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

AKC preregistration for Shih Tzu completed by me for you, be looking for information from AKC in your email a few days after the final payment. AKC registration benefits may include training information, a free month of insurance, and a free vet visit, subscription to a digital magazine, and many more options available on the AKC website. Dalmatian get papers to fill out if they would like to sign up for Continental Kennel Clubs free month of pet insurance or receive the free training information.

AKC Reunite microchip preregistered for all.

Early Potty Training, Socialization & Grooming Foundations

They’re mostly potty trained if the space is small enough since it’s natural for them not to mess in their bed or den area. They just don’t realize that the dining room, guest bedroom, or behind the couch is part of your den, so it’s best to expand their space slowly. Shih Tzus use a grate-protected potty pad, while Dalmatians start with the same and then transition to pine pellets or bedding flakes as they grow, along with having the option to go outside through a doggy door.

They both know how to use a water bottle with ball bearing nipple to prevent a daily water park experience.

Introduction to baths and nail trimming.

Introduction to car rides and field trips.

Introduction to different smells, surfaces, and activities for balance and confidence.

Shih Tzu pups get to see big spotted dogs different from themselves and Dalmatian pups get to see small fluffy dogs different from themselves. They both get to see cats.

Health Testing & Veterinary Care

DNA-tested parents to prevent puppies affected with harmful diseases or conditions; extensive OFA-testing of parents recorded in the public database includes specialized testing of parents' knees, eyes, and more; CHIC number and records available to review during your appointment or they are linked on my Good Dog page. Dalmatian puppies will get an OFA hearing test (B.A.E.R.) as 11% of Dal's are affected with bilateral hearing loss due to extreme white coat color genetics which is why we strive for dark color on the ears.

Veterinarian exam for puppies; DHPP (parvo & distemper) vaccinations; regular deworming while in my care (your veterinarian will typically continue DHPP until ~18 weeks regardless of the number of shots I give as it is about age of last vaccine given).

Go-Home Items

Go-home bag including vaccine and vet records for puppy along with copies of parents OFA test certificates, Purina ProPlan Puppy lamb and oatmeal (Chewy, PetSmart, Tractor Supply, Petco, etc.) kibble sample, a toy/chew, and breed information. Your email will provide important information from AKC for your free vet visit, training information, and free month trial of pet insurance that you must activate ideally before your first vet visit for Shih Tzu. Dalmatians will get the paperwork to fill out if they want to sign up with Continental Kennel Club for the free month trial of pet insurance that you must activate ideally before your first vet visit and the free training information available.

Screening, Visits, and Biosecurity

A video chat on the Good Dog platform is required as part of the interview process before scheduling a home visit for my safety and to make sure you are a serious buyer before I give you my address, exceptions can be made for former clients and their referrals or people who have paid in full or placed a deposit. The property is monitored by security.

Moms and newborns are quarantined for the first few weeks after birth; sanitizing protocols are in place for all visitors of any of the dogs.

Payment Options

Credit card, digital check, and Klarna Credit through Good Dog is available for payment plans. Cashier's check and cash that will be checked for counterfeit are also accepted if you would prefer to stay offline provided we didn't meet first on Good Dog as they require payment through their secure platform.

Pickup & Delivery Options

Meet at Roanoke Airport (ROA) or I-81 exit 156.

You may come to the house if you meet one of the following requirements: You must do the video chat so we can meet face to face before coming to my home (serious buyers only), or have placed a payment or deposit, or If you are a return client, or a referral from a close contact former client or friend.

Ground transport may be available for a fee (estimate: $1.75 per mile, one-way) to a nearby meeting location I select for safety and camera coverage; flight nanny service is the cost of a same-day round-trip flight and food, plus $250/day, plus approximately $100 for a Certificate of Health and $150 for the airline pet fee (as of 2025).

Guarantees & Returns

Full refund with return within the first 2 years for life-altering, debilitating congenital disorders such as bilateral blindness or deafness, class 2+ heart murmur, or spinal disease IVDD, etc. with more details on the contracts page. Full refund with return in the first 72 hours if a vet deems the puppy unacceptable for sale as described in the contract.

I will take my dogs back at any time if you are no longer able to care for them; the microchip is required so I can help recover/rescue if needed in the future.

Waitlist, Deposit, and Pricing

$500 deposit to join the waitlist reserving your spot for your chosen age and breed (applied to the final price).

Pricing: Shih Tzu $2,800; Dalmatian $1,800 (amounts may vary according to pairing, health testing, age, or guardian status).

Estimated remaining balance after deposit: $2,300 (Shih Tzu) or $1,300 (Dalmatian), subject to final pricing.

Guardian Homes

Guardian homes are best suited to those who live within a few hours drive of me for easy access. You must allow me home visits and checks. For the most part it only applies to the Shih Tzu, I may move a few Dal's forward but not at the same volume as I want to expand the Shih Tzu. The ultimate goal of all guardian agreements is that the dog is living with you receiving lots of attention while still being a part of my breeding program. I will need to keep them in my name on AKC until our arrangement is completed at the end of their term. You are not to use them to breed elsewhere for biosecurity reasons, a breach of this magnitude could result in the euthanasia of my entire program. Whether the goal is showing a dog yourself, maintaining a show coat for one that I can show for you, or simply welcoming one of my crew to live with you while still returning to me whenever needed. Each guardianship agreement is tailored to the situation, level of commitment, and partnership. The most common arrangement usually involves full payment upfront with rebates for each cooperative visit of varying time frames, similar to renting them from you, while ensuring you follow my guidance on their food (improper food balance can cause birth defects and eclampsia), exercise, medications (some over-the-counter ear, eye, and flea meds can cause birth defects, it even affects sperm, no herbals etc. as they are medicine too), and healthcare as it relates to their reproductive health per mine and my reproductive veterinarians’ recommendations. I’m asking for about 200 days out of the 5000 in their lifetime of rental time for breeding, whelping, vet visits, and similar needs, at $10 per day while the dog is in my care. This works out to roughly 4-6 potential litters, depending on how long she needs to stay with me, or 7 months of male rentals in daily, half-month, or month-long blocks on my schedule possibly on short notice according to heat cycles and not your preferred holiday schedule to allow for multiple pairings at my discretion. The time might be during Christmas or your summer vacation. I reserve the right to collect his semen and use it or freeze it as my sole property.  I’m only requesting 7 months, or approximately 200 days, of use over the dog’s lifetime weighted toward younger ages focused on ages 2 - 7, sometimes males can be used much longer, there is potential to accrue more than what you originally paid for the dog.  They may be with me a month at a time but at only 7 months minimum that's a small ask over a lifetime. I may choose to use them more if you are willing or I may use them less depending on their success. This way, if you change your mind, I’m disappointed but not left at an unfair disadvantage. You may not use the dog for breeding on your own arrangements, letting a dog breed with others may expose mine to deathly diseases that can wipe out my entire program. Quite frankly they can catch it from only sniffing a pee spot from an infected animal. A common STD in dogs that doesn't look like anything in adult dogs causing death of all puppies is reported to animal control and they euthanize all of my dogs. Payments will be made in lump sums after the resulting litter of puppies are sold and the 1 week return period has passed. Alternatively, arrangements can have little upfront cost if payment is made in regular sacrifice of your time, with a willingness to listen, put in effort, cooperate, and help me with my dogs—learning proper bathing, grooming, and show preparation techniques, and ideally attending shows with me as an assistant, like an apprenticeship with payment in dog and education instead of money. In this case, you’ll only receive a dog after dedicating the time, effort, and openness to learn. When you are competent, we can choose the best dog for you and your goals. This is an estimate of 200 hours of bathing, leash walking, hanging out with me at shows, etc. 200 hours divided into 2-hour work blocks is 100 sessions / 4-hour work block is 50 sessions. I will also rent the dog for breeding purposes in this situation unless we have another agreement. I will keep the dog under my name on AKC while using them for breeding under most circumstances unless you really dive into the hobby on a serious level. Payments will be made in lump sums after I receive money for puppies sold from the resulting litter after the initial week return period has passed.

Spay / Neuter and Full Registration Rights

I do not force you to spay or neuter as this is no longer the standard of care for all young dogs for developmental reasons, besides, these are healthy and sound dogs that add benefit to the population. If we force spay and neuter of all the good dogs we are only left with undesirable, unhealthy, ill-mannered, unadoptable dogs.

For anyone interested in breeding, it’s important to do the health testing and follow early development protocols to give the animals the best start possible. You also need to take an honest, objective look at which dogs should move forward in your program while keeping genetic diversity in mind—it’s a balancing act. It's important to educate yourself from reproductive veterinarians and not rely on lore of the way they used to do it, although that information can be very useful. It’s not cheap, and it requires a lot of time, dedication, and start-up money. Profit isn’t expected for the first 10 years, give or take 5, and even then it might only cover the hobby’s costs. The ultimate aim is to join clubs and activities that help raise standards and improve how purebred dogs and their enthusiasts are perceived. Staying active in your breed-specific club ensures your program’s vision of perfection aligns with AKC standards, representing the breed rather than an offshoot that mimics another breed all together. Full registrations are reserved for those truly dedicated to bettering the breed, staying connected, learning to maintain show condition, and continuing their own education and training. Limited registrations can be upgraded later if you decide to join me in taking on the challenge of bettering the breed.