Mary Lisa Carter

Puppy Dog Lover & Breeder!

I (Mary Lisa) Love Critters! People too! A registered nurse for 35 years, I was raised in Florida. My husband Mark found me down there many years ago (the moon was full that night!) & brought me back to the ranch here in beautiful southern Ohio where I worked in the Cardiac Institute/Critical Care when I am not down on the farm. I have also studied Canine Theriogenology at OSU College of Veterinary Medicine under the famous Dr. W.Threlfall. Recently retired, I can stay with my dogs 24/7 now and I am truly in heaven here!!!

We live in a little old log cabin (over 200 years old now- homesteaded & built by Mark’s ancestors) on a 600-acre ranch where we breed & raise horses, cattle, and dogs. Both of us have bred & raised animals all our lives & know the importance of starting with good genetics in the best breeding stock we can possibly obtain, and then improve on it. We know the special advantage of cross-breeding for hybrid vigor. Cross-breeding such as this breeds out 80% to 90% of the genetic disorders so common in the purebred animals today. Cattlemen have been doing it with their animals for centuries for a very good reason. Years ago we bred the “Texas Heeler” (the hybrid Red/Blue Heeler crossed with the Australian Cattle Dog) for our working dogs here on the ranch. We now have some of the best working cattle dogs on ranches all over the US. If you come for a visit you will meet the last of our lines when you meet old “Tex”. He is 23 years old now and still feeling quite well!

My Dog/Puppy Breeding Program

Many years ago I began my breeding program with our TOP Quality Champion bred stud dog Yorkshire Terrier “Cartier” (Son of Westminster Champion), and our Top Quality bred Chocolate Tuxedo Havanese “Jolly Jeep” dogs to breed lap size hybrid “Designer Dogs” crossed with several breeds: Mini, Moyen/Klein Poodles, Lhasa Apso, & Havanese. Most of my mother dogs are also Champion-bred & daughters of Champions. They are some of the BEST quality parents to be found in the US. All of our parent dogs are genetically screened & cleared for over 150 common inherited diseases.

I don’t think there is anyone else that breeds such high-quality hybrid dogs just to make family pets, but I think that this is what breeding should be all about – breeding only the best to the best. – And then raising them right for that VERY important first part of their lives.

My breeding dogs have been very carefully chosen for their all-around qualities. All my hybrid puppies will be non-shedding & hypo-allergenic.

My goal being to raise happy, healthy, excellent quality puppies that their new owners who fall in love with them are happy with their dogs for many years without the genetically inherited diseases such as flea allergies, hip dysplasia, skin conditions, cancer, early arthritis, etc. that cause so many problems in too many of the purebred dogs today. With the escalating costs of vet care, many pet owners cannot afford long term and extensive medical care and/or lose their pets much too early –  too short of their expected life span.

Besides all this, I just plain LOVE playing with all the little dogs!! I do it for FUN! I am truly in heaven! Grampa & I have converted one of the horse barns into a “PuppyDog Hilton” house with huge indoor & outdoor play-yards where the dogs have a nice swimming pool under the shade-tree in the summertime, big playrooms (with 2nd levels!), toys everywhere, fresh homegrown natural beef meat & bones, & best of all – plenty of buddies to play with!! Be sure to see the photo album in my gallery of our kennel barn under “Fun Pics!!

Yes, I do have a lot of fun with the little critters!

We all go together for our Saturday hikes over the hills & pastures to play in the creek on hot days, chasing squirrels in the woods on cooler days. We occasionally go on a trip with the kids to the River or shopping at the local pet store for some new clothes -the girls love that!

My puppies raised this way on our farm naturally learn to use the bathroom outdoors away from bedding /food/water. They play together with the other puppies & adult dogs, and LOTS of humans, socializing with all. This is all very important in early development for a puppy. Our Puppies are much easier for their new owners to house train and adjust to any type life. I wouldn’t want to buy a puppy that was raised in confinement in a cage or kennel myself & I don’t recommend it to you. It makes a HUGE difference.

“The SDP Difference – Our way of Breeding & Raising Puppies“

Be sure to read all about “The SDP Difference” and how our dogs & puppies are raised here at each stage of their lives – it’s a really fun section of my web site!

Thank you from Mary Lisa and Sunny Day Puppies

We are SO excited about the completion of our new much anticipated “Labor & Delivery / Bath House”. Now that I am bathing & grooming all my little critters myself, we have built our own little Spa Room! Now, if you come for a visit to meet everybody, be sure not to make too much fun of the girl’s haircuts. They have been a bit embarrassed about my grooming work there so be sure to just look the other way and maybe makeover them a little like you would if a REAL groomer had given them their haircut!!? I am sure that I will get better … someday …?

“Fun Pictures of Our Doggies Everday Life!“

Be sure to click on “Fun Pics” in my Photo Gallery for more funny pictures, pics of my kennel barn, & of my silly little dogs goofing around with me & my family on the farm!

Email us for more information – here is a link to my Contact Page.

Sunny Day Puppies Reputation

See Comments, pictures & Stories from Folks who have Purchased my Puppies! That’s a fun section to read also!

Here I am playing with my granddaughters “Alexis” & “Paige”.

It didn’t take them long at all to learn how to pull me around in my wagon!! 🙂

Here is an older picture of the Dog’s house & front yard & yes, their house is much larger than my house! My house is that little old log house in the background!

They also have 2 other huge side play yards & a covered back yard (with total sky-lighting!) to play in when we’re not out hiking! You’ll see all that in my photo gallery under “Fun Pics“.

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Licensed Dog Breeder rated A+ with the BBB

Sunny Day Puppies is a licensed dog breeder & inspected by the Ohio Dept of Agriculture, Division of Animal Health. License #CB0006Q4. As a matter of fact, the inspectors themselves are tickled to death to see how we care for & love on our little buddies! They commented on how I should be an example for other breeders on how to successfully breed & raise puppies the best way! I thought that was a wonderfully nice compliment. I would love to do just that! The inspectors are dog lovers too & they are working hard to get rid of puppy mills. Our laws are getting better but they still have a LONG way to go.