The Heart Behind Casita
Hi, I’m Ashley, the breeder behind Casita Miniature American Shepherds. My husband and I live in Southwest Washington with our dogs, who are very much woven into our everyday life.
Casita started because I love this breed- not just how they look, but who they are. I love a dog that can hike all day, try something new without falling apart, be confident in the world, and then come home and settle on the couch like a normal family dog. That balance is a big part of what I breed for.
I’m not trying to produce one exact type of puppy over and over again. Every dog and every litter brings something a little different, and I actually like that. Some puppies are more driven, some are softer, some are thinkers, some are outgoing from the second they open their eyes. My job is to know those differences, breed with intention, and help each puppy end up where they will fit best.
When I plan a litter, I look at the whole dog. Health testing matters, of course, but so does temperament, structure, pedigree, movement, strengths, weaknesses and what each dog may bring to the next generation. I don’t choose pairings based on producing a certain color or because two dogs simply look pretty together. I want each breeding to have a reason behind it.
Our dogs are family first. They hike with us, travel with us, hang out in the house and occasionally spend their weekends in the show ring. I enjoy showing and proving my dogs, but I never want to lose sight of the fact that the vast majority of the puppies we produce are going to spend their lives as somebody’s best friend. They need to be dogs people genuinely enjoy living with.
Our puppies are raised in our home and are exposed to real life from the beginning. They experience different surfaces, sounds, people, environments and plenty of individual handling. I want them to be curious, resilient and comfortable experiencing new things, while still allowing each puppy to develop at their own pace.
One of my favorite parts of raising a litter is watching their personalities start to show. By the time our puppies are ready to go home, I usually know exactly who the busy one is, who wants to think things through first, who would follow you anywhere and who would be perfectly happy being carried around all day. Those little differences matter, which is why I put so much emphasis on matching puppies with families rather than simply having everyone choose based on color or a photograph.
I also believe breeding means taking responsibility for what you produce. I want to know how my puppies grow up. I love getting updates, seeing them on adventures, watching them succeed in the show or sport world, and seeing them become deeply loved family dogs. Those dogs teach me just as much about my breeding program as the dogs living here with me.
Casita is intentionally small and personal. I’m not interested in producing as many litters as possible. I’m interested in producing dogs I’m proud to put my name on and families are proud to call theirs.
At the end of the day, my goal is pretty simple: healthy, beautiful, capable little dogs with good minds, good temperaments and enough personality to make life interesting.
That’s a Casita dog.
Casita started because I love this breed- not just how they look, but who they are. I love a dog that can hike all day, try something new without falling apart, be confident in the world, and then come home and settle on the couch like a normal family dog. That balance is a big part of what I breed for.
I’m not trying to produce one exact type of puppy over and over again. Every dog and every litter brings something a little different, and I actually like that. Some puppies are more driven, some are softer, some are thinkers, some are outgoing from the second they open their eyes. My job is to know those differences, breed with intention, and help each puppy end up where they will fit best.
When I plan a litter, I look at the whole dog. Health testing matters, of course, but so does temperament, structure, pedigree, movement, strengths, weaknesses and what each dog may bring to the next generation. I don’t choose pairings based on producing a certain color or because two dogs simply look pretty together. I want each breeding to have a reason behind it.
Our dogs are family first. They hike with us, travel with us, hang out in the house and occasionally spend their weekends in the show ring. I enjoy showing and proving my dogs, but I never want to lose sight of the fact that the vast majority of the puppies we produce are going to spend their lives as somebody’s best friend. They need to be dogs people genuinely enjoy living with.
Our puppies are raised in our home and are exposed to real life from the beginning. They experience different surfaces, sounds, people, environments and plenty of individual handling. I want them to be curious, resilient and comfortable experiencing new things, while still allowing each puppy to develop at their own pace.
One of my favorite parts of raising a litter is watching their personalities start to show. By the time our puppies are ready to go home, I usually know exactly who the busy one is, who wants to think things through first, who would follow you anywhere and who would be perfectly happy being carried around all day. Those little differences matter, which is why I put so much emphasis on matching puppies with families rather than simply having everyone choose based on color or a photograph.
I also believe breeding means taking responsibility for what you produce. I want to know how my puppies grow up. I love getting updates, seeing them on adventures, watching them succeed in the show or sport world, and seeing them become deeply loved family dogs. Those dogs teach me just as much about my breeding program as the dogs living here with me.
Casita is intentionally small and personal. I’m not interested in producing as many litters as possible. I’m interested in producing dogs I’m proud to put my name on and families are proud to call theirs.
At the end of the day, my goal is pretty simple: healthy, beautiful, capable little dogs with good minds, good temperaments and enough personality to make life interesting.
That’s a Casita dog.
