I purchased my first Norwegian Buhund in 2002. He challenged me and shaped my entire life from that moment and I’ve never looked back. He inspired both my career in science and my CPDT-KA certification in dog training. Over the last 21 years, I’ve served on the Norwegian Buhund Club of America board and volunteered in various capacities including fostering for breed rescue and helping to organize the Club’s annual Junior Handler Scholarship raffle. My Buhunds have taught me how to live in the moment and enjoy nature in ways I never imagined. We’ve learned to enjoy dog sports including herding, agility, rally and obedience together, and we even enjoy the show ring… a little.

At long last, 2023 marks the birth of my breeding program. My program’s goals include:

• improving the genetic diversity available in the breed through careful selection for low COI, extensive health testing, and modern genetic tools
• improving temperament suitability for life in suburban America through selection of successful parents and best-practices in puppy raising and early socialization
• supporting puppy buyers through the process of raising and training their puppies with detailed, actionable information
• producing well-rounded dogs who thrive in daily life as well as in dog sports

Why not strive specifically for working and herding ability?

This is a Herding Breed, isn’t it? Yes, but the sad reality is that no one is directly selecting for herding ability in this breed in the United States. There are very few Buhunds actually working livestock at all (there are some hobbyists who dabble in herding with their Buhunds, but that’s not the same as actually serving the breed’s historical function). With the ever-increasing urbanization of our country, real working homes are few and far between. “Available positions” for working herding, farm and ranch dogs are generally occupied by more-popular breeds such as Border Collies, Australian Cattle Dogs, Kelpies and Aussies. The majority of available homes for dogs are in cities and suburbs, so as a breeder I feel that I owe the dogs I produce a chance to live the best life they can in the homes they will most likely be placed into. While I aim to preserve herding ability as much as possible, adaptability to a world filled with bikes, joggers, and frustrating interactions is far more important to the breed’s ultimate survival. If you are seeking a dog specifically for herding work or competition, I would be happy to discuss my own dogs’ abilities, and/or direct you to a breeder who might produce a dog more aligned with a herding career.