We recently connected with Tricia Schmorde and have shared our conversation below.

Tricia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

How I came to and arrived at raising Shiba Inu’s currently and Siberian Huskies which I am now retired from and only stand my homebred stud. Since I was a little girl was fascinated and obsessed with dogs and wolves. After graduating High school and earning my Vet Tech degree I felt led to my passion and that was dogs. I had studied under an excellent Vet located just out of Junction City Oregon who was an established breeder of gun dogs as well as a Vet. He educated me on breeding and selecting dogs as well as placement and health. He felt this was my calling for my love of dogs. He also informed me there were to many breeders not out for the breed of dog and moving them forward. This was discouraging to him as a Veterinarian for he saw the health issues and temperament issues people didn’t focus on when breeding. I wanted a passion in my life to work on and further. Dog breeding if done correctly is this. I was improving and pairing to create a more sound dog than what you started with. I had studied genetics a bit and knew I had a concept of how to breed. Many years of mentoring and studying starting with the pug. This breed was not for the faint of heart or a newbie but leave it to me. I conquered it but due to the breed’s major health issues, I decided they were no longer for me. This is when I moved on to the Siberian Husky and Shiba Inu after a short dabble in MBT who also have major health issues. The Shiba and The Siberian Husky fit me perfectly in temperament and health. I came up with the name Dakine (The Kind) after my love of Hawaii and also being a resident there for over 3 years. I wanted to be the breeder that was rare. One who cared about what she was doing and furthering the breeds I worked with not only for soundness but temperaments. Temperament testing and moving dogs that didn’t fit my exact small program is what I focused on in the beginning after selecting dogs for health and structure. With the Shiba, I didn’t let the cream debate stop me from such a lovely variety of Shiba. It is not a disqualification but a fault in the breed due to not being able to see the marking Urajiro, but being just a fault and not affecting health or any other important issue as far as soundness for the breed I took them on as well aiming and making more sound dogs with better health. This variety is almost never focused on by the show breeder due to the heavy fault of color. I showed dogs for many years under my former name, titling many, but nowadays I am far to busy as an expert speaker on dogs and with our travels. My weekends are full and I chose to use my time to focus on my breeding program and my clients. I have strived to be the breeder with top breeder support for the life o the dogs I produce. So many breeders lack communication and move puppies on without thought. I also wanted to focus on how the dogs were raised. To my studies, dogs need to be raised beside man in the home not in an outside kennel/barn. This is for the neurological development of the pups and to help them be more social in their upbringing during the crucial time from birth to weaning age. This is my personal belief from my own personal studies on dogs. I have also found many dog breeders I have encountered are not leaving the pups with littermates long enough nor the dam for proper development socially and this can affect the dog in a very negative way, this is also my own personal opinion due to my studies and knowledge I have acquired over the years. Many breeders may disagree, but I have found a perfect age at which I wean. I have had Vetranairans call me about my dogs saying they have not encountered Shibas with such amazing temperaments and that my dogs have changed their views on the breed. Temperments most definitely are influenced by genetics and upbringing. So my passion of breeding Shiba Inu and once the Siberian Husky is far more than being just your average breeder. I wanted to be a breeder to improve and move forward my breed in all aspects and focus on what many reputable breeders are not the creams due to the fault the coat color is and make them healthier and better for this variety is part of the breed anyway you look at it so it needs breeders to improve it just like any other color/variety in the breed. They all exist and all need people passionate about improving them.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

How I came to dog breeding is for my love of dogs. I wanted to break into breeding right, with the support and mentorship of a Veterinarian This is the path I chose when I first started raising dogs. This way I would have knowledge of health and how to raise them right. I also then researched a ton and have read many studies always working to better myself as a breeder through knowledge, there is always something new to learn. I have learned from my mistakes along the way and feel I am now what I wanted to be. What I feel sets me apart from many breeders is my small focused program. All my dogs are full-time family members never raised or housed outside in a kennel. What I personally do not house for my program I have friends and family who have dogs in my program. This opens up a bigger program without the sacrifice of having too many dogs and the dogs not getting what they need. I believe all dogs need to be family to flourish and be man’s best friend. I keep it small and focused. I also was a show breeder for many years so I know structure and structure are important for the dog’s longevity no matter how you look at it you want a dog bred to hold up physically and have the characteristics known for your breed but not to sacrifice temperament. I am proud I was selected as the breeder Expert Speaker for the Ultimate Dog Summit in 2019. A huge honor and was selected after a long search they did for the correct breeder with the views they wanted on their panel of experts. My work is a work in progress always. From my dogs to those who get my dogs. I couldn’t do what I am passionate about if I didn’t have the families for the dogs that are not selected from my breedings to further my passion, my program.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

what has helped build my reputation is client feedback. The very real and raw support I have and am always reaching out on what I need to do better. My clients have put my name out there and helped direct those to me looking for good pups raised in the home. Doing the Ultimate Dog Summit has helped get my views on dog breeding out there and helped raise awareness of dog breeding and the different ways breeders go about it.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

I keep in very close touch with my clients. Their success is my success as a breeder. This is how I look at it. The families that have my pups make my passion possible. They have lifetime support from me for the life of their dogs. Through video, calls, and emails as well as personal visits. This is how you truly know your breeding program is working through up dates an keeping in touch with those who have dog from your breeding.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dakineshibainus.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dakineshibainus/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dakineshibainus
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwJkBBmu6w25ocXRCrdt8yA

Image Credits
Dakine Shiba Inus