Placing Puppies in Pet Homes By Purina Pro Plan Updated: Aug 11, 2023 | 3 Minutes
One look was all it took for Tracey Johnson and her family to fall for a handsome, sweet Beagle puppy. Ironwood Beagle breeder Edy Ballard of Morristown, Indiana, is credited for bringing together “Jasper” and the Johnsons of St. Louis. Tracey and her husband, Jack, were seeking a pet for their 11-year-old daughter, Taylor, and 9-year-old son, Aiden. When Tracey, a Purina employee, met “Uno,” the 2008 Westminster Best in Show winner, she was smitten with the dog’s merry disposition. Years later, when the family decided they were ready for the responsibility of owning a dog and that they wanted a Beagle, a breeder referral led them to Edy. An AKC Breeder of Merit, Edy takes seriously matching the right puppy with potential owners. She breeds one or two litters a year, though not every year. Referrals have resulted in a waiting list for an Ironwood puppy. “I’m meticulous about determining the best dog for a family,” Edy says. “I spend a lot of time exchanging emails with puppy buyers to learn about their life style, where they live, whether they have other pets,
and what they are seeking in a dog. The more I know about a family, the better job I will do in placing a puppy.” Originally, the Johnsons wanted a tricolored male with a loving temperament that could easily adapt to their active lifestyle. Edy thought the docile nature of a male called “Donnie” would be a suitable match, and the Johnsons agreed. “Not long after we decided on Donnie, Edy was concerned that as he developed, his personality wasn’t as good a fit for our family as she initially thought,” Tracey recalls. Beagle Ardenvis/Getty Images Plus via Getty Images Although Edy tries to match a puppy’s coat color and sex with what her clients want, temperament often is a better guide. Reevaluating the litter, Edy sent Tracey a couple of photos of puppies she thought would be more appropriate for them.
Jasper, a blue tricolor male, immediately captivated the family with his striking looks and 24
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