Sleeping Bear Kennels
health temperament heart
Every puppy is cute
what matters is who they become
Located in Michigan
We raise Cavapoos with care, purpose, and heart for families who value quality.
My goal is to match you with the dog you’ll live with for the next 15 years. Not just a cute puppy you fall in love with today. Puppies are placed based on temperament, your lifestyle, and your expectations for your future dog.
Puppies grow and change
but temperament is what stays
health
Every parent dog is carefully selected and health tested to reduce genetic risks, ensuring each puppy has the best possible start in life.
temperament
We observe and assess each puppy from birth and use structured temperament evaluation to help match them with the perfect family.
socialization
Raised in our home with hands on attention, and early exposures, our puppies develop confidence and adaptability for life.
This program is a good fit if:
- You care more about temperament than appearance
- You want a dog that fits your life, not one you have to adjust your life around
- You are planning ahead and willing to wait for the right puppy
- You want support beyond just bringing a puppy home
This isn’t the right fit if:
- You want to choose your own puppy based on looks
- You are looking for the lowest price or comparing breeders based on cost
- You prefer a quick transactional experience
What Goes Into Every Puppy I Place
Health doesn’t end at go home
- Health surveys every 12-18 months so that we can share any important health information that may impact your puppy
- Continued cardiac screenings on mom dogs after retirement
- Any health issue noted before go home is added to the final contract, including what costs I cover as a breeder if something may need treatment
- Transparency regarding the health and temperament of parents, litters, past puppies, and your puppy
Support before, during and after
- Family visits at 6 weeks to meet the litter, mom dog, us and see where the puppy are raised (hint: it’s right in our living room)
- Weekly emails with updates on what your puppy did the week before and milestones for the upcoming week, as well as unlimited emails, texts, and follow up for the lifetime of your puppy
- Weekly zoom calls for 6 weeks after puppies go home to ensure you aren’t feeling lost before formal training begins. Including training and socialization support and one on one answer to your questions
- Priority access for all training services, including board and trains
Raised Better
- Near 24/7 supervision of puppies from birth through go home – no outbuildings, no nanny cams, no puppies sitting in waste for 10 hours a day
- In depth screening and waitlist process to ensure that we are finding forever homes for the puppies
- We only have a litter if we have 4 deposits – ensuring that puppies are brought into the world for waiting families, not churned out for profit
- A match process to ensure that the puppy you take home can reasonably meet the expectations you have of an adult dog
Hi, I’m Birdie
I raise puppies with long term outcomes in mind, and my program is intentionally small so that I always meet that commitment. As a breeder I’m not just sending you home with a puppy, I’m placing a dog that needs to fit into your life for years to come. I take that responsibility seriously, and I’m grateful you’re considering my program.
