Ninebark Aussies Testimonials

"Jasper came to our home at 16 weeks after his first home did not work out due to allergies. True to her word Valerie took back the puppy and began looking for a new home for him. She was very honest about the home he had come from, his temperament and his drive level. We emailed and spoke over the phone and both felt it would be a good fit. Jasper has been a wonderful addition to our family. He was well cared for both at Ninebark and his first home and it showed in how comfortable he was with other dogs and people. Since his arrival I have emailed Valerie with questions and she has always responded promptly and with the answers I needed. She is a wonderful breeder, supporter and lover of the breed. I would get another puppy from her in heartbeat, in fact if I had more space I would! I feel so grateful to have found her and Jasper. If you feel that an Aussie is the right breed for you I would highly recommend Valerie." -SS, North Van, BC

 

"Our Molly is coming up on her 2nd birthday and we couldn’t have asked for a better dog. Right from day one she was eager to train and learned very quickly what we were teaching her. We got Molly as a companion pet but she is so athletic we’ve had her training in agility and with Valerie’s help, we got Molly doing competitive dock diving this past summer where she excelled just like her litter-mates. Now that winter is coming, it’s back to the indoor agility course and we plan on doing some competitive disc dog next year as well. Whether you are looking for a companion, a conformance or a performance dog, you are sure to find what you are looking for in a Ninebark Aussie." -DD, Belleville, ON

 

"After much research, combing through the internet and many phone calls, at some point in December of 2013, I came across Ninebark Aussie’s Web site.  Thank goodness I did because now, almost a year later, I am the very proud owner of Ninebark Coraline Wynne...

 

From start to finish, the entire process, from the initial application to the day Valerie placed Cora in my arms, was handled attentively and professionally.

 

Two things leapt out at me when reviewing Valerie’s Web site, 1.) the fact that each litter is carefully considered, it’s about quality, not quantity and 2.) that longevity plays an important role in mate selection as well as minimal vaccination protocol and the use of zero chemicals on Ninebark property.  All things that are very important to me as well.

 

I did not mind the lengthy application nor the telephone interview process because it was just another example of Valerie’s professionalism and contentious efforts to place her special puppies in just the right environment with the perfect owner.

 

It was difficult to watch the pups growing week by week and not know which one would be mine but, I placed my faith and trust in Valerie and waited patiently.  Somehow, through insight and years of experience, Valerie made the perfect selection for me, Miss Coraline Wynne.

 

What a bundle of joy this puppy is!  You have never seen such a happy puppy.  My girl is sweet, beautiful, friendly, determined and smart as can be.  Everyone who meets her falls in love with this little ray of sunshine.  Every step of the way, throughout her growth and all her “firsts”, each milestone in her development has been met with absolutely no difficulties and all expectations exceeded.  You can almost see her little wheels spinning when she is trying to work something out.  She takes everything in stride and with confidence. 

 

I am so thankful to have this perfect puppy in my life and to Valerie for guiding me expertly along the way." -LB, WI

 

"Little Dixie is on her way up to our place from Vancouver....  She will spend 4 of her days a week up top of the mountains, playing, running and training.  I just want you to know how lucky and special we feel that we have her.  She sounds like she is going to be the star of the show up here and will excel in her new role.  CARDA will be lucky to have her part of the team.  We will always keep you posted with pictures and updates.  

I feel like we are part of your family now.  Kev has said each time he’s spoken with you how easy it was to chat with you.  
Thank you again, and we look forward to keeping in touch.  Dixie is a true testament to you as a breeder." -DS, BC

 

"...here are videos/photos of Zuheros the perfect puppy. There has never a more wide awake to the whole world, well adjusted 9 week pup, I’m sure as a result of the love and socialization received by you. After so much loss in my life in less than 12 months...it is so important for me to have this loving and love receptive creature in my life. Loves pays off, and it is paid forward. Again, thank you. I will be back for more someday." -ER, VT

 

"Kaia (formerly Kitty) settled in really quickly and has been a lovely addition to the family. With all the walking Jeff is dropping weight like crazy and his blood pressure is lower than it has been in a while. She's met all our friends and adores meeting new people every day. We get complimented regularly on how sweet and pretty she is - Kaia loves the attention. :) She just graduated her puppy class last week and will be starting Basics 1. On the last day of puppy class we had the opportunity to play with some beginner agility obstacles and she took to them really quickly. Jeff and I are looking forward to trying some agility classes when she's older. She's definitely clever (sometimes too clever) and stolen my title as family princess. We can't express how much we love having her. Thank you for making my longtime dream of getting a dog such an effortless process. Your continuing support is very comforting and we look forward to visiting in the future." -CW, Kanata, ON

 

"If you are looking for beautiful and sound Australian Shepherds with good temperaments and wonderful charming personalities, this is the place to go. Valerie’s high standards of careful breeding, diet, exercise and nurturing consistently produce top quality Aussies for breeding, conformity, agility and companionship." -JT, Stittsville, ON

 

"Today our sweet Sumi turns 2! She is everything we hoped for (and more!) in a family dog." -RM, Ottawa, ON.

 

"My family and I first contacted Ninebark Aussies when we were considering bringing a new dog into our lives, and the experience has been nothing short of amazing. Valerie has been so wonderful to work with – from educating us about the breed itself and also providing us with insight, through her blog, into what is involved with planning and raising a litter of beautiful Aussie babies from beginning to adoption day, and beyond. All of her dogs are lovingly raised in a loving environment to bring out the best in her puppies. We were blessed with our own Ninebark Aussie girl and will treasure her and the friendship that we have forged, forever.A decision to choose a breeder isn’t always an easy one, but Valerie has been there to answer any and all questions that we have had, and there is no doubt in our minds that we have a healthy happy puppy as a direct result of all of her hard work, devotion and passion for the breed. I can’t recommend Ninebark Aussies highly enough." -A&KD, Kanata, ON

 

"Valerie Yates of Ninebark Aussies has a great deal of integrity - she stands behind her dogs, bred for wonderful temperament, good structure and sound bodies. When I got my first Aussie from Ninebark, Valerie spent a considerable amount of time on the phone answering my questions about the breed, taking time to meet me at her home and again when I came to see the puppies for the first time. Finally, Val accommodated my schedule when I picked up my gorgeous boy, Geordie. Geordie - everything I was looking for in a dog - great personality with a joie de vivre, talented agility dog and a devoted companion! Now I am on the list for my second Aussie from Ninebark and I am looking forward to another lovely pup with great excitement!" -DM, Napanee, ON

 

"I searched for the right breeder of Aussies for about a year before I found Ninebark Aussies. I was determined to find my "once-in-a-lifetime" dog, and I knew that meant I had to find a top quality breeder with a generous heart and a real interest in placing her/his dogs with the right owners. I knew I had found the right place when Val agreed to allow me to visit and then showed me the detailed records she keeps on her dogs lineage and the health tests and checks she does. Clearly Val loves what she does. She answered all of my questions and explained what to look for in a good dog. That Fall I made a deposit on a litter that had not yet been born and I hoped to have a puppy by the Spring. Just weeks before Christmas, I jumped into the role of "mom" to one beautiful Ninebark puppy. I live some distance away from Ninebark and my worry was that my little puppy and I would have to spend the first night on the road, but Val came to the rescue and made the drive out from her community to meet me half way. I was able to bundle my puppy up and whisk back home before the cold winter night was on us. Then Val kept in weekly contact - sometimes daily contact - as I settled into my new job as mom. I had a hundred questions about teething, and food, and exercise. As Oscar grew, I made plans to begin training, and Ninebark Aussies was there for me again. It's no exaggeration to say that Ninebark Aussies opened a door into a new life for me. Because I started with Ninebark Aussies, I have contacts with other Ninebark Aussie owners, and their achievements in the performance and show rings keeps me motivated. Oscar is sweet and gentle, incredibly agile and very, very clever- a true Aussie. He is so healthy and happy, and he has such great eye contact with me that when I am out walking with him around the neighbourhood, people stop me to ask about the breed and the breeder.Ninebark Aussies has exceeded my wildest expectations: I didn't just find a great breeder of wonderful Aussies, and my "once-in-a-lifetime" dog, I found a partner in my life as a dog owner." -FvB, Sudbury, ON

 

"Val has been my mentor since before we even purchased our first puppy from her. Since then, she has guided and helped us achieve more with our Ninebark puppies than I could have ever hoped for. I would highly recommend anyone looking for a wonderful Aussie partner to look first to Val at Ninebark." -SM, Simcoe, ON

 

"As a first time pet owner I was a little nervous going into the process of breed picking, breeder choosing, and dog ownership in general! Despite having a decent "doggie resume" behind me during my life with my parents, it's a big life change, and totally different thing to be raising a puppy yourself! Australian Shepherds are a stunningly beautiful breed, but one needs to understand the energy and lifestyle these beauties need in life for them to be fully satisfied and truly happy. Val was not only very personable and friendly during absolutely everything, she was also honest, and upfront about the puppy process too. She informed us that the breed may not be right for us and invited us into her home to spend time with her dogs, to see them in a home environment. She said she would not place a dog without being sure, in her own heart and mind, that it was a perfect match, so we may have to wait a while to have a puppy, and that was only if she decided we were suitable to own a Ninebark pup. The experience was educating, interesting, and taken with the utmost seriousness, but also informal and fun at the same time. Val is an extremely approachable person - she was there for all of my moments of confidence and all of the moments where I needed some help too. I am so happy to report that we've been the proud owners of a beautiful black tri girl - Brooke (formerly Joanie) for just over 3 weeks now! And though puppies are a lot of work, it is work we are so enjoying and were ready for - both due to our own preparation but also with the help, education, and honesty from our excellent choice in breeder - Valerie Yates. She would never send one of her babies home with someone without offering all of the advice she possibly could as to aid them in being fully prepared for a pup. We have open invitations for visits, and open invitations to communication - for questions, concerns, picture swaps and funny story exchanges - whatever we would like. It's so comforting to know that this relationship with Val is mutually beneficial and enjoyed by us both. Above and beyond all this, Val really does stick to her breeding program's goals as stated on her website: she has bred us a healthy, well-adjusted and beautiful Aussie girl - we could not be more pleased. Australian Shepherds are an absolute joy. We are so happy to have had this experience and relationship with Ninebark Aussies, and know that it will continue to last for years to come." -MM, Nepean, ON

 

"From the minute I contacted Ninebark regarding a possible pup I was immediately impressed by both their website and the questionnaire I needed to fill out prior to a visit. I was impressed with Valerie from the beginning and two years later is always available to answer any questions. Now to get to our beautiful boy Ace. The first time I saw him it was love at first site. My husband and I wanted to get my daughter a pup for graduating and Ace was perfect. He has turned into a Frisbee playing 50 pound red tri Aussie who is the most loveable, even tempered, playful dog you could ask for. He is great asset to the family and great play mate for our other dog who a high energy Viszla. Can't say enough. If you are looking for a great family friend then Ninebark is the place." -KR, Ottawa, ON