Photo by Kathy Haverdink
Richwood Farms is owned and operated by Char Richards, an AKC Merit Breeder and the 2007, 2008, 2009 & 2010 "Obedience Breeder of the Year," Kalamazoo Kennel Club, Kalamazoo, Michigan. Richwood Farms is also a permanently registered ASCA Kennel.
History
I have been involved with Aussies since 1972 when a Blue Merle female of old California lines was given to Char as thanks for judging a horse show. It was love at first sight; watching that puppy's parents working with horses and cattle was very impressive and led to my deep involvement with this breed. Our next two Aussies (Red Merles) came from Arizona breeders, Gary Hawley and Carolyn McGuinnes in 1975. Our foundation lines carry Slash V, Los Rocosa, Mini Acre, Colorado, Copper Canyon and Blue Lad bloodlines. These are working and conformation lines with supreme intelligence and gentle natures.
Char and Izzy playing.
Healthy
We pride ourselves on producing physically and mentally sound companions and conformation dogs, with clean genetic backgrounds. This means that we strive to keep our lines free of genetic defects and hereditary problems, such as missing teeth, bad bites, epilepsy, hip displasia, eye problems, poor temperaments and reproductive problems. Producing a healthy dog is more important to the betterment of the breed than just producing champions that could pass defects to their progeny. What good is a champion that produces unhealthy pups? Likewise, what good is a working dog that can't see or work sheep or cattle because it is afflicted with an inherited eye disease or with hip displasia?
We are involved with our dogs in
conformation, obedience, agility and rally.
We register our dogs with:
- AKC (American Kennel Club)
- UKC ( United Kennel Club)
- ASCA (Austrailian Shepard Club of America)
- CKC (Canadian Kennel Club)
We are members of:
- ASCA,
- ASCAMI
- USASA
- Kalamazoo Kennel Club (an AKC affiliate)
- Third Leg Club of Kalamazoo (an obedience training club)
We believe that "knowledge gained through experience has no equal." Our puppies are beautiful, intelligent and bred to the Standard. We have exceptional pedigrees combining top show and working bloodlines. We have show dogs you can work and working dogs you can show. Most important we have dogs you can live with.
Our Miniature/Toy Australian Shepherd Breed Policy
We do not support or condone the purposeful breeding and misrepresentation of the miniature/toy Australian Shepherd as a size variety of the Australian Shepherd. The miniature/toy Australian Shepherd is a distinct and separate breed apart from the Australian Shepherd and the AKC's new American Shepherd. Miniature/toy Aussies are not recognized as a breed or size variety by ASCA (Australian Shepherd Club of America), AKC (American Kennel Club), UKC (United Kennel Club) or CKC (Canadian Kennel Club).
We are in agreement with both ASCA and USASA's statements regarding the miniature/toy Australian Shepherd; therefore Richwood dogs will not stand to any bitch that is cross registered with any of the miniature/toy registries. Nor will Richwood bitches be bred or sold for the purpose of breeding/crossbreeding with any of the miniature/toy registries. Neither shall any Richwood dog's offspring be registered in or bred to a mini or toy Australian Shepherd that is registered in any of the miniature/toy registries. Mini/toy registries include, but are not limited to, NSDR, ASDR, MASCA, NAMASCUSA, NASA, MASANA and ARBA. To learn more about ASCA and USASA's statements regarding the mini/toy, please go to the Australian Shepherd Club of America and United States Australian Shepherd Association websites for a more complete statement regarding the miniature and toy Australian shepherd.
In addition, Richwood Farms will not knowingly sell an Australian Shepherd to a kennel which promotes and/or breeds miniature or toy Australian Shepherds.
