Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Shorter.
Hi Laura, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My name is Laura Shorter and I am the founder of Pocket Full of Sunshine Miniature Golden Retrievers. People ask me why my husband, Mark and I raise these sweet little dogs. The combination of personality and smaller size of our miniature golden retrievers make them excellent assistance dogs and pets. The soothing silky fur, reduced shedding, and delightful demeanor make them excellent company.
As a child, I saw the benefit of a dog firsthand as a comforting presence. My parents taught me early on about responsible pet ownership, training, and daily care.
I grew up with dogs and cats and found them to be excellent playmates and a comfort during rough patches of my childhood. My sister was eight and a half years my senior, and in many ways, I grew up as an only child. I was identified with ADHD, and I struggled with anxiety and depression from my early years. I knew I was different from other kids.
While I had friends and was able to function, it was a struggle; I found the soothing presence of animals to be a place of unconditional acceptance and love. One dog in particular, Pete, was my constant companion and she helped me to get grounded again at home so I could go out and take part in school and activities.
I have a background in mental health and have always worked with children, many with special needs. It only made sense to help provide service, therapy, and faculty dogs as well as pets to people who can benefit from the power of a dog in their lives.
Mark and I have felt so much support from our family and friends. I have had several breeder mentors who have encouraged me, and I have had the opportunity to take part in excellent dog training at a well-established local dog training school.
Pocket Full of Sunshine is dedicated to connecting with individuals and families to help find the right dog for them. We use The Empowered Badass Breeder full program: advanced BAB service dog curriculum, the Empowered BAB Puppy Temperament Testing and the book “Raising the Empowered Puppy” to create a smooth transition puppy to their new home. While we have priority placement for assistance dog candidates, we also enjoy working with emotional support animal and pet placements.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Starting a business from scratch has been an uphill battle, but we have enjoyed the journey. Start-up money came from our household budget, and our home is where our dogs live. Learning to have a breeding program in our home has been chaotic but fun.
Frankly, the biggest challenge of being a dog breeder is twofold: exhaustion and Isolation.
Breeding is my passion and I have to remember to “clock off” for periods of time every day. SInce this isn’t a 8-5 job, I have to take respite when I can get it. There is always something I could be doing with my program. Without rest and time to enjoy life outside of breeding, I would burn out quickly. Selfcare can be thrown to the wayside when delivering a litter of puppies all night or caring for days on end for a pup who is struggling. Taking time to eat, sleep and exercise are needed to have the stamina to move forward with my mission to help others. I have learned to ask for help when needed and take time to assist others who are going through a tough period in their program.
This job can get lonely! I make time every day to chat with friends and invest in my relationships. Time with other breeders to collaborate, problem solve and laugh and cry about the ups and down of raising dogs is like a balm to my heart. I have benefitted from several mentors in my own life and reach out to other professionals in the field whenever possible.
While the dog world has brought me valuable life-long friendships, time with my family and other friends is as essential as air and water. My husband Mark and I have felt so much support from our family and friends and make time for them regularly.
We’ve learned through trial and error, and I take as many ongoing education classes as I can to stay fresh on dog breeding, training, and health.
While it has been stressful at times, the rewards of bringing joy to others have been a stabilizing force and motivates us to continue to pursue excellence.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Pocket Full of Sunshine Miniature Golden Retrievers?
Pocket Full of Sunshine Miniature Golden Retrievers holds our parent dogs in high regard. They reside with us or live in guardian homes. They are family. They cuddle with us in front of the TV and sleep in our beds. Guardians work in partnership with us to give parent dogs a wonderful life. While guardian mothers come to our home to deliver and while their puppies are being raised, afterwards they return to their guardian home. Once parents are retired, we pay for the spay or neuter, and the guardian family keeps them. This gives them a stable home for their lifetime.
Every parent dog is fully health tested for hips, elbows, patella, heart, and eyes before acceptance into our breeding program. In addition, we do a genetic panel, working with our veterinarian to create the best pairings possible. We strive to see each litter of puppies as healthy as we can.
New owners get 2 live classes with Laura before puppy comes home as well as ongoing support and education. Training, injury prevention, potty training, nutrition, and weight management are all key components. Each puppy is backed with a two-year health guarantee with an option for an additional 3-year extension.
Each puppy is hand-raised by us with developmental stages as our compass. The advanced service dog curriculum starts with neonatal protocols and puppy massage at 3 days. Exposure activities start at 4 weeks, followed by temperament testing week 7. We send photos, curriculum, and video daily to reservation families so that they can be part of the process every step of the way as if they are sitting in my living room. Pocket Full of Sunshine is a proud member of two organizations working to promote responsible breeding, Good Dog and Telltail. Both have rigorous requirements to be a member and serve to connect prospective puppy families with quality breeding programs.
In addition to breeding dogs, I am dedicated to sharing ethical breeding practices with other breeders and people who may be looking for a puppy.
I am an advocate for mentoring other breeders and sharing ways they can better their program. Helping dogs by helping breeders. With several other breeders, we organized the Northeast Ohio Breeders Conference in 2023. I had the opportunity to speak alongside national author Jeanette Forrey, author of “The Ultimate Badass Breeder’s Guide” and “Raising the Empowered Puppy.” I regularly travel to that area to connect with other breeders and build connections to support and educate.
Through social media, I am able to post educational material to prospective puppy families and other breeder professionals about ways to raise dogs in healthy and enriching environments.
Building a community where breeders can support each other and share information is the other aspect to our mission. I am part of the Badass Breeder Educational Community as well as part of a Weekly Breeder Training Forum, where I am a leader and frequent speaker.
We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I love to cook and bake! While I don’t do as much I did when my children were young, it is still one of my favorite pastimes. Mark and I love to hang out at home, cook a nice meal together, and have a quiet night in, cuddling with the dogs.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.pocketfullofsunshinegoldens.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/pocketfullofsunshineminigolden?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laura.shorter.73?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@pocketfullofsunshineminigo9969
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/pocket-full-of-sunshine-columbus
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@pocketfullofsunshineg?_t=8dR2ZKDqGhG&_r=1
