About Margaret Thornton

I grew up surrounded by working dogs on my family’s dairy farm in Vermont’s Green Mountains. My grandmother raised Collies for herding and guarding. My mother had German Shepherds. When I came back from Cornell in ‘99 with my Animal Science degree, I fell in love with the White Swiss Shepherd and never looked back.

Snowpeak Shepherds has been my life’s work for 25 years now. In that time, I’ve produced over 40 champions, but more importantly, I’ve placed hundreds of puppies into homes where they’re loved, trained, and treated as family members. My dogs serve as therapy animals, search and rescue partners, and beloved companions across North America.

What I Believe

Breeding dogs is a privilege, not a right. Every puppy I bring into this world is my responsibility from birth until death. That’s not a tagline. It’s a promise I’ve kept through divorces, deaths, economic downturns, and everything else life has thrown at my puppy families.

I believe in:

• Testing for every genetic condition we can test for
• Prioritizing temperament over titles
• Breeding to improve the breed, not to produce puppies
• Lifetime support and return clauses for every dog
• Being honest about the hard parts of breeding, not just the cute photos

My Credentials

• AKC Breeder of Merit since the program’s inception
• UKC Premier Breeder
• Member of the White Swiss Shepherd Club of America Health Committee
• Regular presenter at regional kennel club workshops on responsible breeding
• Cornell University, B.S. Animal Science, 1998

Why This Site Exists

I started The Ethical Breeder because too much breeding advice online comes from people who’ve never had to take back a dog who didn’t work out, never lost a puppy to a genetic condition they didn’t test for, never turned away a buyer because something felt wrong.

This site is where I share what I’ve learned the hard way. The mistakes I’ve made. The hard decisions. The emotional toll of doing this work right. If you’re looking for someone to tell you breeding is easy and profitable, you’re in the wrong place.

But if you want honest guidance from someone who’s been doing this for a quarter century and still has dogs sleeping on her couch, pull up a chair. I’ve got stories to tell.