Photo of my Westie puppy Sophie at 8 weeks old

I have never had a dog entirely on my own. We had dogs growing up but my parents were the main caregivers. I always wanted a dog of my own but I lived in apartments. The apartment buildings never allowed pets. I decided to purchase a condo and made sure that the condo association did allow dogs. The very day my mortgage was approved for my new condo, I started to search for a breeder. I had no idea how to proceed but I trusted in my instincts. Being originally from Pennsylvania, I had heard horror stories about puppy mills and wanted to make the right decision. I had two breeds in mind, the King Charles Cavalier and the West Highland White Terrier. All my life I was attracted to both breeds. I googled both types of breeders in and around the area I live, Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia. I started reading about each breeder. I kept coming back to one website that was a Westie breeder. They were located in Pennsylvania about 4 hours from Washington DC. The website attracted me because it was very professional, had a lot of pictures and many satisfied customers praising the owners and their experience. The name of the breeder was PPF Kennels.

I contacted PPF Kennels by email and then by phone. I spoke to one of the owners. The owners are a married couple who are so very nice. I explained I wanted a female Westie puppy and that I was moving to a condo I just bought on 8-1-11. As if Sophie was meant for me, the breeder had 1 female puppy born on 6-11-11 and she would be ready for her new home on 8-11-11. The timing was perfect! All of the paperwork was completed and the deposit was made. The breeder agreed to drive 2 hours from their location and I would drive 2 hours from my location and we would meet in the middle. During the waiting period, the breeder would send me pictures of Sophie every couple of weeks. I had those weeks to prepare for her. I bought a crate, pet gates, toys, pee pads, food, bowls, carpet cleaner, blankets, a bed and treats. Sophie was the only puppy in her litter and the breeder would constantly tell me how feisty she was! Those weeks waiting for her were filled with anticipation. It was a wonderful time for me and I couldn’t wait to have Sophie come to her new home. On 8-13-11, I traveled two hours north of Washington, DC to pick her up and bring her home.