Donlee Shih Tzu is a small yet active, Champion titled shih tzu home located in the southern foothills of New York;s beautiful Adirondack Mountains. Just a "stones throw away" from downtown Saratoga Springs, NY, we are nestled in our own little private hide-a-way that we absolutely love.

Don and I fell in love with the shih tzu breed through rescue 20 years ago in 1988. Since that time we have been dedicated stewards, sharing our home and lives with these wonderful dogs.  

 

Though we only had our first litter in March of 2005, we are working very hard to establish a reputation as a good, ethical breeder to work with. Chelsea and I are active members of the Saratoga NY Kennel Club, where I co-chair on the Publicity Committee. Chelsea volunteers her time to the club in any way they require, and both Leanne and Chelsea are wonderful assistants here at home as puppy socializers and trainers. Don, well, he is invaluable. I try to stay involved in Canine Good Citizenship training as well as educational programs, to keep current and learning all we can about ring craft training, grooming, canine health and welfare.

 

We enjoy every part of the shih tzu fancy & even on our very small scale, we are very proud to be able to produce happy, healthy & sound generations of shih tzu. There is always more to experience, learn and in turn, educate others.

You will see our dogs in the show ring from time to time, validating that which dogs we choose to breed as close to the shih tzu standard as possible. In our carefully planned breeding, we are proud to offer well bred puppies that are available to approved companion/pet and show homes. Although we are always looking for our next champion, our successes in this hobby can only be measured by the quality of life of each of our dogs. 

Lisa Miller

 

 

Here is Tommy and Amici catching their morning nap on their couch, which is in the grooming/dog room. On the doorknob hangs a strap with bells. When my dogs have to "go" they will take turns ringing the bell. They seem so proud of themselves after they see that they have trained me to get up and open the door!

 

 

 

 

The window over the couch overlooks our dog yard shaped like an L.

 

 

 

Below is our "dog room". We had it built as an additional interior room sandwiched between our bedroom/master bath and garage. This is the main area where I groom, visit with other dog fanciers and hang out.  We have a puppy pen and the dogs night time crates on the opposite side of the room. We recently invested a compact pellet stove just for the dog room for extra cozy warmth. It was one of the best investments we have ever made! It's about 18 inches wide and 3.5 ft tall. It's all wired in to an emergency generator, just in case. Better safe than sorry here in the northeast!

     

 

donleeshihtzu@gmail.com

LODGING

Saratoga Springs is an historic, close-knit family-centered community with lovely neighborhoods, fine restaurants, specialty shops and entertainment including Thoroughbred horse racing and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. It's attractions and spectacular scenery have made it a premier Northeast destination for centuries. Its proximity to the Adirondacks and the Green Mountains of Vermont is ideal for skiers and outdoor enthusiasts.  Located three hours from NYC, Montreal, Vermont and Boston, and just a half-hour from Albany, Saratoga was voted the inaugural recipient of the "Great American Place" award by American Heritage Magazine and selected as one of the Sports Illustrated's Top 10 Sports Venues in the World. Saratoga features world-class horse racing, the performing arts, gaming, polo, award-winning golf courses, museums - including three National museums, a National Battlefield, Victorian architecture, great shopping, plentiful outdoor activities and so much more.