Native American Kennels

SIZE:                                        Medium to Large

AVERAGE HEIGHT:                 Males:      25″  to  28″             Females:  20″ to  25″

AVERAGE WEIGHT:                 Males:     70 to 95 lbs            Females: 50 to 75 lbs

HAIR COAT:   Short, medium or long with a dense heavy undercoat that sheds heavily once a year.  They may have minimal to no shedding the rest of the year and typically have no doggy odor to them.  They are ideal for outside cold climates.  People with allergies or asthma to dog dander or hair can usually own these animals.  To be sure you are not sensitive please request a hair sample before you purchase or arrange for a kennel visit.

TYPICAL COAT:   Black, Black/White, Black Sables, White/Grey, Black Sable Tri’s, Tortoise Shell, Black/Tan, Black/Cream, Black/Red, Black/Silver, broken patterned, spotted or any combination thereof. The Hare type dogs will have a white base coat and are usually patterned, “the plains” type of dogs will have more of the solid coloring with some white,tan or cream, this includes the sables, dark sables and tortoise shell colors. The “common indian” type dogs will be typically black and white or sometimes solid black with markings above the eyes. All color and color combinations are acceptable.

RARE COAT COLORS:  Blue and Red (these are recessive and not common in the Plains or Hare type dogs).

EYE COLOR:  Golden to Dark Amber and Blue (Blue was not a common color for the Indian dogs but is recessive because of the husky that is being used in the mix).

CHARACTERISTICS:  Their feet are webbed which assists with snow travel and swimming.  They have expressive eyes, medium long to long triangular shaped heads, wide between the eyes extending down to a slender muzzle.  It is preferred that the ears are prick for show/breed quality dogs. Ears can be floppy (pet quality).

GROOMING:  Little (most of the year).  More during the Spring shedding season.  Dogs will blow their coats once a year.  Typically, minimal to no hair loss the rest of the year.  Longer coated dogs may require brushing once or twice a week to keep the coat looking nice.  Otherwise it can look like they are having a bad hair day. If you live in a warmer climate like Florida, Southern California or other desert-type of climates, the dog may shed the undercoat as it comes in as they don’t need it. A dog who is primarily kept indoors will also shed the undercoat as it comes in. We don’t recommend these dogs to be inside all the time as they are happiest having access to the outdoors. Stress, bad diet or health issues can cause loss of coat or shedding as well.

EXERCISE: Moderate. Some can be active. Most are calm in the house and active outdoors.

TEMPERAMENT:  These dogs are very intelligent.  They are very loyal to family members and are excellent with children.  They can be very sensitive, (ie – their senses -  sight, sound, smell – may be very sharp) and they can be emotionally sensitive to where a stern “NO” is all that is needed to get them to stop a wrong behavior.  Each dog is different and has different levels of sensitivity.  They can be prone to seperation anxiety so it is important that if you get one who leans towards this you have another dog that can keep them company and provide an outdoor area that is safe for them to stay in while you are away. They are not usually dog aggressive with other breeds of dogs but males, if un-neutered, will show aggression towards other males, especially during the breeding season.  Females who are not spayed will sometimes show aggression towards other females when in heat and sometimes during pregnancy, especially during the last few weeks when their nesting instincts begin.  Some females may become protective of their puppies and not allow anyone near their babies for the first week or so.  In some circumstances, I do not allow kennel visits for approximately 2 weeks after a litter has been delivered in order to keep the mother’s stress level down.

Puppies should be well socialized with people at a young age.  It is recommended to introduce your puppy to at least 400 people within the first 6 months of life.  While doing this, at least for the first 4 months, be sure not to put your puppy on the ground to walk around and make sure to have those that handle your puppy wash their hands first with soap and warm water (use of a hand sanitizer will suffice if you are not near soap and water).  This will help ensure that your puppy doesn’t get exposed to viruses and illnesses until he/she is fully vaccinated.  Exposing your dog to the world around them and to other people will help build confidence in them.  This should be ongoing.  An un-socialized puppy could become timid of people.  Dog parks are a fairly safe and effective way to tire your puppy out once he/she has had all the required vaccines and to provide playtime and interaction with other dogs.

It is highly recommended that these dogs begin basic obedience by 4 mos of age.  It is best to use a firm but gentle training program that includes lots of praise and rewards as these dogs will work best when there is a reason for them to do it.  Positive Reinforcement Training, Clicker Training, the Volhard Method or the Monks of New Skete method are suggestions.  Try to find a trainer who is willing to customize a training program for your puppy.  Not all puppies can be trained under a cookie cutter training program (ie – treat and praise only or clicker only training).

These dogs do best with at least one other dog.  They typically do not do well in a one dog family environment.  They can be destructive if bored and can begin having behavioral problems if not properly exercised and worked with daily.  Having a playmate will keep them occupied and tired.  They are very people focused and prefer to have free access to you and the family.  A sit on the sofa next to you or in bed with you is one of their biggest joys. Because of this they can have seperation anxiety so it is important to instill confidence in your puppy and don’t encourage insecure behaviors. A good trainer can help you deal with this issue if it begins and to keep it from escalating into a major problem. These dogs should never be considered or kept as strictly outdoor dogs without planned people interaction on a daily basis, if that is what you want, this is not the dog for you.  Many times they will prefer being outside as it is cooler for them but they need to be able to have access to you as well.  As long as they get a good amount of family interaction and play time they will be happy.

They can be very mischievious, and if they lean towards this personality don’t be surprised if they go on a ”chew and destroy” mission even if it’s your favorite pair of shoes, clothing, child’s toy, or….you can pretty much let your imagination run wild.  NOTE:  This does not mean every dog will do this, but it has been known to happen, especially during the puppy stage, which can last up to 2 yrs of age.  A good trainer can help you channel your puppies energy into productive activity and teach them house manners.

LITTER SIZE:   4 to 10 pups.

APPROXIMATE LIFE SPAN:  12 to 14 years.

HEALTH ISSUES:  No known health problems to date.  Seem to be a very sturdy and healthy breed.

All deposits are non-refundable but can be moved over should you decide to wait or want a pup from a different litter.

I require all dogs to be spayed or neutered by 12 months of age or all guarantees are null and void, unless an agreement has been made with Native American Kennels.  Proof of spay or neuter is required to be sent to Native American Kennels.

Cash, Postal Money Orders, Certified bank checks, and PayPal are accepted. If you are using PayPal you will need to add an extra 3% to your total when purchasing.  If the money order or check is not accepted the first time, a $25.00 fee will be added to the total cost of the puppy for each occurrence. All money orders or checks should be made out to me not the business as I do not have a business account. All monies, if not cash, must clear the bank before puppy is released into the new owner’s care or transporter. 

LAYAWAY PLANS ARE AVAILABLE

Pups are guaranteed healthy at the time of sale as can be determined visually and will have a health certificate from a licensed vet if flying or being transported by ground.  Each pup will come with a Certificate of Pedigree and registration papers to send in to the NAPDR after you have had the puppy spay/neutered.

PRICES: Prices and refunds subject to change at any time at the discretion of Native American Kennels.

A non-refundable $385.00 deposit is required to hold a pup of your choice. This will be applied to the price of the puppy.

Male or Female Puppies are the same price

$1,200.00 for each puppy. 

If you need shipping that is extra and you will have to pay for the shipping before the puppy is shipped to you. I use ground transportation and I can provide you with that information or your welcome to choose a ground shipper of your choice. 

Breeding stock:

$2,400.00**/per breeding pair.  $1,200.00** for each dog. I do require that you sign and agree to a breeders contract that will help develop this breed and get them more recognition. 

 (*If you have not placed a deposit and prices change you will be required to pay the new price listed on this site.  Those who are on the list, who have paid a deposit, will be able to lock in whatever price was listed at the time of their request even if prices change after that).

NOTE: Prices above do not include:  Any ground transportation, Travel to airport, the cost of airfare w/ taxes and insurance, crate, Cerenia (for motion sickness) and health certificate.  Cost of airfare can change because of the cost of fuel.  

This page will attempt to answer questions that I am asked most frequently. If your questions are not answered here please feel free to contact me by email or phone. We appreciate your input and strive to improve the information available to our current and perspective families.

Do you have anything that is required in order to purchase a pup from you?

Yes. For the future protection of the puppies I require that all puppies being sold have a joint supplement as a measure to help support the health and growth of the pups joints. I also require that you feed them a high premium dog food.

What is the difference between the Native American Indian Dog (NAID) and the Native American Village Dog (NAVD)?

The Native American Village Dog is similar to the Native American Indian Dog only in the breeds that are used in the combination and represent many of the same characteristics of the NAIDs. The NAVDs like the NAIDs are considered hypoallergenic and have no doggie odor. They blow their coats in the spring/early summer but have little to no shedding the rest of the year. A dog that spends a lot of time indoors may shed their undercoat as it comes in so this dog may experience some light shedding year around. The type of dog food fed can also increase loss of coat in some dogs.

The NAIDs and NAVDs are both a mix of Alaskan Malamute, Siberian Husky, German Shepherd, Chinook. Although the NAVDs will not have much Chinook in the line as it is quite far back in the lineage of the NAIDs . My original foundational stud Zakai was an NKC registered NAID from the Majestic View lines and was the offspring of Hakata We and Pahuuma and the full brother to Fantastic Fred. I have purchased my own foundational stock to help build my line. In breeding the NAVDs I chose to include more German Shepherd to help bring more loyalty into the line. The Alaskan Malamute can be very independent and doesn’t like to stay close to home and tends to wonder. I felt that by adding more German Shepherd into the line I would increase the loyalty to stay closer to home and so far have been successful. I will continue to pursue improving the line by breeding dogs that I feel represent the breed the best and that will provide wonderful family companions. I rely on my puppy families to keep me abreast of how their dogs are progessing and let me know if there are any problems so that I can continue to improve the breed.

As with any breed, you should always research all the breeds that are represented in the dog you are interested in so you can learn about all the different temperaments. Each puppy could have a different temperament. One pup may lean towards one breed versus another, even within the same litter. Some may have more Alaskan Malamute characteristics and temperament and others may lean more towards the German Shepherd characteristics and temperament, some the Siberian Husky, etc. This breed is a Northern Breed dog and therefore has many of the characteristics and temperaments that make up these breeds.

Always ask your breeder if you have questions about their dogs as they know them best. They can inform you of any issues they have experienced with their dogs and the offspring so that you can make the best decision possible before you purchase.

A breeder can only do so much to ensure a good match of a puppy with a family. It’s up to you to be honest with your breeder so they can help you purchase the right pup for you. This will give you a wonderful dog to add to your family and to enjoy for many years to come.

How often do you have litters?

Currently we have one to two litters per year. Each litter can produce from 4 to 8 puppies.

Will you fly your puppies?

I do fly my puppies, but prefer they either be picked up or ground transported. It is always very hard to decide on putting a puppy on an airplane as this is not a normal experience for any puppy. At 8 weeks of age the pup begins entering the first “fear stage” in their life and much of what they are exposed to can have detrimental affects on their future coping skills. Being handled to rough at the airport can traumatize a pup and can cause behavioral insecurities. A shy, timid or reserved pup will be much more traumatized than a more confident pup even if both experience the same level of trauma from their experience. They would just have different coping skills.

Now with that said, pups can still be very well adjusted even when flown. If that is the only way your pup can get to be with you then flight arrangements can certainly be made. It’s just important for you to know that they may be more skiddish and unsettled longer than if they had been picked up and driven and spent time with their new family.

Many people work their vacation around picking up their new pup so that they don’t have to fly them. This is a great alternative and offers the pup time to bond with their new family on the ride home.

Another option is to fly into the airport and take the pup back as “carry on”. This way you are there to comfort them and they aren’t left alone in a strange, dark and noisey place. By checking with the airlines to determine what the largest sized “soft sided” carrier you can bring on the plane, you can be prepared to pick up your bundle and take them back with you on your flight home.

Also available are ground transportation services. These services usually charge more to transport your pet and it takes longer for your pet to arrive at your home. If you are interested in this type of service it is important for you to do your research, get referrals, and find out what their policies and procedures are before you commit to using them.

I prefer not to fly my pups once they reach 10 wks of age.

Why do you say these dogs need to be an indoor/outdoor dog? When I was growing up we kept our family dog outside all the time and he did just fine. Why can’t I get a dog from you and just keep him outside. Besides, that’s where a dog belongs.

Well, for one, I don’t believe a dog does just fine outdoors by themselves. Most dogs including the Native American Village Dogs are very “pack” oriented. They need the companionship of their family and other dogs. They feel a responsibility to their family and cannot do their job if they are kept away and isolated from their family. These dogs thrive on being with their family and love the outdoors, especially in the cold winter months, but there has to be balance. A dog who spends to much time indoors or crated could begin having behavioral issues because of the fact they are not being allowed the freedom to move around and play at their convenience. Having a safe environment for your dog is of utmost importance. They need a safe place to run and play. These dogs do best when they can have the freedom to come and go as they please. That way they can come in and spend time with the family and when they get to warm or want to go outside they can. It’s all about balance. They need their families and the companionship of them to be happy. Another dog in the household will help as well, especially if you will have to be gone for long periods of time during the day.

Are the Native American Village Dogs able to be registered? Are they AKC registered? what about CKC?

The Native American Village Dogs are a new breed. The AKC requires many generations of breeding along with a large amount of breeders and dog owners. They also require that there be an established breed club and breed club website. There are other requirements as well that need to be met and it can take centuries to get recognized by the AKC. The CKC is not as hard but it is still very difficult to get recognized with them as well. When a new breed is created getting a registry that will accept the beginning foundational breeding stock as well as the offspring is important in order to establish your line. We have found a registry that will allow us the flexibility to utillize the breeding stock we chose to help create the breed.

Currently the NAVD’s are registerable with the NAPDR (North American Purebred Dog Registry) and the ACHC (American Canine Hybrid Club). As the breed gets closer to being considered “purebred” we will approach other registries.

The “big” registries want to make sure that a breed that is in “creation” and pursuing “purebred” status is going to stick around before it takes them on to their registry. Many breeds do not stay around long enough to meet the strict requirements of registration. We are working hard to make this happen, and with the help of others this breed will continue to grow.

Do you require all families to have a fenced yard?

 I do not require a fence. But it is strongly recommended. There has been some success with an invisible fence system but I cannot guarantee that each dog will respect it and not attempt to break the barrier in an attempt to chase rabbits, squirrels, cats, birds, etc. These dogs can be very strong willed and stubborn and that could cause the dog to ignore the warning and cross the fence line anyway. Once they cross the barrier they will not be able to return to the yard without getting jolted and this could lead them to not want to re-enter the yard under any circumstances, even if the fence is temporarily turned off. You basically use it at your own risk. NAK does not recommend the invisible fence system.

Keeping your NAVD on a chain or cable for long periods of time is NOT an acceptable option.

Does this breed of dog really need the companionship of another dog?

This would depend on your family. If someone is able to be home most of the time, it isn’t as necessary to have another dog for your NAVD to play with. If your family is like many and the NAVD would need to be left home alone for long periods of time every day, it really is best to have another dog to keep them company. The NAVD is a very social animal and needs the companionship and interaction that would be provided by another dog in your absence.

How is the NAVD with children?

The NAVD is excellent with children, especially if there are children already in the home when you first get your pup. The NAVD’s tend to bond very quickly with the children and learn to love and protect them right away. Of course, it is important that you begin teaching and training the pup immediately as to how to properly interact and play with the children. Waiting to train your pup and/or allowing bad play behaviors, even just one time, can lead to a very difficult experience in integrating your pup into the family. If you don’t have children when you get your pup, but plan to in the future, it is very important that you expose your pup to children of all ages frequently so that when the time comes, it will know how to act and treat the children you eventually have in your home. Some NAVDs may have some shyness to children that move very quickly and this can be worked on by teaching children that when they are around a puppy they need to be calm and quite until the pup gets used to them and trusts that they are not going to hurt them.

Do these dogs have wolf in them?

These dogs are bred to have the look of the wolf, much like the Utonagan and Tamaskan breeds. There has been no evidence that these dogs have any wolf in them. If you live in an area that has restrictions to having a dog that looks wolfy then you should not purchase a NAVD. There are some states and counties within some states that consider any dog that looks wolfy to be a wolf dog and so would require the dog to be under the restrictions and the guidelines of those laws or possibly be euthanized and, in some cases, can be shot at will. Please be sure you know what the laws are in your state and county before committing to purchasing a puppy from Native American Kennels.

How do the NAVD do in really cold weather?

These dogs love the cold weather and have northern breed blood in them. Their double layered coat offers them the optimal insulation and is designed for warmth and protection from the coldest of temperatures. The undercoat provides warmth and insulation against the cold and the outer coat provides an insulating and waterproof barrier. You will notice the snow will not melt off their outer coat until they come into a warmer temperature.

The offspring from Kachina Inola do not handle very cold (single digit temps) and below freezing weather as well. They can tend to get cold and will need to have a place to get in out of the cold. As I continue to perfect this breed. I am hoping to continue to mold and shape these dogs to get the best of the best so that all the offspring will be able to handle the coldest of weather.

How does the NAVD handle heat or warmer climates?

As long as the dog is provided plenty of fresh water, shade and a place to get out of the elements they can be outside in warmer temperatures and climates as well. It is best to provide them a plastic kiddie pool, placed in a shady spot, so they can cool off in the water. Some NAVD’s love the water and will entertain themselves for quite some time playing and splashing in the pool. If you are at home it is advisable to bring them indoors with you until the weather cools down outdoors, especially if the weather gets into the 90’s and 100’s. If you live in an area where the temperatures typically get into the high 90’s and high 100’s it would be advisable to invest in an air conditioner for your dog’s dog house or shelter, which can be installed, to offer relief for your dog when you can’t be home. Remember, these dogs are Northern breed dogs and are bred for the really cold weather.

You may also notice, if you live in a warmer climate, like Florida, that the heavy undercoat they develop for the colder winter months may shed as it comes in since it is not needed. Thus, you may experience shedding more than the typical once a year springtime shed that is normal in the colder climates.

Is the NAVD really “hypoallergenic”?

It has been our experience that the NAVD does not cause allergic reactions in the majority of individuals who have respiratory-type allergies to dogs. So far those who typically develop hives seem to be able to tolerate these dogs as well. If the person has a strong sensitivity they may still have an allergic reaction, although typically not as severe.

If you or someone in your household is allergic to most dogs it is required that a hair sample be sent to test for sensitivity. If possible, an in person meeting of the breeding dogs or their offspring is even better, if that can be arranged.

Does the NAVD get along well with other animals?

We have many past customer with house pets (cats, birds, etc) and the NAVD does very well with them, especially if the other pet is already in the home when you bring home your puppy. We’ve been told that it is usually the original pet that has the issue with the invasion of a puppy into their space. When you have other pets in the home it is important that you train your pup on how to play and interact with the pet beginning from the moment it enters the home for the first time. The NAVD has not been breed to be a guardian breed and at this kennel is NOT exposed to chickens, geese, goats, horses or cows or the like. These dogs can have strong prey drives, if they will be exposed to these types of animals it is important that they be given strong boundries as to what they can and cannot do to avoid future problems.

I have heard this breed is not trainable and is not fit for a family, what do you have to say to that?

Well, I think you would have to ask those that have purchased pups from me in the past. I think that they would disagree. Many of the families that have pups from me, with the exception of a few, have children in their homes. One of the pups from Molly’s litter in 2008, at 4 mos old, scored 192 points out of 200 points on her CGC test. She scored the highest points in her class and many of the dogs were much older than her. I have another pup in Canada that is excelling in her training classes, so much so, that after just 3 basic obedience classes the trainer pushed her into the intermediate classes (and she was only 4 1/2 mos old). I have a family that has two of my pups that have an autistic child and they are very happy with them and have stated on numerous occasions that they feel it has helped their son to relax. He has actually fallen asleep on the floor when he had his arms around them and outside in the yard while he was watching them play. I have had similar comments from other owners as well. If the dogs are handled correctly and trained according to their temperament, you should have no problems training them. If you try to train a very shy, timid or reserved pup the same way you would train a more confident, outgoing pup, you could end up creating negative behaviors that would be hard to break and cause aggressive reactions to your training techniques. The training methods you chose for your pup need to be catered to their personalities. You will have a happier dog with the right training catered to their needs and temperament. It’s not a cookie cutter thing. You have to be flexible with training techniques to find the one that works best for your pup and that will help bring out the best positive outcome. There are many good trainers out there that can help you train your puppy. Cesar Millan (The Dog Whisperer), The Volhard Method, The Monks of New Skete, Positive Reinforcement Training and Clicker Training or a combination of these methods are all available to help teach your puppy.