Alberta, Canada
Bearspaw Finnish Lapphunds is actively engaged in breeding litters of Finnish Lapphunds. We breed a combination of show dogs, show, performance dogs, therapy dogs, and companions. A preservationist breeder breeds for the love of the breed, and tends to be dog-centered in puppy placements. While we are attempting to find the very best puppy for our puppy families, the welfare and needs of the puppies are paramount. As a result, we do not make decisions about where to place puppies until they are old enough to evaluate. We always have more homes for puppies than we have puppies for homes. We are currently planning or co-breeding litters in Alberta, New Brunswick, and the Pacific North West USA.
The Initial Contact
We do not mind e-mails with questions about the breed, our waiting list, and cost of puppies. If you are not sure whether or not you wnat to apply, this may be for you. Try to do a bit of general reading before you contact us with basic information which you can find- size of the dog, etc. We suggest reading breed club webpages. As an FYI- we do not ship puppies or send them with a third party.
The Application
After you begin a dialogue with us through our contact form, you may wish to continue the screening proces. The next step is to complete an application. Once you complete an application, we begin to get to know you. We will have an expectation that you are willing to connect with us on social media if you are a Facebook user.
The interview & beyond
If you are local to us, fully vaccinated, and willing to work with us around both COVID and dog safety, we will ask you to do an in person interview. Depending upon the time of year, this may be outside. We like to see how you interact with the dogs. If you are not local, we highly encourage you to visit. We will set up a Zoom or phone interview for you.
The Waiting
Due to the rarity of the breed, and need to maintain the gene pool, we cannot guarentee prefered colours or genders of companion puppies. You may recieve a puppy quicker if you are willing and able to help us keep a puppy in the gene pool and/or show. You would also need to demonstrate to us that you have the time and interest in this- we know that it is not for everyone.
Preservationist breeders are very concerned to keep in touch. They are many reasons for this. We will provide you with information and answer questions for the lifetime of the dog. We also like to know how puppies are developing, as it influences our breeding programme. We will contact you, especially with young puppies, to see how they are developing. We like a photo or an update at least a few times a year. Lastly, if it is not working out for any reason, we will take a puppy or dog back. Puppies and dogs bred by us always have a safe place to return if they or their humans are experiencing challenges. We do not allow dogs bred by us to be placed in a shelter or with a rescue organization.