What Essential Things Kids Should Know Before Getting a Puppy: Insights from Shaylyn Matthews

SPECIAL EDITION: KID-SIZE YOUR EXPERTISE
Experts and parents... what do you wish kids knew about your expertise?

Listen to today's episode, "What Essential Things Kids Should Know Before Getting a Puppy: Insights from Shaylyn Matthews"  as Pyrenees & Pyre-doodle Breeder and Home School Mama  Shaylyn Matthews joins Dori Durbin.  Shaylyn shares:

• Why She Got a Pyrenees and Into Dog Breeding 
• The Pyrenees vs Pyredoodle Personalities
• What Is Pup Temperament Testing
• How You Can  Establish Pup Behaviors
• How You Can Establish Routines and Rules
• How Involved Should Kids Be In Pup's Care
• Kids' Lessons From Pup Rearing
• What Should Kids Know Before They See Pups
• How a Family Knows If They Are Really Ready for a Pup 
• How To Contact Shaylyn and See Her Pups

Did you love this episode? Discover more here:
 https://thepowerofkidsbooks.buzzsprout.com

More about Shaylyn:
She's a homeschooling Mom of 6. 

She lives on a 62 acre remodeled Amish Farm house in a small town of 300. Her husband owns two automobile repair businesses, so entrepreneurship is a passion! 

She is raising her kids to think business minded and taking her passions and making money doing it! 

She's extremely passionate about breeding the best great Pyrenees and Pyredoodles and raising them in a safe, clean environment with early neurological stimulation and daily curriculum, plenty of exposure to environmental changes and temperment testing to place them in the perfect home .

Visit her website:
http://www.oakroadpyrenees.com

Follow Shaylyn:
http://facebook.com/OakRoadFarmandPyrenees
http://instagram.com/OakRoadFarmandPyrenees

Email: pinkladies4@gmail.com

More about Dori Durbin:
Dori Durbin is a Christian wife, mom, author, illustrator, and a kids’ book coach who after experiencing a life-changing illness, quickly switched gears to follow her dream. She creates kids’ books to provide a fun and safe passageway for kids and parents to dig deeper and experience empowered lives. Dori also coaches non-fiction authors and aspiring authors to “kid-size” their content into informational and engaging kids’ books!
 
 Buy Dori's Kids' Books:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Dori-Durbin/author/B087BFC2KZ

Follow Dori
http://instagram.com/dori_durbin
http://www.doridurbin.com
http://www.facebook.com/dori_durbin
email: hello@doridurbin.com

Welcome to the Power of Kids' Books podcast hosted by Dori Durbin... where we believe kids' books are a catalyst for empowering and inspiring change!

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Transcript

[00:00:00.330] - Dori Durbin

Professionals, have you ever wished that someone could tell kids and parents valuable information that would make your job and the kids and parents experiences even better? Let's take your job and kids size the information. For instance, let's say you're thinking about getting a new puppy. Well, there's a lot to learn about new puppies and a lot that you may not even know yet. So I've invited our expert today, Shaylyn Matthews. She is a greater Pyrenees and Pyrenees doodle breeder. Welcome, Shailen.

[00:00:32.270] - Shaylyn Matthews
Thank you for having me. It's so awesome.

[00:00:35.450] - Dori Durbin
Thank you for being willing to do this. I think it's really important information for parents to know.

[00:00:40.780] - Shaylyn Matthews
Yes, for sure.

[00:00:42.670] - Dori Durbin
So I know that you have the oak road farms in Wisconsin. Am I saying it right, Pyrenees?

 [00:00:51.910] - Shaylyn Matthews
 Yes, you're saying it right. Yes.

 [00:00:54.290] - Dori Durbin
 Beautiful dogs. Big beautiful dogs. How did you start the whole focus on them?

 [00:01:01.080] - Shaylyn Matthews
 Yeah, well, so it's a little bit of a long story. I'll try to sum it up as best as I can. It's a total god story. And it's just so cool to see how god works in our lives and brings us to these places that you never expect. So I had just met a Pyrenees one day, and I'll like, what is this giant fluffy ballifer? And it was standing there and there was like ten kids hanging on. It was just so chill. And I had labs previously, and I love labs, but I also had four little kids under like six, and I was like, labs just have too much energy for me right now in this season of my life. And I was pregnant again, and it was just like, oh, my goodness. I couldn't do the lab thing. So I had searched to search for great Pyrenees, just couldn't find one. When I found I call him my gateway drug. His name was Samson. I found him on Craigslist for $25. And he was a mix of great Pyrenees, springer spaniel and Meriema, which merema is like an even bigger, more livestock guardian dogs and a great Pyrenees.

 [00:01:55.020] - Shaylyn Matthews
So they don't usually make house pets, whereas great Pyrenees can make house pets and therapy dogs. So he was the best $25 I ever spent and brought him home. He topped out at £155. I mean, he was just the biggest, cutest people love to come see Samson because they just couldn't believe how big he was. Super easy going with the kids. Never jumped, never. I mean, he was just so chill. And so I had been homeschooling. My one daughter was just having a really hard time with learning how to read, and I didn't know how to help her. So we had an opportunity to send the kids to private school. So I was like, well, I could buy an Akc, great Pyrenees female, and I could have a litter and it would pay for the kids'schooling. And that was quite an investment back then for me, we just didn't have the extra money. So I saved. Went to Michigan, actually got my first Akc Great Pyrenees, brought her home, waited two years, had her first litter of puppies and just fell in love with it. So Chloe was the start of our program. She's the matriarch.

 [00:02:55.580] - Shaylyn Matthews
 She's retired now, and since then, right now we're in the process of building the state of the art kennels for the dogs in floor heating, bath, wash area, ventilated rooms, private welcoming rooms for the moms to have their babies. And this is all just doing this all debt free with the money that I've made off the dogs previously. It all goes back to the doggies. So just getting them just the best that we can, raise them the best that we can when we have them, and setting them up for success, hopefully with their families, which I get good feedback from families. So I feel like we must be doing something right. Yeah, we're just so excited to expand our program.

 [00:03:36.550] - Dori Durbin
 How many dogs do you have right now? I guess you'd say just adult dogs, right?

 [00:03:41.990] - Shaylyn Matthews
 I actually have a little bit of a program. So in our house at our farm, we do have two livestock guardian dogs that are Great Pyrenees, and one is one of our studs, and then another one is just the rescue I took in. She's a Great Pyrenees, but she'll just live her days out with him. She was going to be killed and so I couldn't have that happen. So we took her in. She'll just live there and be as a friend in the house, though. My daughter all have a dog and I have Chloe, so we have four in the house, but in our program we have about, I want to say nine dogs, but we do guardian homes. Have you ever heard of a guardian home?

 [00:04:14.990] - Dori Durbin
 I don't. 

 [00:04:16.930] - Shaylyn Matthews
 That's awesome. So a lot of people haven't. And it's just a fun thing we do. Obviously there's a supply and demand sometimes with dogs, and I'm very careful about breeding my girls. They all get healthy valuations and things, and if I just don't feel they're ready, if I feel they've bred and they're like I'm done, they retire. Some moms aren't just not meant to be moms. So what happens is I buy the dog and families will apply to be part of our guardian homes and they get the dog for free. They take care of her daily and yearly care, and then she just comes back to breed. When I find that she's right, once her hips and elbows are done and she's genetically health tested and sometimes they need a little more churring, they're a little hyper. So usually around the two year mark, they'll come back and have a litter maybe once a year for about four years. And then they retire and they're spayed and they stay at that home. So it's no down cost to the family. Right away they don't have to pay for that dog initially and they just get her for free as long as they're part of our program and they take good care of them and keep them safe.

 [00:05:18.860] - Shaylyn Matthews
 And our families are awesome. And then they get the one on one attention. They're not raised in a kennel, they're not raised in a house with eleven dogs or whatever, and they're getting that awesome attention they need with their families. They have a family life. They go on camping trips and hikes and they get to do all that fun stuff where I couldn't take eleven dogs with me every time I wanted to go camping or hiking. You know, I already have like four follow me every time I go to the bathroom so I can imagine eleven.

 [00:05:48.110] - Dori Durbin
 Yeah, that's great, but you're safe, that's good. You're safe on your trip.

 [00:05:52.280] - Shaylyn Matthews
 Oh yes, they make sure I'm safe. I can't even sneeze without getting checked on. So I was actually reading up on.

 [00:05:58.710] - Dori Durbin
Them a little bit and one thing it made me laugh, it was saying that they are very intelligent and they're very protective. So when you talk to them, they really pay attention to your tone of voice and how you react to them. Is that a little different than some other dogs?

 [00:06:15.850] - Shaylyn Matthews
 Yeah, I feel like with the peers is like they're just very apologetic. They might still do the behavior and you kill them and they're like, oops, I'll do it again. But yeah, they are like I tell people never to hit them or anything like that. Some people will discipline by taking a roll up newspaper or something. I'm like, once you've done that to them, they're just so sensitive and they're just so I don't know, they just shrivel up. Their little personality is just like, oh, I'm so scared now. Why did you do that? I can't trust you anymore. So I really tell people, just try positive reinforcements as much as you can, as best as you can. Reinforcing the good behaviors and ignoring the bad. With great Pyrenees now the pure doodles, they're brilliant. And of course still no hitting. I don't like that anyway. But they're just phenomenal. We can have them half trained when they leave because they want to learn. They're high human focus because they have the poodle in them. Whereas Pyrenees, they're very protective, they love you, they'll snuggle you if you have to leave for the day. They're not going to die without your attention.

 [00:07:19.540] - Shaylyn Matthews
 Where I'm pretty sure a pure doodle would die from loneliness if you left it for 8 hours. They're a little different in that way, obviously Hyperallergenic, one is, one isn't. But yeah, as far as smart the poodle brains mixed in, there has just been a phenomenal twist on the breed. And families that just want a more of a house pet or like a therapy dog are loving the mix.

 [00:07:44.790] - Dori Durbin
 I guess it makes sense. You have two different kinds of dogs, but for them, they'll be related and be so different, right?

 [00:07:51.060] - Shaylyn Matthews
 Really fun. It's really fun.

 [00:07:54.950] - Dori Durbin
 In the past, we've had one dog, and the one dog that we got was from a breeder. It was a Great Dane. And we went in, we picked out our dog. We were so excited. And then it dawned on our whole family kind of at the same time that we didn't get to take the dog home that day. So how does that work as far as the process goes, just for families to understand that what happens next?

 [00:08:18.670] - Shaylyn Matthews
 Yeah. So what I do, and not everybody does this, some breeders do, and I encourage people to find breeders that do this. And it doesn't have to be me. And I didn't used to do this. And I found that letting people just pick at two, four, whatever, weeks old because of cuteness factor, it was never a great match. And so something had to change. Like sometimes it would be fine, and other times I get calls when they're nine months old, like, we can't handle this dog anymore, whatever. And it was like, something has to change. There has to be something out there. And so I found a program that teaches you how to temperament test, and I got certified in it. And so I don't ever let anybody pick till go home day. I'm a big meanie, but they love me for it. At first it's like, what, we don't get to pick till go home day? But this is why. So obviously I do a lot of work with the puppies. We even start crate training, even start the potty training, sitting. And then I do early neurological stimulation. At three days old, we start the process of the 15 point touch, tugging the tail, pulling the ears, flipping them over, just getting them used to it.

 [00:09:25.600] - Shaylyn Matthews
 And if you go into a house with six kids, you're going to get your ear tugged once in a while. We don't want the nippy reactions. So at seven weeks old, I test them and it's a series of different things, different textures, different noises, different little bit of a scare tactic, like popping an umbrella in their face, seeing how they react. And I film it and all the families that have put down payments on puppies are in a Facebook group. They get to watch every single video of the puppies testing, and they get to read over the paperwork that I've marked and I explain it too, as we go. So what I get a lot is kids come in and they pick a puppy. They come in, pick. I don't let them pick, but they're like, oh, I love this one. It's so cute. It's so snugly at four weeks old. And then I always tell them, keep two or three in mind. If you're farther down on the list, definitely keep three in mind because those two could be gone already. By the time you get here. But then after temperament testing, almost every single family comes back and like, we really wanted Daisy, but then we watch your temperament testing and we're like, he's way too lazy for us.

 [00:10:27.470] - Shaylyn Matthews
 We need a dog that can keep up on hikes. We need a dog that will camp. We need a dog that will play with the kids in the yard. And so Rose is a better fit. And I'm like, yeah. So then they usually come on pickup day with two in mind. Sometimes that one gets picked so they go their second option. But I would say it's 100% success rate. But there's always a family who might have to move out of country or something and you might have to rehome a dog. But it has worked so well for placing our dogs and the family is coming back and being like, we felt like this dog was already partly trained and we felt like we were set up for success. And so, yeah, that's what I tell them, so don't get too attached. It's so hard for me to watch when they're like, I love this one, mom, we have to get this one. I'm like, that dog could get picked. You're number five in line. So I'm like, pick like three. I hate when kids when they leave and they know they might not get that puppy and they're crying.

 [00:11:21.760] - Shaylyn Matthews
 I'm like, oh, my gosh. One time, me and a mom, we made a little deal. We're like, we're going to switch that yellow collar and put it on the red collar if yellow collar gets picked because she'll never know because you're like, we just can't have her sad. I just don't want kids crying when they leave my house. It all worked out. She got her yellow collar puppies.

[00:11:44.930] - Dori Durbin
I love that you have that process because it really makes sense compared to this puppy has a cute black spot on its nose and not knowing that the puppy is crazy, loves to chew everything. And you have priceless heirlooms around your house for sure.

 [00:12:01.130] - Shaylyn Matthews
 Like an older couple who just wants a dog that they'll walk every day for a little bit, but they don't need it. Chewing up the couch and running laps. It works so well. And I have such great families that really are like, hey, this is working. And I like what you're doing. So if I can talk with them about the process, they go read the website page. They're like, but when I get to talk to them, explain, this is why I do it, because I want it to be successful. I don't want a puppy back and I take the puppies back. They don't go to the main society, so I don't want it back either at nine months old. So it really works well. And they're very appreciative once they take the puppy home and they feel like they're winning.

[00:12:43.890] - Dori Durbin
I'm sort of assuming  there must be sort of a process that you encourage them to do once they take the puppy home. Because again, the idea is I'm going to let my puppy live in my room and sleep on my bed and we'll all wear the same clothes and...

[00:12:57.850] - Shaylyn Matthews
You don't think they have, especially if there's kids involved. I tell the kids, remember, like, it's cute now, but at £130 it won't be cute. So anything you think, think big terms. And kids are also a little bit like puppies where they're situational. They're still learning, they're not all developed in the brain yet and that's okay, we love them for it. They bring adventure to our life. But it is like playing with a puppy and letting them chew on your hands. I'm always like put a toy in there. You're not a chew toy and they're going to look at you like a giant fun, squeaky chew toy if you keep doing that. So if you don't want the puppy on your lap at £130, don't let the puppy do it at 18. £15. Yes. It's so hard with kids around. I will say even in my house, they really teach the dog bad manner. So I'm like, don't let them do that. But it's like kids just they want to have fun and have the sweetest dogs that love kids, but they don't always listen because they have some bad habits. But for the most part, I do offer training.

[00:14:06.030] - Shaylyn Matthews
It's online training for the families that they can get at a discounted rate that I use with the puppies from the beginning. They can go on and do that if they choose to. I give them lots of videos ahead of time in the Facebook group that I ask them to watch with your kids. Do this together, like win together, set the puppy up for success. Because a lot of whether the puppy fails in life can be on us sometimes and it's unfortunate, but I think just knowledge is everything and the better you know, the better you do. So it's just great to have that education on how to carry forth the training and all that.

[00:14:41.840] - Dori Durbin
Yeah. As far as the care part of things, I'm assuming you have some sort of a routine that you've been using when they're there. Is that the same routine that you send home with them or how does that look for the new parents?

[00:14:57.430] - Shaylyn Matthews
Yeah, well, thankfully, puppies are pretty flexible. We do have a very strict schedule with the puppies at my house, but I give that to them even ahead of time, so they kind of know, especially if they're working or whatever, so they can modify that. I just tell them to take it easy on them. It's all new for a puppy. They're away from all their litter mates, they're away from their mama, they're away from me. I can go back and visit the puppies two years later and they'll still remember me so I know we were just bonded and so just give them some time. How would you like if you were just picked up and put in a whole new environment with all new people? It's a little nerve wracking, so give them time, but adjust the schedule to fit your family. Never long term have work around the dog. Just the dog will fit in where the dog needs to. And try to be consistent. If you're going to feed at a certain time of day, try to be consistent for the dog's sake or you're going to free feed, having a consistent spot, things like that.

[00:15:51.470] - Shaylyn Matthews
Potty training. Set a timer when you first have the puppy every 30 minutes so it's not having accidents. Their bladders are tiny, they're little, they can only hold so much. So these are just things I try to let them know, but eventually they'll get it. If you don't want the puppies crying all through the night, then let it cry through the night the first couple of nights and it will get over it. It really stinks. I'm telling you it does. You feel like you feel like you're letting a newborn cry, right? But they're okay. They're just lonely. They don't have the other warm bodies and the heartbeats. It's just something they have to adjust to and the kids can be helpful with that. Or maybe they want to sleep in bed for the rest of its life. That's great. But set an alarm so you can take it out till it's potty trained fully.

[00:16:31.880] - Dori Durbin
Yeah, that's a really interesting question, too, is how much do you let your kids dictate what happens with the dog's routine? Or how much do you let them be involved in caring for the dog? Do you have any thoughts, especially being a mom? You probably have some.

 [00:16:50.050] - Shaylyn Matthews
Yeah, I think the more the better. I mean, really, it should be a family effort with puppies. We bring them into our house. We always keep them in a smaller area at first because there's still potty training. When you give a dog free range of your house, well, that's when the legs of the couch are going to get chewed. That's when accidents are going to happen, right? So they're okay. They're not going to die. If they're in one of those portable pens for a while with the bone, take them out for playtime, take them out for feed time, take them out for potty time. And then the rest time is in there. But you don't have them out unless you are with them playing, doing something mentally stimulating with them. So we do that at our house. And the kids have been just great. They just love puppies, thankfully, so they help. They're awesome about it. We get a lot of new puppies in our home because of the guardian program. So they'll come in with us, get used to us for a little bit and then head out to their guardian homes. I like to evaluate and do the genetic health testing and stuff while they're with me.

[00:17:45.300] - Shaylyn Matthews
So my kids are amazing. I could not do it without them. They're so awesome at helping.

[00:17:52.280] - Dori Durbin
Well, you've trained them, right?

[00:17:53.640] - Shaylyn Matthews
You've brought them up with three of them, work for another breeder. She's like, they're great. I'm like, Well, I'm glad I trained them for you. I could use their help around here.

[00:18:05.050] - Dori Durbin
Do you feel like you're having puppies has taught your kids a lot of valuable lessons that I know probably quite a few different ones, but can you think of a couple that were surprising to you?

 [00:18:16.990] - Shaylyn Matthews
Yeah, they're not really grossed out by anything. I mean, we've had puppies stuck, we've had puppies umbilical cord lead out, we're tying it off. They're so good about cleaning. My one daughter, she's twelve, and she's been helping me the last couple of litters because the other girls are getting older. She goes, she cleans up puppy pee pads, we bathe moms when they have puppies, things like that. She's great about helping. And she actually started breeding bunnies, little holland lop bunnies, because she loves babies and she knows what to do. And she's kind of like following my footsteps with the bunnies. Like, mom, I want to do something different and better for bunnies than what they get. And I'm like, do it. Set the wave flowing, girl. Like, get it going. It's just fun watching her thrive in that. But she's an awesome help. And when I'm up for 22 hours with puppies and then she gets up at eight, I'll be like, can you go watch them for 2 hours? And she'll watch them and I'll take a little nap and I can trust her just as a twelve year old. And she's been doing this with me probably since she was about ten and a half.

 [00:19:24.310] - Shaylyn Matthews
She really stepped in just them playing with them is so helpful. I can't constantly be with them and when they get older, we just love kids being with them because a lot of them go to families. So having the kids in there helping and my one daughter for years did all the photography for me, she was just so good at it and so she took all the pictures and helped me there. They just learned so much. I mean, it's just incredible watching them and just they're going to make great moms because nothing's going to gross them out because they have pretty much seen it all in dog form and they've been helpful now that some of them work for a breeder. And I was just more low key up into the last year or so, just expanding my pack and just getting more area set up, building the area, I could go a little bigger, but they have been like, mom, she looks like she might be getting mastitis. And I'm like, wow, way to go. Or like when the umbilical cord is bleeding out, my daughter's like, put dental floss around it and tie it off because that was new to me.

 [00:20:27.370] - Shaylyn Matthews
And it's been just fun watching what they've learned and they're just not fazed by it at all. And their boss loves them. She thinks they do great at their work. So I'm like, yes, my one daughter's been working for since she was 14, and I think my other daughter was 14 when she started. So they were pretty young. But they're home schooled, so they can work a little sooner. But yeah, it's been great.

[00:20:53.550] - Dori Durbin
That's impressive. That's one of those added bonuses. You get to do what you love, you get to play with what you love and your kids grow from it.

 [00:21:00.470] - Shaylyn Matthews
That's pretty neat, for sure. Yes.

 [00:21:03.890] - Dori Durbin
So if you think through it for a second, what are some things that you feel like kids should know that maybe they don't know when they come in to pick out puppies?

 [00:21:14.720] - Shaylyn Matthews
Yeah, well, they poop and pee a lot, so you got to make sure, like I said, setting a timer, not letting them chew on you. And then with the Pyrenees, the great Pyrenees, they pretty much groom themselves. But with the doodles, any doodle, I'm not just talking about pure doodles, but labradoodles golden doodles, they're so popular because of the hyperallergenicness and the good nature of the dogs. And we love that. We love our doodles, but they are way more high maintenance for coats. And that's not because they shed, because they really don't, but they can matt really easily. So it's so good even maybe to set up a plan of like, this kid's going to brush this day and then every other day someone brushes it, or even just learning how to groom yourself doing that. It'll be so helpful for mom, because as you know, we just don't have a lot of time and it needs to be with the doodles. They require much more energy exercises, so more walks, more ball throws that and they just love people. So be prepared to have a high human focused dog that wants to be with you.

 [00:22:24.300] - Shaylyn Matthews
A great Pyrenees. They love people. They love their people, but they're a little more aloof. They'll sit on the front porch all day and watch the cars go by. They don't have to have you hugging them and kissing them, but they're just so cute. You can't resist, so you will. But they're not going to be super upset if you leave them. They're going to take a walk and they're going to last about a half mile before they get tired and want to go back. It just kind of depends on the breed. But when you're feeding them, hand feed them for the first couple of months so they don't get nippy around food and dishes. When they're chewing on bones, take it away and pet them like I said, and give them the bone back. These are just things that kids can really work on. So when a toddler crawls up to their food dish, the reaction isn't to bite. We do a lot of practice with that stuff in our kennels before they go home, and so generally they do really well. We just haven't had any bad luck, thank goodness. But, yeah, so it's just good for the kids to know, even you as my daughters, when they get a puppy, I'm like, okay, 30 minutes a day, you need to mentally stimulate this dog, and that's just not besides hanging out in the house and playing and taking naps together, but taking them out, making brain games.

 [00:23:32.710] - Shaylyn Matthews
There's so many fun brain games you can do with dogs, walking them, throwing the ball, throwing the Frisbee, whatever you got to do, but you need to at least do 30 minutes to just get that energy out.

 [00:23:44.890] - Dori Durbin
That's a pretty big commitment. I was just sitting here thinking, how would a family know if they were truly ready to take on a dog? What would they have to have in place to feel like they were 100% ready or at least close to that?

[00:24:04.350] - Shaylyn Matthews
I think finding a good breeder who's going to help you is a really big step in it. And like I said, it doesn't have to be me. Just I mean, you'll see ads on Craigslist and things, and like I said, best $25 I ever spent was a puppy on Craigslist. But it was an exchange in a parking lot. Like, they gave me this dog and that was it. And Gosh, and he was a baby. He was my baby. And he got to the point where he would grow up my husband, if he came by. And I had to redirect that and become the alpha female in my house with him because he was such a cute baby. I couldn't resist him. So I let him do whatever he wanted and he never bothered anybody. But then it was like, gosh, you really have to be the boss in your house with a dog. No matter how sweet they are, they still need to know that you're the boss, and they have to answer to you. Really talking to a breeder, making sure that's the right time and letting them be honest with you if you're like, hey, I work 10 hours a day, and the dog is pretty much giving me a kennel, but I'm going to come home on lunch for half an hour, and then I'll be home in the evening.

[00:25:03.640] - Shaylyn Matthews
I mean, if you're willing to give up movie nights and just sit on and not sit on the couch after a ten hour day and take that dog for an hour walk, that's okay. But if you're not, it's just probably not the right time. And let the breeder tell you that because they want their dog. I mean, they're giving you something they've worked. So hard on for eight to nine weeks and given everything to that dog. So just make sure you find someone who's really going to educate you and walk with you when things get hard.

 [00:25:31.880] - Dori Durbin
That's great advice. I think you're absolutely right. If you haven't thought through your schedule and what's best for the dog, then that might be an issue right there, too, right? Yeah. Well, okay, so let's say somebody is so excited to adopt a dog just from listening to all this, where can they find you and your dogs?

 [00:25:53.970] - Shaylyn Matthews
Well, I would love them to find me. So I have a website, www.Oakroadpyrnees.com. But we're also on Facebook or Instagram. Instagram has a lot more videos of the puppies and stuff because you can do the real it's just much more easier. So that's just Oak Road Farm and Pyrenees. And then on Facebook as well. Oak road farm and Pyrenees. So we love people just to follow along. Too and just to learn about dogs. Like I said, even if you don't buy one from me, if we start changing the narrative and how we pick puppies and how we own them and people really are like, you know what, I'm not just going to exchange for a puppy in the parking lot. You know, my $25 for a puppy will really help cut back too on what's in the rescues and what you might have. People tell me, oh, we had a Jack Russell terrier mixed with a springer spaniel and we just couldn't handle. We just put it in the humane society can handle. Well, yeah, that's a crazy wild. Two breeds mixed together. So know your breeds or ask the breeder if it's something you're thinking like, hey, do you think this would fit?

 [00:26:54.610] - Shaylyn Matthews
Ask them to help you because they might be like, you know what, this isn't the right dog for you, but this kind of dog, I'll hook you up with a good breeder because us breeders know good breeders and we'll hook you up with the right dog and just really try to help you be successful in this.

 [00:27:08.540] - Dori Durbin
That's awesome. Well, and I'm sure you'd be open to them contacting you and asking questions.

 [00:27:13.180] - Shaylyn Matthews
If they absolutely, yes. There's an email. You can email me through the website and you can message me through the Facebook page, too. Either one I try to answer as quickly as I can. I don't like to leave people hanging. Yeah, I love talking dogs, obviously. So people are like, I'm sorry about all the questions. I'm like, would you ask me more? Like the more questions you ask, the happier I am, because I'm like, this person wants to know how to be successful. And so my puppy is just going to have the best life. And honestly, the homes they go to, they just have the best life. Like whenever I think they can't get it better than they have it with me right then they're getting served like steak for breakfast. I'm like, okay, they have it better than they had it with me.

 [00:27:55.370] - Dori Durbin
Well, I think you were our lady to connect with. Find out the information. I took a peek at your pups. They are adorable. I'm trying to hold myself back, sister. Well, they are beautiful, and people should definitely check them out.

[00:28:13.160] - Shaylyn Matthews
Thank you so much. It's been a pleasure being here with you today. I appreciate it.

[00:28:18.170] - Dori Durbin
Thank you for your time. Shaylin.

[00:28:20.020] - Shaylyn Matthews
Thank you. Yes. Okay.