Today we’d like to introduce you to Jet Skidmore.
Hi Jet, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for sharing your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
In 2020, we brought our sweet Bernedoodle Olive into our family after falling head over heels for the Bernedoodle breed. It took me weeks of contacting breeder after breeder to find Olive, and once she was home, it wasn’t smooth sailing. She took weeks to potty train, cried every time I put her in her crate, and couldn’t handle not being in the same room as someone. It felt like torture. I knew there had to be another way, which lit the fire within me to start Tennessee Bernedoodles. I wanted to run a program that prepared puppies for life through a rigorous curriculum and create an experience that left clients feeling involved and a part of the process. I researched for over a year, learning everything I could to make this idea a reality. The hours I spent reading comments on Facebook posts and YouTube videos trying to find any extra information I could would be burned into my memory forever.
I will forever be grateful to the 5 families that purchased a puppy from my first litter. They saw my vision and believed in me before I had any references or reviews. I always think about those families, and I recognize that I have what I have today because of them. They gave me the courage and confidence to continue. Since that first litter, I have continued learning, tweaking, and investing in creating my dream Bernedoodles. It has been an incredible journey, and I treasure all the relationships I have built with my clients. Nothing makes me smile like an update from one of my puppy families. I love seeing them thrive and live incredible lives.
The most common question I get is, “How do you let them go?” followed by the statement, “I could never do it. I would keep them all.” This statement sometimes feels a little off to me. Do they think I’m heartless because I can let my babies go? Trust me, go-home-day comes with so many tears and never gets easier. What shadows that sadness is the PURE happiness that my clients feel on that day. Most have waited 6 months to bring their baby home, and their joy washes away any sting of sadness I feel. Every puppy I have ever raised has always had a specific place that they needed to go. Who am I to stand in the way of fate? As of Today, I have puppies in 11 states, and even more are coming later this year.
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
There isn’t a smooth road in dog breeding. We are dealing with life’s fragility daily, which can leave you feeling wrecked some days. Other days, you walk away in awe at the gift of life—some of the struggles people might consider only relevant to some small business owners. I’m a one-woman show, so that means that I’m not only in charge of the puppy & dog care, but I’m also the one running my website, social media pages, and phones, taking photos of my pups, planning breedings, doing all the cleaning, and all of the business paperwork/expenses. Those things can be daunting. It’s given me an appreciation for all small businesses. I’ve also struggled with coming to terms with Mother Nature and needing more control over every detail. I have experienced breedings not taking, breeding dogs not passing health certifications, a momma miscarrying puppies, a sweet pup passing away at 3 weeks old, and dogs having adverse reactions to medications. Despite all those challenging events, witnessing life enter the world keeps me going. Life is a miracle, and being the first hands that love these pups reminds me of that.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us more about your business.
I am a boutique breeder of all sizes of Bernedoodles. I specialize in raising pups from health-tested parents, helping us ensure that we do all we can to create healthy dogs. I love studying genetics and am constantly learning new things I can do to make my pups even better. We raise our puppies in our home using a detailed curriculum to create your dream puppy. My goal is to teach my puppies the expectations of living in a human home from the time they are 3 weeks old. These expectations do not come naturally to them, so I focus on exposing them to our day-to-day situations to help desensitize them. We are known for our personalized approach, keeping you involved throughout the first 8 weeks of your pup’s life. Relationships are essential, and I focus on nurturing those with my clients. I find that if we are all connected, then transitioning your pup into your home will go so much smoother for you.
I breed Bernedoodles of all sizes, but I focus mainly on micro-minis and minis
- micro-minis – <30lbs
- minis- 30-50lbs
- standards- >50lbs
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
There is a vast misconception that breeders only see our dogs as “cash cows” or “workhorses,” but ethical breeders are not like that. My dogs mean the world to me, and I will always put their best interest ahead of making any dollar. There is little money to be made in the early years of establishing your program, especially if you are doing it right. I have invested every dollar I have made into my program to continue growing and producing the best dogs for my clients.
The only other thing I want to address is the idea that breeders are filling shelters and everyone should “adopt, not shop.” Ethical breeders should have a contract stating that their puppies will always be returned to them and never go to a shelter. Excellent ethical breeders have a buy-back policy that we will buy back our pups if our pups need to be brought back to us. I know where every single puppy I have ever produced is. That is so important to me. Shelter dogs deserve to be rescued and loved, but the idea that they will be happy and thrive in every home is unrealistic. Matching families with the right dog is much more complicated than that.
Educated buyers are so important. Ask your breeder questions and listen to their answers. Please do not buy from breeders who aren’t health-testing their adult dogs and who aren’t running a curriculum. Those are the dogs that are filling up shelters. Be intentional about where your puppy is coming from. It matters.
Pricing:
- All puppies are $3500
- Reservation fee (goes toward total cost) is $500
Contact Info:
- Website: tnbernedoodles.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tennesseebernedoodles/
- Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/tennesseebernedoodles/
Image Credits
Lisa Smith @LHS Photography
