Health, Temprament and Beauty

In our home, dogs are part of the family. We simply don’t believe in breeding any other way than with the greatest love and respect.

Every decision we make puts the wellbeing of our Australian Shepherds first. When we plan a litter, fully aware of the responsibility it carries, we invest all our knowledge, experience and dedication to achieve the best possible result in health, temperament and structure.

At Ria Vela, every litter starts with careful and thoughtful planning. Breeding pairs are selected only after full genetic testing, veterinary screening and a detailed evaluation of temperament and compatibility. Our females have a limited number of litters throughout their lives, and each birth is closely supervised in a calm, clean and homely environment.

The puppies grow up inside the house, where from their very first weeks they are gently exposed to people, everyday sounds and other dogs, helping them develop into confident, well-balanced companions.

All of this reflects our vision of responsible, ethical and sustainable breeding, always centred on the wellbeing of every dog that carries the Ria Vela name.

Our Story

After more than 25 years of breeding Golden Retrievers, a passion we continue today, we felt that something was missing. We had always loved the Australian Shepherd: their character, their expression, and their purpose. Living in the countryside, we felt the breed would perfectly match our lifestyle as well as complement our Goldens, and we could not have been more right.

We travelled to the United States to see the dogs in their country of origin, to see what appealed to us at first sight, and to begin building relationships with breeders who shared our vision. In Kentucky, at the Kentuckiana Show Cluster, we met Riatta’s breeder, and that moment truly marked the beginning of our Australian Shepherd journey. Just a few months later, we flew to Pennsylvania to welcome our very first Australian Shepherd.

From there, everything moved quickly. These are extraordinary dogs, the kind you simply cannot have just one of. Along the way, we have found incredible dogs we love deeply, and amazing people with whom we are grateful to collaborate and grow within the breed.