The Honest Dog Breeder Podcast
Welcome to the Honest Dog Breeder Podcast, with me, your host, Julie Swan, where each week we dive in to discuss all things dog breeding, so you can build a breeding business you love, producing dogs that fulfill their owner's dreams. I believe you can have an honest dog breeding program, that also pays the bills. So throw those pods in your ears while you're cleaning kennels—I'd love to join you.
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12 Days of Breeders 2025 - #5 - Cynthia Kelly of Regis Regal German Shepherds
<p>Today, we dive into the highly specialized world of German Shepherd service dogs with Cynthia Kelly of Regis Regal German Shepherds. Cynthia shares the unique, rigorous process she has developed for raising, training, and placing her dogs, many of whom work with children with autism. She takes intentional breeding and socialization to the next level, enabling her to provide service dogs who have amazing ways of helping people, from providing a sense of safety and security, to preventing elopement of children, to providing life-saving intervention for people with epilepsy and diabetes. Learn about her foundational standards for long-term genetic...
12 Days of Breeders 2025 - #4 - Kari Roach of Choice Paws
<p>For Day 4 of 12 Days of Breeders, we welcome Kari Roach of Choice Paws in Utah. Kari's journey is highly strategic: a former pre-med student, after starting out as a guardian home, she ended up buying an established breeding business program. This rare and successful move allowed her to immediately apply her health science discipline, bringing a rigorous, systems-based approach to her Cavapoo program. You'll learn how Kari made the journey from guardian home to purchasing a breeding business, how she meticulously documents health testing and structure, implements a deep, structured curriculum including ENS and scent work to optimize puppy...
12 Days of Breeders 2025 - #3 - Natalie Thurman of Apex Anatolians
<p>For Day 3 of 12 Days of Breeders, we dive into the world of Livestock Guardian Dogs (LGDs) with Natalie Thurman of Apex Anatolians in Frenchtown, Montana. Natalie's dogs aren't just pets—they are 24/7 protectors tasked with guarding livestock from predators like bears and mountain lions. She is also currently the President of the Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America (ASDCA).</p> <p>In this powerful episode, Natalie shares the essential difference between breeding for a companion pet and maintaining the innate, independent working temperament required for a true LGD. She provides an expert's look inside the national breed club, discussing th...
12 Days of Breeders 2025 - #2 - McKenze Ocampo of Twilight Doodles
<p>In this 12 Days of Breeders interview, we welcome McKenze Ocampo of Twilight Doodles in Dallas, Texas to share the experience and expertise she's used to build a thriving breeding business. McKenze discusses the daily discipline, continuous education, and fierce personal drive that has helped her build Twilight Doodles. You'll learn how she created a unique and authentic brand identity that sets her program apart, establishing immediate professionalism from day one. Crucially, McKenze reveals the power of her detailed record-keeping system, which provides non-stop, transparent support to her buyers. Plus, hear her powerful challenge: "If you are unteachable, maybe that's...
12 Days of Breeders 2025 - #1 - Kim McGuirk of Newbliss Chicago Lagotto
<p>In this first episode in our 2025 12 Day of Breeders, we talk to AKC Breeder of Merit, Kim McGuirk of Newbliss Chicago Lagotto, who built explosive business success by focusing on radical customer service and smart delegation. Kim shares the secret to her longevity: building an incredible community of owners through fun bi-annual social events, and the brilliant management strategy she uses to prevent burnout—including a puppy socialization hack using high school and college students on a shift spreadsheet! You'll learn how Kim's anti-snob approach to treating clients with respect attracted buyers fed up with poor communication elsewhere, and wh...
#124 - Getting Out of Survival and Into a Business Growth Mindset
<p>Breeders are some of the toughest people out there—but grit alone won't move you out of burnout. In this episode, I reveal the small hack that shifts you from survival mode into intentional growth mode. You'll learn how to feel real progress, how to stop moving the goalposts on yourself, and how to make better decisions with less emotional load.</p> <p>This one mindset shift has changed how I run my program… and it can change yours too.</p>
#123 - Reflecting on the Year of Dog Breeding and What I Plan to Change for Next Year
<p>In this episode, I discuss my own personal year of dog breeding, what worked, what didn't go so well, and how I plan to change things going forward, plus how you can use my insights to start evaluating your own program. I also cover new updates for the Honest Dog Breeder Society and give you a sneak peek at all the exciting things I'm working on for 2026. </p>
#122 - Which Kind of Dog Breeder Are You?
<p>Feeling overwhelmed? Can't seem to catch a break? Your program feels more like herding cats rather than breeding dogs? It happens to us all! In this episode we'll go over the two kinds of breeders, which one you are, how to transition if you're not happy about which one you are, and how immersing yourself in a solid community of intentional breeders can give you the edge you've been looking for.</p> <p>Learn more about the community here: honestdogbreeder.com/community</p>
#121 - Does Placing a Dog in the Wrong Home Make You A Bad Breeder?
<p>Ever sold a puppy to a buyer and regretted it? Many things can happen when working with the general public and dogs, sometimes we get it wrong. In this episode we'll discuss what can happen to make it go wrong and help you determine which of these situations makes you a bad breeder and what you can do about it. </p> <p>Looking for a community of breeders who will support you through the good and the bad? Join the Dog Breeder Society, the only place where breeders genuinely support each other in all aspects of their business. We h...
#120 - Puppy Buyers Are Changing - How Dog Breeders Can Adapt
<p>Puppy buyers are changing, they're asking for more from us, and they have new boxes they want us to check before buying. There's also a dark side of this movement that has buyers publicly coming after breeders. Today I'll talk about what they're doing, what to do if you're a victim, and how you can adapt your program so you're serving this new evolution of puppy buyers. </p>
