The Beginning of Something Bigger

I never thought I would become a breeder.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been drawn to primitive breeds, their intelligence, their independence, their raw connection to something older than what we see in most modern dogs. Training them, living alongside them, learning how they think, that was where I found fulfillment. Breeding was something I always thought I would leave to other people. People with more experience. People who had been doing this longer. People who, in my mind, had it all figured out.

And then I met the New Guinea Singing Dog.

And then I met the New Guinea Singing Dog.

It didn’t take long before two things became undeniably clear. First, this breed had completely captured my heart in a way I hadn’t anticipated. Second, they needed more from us. They needed people willing to stand up, ask hard questions, and take responsibility for their future.

When the New Guinea Singing Dog Club of America was formed, I felt a sense of hope. Being asked to serve on the board of directors was an honor, but also a turning point. I started looking at the breed differently, not just as someone who loved these dogs, but as someone who had a role in what happens to them next. Even still there was this quiet thought that kept coming back, over and over again:

We can do more for them than this.

They deserved the same level of intention, care, and ethical responsibility that we expect in other well-managed breeds. They deserved thoughtful breeding decisions, proper health evaluations, and purposeful puppy raising. I realized that if I wanted to see that kind of change, I couldn’t just hope for it. I had to be willing to step into it.

That’s where this journey began.

Raising the Standard: Health Testing

For a long time, the assumption surrounding New Guinea Singing Dogs has been they’re generally healthy, so extensive health testing isn’t necessary. Maybe overall that’s true, but I kept coming back to one question, how do we truly know that if we’re not consistently looking?

“We’re working with assumptions and assumptions don’t protect a breed’s future.”

If we aren’t evaluating hips, hearts, thyroid function, or structure, if we aren’t documenting what we see, then we’re not working with knowledge. We’re working with assumptions and assumptions don’t protect a breed’s future.

Even issues that seem minor like mild hip dysplasia, subtle heart murmurs, early thyroid changes, matter. Not because they define the breed, but because they inform us. They help us make better decisions. They give us the opportunity to prevent small issues from becoming bigger ones over time.

I chose to approach health testing with intention.

I focused on widely accepted, foundational screenings, hips, elbows and patellas through OFA, while also paying attention to what had been observed within the breed itself like thyroid concerns and cardiac irregularities. While mild hip dysplasia, thyroid issues and minor heart murmurs may be viewed as one off cases in individual dogs it’s not something we should gloss over. None of these choices came from fear. They came from responsibility.

If we have the tools to better understand our dogs, why wouldn’t we use them?

Thoughtful Pairing in a Limited Gene Pool

Breeding decisions carry weight in any program, but in a breed with a limited gene pool, they carry even more.

Too often, pairings have historically been made based on convenience, who is nearby, and who is available, rather than on a clear understanding of pedigree, genetic diversity, and long-term impact. Incomplete records and gaps in lineage tracking only make that more challenging.

But if we want to protect this breed, we have to be willing to do the harder work.

That means building and maintaining accurate pedigrees. It means prioritizing transparency over gatekeeping. It means using the tools available to us, like genetic testing and COI analysis, not as optional extras, but as essential parts of the decision-making process.

Every pairing should be intentional. Every litter should be planned with the future in mind, not just the present.

Because we are not just breeding dogs. We are shaping a population.

Giving Puppies the Start They Deserve

If breeding is where the future begins, then puppy raising is where it takes its first breath.

The early weeks of a puppy’s life are critical. They shape how that dog experiences the world, how they handle stress, how they build relationships, how they adapt. While New Guinea Singing Dogs have proven to be incredibly resilient, I kept coming back to a simple thought:

For too long, structured puppy raising and socialization protocols haven’t been a consistent focus of this breed.

Resilient doesn’t mean we should settle for less, if anything, it means they deserve even more.

For too long, structured puppy raising and socialization protocols haven’t been a consistent focus of this breed. We have access to knowledge now, proven methods, thoughtful systems, and a deeper understanding of canine behavior. Why wouldn’t we give these puppies every possible advantage?

For me, that meant diving into research, learning from others, and committing to structured programs that prioritize early neurological development, confidence-building, and thoughtful exposure. If I have the ability to give these puppies a better start, why wouldn’t I?

Standing at the Start

As I write this, my female, Aria, is coming into heat.

And I’ll be honest, it’s both exciting and overwhelming.

There’s a weight that comes with it. Not just because it’s my first step into breeding, but because of what I want it to stand for. I don’t want to just participate, I want to contribute something meaningful. I want to be part of moving things forward, even in a small way. Knowing that you’re not just participating but trying to raise the standard.

The truth is, there are no guarantees in breeding. You can plan everything, do all the testing, make thoughtful decisions and things can still not go the way you expect. That uncertainty doesn’t change the responsibility.

If anything, it reinforces it.

Because with everything we know now, with the tools, the science, the experience available to us, I don’t think “good enough” should ever be the goal.

An Invitation

I don’t have all the answers. I’m still learning and still figuring things out as I go.

I care deeply about this breed, and I believe we all play a role in shaping the future of the dogs we love. Whether we’re breeders, owners, or advocates, the choices we make matter. The standards we accept matter.

The future we create starts now.

Here’s to doing better.
Here’s to raising the bar.
And here’s to building a future these dogs truly deserve.