The Home at Belmark
 

Belmark Shelties is located on a few acres in the center of farming country. We have lots of space with fruit trees and old oaks. Above all it is peaceful here with kids in swings and shelties running to their hearts content, what more can you ask for?
We are a small hobby kennel established in 1986. We limit our numbers to about 30 adults, so that we may spend plenty of time with each one. We have an ample main kennel building 35' x 20' in which our dogs are housed. They are crated for feeding and have free access to a large 50' x 75' grassy exercise yard.

We also have 13 indoor/outdoor runs, please see our Kennels Page for more details. These runs come into our insulated, heated building on concrete, for easy cleaning. We also have a large yard the length of the building; 50' x 50' in the front where the dogs can also run and play. This yard also has kennels that come out from the building where they can all be separated if need be. This yard also boarders our driveway on the rear side so they have plenty of opportunity to meet and greet. It also has shade trees and a swimming pool in the summer for play and relaxation. On the side there is a 20' x 20' area that opens up to the rear door of the kennel building. Both entrance sides have awnings installed for shade in the summer. The whole kennel is fenced at every entrance and all the runs open to the inside of another chain linked area. The whole kennel on the outside is on gravel, except for the play yards that have grass. We have an additional building on concrete with 4 indoor outdoor runs for quarantine and when coming back from shows, for new dogs, for after bath time and so forth. We also have a large two story building that houses our adolescent puppies where they have a large yard, with children's play equipment, toys and plenty to keep them busy. All buildings and kennel spaces have lights, electric and are temperature controlled. We also have a chain link fence that encompasses the whole property, home kennel and drive. All of our pens are double or triple fenced with 6' high chain link kennels for maximum security. A lot of time and thought has gone into designing and putting together our home and kennel. We work from home, so we are able to spend lots of time with the dogs. They also take turns in the house as space and time allows.

We have averaged about 40 weeks a year at dog shows in the last few years. So we are always on the move and out with the dogs. We own a large Class A motor home, and a Ford Transit high top that we take to every state of the US. This allows us to travel with the kids and make it family time as well.
Our priority is the comfort of the dogs and enjoying our time with them. We are very proud of the competiveness of our dogs, they are kept in condition and show groom at all times.


This photo of the kennel building was taken in 2020
The play yard comes out from the kennel, it is about 50' wide x 50' long. This is the front of the kennel.
The back of the kennel matches it, with another play yard pictured below.


Me above in the middle

To help keep our dogs in the top most condition we make sure that the dogs have their shots up to date, that they get Advantage Multi, Heartguard, Interceptor or Iverhart Plus preventative for heartworm and or flea and tick control (we routinely rotate these for better strength) on a regular basis and year round. We feed a high quality dog food, ProPlan Sport 30/20 Performance for all life stages. This is fed to puppies and adult dogs and it keeps them in wonderful shape, weight and coat. All dogs are micro-chipped and every dog gets home time regularly.



 

Moms and babies playing in yard on north side of house.

Puppies are whelped in our living room, in a Midwest air puppy pen, where they remain for close monitoring until 3-4 weeks of age, then they are transferred to our puppy room in a 4' x 4' enamel coated wire playpen.  We have three 4' high chain link indoor/outdoor kennels on gravel outside our back puppy room where the older puppies go while not in the house and before entering our puppy area. Also this side entrance, (shown to left) is fully enclosed with a 6 foot high privacy fence all around and measures 50' x 50'. This is a great shade providing shrubbery it serves as a nice sized play yard for our house dogs.
Below is our puppy yard.

Click here to see more views of our kennel facilities.

In the house we also have two puppy/grooming rooms where our puppies are raised and dogs are kept while grooming and moms are housed until puppies are whelped. We spend a lot of time here grooming and having fun with the babies. Both go out to the same wooden fenced area.

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above is our grooming room

Green room

As the puppies grow, they get used to every day household noises, sights and sounds, different experiences, lots of room to play and run and plenty of kids to play with. At this time mom takes longer breaks from the pups. Our puppies are allowed to explore their surroundings quite a bit and allowed monitored play periods with the kids. This ensures well adjusted, self confident companion puppies as well as future show dogs.

Click here to see our younger puppy area



 

All puppies will be shown when young to get them accustomed to all the hustle and bustle. Our main objective here at Belmark is to enjoy our dogs. My fiancé and I have four young boys and three girls, although some of the kids are now grown and gone, we still have a houseful and many come home from college from time to time. The children are the best puppy socializers. They ensure that the puppies being raised are exposed to every possible noise! I have seen a drastic change in the boldness and fearlessness of our dogs compared to homes without children. I have been told by many puppy buyers that their puppies
arrived at their new homes with impressive self confidence which lasted well into adulthood.
 

National specialty show with friends.

Belmark Shelties was est. 1986 we have bred or owned approximately 130 Champions including Specialty Best of Breed winners and All breed Best In Show dogs as well as many that are active in agility, obedience and many other sports. This is not due to just pure chance it is a product of hard work and concentrated effort for one important goal; The consistent production and training of beautiful healthy dogs that not only follow the breed standard but fulfill their hopes for a sound temperament that can be loved and enjoyed by those around them.

We are very blessed and hope to be able to continue to do this for many years to come. People ask how "long have you been doing this", and all I can say is ... well as long as I can remember I have been in dogs since my parents bred dogs before I was born. I have been very much blessed and hope to continue to service the breed and the people that I deal with now and in the future.

In the most recent years I have become an AKC registered judge for shelties, this is a job I greatly enjoy, it is the next stage in a long life in the sport and life of purebred dogs. I'll be judging the ASSA National specialty show in 2022.

 

 

 

We strive to have happy healthy dogs that live full joyful lives.........

WHAT AM I TO YOU?

As a pup I dreamed and wondered
What life would hold in store:
For ME, I thought, there's something GREAT
Beyond that kennel door.

Out there are needy people
And I have much to give:
Love, and wit, and gentleness,
To help them learn to live.

I'd be someone's protector,
Keep little ones from harm,
Or guide an old man's weary steps,
Or help to run a farm.

I'd run and bark and jump and play
With friends along a sandy shore.
I'd roll in meadows thick and green
That lie beyond that kennel door.

I lay here waiting-longing,
As the days and years went by;
My owner kept me fed and brushed,
But inside, let me die.

I do not think of greatness now,
I'm old and filled with pain.
My owner has some ribbons,
But I have lived in vain.

I cannot think what could have been,
My dreams are filled with hope no more,
Just floor and walls and broken heart
For me behind this kennel door

               by M. Kummer


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