**
REFERENCES **
I have many more available upon request, but I feel that these are representative of how people feel about my pups. I put them here so you can contact them and get an idea of what I do and who I am. If you do not see contact info for someone on here and wish to speak to them about me, please let me know and I will give you the contact info I have for them.
*My Veterinarian: Please feel free to contact her if you wish to inquire about me, or about my breeding program. Here is the one she sent on her letterhead for publication on this web page. Just click on it to be able to read the letter. You may have to click it twice to properly size it.
Valeri Dale Bobbit, DVM
Veterinary Medical Arts Center
170 CR 230
Cameron, Texas 76520
254-697-4737
On Mon, Dec 14, 2009 at 12:34 PM, Lynne Chintala wrote:
My tiny tot, Micky, is now a year old. He brings me such joy, laughter, and comfort on a daily basis. As a previous 'mother' to a Chinese Crested, I am constantly in awe of the intelligence and quick wit of this little dog. Everywhere we go, to include restaurants, people are amazed at Micky's temperament and delightful expressions. I know these qualities stem from the meticulous breeding and care Marion gives to each and every pup she sells. The time, veterinary expense, and personal attention to these dogs reflects the professionalism and dedication she has for this breed. Marion and I stay in contact regarding Micky's growth and development and she delights in knowing another owner has gained an addition to the family.
I highly recommend Marion's dogs to anyone wanting to add one of these precious rat terriers to their family-no one is more dedicated!
Contact information is lasharp3@yahoo.com if anyone would like more information about Micky and my experiences.
Lynne A. Chintala, O.D.
North Carolina
In October 2009 Linda Jeffery in Austin Texas wrote:
This is Thursday and last Saturday I had the privilege
of visiting with Marion in her home to pick out a Tiny Tot Rat Terrier. I got to
see all babies and it was so nice to be given the tour.
I picked a pup who is going to be 6 months old in 5 days. It was love at first
glance. I visited for nearly an hour and got the complete history of Bear Lee
There. Bear for short. All my questions were answered.
Most people think to train a dog you have to get them at 6 weeks or 8 weeks old.
Let me tell you that is not true. My little fellow has learned the Come command,
No (very useful), and Sit. This has been in not quite 5 days. He is so smart and
is crate trained. He did whine two nights but no stopped that, and he knows what
outside means. One accident in the house and that was before he learned outside.
I have had poodles for 35 years and always thought they were smart but Bear has
them beat by a long shot. He is such a joy.
My mother is 99 and in a wheelchair and he learned right at first to stay away
from the wheels. She thinks he is number one in the house. I have 3 other dogs,
tiny toy poodle, a small mix and an Ausidoodle. (Australian Sheppard Poodle mix)
Think big. Bear comes to just below her knee by a great deal. Bear thinks he is
just as big and puts her in high gear with him chasing her.
If you want a good puppy talk to Marion. She is one of the best ones to get a
pup from and you will be highly satisfied.
If you want to email me do it. I will gladly write back.
LSJEFFERY@yahoo.com
I am writing this letter to both recommend Marion Shiller as a breeder and to say a great big thank you for our fabulous puppy. I can't describe to you how happy we are with our new puppy Oliver. Not only is he the cutest thing ever but he also has an incredibly sweet natured temperament. Even my husband, who was not big on the idea of getting a tiny dog, has fallen in love. Oliver came into our family when he turned 16 weeks old. I was way more nervous than he was when we picked him up at the airport. You would have thought the 2.8 pound pup was a seasoned traveler. Oliver bonded straight away with our family. He is used to being passed around and is quite the cuddle bug - sleeping on my lap as I write this note.
Marion spent countless phone conversations with me while I chose our new puppy. Thank you Marion for pictures of all of the puppies we discussed and for updating me at least weekly on their development. Oliver was a pricey pup but he is worth every penny. Marion pays close attention to all of her dogs health, temperaments and general well being. She is in no hurry to sell the puppies off at 8 weeks even though this would save her a lot of money from vet bills and countless hours of labor. Instead, Marion believes that the puppies gain invaluable experience from being socialized with their litter and other dogs. I have come to agree. Especially since Oliver came to us basically potty trained. While I do take him out after meals and every couple of hours during the day, he has only once wet in the house and goes straight for the grass when he needs to "do his business". This is completely different from our cockapoo Emily who came to us at a much younger age a few years ago and took what seemed like months to even be aware that she was going potty on the floor.
I expected a cute, healthy puppy from Marion but I am still blown away by how incredibly sweet, smart and lovable our tiny tot rat terrier has proven to be. Thank you Marion! You are the best!
From Joe and Elaine Jordan Jan 2009
North Carolina
I have one of Marion's tiny tots. I had always desired to have a really tiny little one. We had two dogs, a toy poodle and a miniature rat terrier, already prior to getting this newest addition to our family. When I began my search, I soon found out that there were no breeders in our neck of the woods for these tiny little dogs so I went on the internet and found Marion. I thoroughly went through her web site and also looked at a couple more and compared the information. Things like shipping and how old the dogs had to be etc. I immediately was able to weed out the breeders that I did not feel comfortable with. Some of them selling the pups for outrageously low prices and shipping them at 6 to 7 weeks. I knew enough to realize that raising these little guys must be incredibly expensive if you care for them the right way. My oldest dog is 17 and I wanted to be sure I would have the new addition for many many years and that would require my doing everything I could to research and make the right choices.
Finally, I called Marion. We had a really nice conversation and she was prepared to spend a lot of time with me answering any of my questions. She told me what she had available and steered me in the right direction to make the best choice. We exchanged many phone calls and emails. We chose a tiny little girl who Marion called "CAT" and I renamed "Hillary". Our other two dogs are Tony Blair and Maggie Thatcher, so you can figure it. Marion sent photos and it was over the Christmas Holidays so we had a little delay before she could really travel. I was so nervous about the shipping but Marion made me feel comfortable with it as she obviously had more experience that we did. Finally our little doll baby arrived. She was cute as can be. She came right out the crate and that was it. She slept on my lap all the way home from the airport and when she came into the house she was right at home. She immediately wanted to be one of the pack and fit in with the other dogs. She slept all through the night and was almost housebroken. After one week entirely house broken. Marion did such a great job in socializing her and raising her to be a lovely companion. Needless to say she is already spoiled rotten. Sorry Marion, she has now laid down some of her own house rules, but that's ok, our dogs are our babies. She is just gorgeous.
I give Marion Shiller the highest accolade. Her integrity as a breeder is second to none. Not only did I find an excellent breeder but I feel I have made a friend with whom I will keep in touch and send pictures as Hillary grows. In the future, I am sure I will be getting a second tiny tot from her. Great job Marion. Hope you continue to raise these little guys for many years.
Elaine Jordan EJordan@smogobx.com
A Letter from Bren Ewen, Beverly Beall, PA. and Patrick Beacham
Between the three of us we have 6 of Marion Shiller's Tiny Tot Rat Terriers. We all agree that we can't say enough good things about her dogs and her integrity as a breeder. Two of us have larger dogs in the house and these little guys "rule the roost". They all get along great!
We keep getting Marion's dogs because of her high standards and the quality of the dogs. They are sweet, wonderful and well bred. They love other dogs, adults and kids. They are very well socialized, easy to train, clean, hypoallergenic, and a great pleasure to have. We all used to have big dogs but now wouldn't have anything else but one of her "Tiny Tots" :)
And quite simply...Marion cares. She loves all her dogs, breeds responsibly, and does whatever she can to give them a healthy, happy start in life. She has spent many sleepless nights caring for them when they needed it. She raises them in her house around children, dogs, people, and everyday noises. Her vet visits often and is always impressed by the cleanliness and comfort of her dogs.
Bren Ewen:
Bren studied in Molecular Veterinary Medicine and has worked in veterinary medicine. She stays up on all the current veterinary research and is a great reference. Sadie, her three lb. 10 year old female also serves as a therapy dog and has helped countless people.Patrick Beacham: I have been doing Marion's web site for ten years now. I know her to be a responsible and caring breeder. I do not hesitate to recommend her. I would never have thought to buy a pup over the web until I met her. She will not hesitate to tell you (even at her own cost) if she thinks a puppy might be a wrong match for you and she will tell you why. I appreciate her integrity. I do her website because I believe in her and in her dogs.
Beverly Beall: Marion and her dogs have brought light and love into my life. They are my babies now that my sons have grown and moved away. They make me laugh every day. I do not hesitate to recommend her to anyone looking for a loyal and fun companion.
This is a group letter but you can feel free to contact any of us at
Bren Ewen PhD: bewen
Beverly Beall PA. bbeall
Patrick Beacham RN. : pbeacham
* From Joseph Ryan and his wife, Mariam:
When we first contacted Marion Shiller, we explained all our concerns to Marion about buying over the internet, and we began a lengthy email correspondence about the type of dog we wanted (smaller this time, 6-7 lbs.) and good temperament. She advised us of various litters in progress, and the little personalities within them. She emailed photos of potential candidates, we discussed them, then continued to narrow the field. She picked one she thought would be perfect in size and personality and boy, was she right!
Then we actually arrived in Cameron for a final inspection of our little guy and to pick him up. (We told her the name in advance so she had started calling him Dino to get him used to his name). We had a pictorial history of his development from age two weeks and felt like we knew this dog. And guess what?, we did! Marion's observations of personality and temperament and projected size ( Dino is full grown and 6.5 lbs - Marion said between six and seven) have proved right on the money.
I am impressed by Marion's handling of her pups. That gets them accustomed to human contact, as well as her adult dogs interplay with the various youngsters to socialize them as 'normal' non-neurotic dogs. If you get a pup from her and have your little children play with them, the pup will be bonded with them and very protective if any strangers come near them. Dino (now 5 months) barks if anyone passes by our condo and stays on alert even if we let them in until we introduce them to him. Once he knows who's who he's very friendly, but I think he's still keeping an eye out for us. He very much enjoys being part of our 'pack'. (lol)
As a general observation, rat terriers are very sociable, think they are actually big dogs ,but do want a lot of love and affection. They are just like kids. If you and your family can give a "rat" the same attention you give each other you will both have a rewarding experience.
My wife and I are lucky in that we have the time to devote to Dino, and when we move to a house we plan to get at least one more from Marion. If I get another rat (trying to decide if Dino needs a dog playmate, since we also have a cat), it's coming from her kennel. You can trust without question anything she tells you - she will worry about matching the dog to you as much as you will. The dogs' living conditions are wonderful (I told her she should start a bed and breakfast there).
What I especially like about the setup is this: 1. She has the newborn pups crated in her family room that opens to her back porch, fed by their moms in a baby playpen. Very, very clean, just like they're part of the family. This means the pups see people all the time, and they are handled frequently so they learn to be affectionate to people from early on. We see the results in Dino. When they get older they spend the days in a baby playpen. 2. The family rooms opens onto the porch, which leads down the steps to the adult dogs' houses (surrounded by a 2' electrified fence to protect the dogs from dangerous varmints - this is rural Texas, after all). When the pups are older they are socialized on the back porch by a "committee" of Marion's mom dogs so they learn to behave like proper little rat terriers. 3. The net result of all this socialization is a wonderful, non-neurotic dog.
We've had a wonderful experience with Marion. Our little rat is intelligent and has an exceptionally sweet disposition; and the fastest, strongest little dog I have seen. I would not hesitate to get another rat from Marion in the future.
I have only the highest recommendation for Marion Shiller. You can bank on anything she says. Feel free to ask me questions any time.
J Joseph Ryan (jryanjr@bellsouth.net)
* From Monty and Dana Curtis of Animal House Rat Terriers:
We have 2 of Marion's Dogs. Both out of Frankie & Marion's One. One we call
In our opinion this is what a breeder is all about. And no one could ask for a better
breeder & friend than Marion. We have personally had the privilege to meet Marion and her
Rat's more than once. And in doing so, I must say that she is a
very knowledgeable and caring person who is very concerned about her little rats
and where they go. She will take all the proper steps to make sure that you and your puppies are more than mere friends,
but more like loving and compatible companions.
To Love is to care, with quality and direction. And this truly shines in
Marion's affection.
You can reach Monty & Dana Curtis by E-mail: TheAnimalHouse@webtv.com or their web site:
http://community-2.webtv.net/TheAnimalHouse/WELCOMETOTHEANIMAL/
From Karen Backer of Orcinus Kennels:
When I first emailed Marion Shiller, I had no idea about Rat Terriers, the breed is not well known in Canada. We soon began a lengthy email correspondence about the type of dog I wanted (small under 5lbs) and a good temperament. She advised me of the litters available, she emailed photos of potential babies, we discussed them, then continued to narrow the search. She picked one she thought would be perfect in size and boy, was she right! (I told her his name in advance so she started calling him Salem to get him used to his name). I had an email history of his development from age two weeks and felt like I knew this little dog, and guess what, I did!!! Marion's observations of personality and temperament and projected size was right on target, ( Salem is almost 2 yrs old now and weighs 5.5 lbs ).
Last summer I had the pleasure of visiting Marion and her kennel, when Salem and I went to pick up our new addition to our family (Kandu), who is now 9 months old and weighs in at about 4lbs, I was impressed by Marion's handling of her pups. She gets them used to human contact. If you get a pup from her and have children the pup will bond with them and be very protective if any strangers come near them.
As a general observation, Rats Terriers are very sociable, they think their actually big dogs , but do want a lot of love and affection, they are just like kids. I have plans of getting another Rat Terrier, only this time a female for Kandu, as Salem has been neutered. You can trust without question anything she tells you, she will worry about matching the dog to you as much as you will, and she takes great care in shipping your new puppy. I had to fly Salem from Texas to Seattle and he was well taking care of through the entire flight. The dogs living conditions are wonderful...
What I especially like about Marion's kennel is: Marion has the newborn pups crated in her family room that opens to her back porch, fed by their moms in a baby playpen, very clean just like they're part of the family. This means the pups see people all the time, and they are handled frequently so they learn to be affectionate to people from early on. When they get older they spend the days in a baby playpen. The family rooms opens onto the porch, which leads down the steps to the adult dog houses (surrounded by a 2' electrified fence to protect the dogs from danger). When the pups are older they are socialized on the back porch by Marion's mom dogs so they learn to behave like proper little Rat Terriers.
I can tell you that I have the best two dogs in the world, they are smart, witty, protective and very funny. I have only the highest recommendation for Marion Shiller, you can bank on anything she says. Feel free to ask me questions any time.
Karin, Kandu & Salem
You can reach Karin from her website or E-mail: http://www.members.tripod.com/kalrat/
And from Washington State:
From Robert and Kathleen Banks In Rochester, New York:
Hi Marion, I am Rob's wife and we purchased
Nugget from you back in
June. I have been wanting to write to you and tell you how pleased we are
with him. He is everything that you promised and more.
From day one, he fit right into the family. He has adjusted well to the
different ways that each family member interacts with him and he behaves
accordingly. He is very smart And just as you said, loves to be a part of
the family, loves to be where we are. He is doing extremely well at litter
box training, we are all pleased about that.
Nugget hardly ever barks, he is a quiet dog, but he at times gets VERY
excited (running through the house full speed). He loves to go outside and
play chase with our 4yr old son. My son loves it just as much as Nugget
does.
We bathe him once a week, which he handles very well, but as soon as we are
done, he gets very feisty, poor Tigger really takes a beating after bath
time. He still fits into his crate, but just to give him a little more room,
we are going to buy him a bigger one soon. We will also be taking him to the
vet soon to get him fixed, time is running out.
Nugget is the talk of the neighborhood. Everyone loves him and everyone that
meets him falls in love with him. He LOVES to meet new people just as much
as they love meeting him. Neighbors that have never spoken to us before have
been introducing themselves and talking about Nugget. One neighbor had even
heard about him before she saw him for the first time. We have yet to meet
another Rat Terrier owner in Rochester, I'm sure they are here, but we have
not run into any. Where ever he goes he steals the show, pet store to get
his nails clipped, the discount store at the corner, the workers are always
asking about him.
Well, I have taken up enough of your time. I just wanted to let you know how
delighted we are with Nugget. Thank you again for working so diligently
with us to make him ours.
I pray that you and your family are well. God bless and take care.
Kathleen Banks
I would like to express my complete satisfaction in dealing with Marion Shiller. I have two rat terriers from her. The first one was purchased almost 4 years ago for my mother in law. She was living with us at the time and wanted to find her the perfect pet that would be a great companion for her. I did some research on breeds of dogs and found out that the rat terrier is a very good dong with lots of allergies like she had, and very loyal friends.I was a little afraid of purchasing a puppy from the internet so I did a lot of looking around.Then I found Meadows Springs and Marion and I knew that is where I wanted my puppy from.I e-mailed her and we communicated quite a while until she found just the right puppy for us.Our Fancy girl has been such a gem.This last fall my mother in law went to Mississippi and became too ill to return to Las Vegas so we decide that we needed a puppy to keep Fancy company and of course I contacted Marion. I wanted a tiny one this time and once again Marion chose just the perfect puppy. he is such a joy and now at 4 months and just under 3 pounds he is all boy and now rules the roost .We decided we wanted to pick him up personally, so we planned our Christmas vacation to Mississippi and then to Dallas and then to Cameron Texas before to returning home to Las Vegas. I must say Marion has quite an operation going. She has baby pens for the puppies and their moms and all the dogs, puppies and adults alike seem so loved. Everything was so organized with shelving for clean linens and everyone had a place.You could just tell how much she cared. I have come to really be a fan of Marion's. She is not only a good breeder that puts her heart and soul into it but also a good person, and someone you can trust. I will be happy to talk to anybody who is unsure that the rat terrier is the breed for them of about Marion and Meadow Springs Kennels.Denise Ivytulipstalk@yahoo.com
From Jessica In Alaska:
July 25, 2005
To Whom It May Concern:
As a happy rat terrier owner I would like to recommend Marion Shiller as a wonderful breeder. I purchased Dezmond when he was four months old and weighted only 2.5 pounds. I found her website (www.meadowsprings.net) from a search engine and began to look at her puppies. I instantly fell in love. I emailed her and got a very quick response about her pups. She told me she had a few pups available and began to tell me about them. Her heart was set on a little boy that was ready to find a home. She reassured me that he was full of personality and joy. He sounded like the pup that was right for me. Marion lives in Cameron, Texas while I am all the way up in Alaska. Marion worked as hard as she could at getting flight reservations and transpiration taken care of. I was able to pick up my pup only five days after contacting Marion.
After letting Dezmond relax from the plane ride he proved to be everything and more then Marion had explained to me. I have been around many dogs in my lifetime and have seen few that have the personality that this dog has. Dezmond is full of life and has his own style.
I was only 18 when I bought Dezmond and still lived at home. My parents were skeptical about having a dog in the house and weren’t to keen on the idea. Now that I am 20 and moving out of the house and out of state soon my parents are begging me to let them keep Dezmond. Marion's dogs are wonderful dogs, they are full of love and want to share it with everyone!
As a dog owner I would highly recommend Marion as a breeder. She is an honest, loyal and trustworthy breeder. Her dogs are breed to be the best rat terriers out there and she has proven that to me. When I am settled in my new residence I am defiantly going to take a look at another one of Marion's puppies.
Sincerely, Jessica Grimm
Alaska
Here's Dezmond!
From Richard Maconi
Nov, 2005
From John and Cilla
Nov, 2005
Marion,
From Sherri Ransom:
June 2007
From Katie and Ralph Weinberger, December, 2007
Dear Marion,
Our little Lily turned one on Sept. 11th, and I wanted to give you an update since you were the one who brought this little darling into our lives. Lily is a tiny little peanut. She weighs in at 4.6 pounds full grown and she came from Molly’s litter. I've attached some recent photos so you can see how beautiful she is. Her markings and conformation are remarkable (in my opinion). If she weren't so timid around strangers, I'd be trying to figure out how to show her - she's that beautiful.
My husband calls her a "Ratcoon Terrier" because of her mask. Every where we go she is the center of attention, much to her chagrin. At home, she is extremely well-behaved, but when she wants attention, we BETTER give it! During the day she's not too much of a cuddler, preferring to spend time exploring the back yard or playing tug/fetch, but she's quick to give kisses and follows me everywhere I go. In the evenings she likes to sit on Dad's lap while he holds her chewie for her (the HEXtra CET chews). At bedtime, she sleeps either at the end of the bed when it's hot, or under the covers with us when it's cool. We recently took her on a weekend trip that involved an airplane ride and a 2-1/2 hour car ride, and she was just as good as gold.
I just adore her; she's the light of my life. As you said on your web page these little ones often have mouths that are too small for the amount of teeth they have so we had a few teeth removed. This was done as a preventative measure so she won't get infections or gum disease. The doctor (a specialist in animal dentistry) went ON and ON about how beautiful Lily is and how she has a perfect scissor bite and how "well put together" she is - the doctor specifically told me I should pass along her compliments to the breeder. So there you are! Consider yourself complimented! Thank you for doing such a wonderful job, raising such precious little ratties!
Warm regards,
Katie Weinberger
Here's Lily...
I will be pleased to add any other letters of reference here if you wish to write one. :) Marion
Updated December 17th, 2009
