08/23/2026
This is one of the hardest things I have ever had to write.
After several years of pouring my heart, time, energy, and everything I have into the Border Collie breed, I have made the very difficult decision to begin slowly phasing out K7 Stock Dogs.
This was never simply a breeding program to me. These dogs became a huge part of my life. I have spent countless hours learning, training, researching pedigrees, evaluating temperament, working dogs, making mistakes, growing from them, and trying to build something I could be proud of. Every litter represented another opportunity to improve, to preserve the qualities I love about this breed, and to put good dogs into the hands of people who would appreciate what they were capable of.
For me, K7 Stock Dogs was a dream. And like any dream worth chasing, it came with sacrifices, setbacks, criticism, heartbreak, and moments when I questioned whether I was doing enough. But it also brought incredible friendships, unforgettable dogs, valuable lessons, and memories that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
At this point, our girls are the ones who will carry the final chapters of K7.
Meraxes and her daughter, Tuala, will remain with us. We anticipate having approximately 2 maybe 3 litters from Tuala over the coming years, as well as one final litter from Meraxes, tentatively planned for late 2026 or early 2027.
With Tuala only being a year old, I am in no rush to breed her. Before she ever has a litter, she will have the opportunity to mature, receive the training she deserves, and complete the appropriate health testing. I want to continue doing things thoughtfully and responsibly, just as I always have.
I also want to address something that has been particularly painful.
There have been hateful and deeply hurtful statements made about me and my ability to work with these dogs, including comments suggesting that people of my “size” do not train working dogs, along with accusations that K7 Stock Dogs is a puppy mill.
Those words hurt, not because I believe them, but because they attempt to erase years of work, dedication, sacrifice, and love that I have poured into these dogs.
I know what I have done. I know the hours I have spent working dogs. I know the research that has gone into my breeding decisions. I know the health testing, the planning, the training, the sleepless nights, the difficult decisions, and the genuine care that has gone into every dog that has come through my program.
Ultimately, I have decided that I no longer want to spend my energy fighting people who have already made up their minds about me.
Sometimes stepping away isn't giving up.
Sometimes it is choosing peace.
So rather than allow negativity and cruelty to dictate the ending of this chapter, I am choosing to step back gracefully. I am choosing to focus on my dogs, my family, the people who have supported me, and the things that made me fall in love with this breed in the first place.
And while K7 Stock Dogs will eventually come to an end, we aren't disappearing anytime soon.
Tuala is only one year old. With her future training, health testing, and the possibility of a few carefully planned litters, we could very well be part of the Border Collie community for another 10 to 15 years, if God is gracious enough to give us that much time with our girls.
That thought brings me a lot of comfort.
Because this isn't really goodbye.
It's simply the beginning of a much slower, quieter final chapter.
I am incredibly proud of what K7 Stock Dogs has become. I am proud of the dogs we have produced. I am proud of the homes they went to, the work they have done, and the people who trusted me enough to bring one of my dogs into their lives.
Most of all, I am grateful.
Thank you to every person who believed in me when I was still figuring things out. Thank you to those who purchased a K7 dog, trained one, trialed one, worked one, bred one, or simply followed along and cheered us on from the sidelines.
Thank you to the people who defended me when I wasn't there to defend myself.
Thank you to the friends I have made along the way.
And thank you to every single dog who taught me something, challenged me, humbled me, frustrated me, made me laugh, made me cry, and reminded me why I started this journey in the first place.
I started K7 Stock Dogs because I loved Border Collies.
I am stepping away because I still love them enough to want this final chapter to be about the dogs, not the drama.
There is so much negativity in the world already. I don't want the legacy of K7 Stock Dogs to be defined by the people who tried to tear it down.
I want it to be remembered for the dogs.
For the friendships.
For the memories.
For the lives these dogs touched.
And for a dream that, for a little while, was truly ours.
Thank you for being part of the K7 journey.
Here's to the final chapters, and to making every one of them count!
