Ten Talents Farm

Our farm is dedicated to breeding & training the best Colorado Mountain Dogs available that will love &

guard both family & livestock whether on the farm or hiking trails. Our family-run farm in Black Forest, CO operates

several different businesses including raising CMDs, Katahdin sheep, chickens, and goats.

Available Puppies

Christmas Puppies!

Tayla is finally bred to Titan and their pups are due October 24th. That means the puppies will be ready to go home the week before Christmas, or if you prefer, we will hold them over until after the first. We are currently taking reservations so If you are looking for a great LGD/CMD puppy, fill out the form below and either Paul or I will return your call to answer any questions you may have. Next we recommend a visit to our farm to get to know us and our dogs. Though most CMDs are closely related, each breeder has their own preferences as to what they are looking for in their dogs, and how pups are raised varies a lot by breeder. Our pups are generally born in the house, then quickly transition to the barn where they live around sheep, goats, chickens, cats, and other seasonal animals.

When time allows, we offer an extra 2-3 weeks training for a small additional cost. The extra two weeks allow for more concentrated training, exposure to extensive stimuli, and intensified socialization which furthers their development. If your time is at a premium, consider the 10 week option. Either way, you get a great pup!

PUPPY TRAINING

BIRTH - 4 WEEKS: Puppies start their training at birth with lots of handling and stimulation to give them a jump start on the socialization process so vital for well-adjusted adult dogs. Many of the most common problems adolescent dogs develop come from fear - fear of the unknown and unfamiliar. By exposing our pups to a lot of people, places, situations, and sounds, our puppies grow in confidence and thus the ability to deal with unfamiliar situations.

Our puppies are also raised in a specially designed environment to help them develop good habits, primarily in the areas of elimination, chewing/biting, and jumping excessively when excited. Their puppy house is designed to encourage elimination outside rather than inside, and they are trained “where” to eliminate rather than indiscriminately wherever they happen to be (this “passive potty training” is vital if you are acquiring a CMD as a companion dog that will be inside the house often). Meals are served entirely through chew toys as they progress beyond nursing. This helps puppies release excess energy in a healthy manner as well as what is appropriate to chew/bite on.

4 WEEKS: Obedience training starts. All dogs, including livestock guardians, need to know basic obedience commands (come, sit, stand, down). These are important for doctor visits, recreation, travel, etc.

6 WEEKS: Pups start field trips, increasing their exposure to the outside world, unfamiliar people, and new situations. They start becoming more outgoing as they learn people are friendly and the world is not a fearful place.

8-10 WEEKS: More field trips, and the “stay” command is introduced. All training is refined, and upon request, special arrangements can be made with us to train your pup to meet your particular needs, such as crate training (extensive training may require additional fee).

And of course, our pups live among our livestock from birth, being trained by both their mother, our other dogs, and us. We breed for the best puppy "nature" can achieve, but "nurture" is just as important. So when you bring your puppy home, other factors will come into play to shape your dog’s temperament. They are:

- when and how you interact with your dog

- the environment you bring your dog into

- the dog's individual personality as well as yours

- other animals in your household

A puppy needs a lot of guidance the first year so we send buyers home with the information needed to raise great dogs, and we are happy to consult with anyone who has purchased one of our pups.

One Week Old!

Kaiju (right) is a 2 year old male (son of Pyxis and Toz) who was just sold and going to his new home this month to guard sheep, goats, chickens, and camels (yes, camels!), We occasionally have older dogs available, but we will also raise up and train an older dog for you upon request.

Pictured left is "Bree" at 20 months. She was one of my very best livestock guardians and now lives on a large bison ranch in Kansas. Older dogs are generally spayed or neutered and cost more.