JackRussellPups

CONTACT INFORMATION

Owner: Annette Gilliam, Esq.

Phone: 619-302-3460

Email: BlossomValleyKennel@gmail.com

GENERAL INFORMATION

Breeding Rights:

All my puppies are sold without breeding rights, unless otherwise agreed upon in writing in a signed contract before delivery to new owner. I can change the Limited Registration to Full Registration if we later agree to a breeding contract in writing. In general, puppies with breeding rights are double the pet price. I sometimes will take a puppy back if I like the girl and we use my stud. The stud service can be a puppy back in addition to the breeding rights puppy back or a cash payment for the stud service. I'm flexible as to my compensation.

Spay/Neuter Condition of Sale:

If a puppy is sold without breeding rights, then it must be payed or neutered before it is 24 months old but no earlier than 12 months for terriers or 18 months for Labradors. The reason is that hormones help close the growth plates, so puppies should not be spayed or neutered before their grownth plates close. Early castration has been proven to be detrimental to a puppy's development. New Owner must send me proof of castration from a licensed vet for my files and to prove compliance with this contractual requirement. If I grant breeding rights, we will enter into a written signed Breeding Contract prior to the deadline for castration.

Deposits:

I no longer take deposits before a litter is born. I currently hold a few holdover deposits from previous years, and I will honor those deposits and positions on the list for a puppy. When a litter is born, I will take non-refundable deposits on a particular puppy or a numbered pick, although I always have the right to keep any puppy if it is right for my breeding program. I make that determination no later than 8 weeks of age, since puppies can leave my home at 9 weeks. Deposits are non-refundable since, if a puppy has a deposit on it, other potential buyers go elsewhere and I've lost a sale. Therefore, don't ask for a refund if you cancel at the last minute.

ABOUT BLOSSOM VALLEY KENNEL

I started showing and breeding dogs in 1998 when I moved to an area of East San Diego County called Blossom Valley. I had a large almost-12-acre piece of land that I purchased in 1987 and I had always wanted to design and build my own "dream" house. When I was working on that project, I attended a local Gold Coast Miniature Horse Club show in Lakeside, CA and was amazed at the miniature horses I saw there. It was Mother's Day 1997. A club member referred me to a breeder named Kasey Mando of Arabay Ranch and Ultra Quest Show Dogs. I drove to Kasey's that day and bought my own 4-month-old miniature horse whom I named Arabay's Captain Azule ("Blue"). Later, I bought 3 Labs from Kasey and eventually Jack Russell Terriers (now called Parson Russell Terriers). Kasey is the person who started taking me to horse shows and dog shows. Kasey is still around and still gives advice when needed. She is one of my few lifetime friends.

Blossom Valley Ranch and Blossom Valley Kennel originated at that time on that property in San Diego county, California, east of El Cajon and west of Alpine. I had a 140-mile one-way commute to work that became longer as the years passed, so eventually in 2010 I moved to Aguanga, California, east of Temecula, California and Interstate 15, which is in Riverside county, California. My one-way commute to Rosemead to work at Southern California Edison Company became shorter as the distance was reduced to 100 miles each way. When it became a 3-hour commute each way in 2013, I decided to retire. My last day at Edison was September 30, 2013. RETIREMENT IS BETTER!

I now live on a 4.8 acre parcel with my dogs, alpacas, pygmy goats, mini horse, miniature donkey, Arab mare, peacocks, and Guinea fowl (they kill baby rattle snakes). My dogs go out into dog runs during the day and sleep inside at night. Dogs are supposed to be loved and raised in homes where they are properly socialized and given hours to be outside in the sun to play. I try to minimize genetic health defects in my puppies by doing as much genetic/health testing that is financially possible. Now we have Embark which tests for almost 200 genetic diseases with one cheek swab! All my breeding stock are EMBARK tested unless cleared by parentage.

Many Breeders tell people that they have no genetic/health defects in their lines, but most of those people are lying. Over the years, many people have called me for advice because I am an attorney, so I know where many skeletons are buried. Some breeders are producing genetic diseases and hiding the fact. What is amazing is that some of the most guilty ones act so ethically pure. You cannot trust anyone that doesn't show you test results. It is easy for a breeder to give you the link to the EMBARK results on a dog of theirs. If they do no testing or tell you that they do not need to do any testing because they have no problems, RUN from them. NO DOG IS PERFECT. Every breeder has had one problem or another over the years. Some problems are more serious than others. You'll have to put an ataxic puppy down around a year, but a deaf dog can live a normal life. Do your research. Ask questions. We breeders should try to minimize the problems in our lines.

Also, purchase from AKC Breeders of Merit. You reduce your chance of being cheated. Look up the breeder's name on the AKC website to verify. Or call the AKC. Never buy a dog from a "puppy farm" or "puppy mill" -- many of which are in the mid-west or PA. They keep their adult dogs in cages in buildings, where the dogs are kept on wire floors so the pee and poop go through and they can scoop the mess out from a small area below the cage. The United States Department of Agriculture permits such atrocious practices! They do not require that the puppy farms or puppy mills let their dogs outside to run and play. Being a USDA-licensed breeder is probably a good indication a person is a puppy miller. Get an address and look them up on Google Earth. People can lie about addresses, however, so verify and get references, especially from the AKC. Crooks have been known to download pictures of good breeders' dogs and facilities to scam potential puppy buyers by getting deposits that they never intend to satisfy. One way to verify the pictures are read is to do video chats with a breeder to see the actual facilities. If they refuse or refuse a visit, BEWARE!

Some local breeders also keep their dogs in wire or plastic dog crates inside and only let the city or county limit outside at any point in time to potty in order to avoid licensing laws. One such local breeder was reputed to have 30-40 dogs in crates but only let six (6) outside at any time to potty. What kind of life is that? Beware if a breeder refuses to let you see where their adults and puppies live. If a breeder wants to meet you in a parking lot or at their vet, RUN FAST! They are hiding the way they keep their dogs. An honest and ethical breeder will welcome you to visit their home to see how they and their dogs live. Just because a breeder brags of show wins does not mean they keep their dogs in a good environment. Ask to visit and see what they say. If they make excuses why you cannot visit their home and where the dogs live, RUN FROM THEM!

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