Mountain Pass
Roanoke area, Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia
At Mountain Pass, I raise Shih Tzu and Dalmatians on 9 acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Roanoke, Virginia.
What you get
Registration & Identification
Registration Information
For Shih Tzu
I complete AKC registration for Shih Tzu on your behalf. After your final payment, please watch your email for information from AKC, which usually arrives within a few days.
AKC registration benefits may include training information, a free month of pet insurance, a free veterinary visit, a digital magazine subscription, and other options available through AKC.
For Dalmatians
Dalmatian owners receive the paperwork needed if they would like to enroll through the Continental Kennel Club for a free one-month pet insurance trial and available training information.
Microchip Registration
All puppies are preregistered with AKC Reunite microchip identification.
Early Potty Training, Socialization & Grooming Foundations
**If you maintain a small enough space with appropriate potty options available, they are mostly potty trained. **
Puppies are started on early potty training in a small, appropriately sized space, since they naturally try to keep their bed or den area clean. Because they do not yet understand that larger areas of the home are part of that same space, it is best to expand their freedom gradually. Shih Tzus begin with a grate-protected potty pad. Dalmatians start the same way and later transition to pine pellets or bedding flakes as they grow, with the option of going outside through a doggy door.
Puppies are also introduced to a water bottle with a ball-bearing tip to help reduce spills and splashing.
Early Exposure Includes:
• gentle introduction to baths and nail trimming,
• car rides and field trips, and
• different smells, surfaces, and activities that build balance and confidence.
Shih Tzu puppies are exposed to large spotted dogs, and Dalmatian puppies are exposed to small fluffy dogs, so each litter becomes familiar with dogs that look different from themselves. Both are also introduced to cats.
Health Testing & Veterinary Care
Health Testing
Parents are DNA tested to help prevent puppies from being affected by harmful inherited diseases or conditions. They also complete extensive OFA testing, with results recorded in the public database, including evaluations of knees, eyes, and other breed-relevant health areas.
Records and Review
CHIC numbers and health records are available for review during your appointment, and they are also linked on my Good Dog page.
Dalmatian Hearing Testing
Dalmatian puppies receive an OFA hearing test (B.A.E.R.). Because bilateral hearing loss occurs in 11% of the breed and is associated with extreme white coat color genetics, I aim for strong ear pigmentation as part of my breeding goals.
Puppy Veterinary Care
Puppies receive a veterinary exam, DHPP vaccinations (parvo and distemper), and regular deworming while in my care. Your veterinarian will usually continue the DHPP series until about 18 weeks of age, regardless of how many vaccines have already been given, because the timing of the final dose matters most.
Go-Home Items
Go-Home Bag
Each puppy goes home with the following:
• vaccine and veterinary records,
• copies of the parents’ OFA test certificates,
• a sample of Purina Pro Plan Puppy Lamb & Oatmeal kibble,
• a toy or chew, and
• breed information.
For Shih Tzu
You will receive AKC information for your free veterinary visit, training information, and a free one-month pet insurance trial. This should ideally be activated before your first vet visit. Your email from AKC will include important information about your puppy’s next steps with access to the free items.
For Dalmatians
You will receive the paperwork needed if you would like to sign up through the Continental Kennel Club for the free one-month pet insurance trial, along with the available training information. The insurance should ideally be activated before your first vet visit.
Screening, Visits, and Biosecurity
Home Visits
Before scheduling a home visit, I require a video chat through Good Dog as part of the interview process. This helps protect my safety and ensures I share my address only with serious buyers. Exceptions may be made for returning clients, referrals, and buyers who have already paid in full or placed a deposit. The property is security monitored.
Biosecurity
Mothers and newborn puppies are quarantined during the first few weeks after birth. All visitors who interact with the dogs must also follow sanitizing protocols.
Payment Options
Payment and short-term loan credit plans are available through Good Dog using:
• credit card,
• digital check, and
• Klarna Credit.
If We Connected Outside Good Dog
Offline payment may also be accepted by cashier’s check or cash, which will be checked for counterfeit. However, if we first connected through Good Dog, payment must be made through their secure platform in accordance with their requirements.
Pickup & Delivery Options
Pickup is available at Roanoke Airport (ROA) or I-81 Exit 156.
House Visits
You may come to my home if at least one of the following applies:
• we have completed a video chat so we can meet face to face first,
• you have placed a payment or deposit,
• you are a returning client, or
• you were referred by a close contact, former client, or friend.
Transport Options
Transport may be available for an additional fee.
• Ground transport: estimated at $1.75 per mile, one way, to a nearby meeting location that I choose for safety and camera coverage.
• Flight nanny service: the cost of a same-day round-trip flight and food, plus $250 per day, plus about $100 for a Certificate of Health and $150 for the airline pet fee (as of 2025).
Guarantees & Returns
Refunds and Returns
A full refund is available with return of the dog within the first two years for life-altering congenital conditions, such as bilateral blindness or deafness, a Class 2 or higher heart murmur, or spinal disease such as IVDD. A full refund is also available within the first 72 hours if a veterinarian determines that the puppy is not acceptable for sale as outlined in the contract. Please see the contracts page for complete details.
Lifetime Return Policy
If you are ever unable to care for one of my dogs, I will take the dog back at any time. Microchipping is required so I can help recover or rescue the dog if needed in the future.
Waitlist Deposit and Pricing
$500 deposit to join the waitlist and reserve your place for your chosen breed and age group. This deposit is applied to the final price.
• Shih Tzu: $2,800
• Dalmatian: $1,800
Estimated balance after deposit: $2,300 for a Shih Tzu or $1,300 for a Dalmatian. Final pricing may vary based on pairing, health testing, age, or guardian status.
Guardian Homes
Purpose
The goal of every guardian agreement is for the dog to live with you, receive plenty of attention, and still remain part of my breeding program.
Who Is a Good Fit
Guardian homes are best suited to people who live within a few hours of me so I can maintain easy access. You must also allow home visits and routine checks.
How the Arrangement Works
Each guardianship agreement is tailored to the situation, the level of commitment, and the partnership involved. It may support different goals, such as:
• showing a dog yourself,
• maintaining a show coat for a dog that I may show, or
• welcoming one of my dogs into your home while returning the dog to me when needed.
The most common arrangements include:
• full payment upfront, with rebates or rental fees for each cooperative visit, or
• little upfront cost in exchange for your time, effort, cooperation, and willingness to learn and help with my dogs.
Time Commitment
I typically ask for about 200 days out of the dog’s roughly 5,000-day lifetime.
Spay / Neuter and Full Registration Rights
Spay/Neuter
I do not require routine spay or neuter for every young dog, as it is not always considered the best standard of care for healthy developing animals. These dogs are healthy, sound, and capable of contributing positively to the breed. My view is that automatically removing all strong candidates from the gene pool can leave fewer healthy, stable, and well-structured dogs available for the future.
Full Registration Rights
Full registration is reserved for people who are truly committed to bettering the breed, staying involved, and continuing their education and training. Limited registration may be upgraded later if you decide to take on that responsibility and pursue the work seriously.