We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Elizabeth (beth) Bilharz Of River Valley Canines. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Elizabeth (Beth) Bilharz below.

Elizabeth (Beth) Bilharz, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

As a breeder, our main focus has always been on improving the health, and temperament of the breed and types we work with. We have spent years carefully selecting breeding pairs based on their genetic health, structure for proper function, and overall temperament to produce puppies that are not only beautiful but also physically and mentally sound.

One risk we took as a breeder was introducing a new bloodline into our program. The bloodline was known for its exceptional working abilities and loyalty, however, that bloodline was not health tested as what we were accustomed to. Despite our concerns, we chose to introduce this bloodline into our breeding program, in pursuit of enhancing the overall quality of our puppies. It was a nerve-racking decision, as there was no guarantee that this bloodline would have a positive impact on our breeding program. However, after careful planning and extensive health testing, we scratched a few dogs, but still successfully introduced the dog that tested clear/normal for the known health issues. And have produced several littlers of puppies that exceeded all our expectations. The feedback from our puppy families was overwhelmingly positive, with many commenting on the fantastic temperaments, functional structure, and exceptional health. The decision to introduce that bloodline turned out to be a game changer for our breeding program, and we are excited that future generations will continue from that bold risk.

Elizabeth (Beth) Bilharz, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

We started our breeding program out of a long time deep love and passion for sighthounds. We have always been drawn to their intelligence, loyalty, gentle nature. What sets us apart from other breeders is our commitment to producing healthy, well-socialized puppies that will make wonderful companions. We got into breeding after years of research and education of sighthounds, including attending seminars, webinars, and working with an array of experienced mentors in the field.

We are dedicated to responsible breeding practices, and ensuring that all of our dogs receive the best care.

For potential puppy families, we want them to know that we are always available for support and guidance throughout the life of the puppy/dog. We provide endless tool box of resources on training, health care, and nutrition to help with a smooth transition into their new homes. As a breeder, we are most proud of the endless positive feedback we receive from families, knowing that their dogs are happy and thriving, brings immense joy and fulfillment.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I believe that my dedication to responsible breeding practices, through research on structure-function, health, and commitment to providing top-notch care for all our dogs have been key factors in building our reputation within the dog community. Not only do we strive to produce healthy, well-socialized puppies that can adapt into a household with little transition time, but we also priorities transparency and communication with potential puppy families. By keeping open the lines of dialogue and offering guidance, and life time support, we have earned the trust and respect of fellow dog breeders, as well as puppy families. Additionally, by attending conferences, seminars, and networking events, has allowed us to continually educate ourselves on the best practices and to stay current with the latest health testing. Out passion for our dogs shines through in every aspect of our work, and we couldn’t be more grateful for the recognition and support we have received from our peers and our puppy families.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I’m thrilled to share this success! We made sure to consistently post engaging content and high-quality content that showcases the beauty of dogs being dogs, puppies being puppies. We share the good, the not so great, and everything in-between. We utilize various platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Breeder Listing websites, Good Dog, TellTail, and most importantly our our website. Additionally, we actively engage with our puppy families, future potential families, by responding to comments, messages, and participating in relevant discussions within the breeding community.

As for advise for up coming dog breeders looking to build their program, by staying authentic, be transparent, collaborate with other breeders. Breeding is more that simply producing puppies, it’s building a network with dedication, perseverance, plus establishing a robust strong positive presence on social media platforms.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://rivervalleycanines.com