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.
A small breeding program centered on health and temperament to create the ideal companion always striving to improve the breed through every generation. DNA testing and OFA health certification ensure the healthiest pups possible.
What You Can Expect
Registration & Identification
• Shih Tzu registration: I complete AKC registration on your behalf.
• AKC benefits include: training information, a free month of pet insurance, a free veterinary visit, a digital magazine subscription, and other available AKC resources.
• Dalmatian paperwork: 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
Early potty training: Puppies begin in a small, appropriately sized area because they naturally try to keep their sleeping space clean. Since they do not yet understand that larger parts of the home are part of the same living space, it is best to expand their freedom gradually. Shih Tzus begin with a grate-protected potty pad. Dalmatians start similarly and may later transition to pine pellets or bedding flakes, with the option of going outside through a doggy door as they grow.
Early exposure includes:
- gentle introduction to baths and nail trimming,
- car rides and field trips, and
- different smells, surfaces, and activities that help build balance and confidence.
- exposure to different breeds of dogs and cats.
Health Testing & Veterinary Care
Health testing: Parents are DNA tested to help reduce the risk of puppies 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.).
Puppy veterinary care: Puppies receive a veterinary exam, DHPP vaccinations (parvo and distemper), and regular deworming while in my care.
Go-Home Items
Each puppy goes home with:
• 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 and registration information
Payment Options
Payment and short-term financing plans are available through Good Dog using:
• credit card,
• digital check, and
• Klarna Credit
If we connected outside Good Dog: payment may also be accepted by check, cash, PayPal, Zelle, Cash App, etc.
Pickup & Delivery Options
Pickup: Pickup is available at Roanoke Airport (ROA) or I-81 Exit 156.
Home visits: You may come to my home for pickup 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 is $2 per mile one way from 24175, flight is $600 to cover pet fees, certificates, daily fees, plus the cost of a roundtrip flight with same day turnaround.
Guarantees & Returns
Refunds and returns: A full refund in the form of a new puppy or dog when one becomes available with return of the dog deemed unfit including all transferred paperwork within the first two years for life-altering congenital conditions.
Lifetime return policy: If you are ever unable to care for one of my dogs, I will take the dog back at any time if you need me to, please never surrender to a shelter. Microchipping is required so I can help recover or rescue the dog if needed in the future and you or your family are unavailable.
Waitlist Deposit and Pricing
A $500 deposit reserves your place on the waitlist. This deposit is applied to the final price.
• Shih Tzu: $2,800 avg.
• Dalmatian: $1,800 avg.
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 allow home visits, routine checks, access to the dog whenever I need them until the commitment is completed.
How the arrangement works: Each guardianship agreement and associated fees are tailored to the situation, the level of commitment, and the partnership involved. All are a foster to ownership arrangement that may support different goals in addition to being part of my breeding program, including:
• showing a dog yourself, maintaining a show, striving for a championship and the class time to prepare for such
• welcoming one of my dogs into your home, returning the dog to me for testing, vet care, and reproductive care
Time commitment: In addition to the time you spend training, in class, or in shows I typically ask for about 300 days of borrowing the dog 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.
Full registration rights: Full registration is reserved for people who are truly committed to bettering the breed with OFA health testing, staying involved, and continuing their education and training. Limited registration may be upgraded later if you decide to take on that responsibility.