymore than what is absolutely necessary for the survival of the pups. Mom and I work together as a team. What you have to remember is these are MY babies having babies .. I want the best for my girls! Each litter is a wonderful experience. It is my job to make sure my girls are well taken care of in exchange!"
--Laura Garrett
 |
 |
-- Retired from Breeding --
-- From the Past --
Harley
*
[Sire - Retired]
[Pyro's dad]
|
Guen
[Dam - Retired]
|
Polly
[Dam - Retired]
|
Amber
[Dam - Retired]
|
Below is a picture of one of the Garrett children with (from left to right):
Amber, Harley and Polly
Like the Garretts, Pat and her family were very involved with the pups. Pups were kept inside their home until a minimum of 4 weeks old .. and they were held often and looked after with great care.
Letter written by Pat demonstrating care given to her pups get:
"The first week, we constantly check on the pups to see that each one is getting their fair share of mother's milk. During the first few weeks, no one will get to see the pups to avoid exposing them to harmful germs, etc. When the pups are 4 weeks old, we then allow interested owners to see them.
Tina, Don and I hold the pups a lot after they are one week old. We stay close to mom to keep her comfortable. None of our other dogs are allowed near them.
At the end of the third week, the babies are started on food. During the fifth week, we start training our pups to potty on newspaper.
The pups are born in our day room in a whelping box. They stay with us in the day room for 4 weeks. After their first shot, we then take them outside.
Two of Gwen's puppies are being shown in UKC. (I only like the AKC shows).
We sound like we are really picky. We just want the pups to have the best of health!
Pat G"
|
* The male (pictured above) sired the Garretts 1st three litters for Scarlett.
Pat George with 2 of the Garrett kids
(also pictured Polly and Amber)
|
All Content Copyright © 2000-present GarrettsDobermans.com.
All rights reserved.
|
