About Mountain Pass

Why I started

After seeing repeated, costly health issues in dogs including thyroid disease and seizures in my family’s pets, I felt strongly that there should be healthier companion animals available. With a background in the medical/dental field as a now retired dental hygienist RDH and years of hands-on animal care, I decided to build a small, thoughtful breeding program focused on health, temperament, and lifelong accountability. My first litter was especially for my grandparents, who couldn’t find a rescue willing to give them a dog because of their limited mobility and being over 80 years old.

Background & approach

Since 2005, we’ve lived on a small hobby farm where I’ve studied animal behavior and natural farming methods like pasture and field rotation to cut down on parasites and disease, as well as stall and enclosure management to prevent ammonia fumes buildup close to the floor. I take the same thoughtful approach to breeding, using careful observation, thorough screening, and intentional trait pairing—always putting the dog’s long-term wellbeing first.

·       Medical/dental background since 2003, Dental Hygienist RDH retired

·       Animal behavior study and long-term hands-on animal husbandry since I was 8 years old

·       Program launched in 2021; first litter in 2023

Why these breeds

I chose Shih Tzu because their hair feels like luxurious fine fabric and I can't resist the feel of a fine fabric. Also I value a small size and a lower-shedding coat (as close to “hypoallergenic” as any dog can be), especially for older owners and for my own physical limitations leading up to cervical spine surgery and while recovering from that surgery I fell and incurred an ACL injury that took a 9 months before the swelling went down enough to do the surgery and another year before stairs didn't hurt. It was important to focus on a breed that is okay with not going on long walks for the homebound and disabled population. In my experience, Shih Tzu are playful, resilient, and not overly sensitive, with a steady “easygoing” personality—like the quarter horse of the dog world in a fun-size package.

Dalmatians were my son’s pick, and they have impressed me with their intelligence and deep bond with their people. They tend to be very responsive and thrive with thoughtful, positive training and gentle handling. Freckles is my loyal watchdog, referee, and puppy babysitter / playmate, my second in command, always alert and attentive to my instructions.

My goal: to produce sound, healthy companions with stable temperaments, place them carefully, and remain a lifelong resource—including taking back any dog I’ve bred if needed.

We recently redid the barn to make it up for the dogs since the horse moved out. It is now setup as a R&R workout area with steps and ramps up to the fenced in loft to develop their muscles. It is open space with outside runs where they can let loose and have wrestle mania parties.

Currently we have been refencing the 9 acres so that the dogs can have off leash walks and training. So far we are only finishing up the front 2-acre pasture and have a long way to go, this will take years at this pace.