10/09/2026
Our family had an amazing opportunity to get away from home for a short 5 day trip, it was some much needed family time and such a special full circle milestone as a CMDR breeder!
We don't travel often due to Dave's health and leaving our farm and animals is ALOT of responsibility for a farm sitter, but after much thought and talk and also some encouragement from a friend we decided to take the trip! I packed as much into 5 days as I could! I will make a few posts about it, BUT this particular trip started with a dog named Umber.
Back in June, Megan, another CMD breeder saw a post about our male pups out of STR Durin x MAR NovAlee and reached out asking if any of them stood out as a good fit for her farm? Long story short...out of six boys, the one who caught her eye was the same one I ended up recommending after hearing about their setup and family. That alignment told me everything I needed to know. I continued to work with Umber to make sure he was everything else they needed...and as I suspected naturally safe with everything two and four legged and beyond! Just all around a perfect solid pup!
Umber has always been one of those pups who seemed to understand the world a little deeper than most. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about how it all came together!
Being able to take my first clients pup, a pup from my very first HELD litter, a Durin son, and delivering him myself just felt right! Carrying a piece of my beginning into someone elseās story felt like the most meaningful heartfelt moment I could experience and it absolutely was!
So...this whole trip really started with one intention: to deliver Umber to the place he was meant to be. When we arrived, that sense of rightness settled in instantly and Umber walked forward with the confidence that told me he recognized it too. Watching him meet his new people, pack and charges made my heart swell! Placement isnāt just handing over a dog, itās about honoring the lineage, listening to the dog, the farm need, temperament, and matching purpose with environment. Umberās placement was all of that in one quiet, perfect moment. Leaving, I didnāt feel loss, but a deep contentment of knowing a dog I love is exactly where he belongs. Umber carries forward the genetics of Durin in a way that feels unmistakable. The same softness, the same thoughtful way of reading a space, the same steady and grounded temperament that made Durin such an extraordinary guardian. Seeing those qualities move into the next generation, and knowing theyāll now shape life on Meganās farm, is one of the most meaningful parts of this placement. I couldn't imagine a more perfect home for Umber to start his contribution to the CMDR. I am so grateful to Megan and her wonderful little family!
Thank you again Megan for giving Umber a place in your heart and on your family farm! Your dogs are just beautiful and their temperments spot on. I can't wait to see what the future holds for you! š
And those cookies...She also sent us along on our trip with the yummiest homeade chocolate chip cookies made with fresh ground flour! They were so good!
More about the other parts of our trip soon!
