We would like to take this moment to thank the adoptive loving families of our Fur Babies for taking this time to send us their updates, thoughts, and pictures.
Feel free to contact any of the people below to talk with them regarding their experience with IceWind Farm.
My Snuggle Puppy
Finally, a moment to share our experience thus far with the love of our lives, Bruin (aka Walker), born December 25, 2011. My boyfriend and I adopted, Bruin, February 19, 2012. Since day one, he has been our pride and joy. In the beginning, we found a strict routine to be the key. The “poochie bells” are still used to this day. Although, Bruin, is completely stubborn at times, he has the most incredible personality of a dog I have ever met (and I’ve had MANY golden retrievers throughout my life). He “sings” to me, attempts to talk to anyone by chomping his teeth together, plays soccer with his ice cubes, enjoys turning his bed inside-out, runs the “Shiba 500″ at least once a day, jumps on top of his crate to look outside, LOVES to catch and retrieve his tennis ball and football, and still adores his “snuggle puppy.” He has brought complete joy to our entire family, both in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. We are so grateful for Icewind Farm. Thank you for such an incredible part of our lives.
Julia and Brian
September 2012
Icewind Puppy in the Bahamas
Hello,
I just wanted say thank you.
Taro(we named him ”春樹 HARUKI” from Japanese writer haruki murakami)
He is doing great. He is perfectly healthy and eating good.
My husband and I very happy having him.
Thank you again.
Mayumi
February 16, 2012
Keshii
Anya & Karen,
You probably thought that Tasha and I had fallen off the face of the earth. 
Well we didn’t and I just wanted to let you know that we’re doing well. I did rename her…her name is now Keshii and I did send her paperwork in to the AKC. We visited the vet shortly after we got home and she’s had all of her shots now…the last were in January. At Christmas we drove down to my sister’s house in N. Wildwood, NJ and she handled the 6 hr trip both ways really well. When we got back she was spayed on Dec. 29th and is all healed up now. She goes to puppy playgroup once a week and has been able to play successfully with all kinds of dogs…big and small. Her boyfriend is a 4 mth old golden retriever who’s a lot bigger than she is, but they love playing with each other. She graduated from Puppy Kindergarten on Thursday and will start a small puppy training class in a couple of weeks. She has a walker that comes once a day during the week who owns a farm and rescues baby squirrels so smells really terrific to Kesh…they love each other. She’s been groomed once and has a standing 6 week apt. to be groomed and loves the groomers too.
I’ve attached a picture of her sitting on top of her crate which is in front of the living room window. We live on the third floor of an apt building, so she can look down on her domain and subjects. She’s adjusted to the noise of the traffic, quite a feat for a country puppy that only heard owls and coyotes growing up in NJ. She does have a little problem concentrating when there are distractions but eventually does what needs doing.
I don’t know if you can answer this or not but I was wondering if you knew how long it would take for her fur to grow back after the surgery? You may not have any experience with that, but I thought I’d ask.
Thank you for a wonderful puppy…I love her and don’t know how I got along without her in my life.
Karyn
January 22, 2012
Koki’s Retirement
Hi There,
Its been a while but I thought I would give you an update on Koki. I changed her name to Koshi due to too many confused people and their annoying Coke and Cokie spellings/jokes! She responds to it the same (will a shiba ever respond to a name?) hahahaaaaa. Sometimes she gets called Koko. She is still your Koki.
She is doing really well. Loves to hang out in the park and go for walks – your usual dog stuff. She has traveled all over (see attached photo in front of the White House) to Washington DC and to Virginia where she walked the Appalachian Trail. We brought her to Boston several times and she got to conduct dog business in Harvard Yard. Hahahaa. Next time I am going to walk her over to Harvard Business School to conduct business. They have a great lawn. Heh, heh. People often stop me to ask about her, complement her, or pet her. She has such a great personality. She likes to go on drives and she loves outings. Of course she loves napping too…
I noticed that Willow has had a litter! Koki is a grandmom! Anyways, I wonder if you can tell me who Koki’s parents are. I am curious where she gets her traits from. There are several other Shibas in town now. One is Tobin who runs around like crazy and you can never catch her to get her leash back on. When that happens everyone looks at Koki and says how remarkable she is. She often tells me when she wants to leave by standing at the gate of the park! Or if I need to leave, I can call her and she will come get hooked up. She is a cool calm customer. Hahhaaa. She even waits by the door for me to clean the salt/dirt off her feet.
Well, you aren’t surprised I know. She has made a difference in our lives. My husband likes to take her to his office and they all love her there too.
Anyways, thats it for now! Teresa Delaney
January 26, 2011
Kyle and his Shiba Puppy
I want to tell my experience with Icewind Farms from the very beginning in order to let any new potential customers looking to buy an Icewind pup to know exactly what I went through and my experiences with them and my puppy, so they can make an informed decision when deciding where to buy their dog.
I wanted a Shiba because a friend of mine had one and I loved playing with him and I loved his personality. When I saw my friend’s shiba, I knew that I wanted one right then and there. After a couple months I began to look online for breeders. I called a couple places and looked into a couple of breeders in upstate NY, CT & MA. I also was looking into buying at a pet shop. A pet shop wanted to charge me $1350 for a 10-week-old puppy, which probably was not raised with his mother, so I decided not to go with a petshop. Then I ran into Icewind Farms’ website, looked it over and decided to give them a call. They were very helpful answering all my questions about the puppies. I saw they had some ready to be adopted on their site in about a month and a half. A little while after checking the website everyday, I decided to pull the trigger and put my deposit down for a little red shiba puppy named Alex. I went to go visit him once before he was ready when he was about 1 month old and Anya was very helpful with answering all my questions. I was really impressed by the cleanliness of their facilities and how dedicated they are to raising quality puppies. Their facilities are awesome and great for breeding puppies. After visiting Icewind, my family and I felt really good about where we were buying our puppy. Throughout the rest of my month and a half wait (which took forever), Anya took pictures and some videos of him and kept me updated so I could see how he was doing. Then the day came (April 16th 2010) and I went to pick him up. I was very nervous because this was my first dog and I was dropping so much money on him… but… I was very happy with all the extra accessories they had me purchase from them for him like toys, food, vitamins, supplements, treats, so I could be all ready for him at my house.
Icewind puppies are by no means cheap and are a serious investment of your time, money and energy… but I do believe that you get more for your money when you buy from Icewind. For example, after bringing him home and having him for a month, he only had two accidents. I believe that the time he spent with his mother was key because he basically already came potty trained. Even to this day he has only had a handful of accidents, which is absolutely amazing. I came back and asked Icewind a ton of questions through facebook and emails, which they always answered with tips and tricks to help me raise him correctly.
Now my puppy is 7.5 months and he is such a big part of my life. Everyday I get home from work he goes crazy and brings me all his toys and is so happy to see me. He is very protective of me as well. Shibas are very independent, extremely stubborn, and also a little bit drama queens but they are very loving towards you and you will see that more and more as they get older. I believe my puppy is well trained and a turned out to be a well-rounded dog because of where I got him from. He is so well behaved with other dogs and cries when I don’t let him play with them and great with strangers too.
If anyone reading this wants to shoot me an email or facebook me to ask me any questions I would be more than happy to answer them. Beecher.kyle@gmail.com
October 11, 2010
My three sons, Ryan, Rychu and Dakota sneaking a Sunday morning nap
Dear Icewind Farm. I am a researchaholic. I take caring for my pets very seriously. My other pet is a Macaw. If you know about birds you know that the nutrition in caring for a Macaw is a mini research project in and of its self and is very involved down to what seasons and what geographic locations their foods come from. When I visited Icewind farm to pick up my Shiba, it became quickly apparent that they take the nutrition and caring of its animals very seriously as well. A discussion with Dr. Harvey and my visit to Icewind farm prompted me to further refine the foods I provide for my Shiba’s. My continued research led me right to where Icewind Farm already was. They are doing it right! Thank you so very much for the terrific Shiba we got from you.
Warmest Regards,
Shane – March 2010
Update on Cloud
Attached are some photos of Cloud, who my son, Justin purchased from you in late March of this year.
He is a hoot! We enjoy him tremendously and never cease to be amazed by his crazy vocals and silly stunts. Our Golden, Lizzy, loves to play with Spanky (Cloud), and they are best of friends. We have an in ground electric fence so the two of them have plenty of room to run and carry on.
Thanks for breeding such a sweet heart!
Jan – June 2010
Lola Is A Star!!
See the pics attached – they were taken by a rather well-known NYC photographer who took pictures of Sting and Elvis Costello, among others! Lola is a star already!
Maria – February 2010
Our Shiba (Bear) Loves Snow
Bear is doing great. He loves the snow and spent most of the weekend digging around the mounds of it in our back yard! See Pix above. He is now 10 months and 24 lbs, well adjusted and a great member of the family.
Glenn
February 2010
Minshi Franklin
This is Franklin my minshi. You had originally named him Ivan. He is now 71/2 months old. I love him to death. He is very lively and makes me laugh. He loves to sit on my lap at night and watch TV. At his last doctors visit he was very healthy and weighs 11 lbs. He keeps my other 2 Shibas Toby & Sophie on their toes. Just thought you’d like to see what he looks like now. Still love checking out your puppies online.
Carolyn – February 2010
Merriest Christmas Shiba
Dear Icewind Farm,
I hope you have the Merriest Christmas and the Happiest of New Years! Just wanted to send you some pictures so you can see how beautiful and lovely Eleanor (Who I purchased from you as “Libby” back in April) is growing up to be. She is 11 months old today!
- Eleanor and Dana, December 2009
“Echo” Moves to France
We are delighted that Mika (now Echo) has been adopted by Pierre Berge, the co-founder of fashion design house Yves Saint Laurent and has moved to France!
November 2009
We wanted to forward you a recent picture of Echo who is doing very well. I was just in PAris where she lives and got to see her. She’s quite beautiful and very frisky!
April 2010
Minature Shiba Inu “Bella”
Bella is almost 12 lbs. She is the perfect size and well loved!
I try to establish a routine with her, going out in the morning before work but sometimes it’s too early where she doesn’t have the urge to go so I’ll be out there with her for 15 minutes, then bring her back in and right as I’m about to walk out the door she rings the poochie bells to go out, haha (yes, she uses the poochie bells, and they are the best… everyone is so impressed!)… then long walk in the afternoon and I try to get her to go once before bedtime, but sometimes she just goes out and sniffs around for bugs/acorns!
Amanda and Michael
October 2009
Foxie Moxie
I had never heard of a Shiba Inu…then I saw Moxie…OMG…it was love at first sight. I would have a house full of them! I love everything about her…she has an aire about her…like she is royalty…her posture, behavior, and personality are so unique. At times she can seem aloof and other times a snuggle bunny. My other dog is a German Shepherd, and it is so funny to see them together…they are like “me and mini me”. He weighs 115 lbs and she wieghs 18 lbs. It is the funniest thing when they get into a running war.
Deb – Proud Shiba Mom
Shiba Paradise Being Off Leash!
I just have to tell you this awesome news. My son and I went cross country skiing today and took the pup. We went one kilometer with her on leash and she stayed in between us running happily. (I want her to learn to both follow and be chased.) We gave her breaks to catch her breath, but she didn’t want to rest long. Eager to go more. The snow was very fast and I worried about pulling on her neck if I got ahead of her going down hill. We unclipped her leash and skiied. She was soooo happy, bounding along on the trail and shortcuts in the woods, always with us. We finished the 4k loop with her off leash. OMG!!! I couldn’t be happier with how things went. This is only the second time with me skiing. This dog is incredibly athletic. We slowed way down for the final kilometer to let her muscles cool down. She met a couple of other dogs there, and a bunch of people. I thought you would like to hear that story…. Four months old. Unbelievable…..
Pat – January 2010
Update: Part II Training Your Shiba Off Leash!
Tang is the first dog I ever had, so maybe in some ways that is an advantage because I have never had a compliant dog. I would recommend to anyone considering a shiba, to do their research and make sure it is the right dog for them. Your website is really helpful to potential owners, and your direction to Adam Katz’s training methods is invaluable. Thanks for that! I also recommend Shiba Inus, A Complete Pet Owners Manual and The Complete Shiba Inu by Atkinson. Both are great books to “arm yourself” before you get a shiba. Next I would recommend Icewind Farm for where to purchase a puppy. I was looking for a quality breeder (not just a random shiba), and you have lots of litters to choose from, which gives a potential owner like me a variety of choices from pet to show quality. I can’t thank you enough for choosing such a wonderful and trainable puppy to fit our family’s lifestyle.
Coming from Minnesota, we had a choice of flying or driving. We drove with the idea that it would be less traumatic for the puppy to be with her new owners 24/7 in a safe and predictable environment. It was a good choice. We benefited in many ways: she bonded with each family member, she loves car rides, she saw many new environments, she always felt safe (no stress reactions).
Being “armed” with information about training shibas and independent minded dogs gave us a good start at home. When Tang started screaming about having the harness put on and other such nonsense, my first reaction was to run, but I knew better, and I made her submit. She pulled that trick for about a week and then gave up on it. I would never let my own children throw a tantrum like that, so why would I let my dog do that? I had an invisible fence installed soon after, and the installer suggested I teach her the “come” and “No” commands. “Nothing worse than a dog who won’t come,” was his comment. That made me motivated to teach her to come, since invisible fence training could start as early as 14-16 weeks of age. Tang always came for a treat, but the real test was whether she would come without one. The answer was no. So, as Adam Katz instructed, you teach a dog to obey you just because you are the boss. Non-negotiable. So I corrected evasions by dragging her by the harness to the place where I called her when I said “come”. Not painful, it just puts me in charge. She screamed her head off, but she submitted. Next time, she was better, and better and better. (You can tell that submitting does not come naturally to this dog. Too bad. It is for her protection that she must obey me. Cars have no mercy.) As she grows, we are continuing the combination of treat training, and no-questions-asked authority. Evasions are not okay, ever. Since I want to train her to go off leash — reliably– I will need to work very hard at this. Tang has her own life plans, and they don’t always include me . . . but they will.
I successfully let her off leash cross-country skiing with my 16 year old son recently. She ran an unbelievable 4 k at 4 months of age, and stayed between us most of the time; she wasn’t even panting. We treat her like an athlete, and give her a warm up and cool down workout. The next day, when I took her out by myself skiing and let her off leash she decided to do a little too much exploring, but she did come back to me and got back on track. However, when she saw the intersection to the chalet and an extra ski loop, she bolted. She was waiting for me at the chalet, but I was not pleased. I did not spank or punish. She would never understand. I realized that she needs proofing on the come command and proofing on boundary and perimeter training at the chalet, and proofing to stay with me. I will need to make a point of teaching her. I like Adam Katz’s videos on the subject. Very helpful. As are his insights into the canine brain. My horse riding instructor used this phrase when I first got my horse a year ago: “Once is a mistake, twice is a habit.” Another useful phrase, “Always end on a positive,” and “Don’t overtrain.” The parallels are this: No evasions allowed and Training should be short, purposful and end with a positive. That way your dog/horse looks forward to working with you again. Work becomes play. Find the things that give your dog pleasure and use it as a motivator. I love this dog!!!
P.S. I took her skiing again. Started with some “Come” training in the house on a 6 foot leash. I said “Come” she pulled, I waited patiently with the tension on, she came and the tension released (her choice) and she sat in front of me. Praise, a treat, do it again. About 6 times. Then I did some boundary/perimeter training at the ski parking lot (per Adam Katz’s video). Next I took her out 1/2k on leash, and released her. When she wandered off the trail, I stopped and waited for her to come back to me, praised her, gave her a yummy treat and continued. As long as she stayed with me on the trail, we continued. Yes!!! she stayed with me! At the end, I put her leash back on so she wouldn’t bolt. When I got past the chalet intersection I released her again. She stayed with me, but I could tell, she knew we were close to home, so I needed to stop more often to correct her back to the trail and stay with me. It worked! She loves the all out running. Absolutely loves it. Her reward for being off leash is getting to run. But, I would not recommend letting your dog go off leash unless you are committed to doing the preliminary training so they will stay with you. My dog’s safety is my main concern. If she can go off leash safely, all is well, and she loves it!
Flower – Our Social Shiba
I just wanted to update you guys on Flower ( who is now named Hana, which is Japaneses for Flower). My wife and I got her home in July of 2009 and she has been a blast. A very smart and wonderful dog. She loves to visit my sister and mothers dogs that are nearby. In fact, when we walk her in the evening, she will drag us to their house!
Happy Thanksgiving,
Tyler and Laura
November 2009
Thumper!
Hi Karen and Anya,
Above is a picture of Thumper at 11 months old, he is just such a joy to us, and all the neighbors loves him. He is very playful and smart, quick to learn and chooses to do the tricks when he wants to. He is such a handsome boy, and a joy to the family. The old lady down the street asks me : ” do you set his tail every night? ”
Pearl
October 2009
Some Shibas Do Swim
Good Afternoon, I not sure if you remember me, but I bought two pups from you a little over a year now, I have sent my friends to you they took the lil brown rescue Shiba about 6 months ago, and then some of their friends bought two more from you… See what I started!!! I constantly refer people to you being that I am so happy with my lil ones. Recently took them out on our boat and they loved it!! They were swimming all over the place and chasing the seagulls! Cream is Missy and Brown is Ginger.
I was super surprised they actually loved it… It took them a little while to get used to but they actually jumped off the boat, swam around, walked to shore, and were in and out of the water all day! They kept chasing the seagulls and swimming out to them I was so surprised.
Michael
August 2009
Update on Bear
I just wanted to send a few photos of Skeeter (Bear) and tell you what a wonderful dog he is. He is such a fun dog and has grown into a fine young Shiba. His personality is just so cute and he loves to snuggle on his own terms. He house trained within days with very few accidents. We trained him to ring the bells at the door; however, since he likes being outside so much, he sometimes “cries wolf” just to bark at squirrels and chomp on sticks. The quirks he has we attribute to being a Shiba…not coming when called, pouncing like a cat, liking some alone time and screeching when fussy. He is a wonderful part of our family and gets along very well with our terrier.
Thank you for providing such good care for your Shibas. He is awesome and we love having him!
Beth
October 2009
Moka (Berry) Enjoying The Sun
We are so in love with Moka (her name change) and she is just wonderful…you were right! She is loved by all and gets along great with everyone. She just had another check-up and she is already 8 pounds. Her markings are beautiful and she has the most gorgeous shiny coat. She has never had an accident in the house and asks to go outside. She is very smart and already knows basic commands. She is so playful but also mellows out and will relax with us. She gives the best kisses! We are spoiling her but she deserves it! I thought you would like to see her as she grows up…these pictures are from last week. If you have any baby pictures of “Berry” that we didn’t get a chance to save, I’d really appreciate it. I see how quickly they grow up and your website had already changed by the time I went back to look…and her baby pics were already gone! I saw that all her litter mates found new homes too…She is a great dog and although she will never be a replacement for Rocket, she already has a very special place in all our hearts and we just adore her….Thank you so much for Moka… you are the best! We will send more pictures as she gets older but I wanted you to know that she is happy and healthy…best of luck to you and yours.
With gratitude,
Sheryl (September 2009)
First Time Dog Owner Adopts TWO Shibas!!
I wanted to give you an update on Joba (formerly Chipmunk) and Rosie (formerly Daisy) that Barry, Emma and I adopted from you in January.
If you remember, we only intended to come home with Rosie, but the minute we held Joba, we knew we had to take him, as well. I had never owned even one dog before, and when I told people (including the vet and trainer that we’d lined up beforehand) that we’d brought TWO dogs home, the reaction was always the same. “Two SHIBAS? You’ve never owned a dog and you brought home two Shibas? What were you thinking?” Needless to say, everyone thought we were nuts, but one look at their sweet faces and no one could blame us. After spending just a few hours with our new puppies at home, we couldn’t even imagine not having one or the other.
Both pups are doing great, and we love them more than we thought possible. They’re now seven months old and have completed both their basic and advanced obedience courses. Rosie, at less than seven months, passed the Canine Good Citizen test (Joba was just having a bit of an off night and was a tired boy, but will definitely receive his by the end of summer), which was amazing. Our trainer told us that they were the stars of the class and made a point of telling the entire class that being Shibas (known for being a bit stubborn) and also being very young, their level of training was absolutely amazing. We couldn’t have been more proud!
They both love going to the dog park to play with all of the other dogs and their owners. They are incredibly well-socialized and haven’t had a single problem with any other dog or a human, from very small children to adults. At the dog park, we’ve met two other Ice Wind Shibas, both adults, and they’re lovely, as well. Additionally, we’ve discovered that one of the girls who plays tennis with Emma also has two Shibas (Maya and Chase) that were adopted together from Ice Wind. It’s a small Shiba world!
We’re still feeding them Before Grain Salmon formula kibble and wet food, and they still receive their vitamins and Salmon Oil every day. The also love fresh salmon and venison, and because they’re spoiled (although I don’t like to think of it that way, because they’re so wonderful that they deserve the treats), we give them those on a fairly regular basis, as well. Joba now weighs almost 24 pounds, and Rosie is getting close to 21, but I think they’re both still going to grow more.
They’re both so smart, but they have very different personalities. Rosie wants nothing more than to be loved by every person she comes across. She’ll stand pressed agains someone’s legs forever, or at least until they stop rubbing her head. Joba is a complete boy, always ready to remind Rosie that he’s in charge, but mention biscuits and there’s no dog more eager to please than he. All I have to do is glance at the box of cookies and he hops into his crate as if to prove that he’s the most obedient boy on earth. Every time I look at them I can’t believe how much I love them and I can’t imagine not having them in our family. A huge thanks to both of you for raising them and taking good care of them until we could take over. They are both absolutely perfect.
Gina, June 2009
Shibas and Strangers
My son Richard and his girlfriend purchased one of your puppies back in February 2009 and they named him Logan, after X-Men Wolverine. I just wanted to tell you this dog is BEAUTIFUL, I am really not a dog lover, I had a bad experience as a child, but this dog is so good, playful, and really enjoyable. He is VERY MUCH LOVED by all of us it’s like having a baby around. I just wanted to ask this one question, they tend to shy away from strangers and won’t allow them to pet him until after a while, but with me he came right up to and within 5 to 10 minutes let me pet him sitting on my lap etc, my son said that he can sense that I am somehow related to him, is this true?
Thank you,
Denise (July 2009)
Update: Answer from Karen
Logan is very handsome. I am glad you love him. Shibas are very different dogs – they are extremely smart. They can sense things very well. I think you were scared of him when he first approached you and he did sense this and he knew you meant no harm and he wanted you to feel at ease. He also did pick up that from your son also, meaning he knew they loved you and he followed in their footsteps. For strangers this is the shiba. They are aloof to them and don’t warm up at first.
Karen
Icewind Puppy Flies To The Northwest
It’s hard to believe it’s been one month since I picked Simba up and flew across country. We had our first in home training session on Sunday. It went really well, within a few minutes he was learning the come and sit down commands. His execution of the come command was impressive since there is times when he likes for us to chase him. But I really get the feeling that the training is for us.
He is also doing really well with his house training, since the first few days he knew to go to the back door. I’m thinking about buying the doggie bells that hang from the door knobs so we can also hear him.
This weekend, I forgot that the sprinklers were on when I took him out for a potty break and was amazed that he enjoyed running through the sprinklers and jumping up at the water. Wish I had a video of this. He also really enjoys to play fetch with the red tennis ball that was you provided in his goodie bag.
Thank you,
Henry (June 2009)
MoJo
Thank you for breeding an awesome shiba (formally known as Markie). His name is now MoJo and he is unbelievable!. I know your website says they are 98% housebroken by the time they come home, but WE HAVE NEVER SEEN A 2 MONTH OLD PUPPY who walks perfectly on a leash (I don’t know if you taught him that too) and does his “business” within 10 seconds of putting him down on grass (and I’m not exaggerating). As soon as you put him down, he sniffs, pees and if he has to do the “other thing” he takes a few more sniffs and that’s it. When he’s done, he hops off the grass, goes on the sidewalk and happily trots back towards home. However you managed to train him at such a young age amazes all of us.
His first night home, we gave him a bath (at Anya’s suggestion to get rid of the smell of his littermates) and played with him. He seems like a 3 year old well trained dog in a little puppy’s body!! The transition was very easy. He will whimper a little when first put in his crate, but within 5 minutes, he quiets down and goes to sleep. He doesn’t love the kibble too much even if we put that salmon water on it or Dyne on it. He absolutely loves the soft salmon and the beef so I try to mix it all together along with the vitamins. He has found a way to eat the beef out of the kibble along with the salmon and leave the dry food (another smart thing). I had done a lot of reading on shibas, but seeing is believing!!!!!
Best regards,
Diane and family
April 2009
Adventures with Indie
Thank you so much for setting me up with this little guy. It has been one heck of an adventure so far but the good times FAR out-weigh the frustrating times.
I thought you may want some photo updates on Indie (aka: Indiana or Lion King).
Here are some recent photos, enjoy.
M@ & ND – May 2009
Icewind Shiba in Lithuania!
Mika is in Lithuania, she’s doing great. We’re really happy to have her. She is an incredible puppy. Here is a pic of her. She’s a little bit sleepy in this photo 
We love her having around.
Bena
April 2009
Apartment Shiba – Cody
We just wanted to take a minute to update you on our Shiba pup Cody (formerly Brad of Meeko and Zoe’s litter). We’ve had Cody for about a month now. He quickly became the favorite puppy in our apartment building! We can’t walk more than a few feet without someone stopping us to play with him. Cody LOVES people, he is such a ham. Every time we walk by someone he runs up and sits at their feet, tail wagging, waiting to be petted. Our doormen have started keeping treats at the front desk to reward him for his tricks. Everyone asks us where we got him and tells us that they can’t believe he’s real, he looks like a teddy bear!
Cody knew how to sit within a day of being home and now knows how to shake his paw, lay down, and he has almost mastered stay! House training has been relatively easy with Cody. He is slowly getting the hang of the bells and has only had a few accidents in the house in the past month! Sometimes he just gets too excited after his Shiba 500 around the apartment! When we take him outside he pees immediately, and only needs a walk up the block to ‘do his business.’ He went in for his final shots yesterday and will be starting puppy kindergarten next week. We look forward to seeing him interact with the other puppies!
Thank you again for our beautiful puppy, he has definitely changed our lives for the better. We’ve been spreading the IceWind name around the area and are happy to recommend your puppies! We can’t wait to watch Cody grown up!
Cheryl & Josh
April 2009
COMING BACK FOR MORE SHIBAS
Sue and I have been discussing this for some time and we would like to make an appointment to visit your Shiba puppies.. We have Yuki who is 5 years old now; she is from Yoshi and Tyler’s litter born on April 23, 2003. Yuki has been the greatest joy in both our lives and was even part of our wedding ceremony! We would love to have another one!
Warm Regards,
Andy and Sue
December 2008
Invisible Fences and Our Shiba
Just wanted to give you guys another update of our icewind shiba Magnolia! She had a great first winter and is starting to chase leaves again, i can’t stress the point that we are so pleased with her as a part of our family. Last time i wrote u wanted me to let u know how her training was with an invisible fence and shock collar. Magnolia is a very smart dog, like most shibas are of course. She was completely trained with the invisable fence with in a week of installation, she has only taken herself for a walk one in 6 months, and as u can see from the pictures she has a lot to be distracted by, we have a pond with wildlife as well as dogs that live next door! She is a very smart dog like I said and feels proud when we are happy with her. I think that many training devices work for many different people but for us the fence was and continues to be great, I also think that it gives her the freedom to be a Shiba when she wants and it ultimatly helps her behave in the house.
Thanks Again,
Linda and Christopher
May 2009
MAGNOLIA
Dear Icewind Farm,
We just wanted to update you on our Shiba puppy we picked back in September. She was from Diva and Tyfu’s litter and her name was Pebbles, which is now Magnolia (Nolie for short). She is a fantastic dog and we are so happy with her. People that come to our home or meet her when we take her out (she goes almost everywhere we do!) always give us compliments on how well behaved and just what a nice dog she is. She has a big yard that she runs and plays in with all the kids in our neighborhood. She has two feline sisters and they have done a nice job adjusting and getting used to each other.
She recently went to Florida with us for a long 20 hour drive and was such a good girl in the car and in our home in Florida! Although the weather was pretty hot at first, she enjoyed the attention at night when we went to dinner and people we taking pictures with her because they thought she was so cute!
We just love our girl from Icewind and it says a lot for you and how you raise your puppies and dogs. People ask us why we went all the way to New Jersey for a dog and I think that our girl answers that question. Thank you so much for our puppy. Here are some pictures of our Nolie girl!
Christopher and Linda
February 2009
Rescue Shiba “Kouji” Finds A Great Home!
I thought I’d update you on Kouji. We have had him now for 2 weeks and we just love him! He is a permanent member of our family, that’s for sure. Kouji has found his forever home!
He has started eating more normally, although he still refuses the salmon dog food! He likes Nature’s Recipe, both canned and kibble, and of course table scraps. Bagels with butter are a favorite, although he only gets a tiny taste once in a while. He usually sleeps in my daughters’ room, but he has a bed in the kitchen, also and he sometimes sleeps there. He is starting to become a good watchdog-although he likes to bark at my husband! Kouji is becoming more playful with us. He likes to play with plastic chew toys.
I signed him up for obedience training and discovered at the first beginner lesson that he sits, stays, comes, and lies down like a champ! They promoted us to the intermediate class after the first lesson! The only issue we’ve had is when he’s loose in our large fenced in yard, he doesn’t always come in when called! He does, sometimes, but I think after more time passes and he trusts us more, that issue will resolve itself, also. They can be trained to come, can’t they? Any suggestions?
I’ve read that Shibas can be “bolters”, so we make sure he’s on a leash when not in the yard. He’s VERY interested in squirrels and cats.
So, there you are! Kouji is just wonderful! My older daughter said this morning that she feels like he’s always been a family member even though we’ve only had him two weeks.
Thank you for this wonderful dog!
Sherri – May 2009
WE LOVE MIKO
Sorry this is a little late, but we just want you to know how much we have been enjoying our precious little addition to the family, Miko (formerly known as “Tinkerbell”).
We never knew that such an exotic creature as the miniature shiba inu existed. To our surprise while searching the internet, we came across a magical place called Ice Wind Farm. As we scrolled down we couldn’t believe our eyes when we saw that you had one available. We didn’t know anything about you, but decided to take a chance and make an appointment and take a drive up to Phillipsburg last April.
Our son, Gavin, was not interested in getting a dog at all, and reluctantly came along with us for the ride. He sulked the whole way there. As we pulled into the driveway and walked toward Ice Wind, we couldn’t help but notice how clean and well-maintained the grounds were. Anya escorted us around back to where the dogs are kept, and we were extremely impressed with the quality of the dogs, and the superb surroundings they were residing in. They were consistently being attended to, whether it was for exercise or just cleaning up their living quarters. They were thriving in the fresh mountain air and sunshine, and seemed so happy to live in such a beautiful, harmonious environment.
When we were directed to the pen with the new puppies, our hearts absolutely melted when we saw them. They all looked like little, living teddy bears. As soon as we picked her up and held our little Miko, we knew she was coming home with us. After our son held her for about five minutes, he turned to us and said “can we PLEASE get her?” They are now each other’s best friend.
The first night we got home with her, we put her in her crate and never heard another peep all night long. She NEVER barks which is wonderful, we only get the occasional yodel or howl out of her, which makes us crack up every time. She is trained and doesn’t mess up in the house at all. She’s nine months old and still only 6 pounds. We have taught her several commands – sit, lay down, stay, fetch, come and her latest one, speak. She is not only beautiful, but extremely intelligent and has changed our lives for the better. We always say how boring it was in our home before we got Miko – she has brought so much joy to us.
When we bring her out in public, people go absolutely crazy for her. We brought her to the park the second day that we got her. We couldn’t walk more than 10 feet at a time, because everyone was stopping us to find out what kind of dog she was. People even stopped their tennis games to come over and see her. We also brought her into Home Depot for a ride in the basket while we shopped. Not only did all of the employees stop what they were doing to say hello, but we couldn’t pass by any of the other customers without them all saying hello to her.
We cannot express in words how much we love our Ice Wind Shiba. We researched the breed and searched high and low until we found your place. It really does pay to locate a good, quality breeder to get what you want. With all that we learned about buying a dog, you would have to be crazy to patronize pet stores because most of them come from puppy mills. It is definitely worth it to find a reputable breeder such as yourself if you really want to find a best friend who comes from good lines and will be with you for a long time. Our son, Gavin, frequently says “if it isn’t from Ice Wind, it’ not a good, quality shiba!” We have the “shiba fever” so bad now, and are very interested in getting a second one, preferably a miniature black & tan, when one becomes available. Attached you will find some adorable pictures of our new best friend.
Thanks again for caring so much about this breed – one of the most interesting, intelligent and beautiful breeds available.
Best regards,
Colleen, Chuck and Gavin
ICEWIND SHIBA PLAYING WITH cat
Here is a video of Copper at about 10 months old. He is now 2 years (just had a birthday on March 7th!). Who said Shiba’s and cats can’t get along? Leo the cat (who belonged to my roommate) and Copper were best friends! In fact, Copper prefers cats over dogs!
HARU – OUR NEW SHIBA
I just wanted to give you an updates on Haru (formerly Lilo).
It has been 1 month since we brought her. First few days she was very quiet….but now she has a lot of energy and she just acts like typical shiba puppy! She is almost 4months old but she is very smart! She already sits and give a paw before she eats! She is 6lb now, and everybody loves her when we bring her to the park, even at the street in the city people stop us to tell us how pretty she is!
Thank you very much! I am so happy I found you guys! After my former 16 years shiba, Aki passed away I was searching for a quality shiba but I could not find any of the shibas like you have….I am so happy I found Icewind! We still talk about how clean, keep them so neatly for good quality shibas.
Thank you again for helping us choose Haru. I will keep you updated with her progress.
Chiharu & Michael
January 2008
KENOBI
TODAY it has been TWO glorious years since we brought our little Kenobi home! We couldn’t be happier!! He is the greatest canine we’ve ever known! Thanks to you and Anya and all the love and care you give to all of your Shibas!
Dawn – ridepowder2@msn.com
June 2008
Update:
From: Phil
Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2009
To: Dawn
Subject: KENOBI
Hi Dawn,
I’m purchasing a Shiba Inu from Ice Wind Farm, and I read your testimonial. I was wondering how Kenobi’s temperment was, his appearance, his diet, if there are any problems, and your overall experience in dealing with Karen at Ice Wind Farm. I’m getting a two-month old boy named “Valentino” shipped to me this Friday night.
Reply from Dawn:
Just a disclaimer- when you get me talking about Kenobi, I could go on forever! He’s the love of my life!
I truly think you are making the right decision going to Icewind. My husband and I went to several breeders (and some who claimed to be) and there was no contest. Karen had the nicest dogs and each and everyone of them is treated with so much care and love. In fact, when we go away, Kenobi stays with Karen and he is so excited to see her and Anya the second we walk thru the door. They are a pleasure to work with and we love keeping in contact with them. Our next dog will definitely come from them.
He is quite the happy dog. He’s very loveable and loyal to all of our family & friends. Although, he is aloof to strangers. If he doesn’t know you and if a stranger goes to pet him, he just kind of backs away and comes to stand by me (he happens to be a mama’s boy). In no way, shape or form, has he ever shown any aggression towards anyone.
The only thing about him (and this is true to to the breed) is that he can be a little willful at times. I’m sure you’ve heard that before. Sometimes I say “come here” and he just looks at me like I’m crazy. My advice is to get him into puppy pre-school and get on basic training right away. Being that they are such smart dogs, it takes almost no time for them to learn. We’re lucky because we were able to train him to be off the leash when we take him hiking. He’s also very well mannered. He NEVER begs from us when we’re eating. I can’t stand when dogs do that.
As for his diet, we’ve kept him on the same diet he had when he was at Icewind.. He eats the Purina One for Sensitive Systems (I think they’ve changed it since Kenobi was there). We give him the NuVet vitamins every morning and a little salmon everyday. Sometimes we sneak in a little people food and he LOVES it.
I can assure you that you will be so happy with your little boy. By all means, if can be of any help or if you ever just want to show off some pictures, please don’t hesitate to contact me. My home email is ridepowder2@msn.com.
Update December 2009
Kenobi happens to be better off the leash than on! He goes hiking in the woods at least twice a week and he is so good! We started taking Kenobi hiking from a very young age and kept him on the leash in the beginning. Then we started letting him go short distances a little at a time. For example, my husband would run up ahead on the trail a few hundred feet and I’d let Kenobi run to him. And we’d practice that here and there until the distances got futher apart. I would say that it took about 7 months (he was about 9 mo. old) until he was completely free of the leash.
Now we were told time and again that Shibas should never be off the leash and it was almost a deal breaker for us because we love the outdoors so much. But we were so in love with the breed and so impressed with Icewind that it was worth it to try.
I say if you work with your Shiba very diligently, you have a pretty good shot at having an awesome hiking buddy! Good luck!!! I know you will not be disappointed with the breed or with Icewind.
SAKI
Karen and Anya,
I was downloading picture to print today and thought I would update you on Saki ( AKA santa baby). She is the best puppy I have ever had!! Matured well beyond her 1.5 years and loves to chase the squirrels in the back yard!! Molly and her play and fight like sisters which is fun to watch!! I swear this dog stopps trafic when we take her for runs. She absolutely georgeous!!! They ask what she is and where they can get a dog like her, so if you get any referals from Maryland…..Saki sent them!!
I am trying to convince my husband we need another Shiba so don’t be surprised to hear from us in the next year when we want another puppy. Thank you for everything. I hope that all is well with you both and your family.
Karen, Eric, Molly, and Saki
February 2009
RUSTY AT CHRISTMAS
I just wanted to give you an update on Rusty (formerly Chunky Toes).
He is almost 2 years old now but still acts like a puppy at times…though he has calmed down considerably. We thought that when he got “out” of his puppy stage, he would be a little bit easier but truthfully, we kind of miss his hyperactivity.
Judging by Rusty, I think you breed the best kinds of dogs there. He is so sweet, obedient (most of the time), clever and fun to be around. Everyone who knows him loves him a lot and we are always surprised when people who are afraid of dogs can sit comfortably with Rusty and even play with him.
We are still considering getting another shiba, just looking for the right time.
December 2008
OUR SPECIAL PUPPY
Joe (formerly known as M&M) is cuter than words, and such a good boy! It poured all the way home on Saturday, and he never even made a sound–just sat on our laps and looked around:) He loves to play fetch in the house, so “thank you” for packing a tennis ball for him! Chasing the green scarf is a big favorite too!
I think we are going to have to start setting our alarm clock, to take him out during the night, because he has not woken us up once. The first night we happened to wake up 7 hours after putting him to bed, but last night we put him to bed at 9 pm and we didn’t wake up until 5:15 pm. He didn’t wet in his crate, but he had to go BAD!!
Anyway, we wanted to thank you for helping us choose such a special puppy. We truly adore him!
Thank you:)
Chris, Jason, Brent, and Aaron
November 2008
OUR NEWEST BEST FRIEND
After our visit yesterday we could not stop talking about Joe and the other dogs at Ice Wind. We were completely impressed by how professionally everything was handled, the wonderful facilities you have, the cleanliness of the facilities and the obvious extraordinary care and affection given to all of the dogs and puppies. We have decided that Joe will make a perfect addition to our family.
Update: He is already the absolute center and love of our lives. He miraculously appears to have arrived already housebroken. The first night we were sitting on the floor with Jax and he whimpered a little. We took him outside and he immediately went to the bathroom. Since then, whenever he needs to go out he goes to the backdoor and waits for us to let him out. He has a face and playful nature that melts the hearts of anyone lucky enough to meet him. He went to the vet yesterday and not only got a clean bill of health but the doctor who sees dogs all day every day couldn’t get over how good looking he is. He weighed 4.8 pounds but he has the attitude and heart of a 100 pounder. We will keep you up to date on his progress but in the meantime you can click the links below to see some of the pictures I have taken so far. More photos
Thanks again for our newest best friend!
Bill
October 2008
THANK YOU FOR OUR SHIBA
Dear Anya and Karen,
We just wanted to touch base and thank you for our wonderful puppy. We named her Hailey and she’s about ten months old now. We wanted to let you know that she has turned out to be the perfect dog for us. She has an excellent temperment and loves everyone. She’s very playful and loves car rides and tormenting our cats. She also calms down instantly when you rub her belly, which comes in handy. We’ve met some Shiba’s that are a lot more timid and not as friendly as Hailey, and I really think that’s because of the love and care you gave her as a pup. You guys definitely take care of those dogs and we would certainly consider getting another shiba from you in the future.
-Mike and Lacey
October 2008
OUR SILVER FOX
Hi Karen and Anya, We have just returned from a tractor show in South Florida..We took silver and she loved it…and of course everyone loved her…She loved riding in the golf cart and everyone kept stopping us to look at the ‘beautiful fox’…I explained that her name was Silver and she was a shiba from Icewinds farm..Next time I will have information pages to hand out to people…I bet I talked to over a 100 people about Silver and shibas..She traveled well and was a perfect lady the entire trip (we were gone 10 days). When we returned home she went to tell Clay all about the trip and he of course was just glad she was home…What can I say..she is the perfect dog and of course you at Icewinds are the perfect breeders…I’ll be sending you a picture of Silver and myself that was taken at the show, hope you enjoy it..I can’t begin to tell you how great we think she is…Again thanks so much..Hope to meet you the summer of 2009.
Sincerely, Sharon
October 2008
TOJO BODACIOUS
Just wanted to let you know how our puppy is doing. We named him Tojo Bodacious and he is such a sweet dog. He has really become part of the family, and everyone who meets him comments on his handsome looks and gentle disposition. He is everything we had hoped for and more. Attached are photos of Tojo with my daughters. Thanks again for the wonderful gift you have given our family.
Sue
October 2008
COMING BACK TO ICEWIND FARM FOR OUR SECOND SHIBA
He’s doing wonderful. He had a difficult start with the other two girls, but is fitting right in. His name is Dakota, but secretly I call him Walter. My husband hated the name Walter, so I have to do it in secret – haha.
After getting snapped at on his first night for sniffing, he now stands his ground. He growls right back, barks and even holds his own when playing with Roxy, my other Shiba from your farm.
His personality really fits in with our family zoo. We cannot put a full dish of water down, because he insists on swimming in it. Literally….both hands in the dish, paddling the water. His expressions are starting to show. He handsome,a nd knows he is when he wants something. Typical male – haha.
He sleeps very well at night. Bed at 1000, up at 500. We’ve had 3 accidents in the house and all have been on the floor, not the carpet. But, for the most part, he goes outside like he is suppose to. Even started knocking on the door (I think the bells scare him, but, figure he will get use to them as that is how Roxy tells us she needs to go out).
The vet said that he was in perfect health. I have a copy of the paperwork to send over to you.He’s a good eater, too. No problems getting him to eat.
Bottom line…he’s perfect. He and Roxy have become fast friends and just as you said, she mothers him a bit, lets him know when he’s crossed the line and have a great playmate. My poor husband has been pushed to the side – haha.
Attached are some pictures. The pictures of my flower beds are him and Roxy playing in them. he has figured out that he can hide in them and play’find me in the jungle’. Roxy of course is glad to participate……..(us….I’m losing my beds – haha).
Thanks again for such a great experience.
September 2008
ICEWIND PUPPY TRAVELS TO FLORIDA
Mya is such a darling!!! oh my!! a very well mannered pup =) I absolutely adore her and commend you on your experience! I will send photos of her and her first day at her new home shortly!
Also if there are any new puppy tips I should know ASAP, please let me know. She LOVES her tiny teddy bear and she’ll run around with it and whine a little bit while holding it.
Thanks again for everything, she’s fantastic =). More photos of Mya
September 2008
CARM & CAT’S WEDDING WITH THEIR WONDERFUL SHIBA FROM ICEWIND
Dear Karen and Anya,
Hi guys!!! We just wanted to let you know how wonderful Kyah is and to thank you two for being amazing. From the start you two have been helpful and caring. It’s only because you guys let Cat come and play with the dogs before we bought Kyah that we knew she would be ok with her living with us. And thank goodness you did because we can’t even imagine life without her now. She is simply a joy to have in our lives! Playful & adventurous she accompanies us on all of our hiking and climbing outings. She’s well behaved around kids and other dogs and plays great with our friend and families’ dogs and children…because of this we can take her anywhere she is allowed. She is also a great cuddler. We have tons of pictures with her sleeping and cuddling with us on the couch. Too cute! Thanks so much for ensuring that we got the perfect new member for our little family. Everywhere we go with Kyah, we are stopped to talk about how cute she is and we always tell everyone about you guys and how amazing you are. It’s such a good feeling to know we can contact you (even at 2 in the morning *grin*) with questions, concerns…anything! And that Kyah has somewhere to go when we go away on our honeymoon. You guys are great!!!
Tons of love!
Cat, Carm & Kyah Email: carmandcat@gmail.com
February 2008
Update: Kyah is doing super. =) Carm and I just got married Aug 29th and she was in the wedding…she pulled a bit, but was overall amazing!!! The slideshow from our photographer if you wanna see…she’s a star! She is really great…we take her out hiking and she is totally fine off leash…esp if she has some puppy friends around (and she has a bunch! she’s a very popular lady…esp with the boy dogs. grin) She is soooo good with kids too! she loves my nephews and all of our friends’ kids…even if they play with her tail sometimes.
She is the best dog ever!!!!! You were right…we love shibas!
GOING BACK TO ICEWIND FOR OUR THIRD SHIBA
Greetings from Randolph. Cesar is doing great. He is so funny and is just like a toddler wanting to learn everything from his older siblings. Sierra has turned into a mother to him (what a surprise to us). She is very protective of him. On the other hand Hunter’s nose has been out of joint (not something I expected) but things are hopefully smoothing out. Give our love to Tala!
Take care, Kim.
A BIG THANK YOU
Thank you for our loving new family member – Suki. After nearly three weeks, Suki has adjusted very well to our household. She is about 98% house trained, and eagerly rings the hanging door bells Anya suggested we use when she needs to go outside. Suki is a very sociable puppy to all she encounters including people and other dogs and cats. She is also the only pet that we have had who is not afraid of going to the veterinarian. While at the vets, I’ve been amazed that she even kisses the vets and their assistants (our previous dog and cats were more of the mind to snap at them). Suki loves to fetch the ball, and she gets a lot of supervised exercise running around on our 3 acre property. I have been very pleased that she is also quickly learning her boundaries, and is already stopping on her own, and/or coming back to me on command over 90% of the time (even when she is chasing after birds on the yard). I did not use an invisible fence with our other dog as he was trained not venture into the woods, and so far, it looks like Suki will learn to be trusted as well (under supervision). So far, I’m pleased to say that Suki has been a healthy and happy puppy, and is a very welcome addition to our family.
Brooks
Update: Hi! I wanted to share some pictures of Suki at 15 months. She is a wonderful companion, and has become an integral member of our family.
We have taken daily walks at the park near our house in PA since she was small, and where many people now know her by name and most tell her how beautiful she is (which she really likes hearing of course). Suki is great with any and all dogs she encounters, and she is particularly kind to the elderly and those with disabilities. For some reason, she goes right up to those who seem to need of a bit of tenderness and sits by their side to let them pet her.
There is a red Shiba at the park that looks like her clone in size, and they go crazy playing together like they know they are the same.
Suki has driven with me to our Jupiter, FL home on several occasions where she has another set of great friends, most of which are little white dogs of which she thinks she is one.
Suki has the sweetest personality and has never shown the slightest sense of having a mean bone in her body. We are very fortunate that she is a happy and extremely well mannered little girl. She stays when we tell her, sits, and comes on command. I can’t think of a better dog to have adopted.
HE LOVES LOVES LOVES US
We wanted to send you a few pictures and let you know how Tony is doing. We purchased him from your kennel Feb. 24th, but it seems like he has been here for much longer than that! Initially we were going to change his name, but Tony just seemed to fit! He has adjusted well and seems to love love love us and we love him! He is fully housebroken and really was almost house broken when we got him. He enjoys his walks, loves to chase birds and rabbits (he almost got one) and loves playing with our cat, although the cat still isn’t sure he wants him to stay! He isn’t crazy about his crate and gets very sad at bedtime, but he doesn’t cry anymore when he goes in. He wants to play with everything and tries to claim everything for himself, yet he has been very good about not chewing things he shouldn’t. He is already very protective of our house and a little wary of strangers – and that’s good! We found that our local pet store carries the Eagle Pack food, and I just ordered more NuVet supplement today. However, he loves shrimp, blue cheese and other people food. He didn’t even mind his first bath and nail clipping. We’re happy that its warmer now but he really misses his snow. That was his favorite! We haven’t started puppy school yet but we are getting him out to see other dogs and people and he is reacting well to lots of situations. He truly is a great little pup, we love the breed and are having a good time with him! Maybe in a year we will consider a companion for him! We will keep you posted!!
Best wishes,
Kurt and Sue
ICEWIND SHIBA LOVES HIS SNUGGLE PUPPY!
It was a pleasure to do business with IceWind Farm. Everyone thinks he is adorable.
Take care, Bill
Update: Last March 17 the wife and I picked up our shiba inu, Patrick from IceWind Farms.
Patrick has turned out to be a great dog. He likes everyone – people, dogs and cats.
Just thought you would enjoy an update on the pup who loved his snuggle puppy.
Take Care,
Bill & MaryAnn
PS – Mr Snuggle Puppy is not in the picture because Patrick had a great time ripping him to shreds a couple of months ago.
SOCIAL EVENTS
I bought a sesame male shiba inu (Tyson) from you last year. His date of birth is 6/18/06. I just wanted to update you on him and tell you he is doing great. He is such a lovable dog. He loves people and other dogs. Everytime we go to petco he wants to play with all the dogs. I like taking him to the events they have at petco. The next one we are going to is the pet valentines pet party. It will be a lot of fun. I have been recomending the shiba to everyone that says they want to get a dog. I also told them to go to you cause you guys are great. I know in a couple of years we might buy another one cause we like them so much. We finally got some snow so he got to play in it. He was jumping around like a rabbit in the snow. He loves it.
Thanks, Tiffany
FIRST TIME PUPPY OWNER
My children have shown their love for animals from the moment they began to express themselves. For years they have begged my husband and myself for a puppy. I was the resistance all these years as I figured most of the care would have to be given by me as he has a pretty demanding schedule. I never had any pets of my own and only last year picked up a puppy for the first time in my life when my neighbor’s escaped and she couldn’t get it. It’s not that I don’t like animals but simply that I was never comfortable with them. When we decided to take on the task of owning a puppy I did a lot of research. The girls wanted a Shiba Inu after seeing it on a dog show and doing much research. I knew it would be a handful, but decided it was time.
In my search I located breeders within a reasonable traveling distance. My sister in law who is very experienced with animals viewed the sites and thought that Ice Wind was the way to go. I was very nervous. Her key advice (which I take her advice very seriously) was JoAnn, take the first puppy that runs up to you. (that piece of advice will be important later.)
Now onto my experience with Ice Wind, Karen & Anya were just wonderful to deal with. I was a nervous wreck as I was going to be picking this puppy up without my husband or kids. I was so afraid that I wasn’t going to pick a good one. I know this may sound ridiculous to some of you, but I was truly scared. Karen put my fears to ease and Anya said not to worry that she’d find the perfect puppy for me, also that if I changed my mind when I got there I could take a different one. When I showed up at Ice Winds, I was truly impressed with all the knowledge Anya had. She was a delight. She told me all the important things I should know and helped me pick out everything that I would need to get started. When I walked up to the puppies there was this one little pup that came running over to me it was the one Anya had chosen for me, as if the puppy knew that my sister in law told me to take the first one that came over to me. HOWEVER, I was torn because there was an absolutely darling one in the corner. I decided that since the one Anya picked for me was also the first one to run over to me I was going to stick with that one, even though that other one in the corner was so adorable that I wanted to take her too!!! I have emailed Karen many times since getting this puppy for Christmas. Just filling her in on how we are doing.
The puppy (which we named Cleopatra and call her Cleo for short) is the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to our family. She is intelligent, adorable and truly the best puppy for us. Anya did a splendid job of picking her for us. She also had the knowledge to give someone with no animal skills the confidence to take care of her properly. Anya put my mind at ease, and never in her wildest dreams could she imagine the joy she has brought to our family. You might ask why Anya would bring us joy, I’ll tell you why, if Anya hadn’t made me believe that I could handle this I would have backed out and my kids would not have gotten that puppy. Without her caring attitude and delightful spirit I would never have believed that I could do this.
Thank you Anya and Karen for all you have done for us.
Sincerely, JoAnn, Bob, Alex, Kayla and Cleo !
I looked throughly through your page and I am am so excited to become a shiba inu parent to one of your puppies. Your dedication is astoundingI am so impressed!
Sarah
I have had the privilege of knowing Anya for five years in the capacity of being a family friend. During that time, I have recognized so many mature qualities for such a young lady. She has demonstrated great responsibility by running the pet store she created. Her personable nature shines during the hours she spends with the clients. Anya has a wide knowledge base about dogs and cats as she has demonstrated with the clients. She also helps in the delivery process of the puppies as well as grooming and personal care of the animals. I have also observed her ability to handle everything while her parents were on vacation. I am most impressed by her desire to establish and work for her own college fund. It is my distinct feeling that Anya would be an asset to the veterinarian program. Her great drive and compassion as well as aquired knowledge will help her realize sucess.
Ashley
I was honored to be asked to write a letter in behalf of Anya. I have known Anya for approximately six years. I have admired her talents and her leadership abilities. She has mentioned her interest in animals on many occasions. Anya recently told me about the vo tech program and I explained to her that I had that I had gone to a vocational school sixteen years ago and how it has made me extremely successful. I believe that in order to be successful at something, you need to have a passion for something. Anya has that passion for animals.
Anya has a self motivated personality and with that she can accomplish anything. Her mother has encouraged Anya to go after her dreams. She has helped her start her own business, which is also doing well. Anya gives up her own personal time to dedicate to the animals at her business on the weekends. She continues to strive for new ideas as she invests her time and energy to the dogs. Anya has always talked about being a veterinarian as I’m sure that this program will allow her to continue her dream.
I highly recommend Anya, as I don’t know of a more talented, intelligent, hard working thirteen year old.
Karen
SNUGGLING WITH THE SNUGGLE PUPPY
SNUGGLE PUPPY UPDATE…
…Our shiba has never out grown his snuggle puppy. He now uses it more so as a toy instead of sleeping with it. Although it does go with him in his crate when he goes on a plane to keep him a little secure. He’s a little ball of fire! But otherwise he loves his people =) thank you so much.
I was just there and got the red male shiba inu. His first night away from home, he did great. His snuggle puppy kept him company and he didn’t cry at all. He is such a pleasure to have. He takes all his stuffed toys and takes them to my bed and passes out. I find him there when I notice he’s not at my feet. He’s such a character. Thank you.
Nikki
STAR OF HER CLASS
Just wanted to give you guys an update on our wonderful little Shiba Inu puppy, Sakura. We’ve had her for a month now, and she’s 14 weeks old. She has been the most perfect puppy one could ask for. She was housetrained since the day we brought her home, and hasn’t had a single accident. She barks and sits patiently by the door when it’s time for her to go out. She’s beautiful, and has a great temperament. So far, Sakura is the star of her Puppy Kindergarten Class. She is always the most well-behaved, always sits, always does what she’s told, and learns quickly! She does the funniest things, and she even meows like a cat would sometimes! She LOVES her SnugglyPuppy that we purchased from Anya. I recommend that to ANYONE getting a puppy. Thank you so much, Anya and Karen, for raising such amazing dogs and pups. Anya was so patient and answered all of our questions – it was a great experience visiting Ice Wind Farm. Feel free to have anyone contact us for a reference. Thanks again!
Annie & Chris
KING OF THE HOUSE
Hey guys! The King of the House has arrived!!! He’s SOOOOOOO adorable and is adjusting extremely well. We met Clint on Tuesday (he practically brought him to our front door). He faired well during the trip and didn’t give Clint any problems other than a few instances of wailing We couldn’t believe how much stuff you guys gave us. It was just wonderful to have everything we needed for him. The Tote bag is beautiful and the tee shirt is just great. We’d like to order some more stuff soon. The bedding set is wonderful and fits the crate perfectly. We have a huge beach towel over the top when it’s nighty nite time for him. On the ride home from picking him up, he fell in love with Jamey (my hubby). We had a great first night and haven’t had any problems since, with the exception of a couple of lil in-house accidents. He stayed in our bedroom in his crate during the night and we set the alarm to wake up every few hours to take him out for potty breaks. He’s very good about it other than he absolutely LOVES being outside and constantly wants to stay out and play at 3 in the morning. He sleeps with his snuggle pup and every since we introduced the Squirrels to him, he’s been hooked. He’s crazy about those little guys and totes them to each door in the house until someone comes to let him out. He actually rings the bells on the door to let us know he wants to go outside, so we take him everytime he does it just to reinforce him. We’re learning his patterns and have him on a schedule of meals to help get him use to the routine of potty breaks and such. He gets his nuvet mixed with breakfast every morning. BTW, we REALLY appreciate you throwing in the extra packs of powder and the tablets. We should really be set for a while. The children are having a ball with him and boy is he a tenacious little guy. We’ve actually gotten a couple of barks out of him. As you can see in the pics, he is now opening up a lot more and will stand up on the couches and doors on his hind legs. Oh and after giving ourselves tremendous headaches…..we decided his formal name will be Icewinds Dreamcatcher Shoushin Ohcumgache Shadow. Translation…..Icewinds Dreamcatcher Shoushin (rising in Japanese) Ohcumgache (Little Wolf in Cherokee) “Shadow”. Take care and we’ll keep you posted…….
The Kennedys
PIZZA LOVING SHIBA
I was so fortunate to have adopted one of your offspring named Sake. She is a real beautiful person. I have no idea how I got along with out a Shiba for so long. The question I have is about pizza. I have pizza once a week and I let Sake try a little piece with just sauce and bread. She loved it so I gave her a larger piece cut up and she ate it like she hadn’t eaten in months, just loved it. Is it ok in the future to give her a small crust pizza with sauce and no toppings, one made just her size. Is the bread ok for the diet? The sauce? She seemed to love it so much I just want to make sure it is ok for her.
William
From Anya and Karen
Sure the pizza is fine for your shiba. We feed it to our Shibas too. Moderate amounts of people food , I think is good for them. I think it makes Shibas live longer. And we are so glad you wrote to us to keep us updated on Sake! Don’t forget to send a Christmas Picture. Cheers, Karen and Anya
LOVE OF OUR LIVES
We wanted to give you an update on our little boy, Kenji. Kenji is the cutest, most precious thing we have ever encountered. He is so full of life and curiosity that sometimes it is hard to believe he is not a cat! LOL! He loves to sleep on the back of the sofa and his favorite snack is Animal Crackers. All in all, he is one of the best things that ever happened to us and we owe it all to you two. Linda & I often talk about our trip up there. We really appreciate all of the time and effort you and Anya put into answering our questions, picking out his toys and visiting with Sami & Taboo. Anya is a remarkable young lady and we hope she achieves her dream. You can have anyone contact us for a reference. Thanks again for giving us the love of our lives!
Elise & Linda – Send Email
SAKURA (cherry blossom)
We wanted to thank you again for a wonderful time at Icewind Farm and for our wonderful pup Sakura (cherry blossom). She is a joy – very bright, lively and loving. Just great. I would recommend Icewind Farm to anyone looking for a Shiba Inu. Your experience and insights into the breed have been very helpful to us and your farm is impeccable – I’ve never seen so many happy dogs in one place before! Special thanks to Anya for the super treats, toys and supplies she chose (our pup loves them all). If someone wants a reference, feel free to have them contact us. Let’s keep in touch. Warm regards, Cynthia (& Sean)
Feeding a Raw Diet
Mugen continues to sleep through the night and has not once had an accident in his crate. On the 3+ hour trip to Virginia I didn’t have to stop once for him to go potty. He met many new people and animals on our trip and he got along with everyone. Of course he draws people like a magnet, he is so adorable. From the start he has been walking with harness and lead like a proper little lad, no problems there at all. He views people with polite interest but he prefers meeting new animals. He never jumps all over people and he’s never underfoot. Mugen is very smart and picks up new things quickly. He is absolutely fearless. He’s just 10 weeks old today but since the first day we brought him home he has not gone potty in the house. He took to the raw diet with no problems at all, and will lay down and work his meal for 40 minutes, crunching bone and tearing meat and tendons. Mugen has an extensive vocabulary and even though he rarely barks all the other sounds he makes are adorable. I take him with me everywhere I go and he is a very well behaved companion. I have dealt with many puppies over the years but never one as bright and clever as Mugen at this young age. Mugen is an absolute joy to my family, and especially to me. I have very high hopes for my little guy. Thank you so much for everything.
Welcome To The Family
Just thought I would drop you a quick note to let you know that we made it home safe and sound. Nala and both the girls fell fast asleep in the car. She did really well which was great. We opened the front door and let Nala walk in by herself just to see how she would react. She did great. She peaked in, looked around and then decided that the place was hers. We only introduced her to a few rooms downstairs as to not overwhelm her. After she got a little more comfortable, we brought her into another one. We walked her outside once or twice and then decided it was time for everyone to go to bed. Karen, we did as you suggested and brought the crate upstairs to our bedroom. Lights out at about 1:00 AM. Nala slept until about 5:15 AM, we took her outside and then put her back in the crate and she slept until 9:00 AM. While we have had one or two accidents, she has done incredibly well. We put a bell on the door and every time we go out we ring the bell. She gets so excited. I don’t know how to thank you for such a wonderful gift. Nala just seems to be a perfect fit in our home and in our lives. She has a truly wonderful disposition and is great with the girls. She has developed a keen liking for my hair and when I am lying on the floor she just nuzzles up in it. Makes brushing quite a treat. Fingers crossed, I know that it is only the second day, but we really feel blessed for having her. She is so smart. Thank you. Anya, I have to commend you on your choice of dog treats and toys. Nala loves them. We haven’t given her everything because we want to introduce her to the toys slowly. We gave her the squirrels hiding in the tree and she went nuts. She immediately got one of the squirrels out and ran into her crate as if to tell us that we weren’t getting that one back. It is the cutest thing I have ever seen. Finding Icewinds was a blessing and I thank you for raising such happy, beautiful puppies.
The Donofrio Family.
KING & QUEEN OF OUR HOUSEHOLD
Choosing our 2 Shiba puppies, King Nicey and Queen Spicey, from Karen and Anya at Ice Wind Farms was easy and done with confidence. Together, the mother – daughter team have over 30 years of experience in breeding and caring for Shiba Inus, and provide ongoing support to owners of their puppies. Karen is dedicated to quality and care for her dogs and puppies. She is a wealth of knowledge and is available to answer questions, before, during and after the purchase of one of her puppies. Karen’s kennels are clean and organized; a key attribute to look for in a quality breeder, and she guarantees the health of her puppies. Anya is an extremely responsible and innovative teenager. She stays at home on weekends to care for the dogs and puppies, and runs her own TLC pet care and grooming. Anya gives new pups the human socialization they need by playing, holding, and tenderly kissing them. Anya has also made puppy ownership easy by putting together a crate of supplies and toys (available at a reasonable price — she’s saving for college) that helped start us in the right direction with Nicey and Spicey! Thanks, Karen and Anya, for your guidance, assistance and two beautiful puppies!
Becky & John Email
MITSY THE WONDERDOG
Thank you! I have recommended the Shibas all over town, and given out your website to friends and strangers. Here are some pictures of Mitsy. She is a GREAT dog!! We call her Mitsy the Wonderdog! She is very playful (we installed the Invisible Fence so she runs free over an acre of yard chasing and hunting anything from deer to crickets! (and never goes outside of her boundaries)She is very mindful when she is on her leash, and very quiet and clean! What a joy! Oh, she is also quite beautiful! Thank you again for our lovely little girl!
The Kirvays – Heidi, Robert, Mickey, & Tiger Email
Update: October 2008 – Well it’s been over 3 years since we visited you and took home our precious Mitsy. What a wonderful dog! She makes everyone who sees her happy. I live by an area called ‘Smithville’ in NJ, and on lots of weekends there are special events. I take Mitsy there to see all of the people and other dogs, and we leave only after I have said ‘Shiba Inu’ about a hundred times! Everyone asks about her. The invisible fence has worked out great. She is very quiet and independent outside, and loving and loyal inside. She knows lots of cool tricks,too! Anya, you sure picked out a special Shiba for us. She turned 3 on the 4th of July. Thanks again!
Sweet As A Muffin
We are very happy with Shekka (we call her Muffin). When we first picked Muffin up from you this past summer she was six months old. Even though we live in a high rise in New York City, she patiently waits for the elevator to take her outside. Over the past several months (she is now almost ten months) she has grown into an extremely sociable dog. Although we had heard that Shibas are aloof, this is not the case with Muffin. She enjoys being around people and loves to be petted. She is a very loving dog, always wanting to “kiss” us. We have a seven year old son, who Muffin adores. When I take Muffin to my son’s school to pick him up, she can’t wait to get there to give him kisses. She also plays nicely with other dogs.
Muffin is a good eater. We give her a mix of Purina Sensitive One and human food, such as pasta and chicken, which she gobbles up in less than one minute! She takes good care of herself, always licking her coat to keep it clean. She is so pretty and healthy that every time she is walked she is adored by people who pass her in the street.
We look forward to many happy years with Muffin.
The O’Connors
DARLING OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD
I hope all is well with you and your family. I just wanted to write with a little update on “Tsuki” (Zora & Tyler from March 12). We’ve been having a great time with her, to say the least. There are a lot of dogs in our apartment complex, and she gets along great with all of them. Her favorites to play with are an English bulldog, a yellow lab, and a Great Dane (who gets down to her level to play, which is very funny). She is quite the darling of the neighborhood, and has especially made friends with the little girls. She’s made a trip to Wisconsin with us to meet our families, and we took her camping in a state park a few weeks ago. She really likes hiking, but isn’t much for swimming. She’s very healthy, and just got the stitches out from her spay. She’s really enjoying finally being able to run around the apartment after two weeks of little activity. We’re going to start obedience classes very soon, so we’re looking forward to that.
Thanks again for such a great dog! Rachel (& Braden & Tsuki)
QUESTIONS ABOUT SHIBAS
How was your experience with Ice Wind? Were you comfortable with the dogs, and their surroundings?
I live in Oregon, and never managed to actually go and visit Ice Winds. Unfortunately, there are also virtually no Shiba Inu breeders within a reasonable driving distance from our home. I researched the breed and talked to several owners and breeders before talking to karen. Karen was incredibly patient with me (I had a LOT of questions) and was very happy to help us. We actually have become friends!
Do you feel that the whole family is involved in the raising process, or just a few individuals?
Given the photos I have recieved of my dogs (before the purchase), and after talking with Karen extensively, I believe that Karen and her entire family are truly dedicated to raising their Shibas.
Are you comfortable calling the breeder to ask follow up questions?
I think Karen wishes I would stop calling! Just kidding. Karen has always been very helpful with any questions I have and has actually helped steer me in the direction of getting to know how to care for and show my dogs.
Have you taken the dog back to visit?
I haven’t had the opportunity, we are in Oregon. If I ever get out to NJ, I would love to visit with her!
Did you look at any other Breeders, and if you did why did you choose Ice Wind?
I talked with several breeders. As I was buying breeding dogs, I wanted dogs that had clean eyes and bites, good hips and patellas. I also wanted dogs that had ‘bloodlines’; meaning notable dogs who had show experience. I didn’t want to raise Shibas just because they were Shibas. All of karen’s breeding stock is show quality and comes from show lines, something difficult to find with other, sometimes closer breeders. Karen was also quick to respond to and address any questions and concerns I had, and continues to do so. I have been nothing but very happy with my experience with Ice Wind.
And finally do you have any advice for us, seeing as how you went through the process that we are about to embark on?
These dogs are GREAT! They are gentle and friendly and bond strongly with their owners. They are also very smart. Shiba Inus are firmly planted in my heart! I raise horses, and am always concerned about where I buy my breeding stock from, and who I sell to. I am nothing less than convinced that Karen is one of the best dog breeders I have ever had the opportunity to know, and I plan on buying from her in the future as soon as I have the appropriate space for another Shiba.
Please let me know if I can help you any further!
Good luck! Buying a Shiba is a rewarding experience; they are just awesome dogs and genuine friends.
-Caryn
A TRUE ICEWIND SHIBA; FANTASTIC TEMPERAMENT & LIVING WITH CATS!!
The whole family drove up in January to New Jersey from Northern Virginia to get our new 8 week old shiba inu. We had an interesting trip when we drove up on a snowy day and spun off the road but were determined to get our new puppy. So we thought we would stay at a hotel for the night and get the puppy in the morning. But the weather cleared up so we went to get our puppy and stayed at the hotel with our new puppy for the night.
Thats when we got the idea for her name. She howled all night like a monkey. So we named her Kokezaru which means foolish monkey. She is a really playful puppy. She also is really friendly with all dogs, people, and our cats. She got along with all the alpha females that normally didn’t like other female dogs. When she met another shiba, Hoshi, and we started to let her play with Hoshi we realized that Koke wanted another permanent playmate not just the cats.
So near the end of July we went to get Tyco (now Taiko). The cats love Taiko more than Hoshi because Taiko doesn’t bark at them. Taiko is a little nervous of the house but really seems to like Martika. It will just take a little time for Taiko to get use to everything in the house and the leash. He is getting alot better with his walk though. All our cats have accepted Taiko and rub against him. Taiko has a sweet personality, he loves Koke , is friendly with kids and adults and is even friendly with strange new dogs on our [ at least 5 ] daily walks. We are very happy with the shibas we got from IceWind kennels both are an important addition to our family. I would highly recommend shibas from Karen because of their temperment and the show quality they have.
Thank you again Karen for Koke and Taiko,
Darlene
HAPPY OWNER OF TWO ICEWIND SHIBAS!
I have visited IceWind farm on many occasions. I have met each one of IceWind Shiba’s, they are fun, loving, playful and curious. I enjoyed my visit very much at IceWind. Every question I asked was answered. I spent hours there conversating about the breed and playing with IceWind Shibas.
I do believe the whole family is involved in the raising process, after visiting Ice Wind farm on different occasions I have seen first hand what goes into raising their Shibas.
I have called upon IceWind Farm on many occasions for questions, I would sometimes feel bad for asking so many questions at one time, but I was always assured it was not a problem and they welcome all the questions I had.
I have taken my female Shiba back for a visit. She was actually there when I went on a family vacation and needed someone to watch her. There was never any question as to me bringing her there for a visit, they welcomed her with open arms and were able to spend time with one of the shiba’s they so much adore.
I have looked at other breeders, out of all the breeders I have found on the net that were close to me, IceWind farm stood out the most. When contacting these breeders IceWind farm was prompt in responding, answered all my questions without hesitation and also at the same time interviewed me and why I wanted to add a Shiba to my family.
I have been a dog owner since I was a little girl. I have never come across a breed that was so easily trainable. Personality, loyalty, and friendliness is what I have found in the Shiba Breed. If you have alot of questions, Just Ask. There is never a silly question. IceWind Farm has given me two additions to my family and I adore them for that. After getting our second pup in 2003 I am still e-mailing IceWind with lil quirks that they do, or just a quick “hey we are doing great” or “what do you think of this kind of dog food”.. Im happy to say, not only did we gain two beautiful dogs from IceWind Farm, but we gained family friends!
Donna
ALASKAN MALAMUTES & THE SHIBA INU
We got our first dog from Karen in 1994, a gorgeous, wonderful Alaskan Malamute male pup, Zuni. Our experience with Karen was wonderful. We were in contact with her throughout Zuni’s 10-year life to keep her abreast of how things were going with the pup she so graciously entrusted to us, and she was always interested in how he was doing…whenever we had a question, she was right there to help us. He was such a great dog!!! She was always very friendly and very knowledgeable about her breed. All of her dogs have always been very friendly and accepting of strangers. And the dogs and their runs were always well cared for.
Her whole family seem to be dog lovers and a few years back, we observed her son in show with one of her Malamutes and he was confident and great with the dog. While we have never taken the dogs back to visit Karen, we periodically e-mailed/e-mail her with pictures so she can see their growth and development.
When we were initially looking for our first Alaskan Malamute, we did look at other breeders and were unimpressed due to temperament of the dogs. When we met Karen, saw how she interacted with the dogs and saw the temperament of her adult Malamutes and of the pups, we knew she was good!!! Obviously we came back to her for our Shiba after Zuni passed away in September of 2004…a very sad day for us but Karen was right there to talk to us about his passing. We are now contemplating a second Shiba because our one-year old male, Koda, is a gem!!!
Our advice to you is go and let the pup pick you! Karen had picked a few out for us and then we let the pup pick us. This is our second pup from Karen with a possible third up and coming and we have had no problems. We highly recommend Karen as a breeder…we trust Karen’s judgment and knowledge. She’s great!!!
If you would like to contact us directly, you can reach Sue at home (973) 887-9457 or on her cell (973) 224-1165 or via e-mail at Sue Email
ALASKAN MALAMUTE BREEDER
I have been working with you for over 7 years now. I just want to tell you again thank you for the wonderful dogs I have purchased from you. My Alaskan Malamutes are the biggest part of our lives here. You can’t possibly know the joy they have brought over all these years. I don’t know what my life would be without the Mals I purchased from you years ago. I would never have made it as a breeder myself if it wasn’t for all of your advice. You have been just a wonderful source of information and it certainly shows how much you love your dogs. No matter how busy you have ever been, you have never been too busy to help me with any problems. I also want to thank your son again for meeting me half way in Virginia that one year when we traded pups..That female is one of my son’s best of his soccer team! I look forward to one day doing business with you again…When I switch breeds..lol
I willl keep in touch
Christine
SHIKKI & BEAR
UPDATE – Shikki just finished whelping, and we have 5 beautiful little puppies! 3 girls and 2 boys, all appear to be red sesame like mom except for one black little girl. They are completely adorable and very healthy and strong. Thank you so much for giving me the chance to welcome these dogs into my life. Shikki and I are bonded at the hip and Bear is my little man, and it’s been so rewarding to help her through her pregnancy and whelping. She is just an awesome mommy and the pups are beautiful.
A few months ago my husband and I decided, after long months of searching, that we were ready to take the big step not only to invite more dogs to our home and farm, but to raise them. After researching breeds, we fell in love with the stocky little Shiba. We began to contact breeders, asking after dogs available and their pedigrees. We wanted to show our breeding dogs, so we wanted something with a good pedigree, disposition, and conformation. I don’t believe in breeding something just because it’s a certain breed; it needs to have good conformation, disposition, and pedigree.
Several breeders we spoke with were happy to sell us dogs that we considered ‘pet’ quality at breeding prices. These dogs looked like they would make great pets, but had nothing to their pedigree that gave any indication they would be show dogs and some had bites I didn’t like.
Karen was prompt to respond to every email I sent her, along with phone calls (and trust me, I had LOTS to ask her!). She offered us two dogs as a breeding pair that were both absolutely lovely and breeding quality. The female she sold us, Shikki, has received lots of oohs and aahs from not only the general public, but several trainers and dog breeders have drooled over her excellent conformation. Our 5 month old male pup, Bear, has one of the most beautiful and expressive faces I have ever seen on a dog. Both dogs arrived pleasantly plump and healthy with recommended food and vitamins, in good sized crates so they were very comfortable, and with toys! This was great to see, as the dogs had to fly from New Jersey to Oregon, and I was worried about what a long flight could do to a dog. They had ample access to water and I could see Karen definitely planned ahead.
We have horses, cats and goats, and had read some things about Shibas that made us concerned about allowing them around our other pets (namely their hunting instict is very strong). Two days after our Shibas arrived, they got loose in a confined space with our barn cat Salem. Salem is used to dogs but I had heard stories about Shibas going after cats. Our dogs’ dispositions were so good that they actually helped bathe the cat! There was zero aggression toward Salem. This further convinces me that Karen has not only the right breed for me, but she also breeds for the right disposition.
Karen has continues to be a wealth of information, advising me about showing and breeding my dogs, and providing me with information about the AKC. As we gradually get set up to allow another female dog into our lives, we plan to purchase from Karen.
If you are interested in buying a Shiba puppy, I would STRONGLY recommend buying one from Karen. Her dogs are in immaculate condition and she is extremely helpful even after the dogs have arrived. Best of luck in your Shiba search! Feel free to write back and ask any questions you may have.
Caryn
MY JOURNEY OF ICEWIND FARM FOR OVER 10 YEARS
Let me answer your query and give to you my good reference for the Icewind Farms of White Township, NJ. For over ten years I have owned and raised three dogs with the Icewind bloodlines from Karen. I should say outright that I think she is probably one of the best dog, horse and cat breeders in this Country and worldwide. You will not find too many people on her level of accomplishment. She has been breeding dogs for over thirty years and grew up in a family that also bred dogs. She has an innate knowledge of bloodlines:genetics. She is highly regarded in her fellow community too.
I believe that dog breeding is an Art. When the great poets combine the Truth, the Beauty and the Goodness they harness the intangible and bring forth epiphanies. When Karen combines the genetics, the aesthetics, and her own rare and true heart she produces dogs of incomparable beauty and temperament. Everytime you gaze upon your dog, you will automatically be smiling and in awe of its beauty. If anyone is a dog whisperer, Karen is surely one. Karen is a very forthright individual who enjoys what she does. Dog breeding is a labor of love to her. She is kind and amenable and will help you in your search.
The Icewind Kennel is impeccably outfitted with everything dogs need and more. You will find the journey to getting your dog an enjoyable one with Karen as your breeder. She has special talents and knows how to make the dogs with the pretty faces and the elegant bone structures with the endearing personalities. I wish you all the very best on your quest for a Shiba Inu. Wishing you happiness and joy with your new puppy.
Kindest Regards,
Diana
SHIBA DIETS
I wanted to thank you again for all your help with Kimiko’s diet. Since speaking with you I have changed her food to the sweet potatoe and fish formula and have started adding salmon to her food. I have also kept her on the NuVet vitamins since the day we picked her up. Kimiko no longer has hot spots and isn’t scratching like she used too. I have also noticed a big difference in her coat and she always feels so soft and she never smells, and she is outside all the time.
I am so happy to have this ongoing relationship with you concerning Kimiko. I never hesitate to contact you before I even contact her vet!! I think it is so nice that you are still here for us if we need you.
Kimiko and Rocky are getting along great. They have their moments every now and then but as you can see they truly love each other. And who said Shiba Inus couldn’t get along with cats???
Thank you again Karen!
Christine