Polly  and Tammy  are shown above with Ch. Coastal’s Salt Water Taffy and Ch Coastal  Wintercreek Island Tan .

Coastal Kennels is located in the heart of Eastern North Carolina. Our operation is a mother-daughter combination and we have been breeding quality companions and show prospects for many years. We pride ourselves in producing puppies with the good looks and the sound temperaments that make them highly competitive in both the conformation and obedience rings, as well as a joy to be around.

We started breeding Shetland Sheepdogs in the early 1980’s and are proud of our accomplishments thus far. Not only is each dog at Coastal a beloved family companion, but we have bred many Best in Show, Specialty winning and ASSA class winning dogs over the years, as well as the 2006 ASSA RWD (BISS Ch Coastal Wintercreek Storm Warning). Our dogs are also involved in such activities as agility, rally, obedience, search and rescue, and even free style dance!! Our motto has always been and always will be, “Our dogs need to be easy to look at and easy to live with.” We take this very seriously.  Add that to how careful we are about breeding healthy dogs and puppies, and you have a win/win combination!!! Brains and beauty is our ultimate goal!!  And, a sweet face is also a must!!

We breed only healthy and mentally sound,  high quality dogs.  Our stock is clear of all hereditary diseases to the best of our knowledge.  Each and every puppy is vet-checked, vaccinated, de-wormed and has their dewclaws removed before leaving for their new home.  In fact,  we will provide a health guarantee with each puppy that is purchased from us. 

(Polly Brolin is pictured above with Coastal’s Castles In The Sand.  ”Cassie” is by Ch. Coastal Wintercreek Mas Tequila x Ch. Coastal Beach Bunny)

From day one, as ”step-parents” we see to it that each puppy receives plenty of tender, loving care under our watchful eyes.  Our puppies are whelped in our homes, not a seperate “kennel building”.  We cherish and socialize each one, which encourages a friendly, outgoing puppy from a very early age.  Please check our “Puppies” page for the availability of new pups.  For more information about us, scroll down and read the “Kennel Profile” article that appeared on pages 24 through 36 of the Spring 2008 Sheltie International magazine.

(The photograph above is of best friends, Tammy Alden and Ch Coastal Wintercreek Island Tan.  ”Tanner” won the Open Sable class at the 2008 ASSA National, at the tender age of 2 years old)

Follow Your Dreams . . .
Tammy Alden and Pauline Brolin
Coastal

by Debby Gayton, Wintercreek Shelties

We all dream, we all hope . . . but rarely can we say we allow ourselves to follow our every dream. Tammy Alden and Polly Brolin are two strong Southern women with very strong religious convictions. They love life, laughter, family, friends, margaritas and Shetland Sheepdogs. Their strength of character leads them down the yellow brick pathway to follow their dreams. 

Take off your ruby red slippers - no need to click your heals three times  -Tammy and Polly’s dreams have not appeared as if by magic.  They work very hard for everything they and their husbands have accomplished. It is commonplace to hear them talk of working with friends and church members to help someone in need. This is not your run of the mill “arriving at the front door with a casserole” type of help. This family helps rebuild homes, churches and lives. They each dedicate a large portion of their time to helping others, asking nothing in return.

When you put this kind of dedication into a Shetland Sheepdog breeder, you can’t help but see wonderful things happen. Both mother and daughter inspire one another. Polly’s strength  has inspired Tammy to be everything she can be. Tammy’s joy and zest for life are the qualities that most impress her mother. Whatever task is before 
her, she does her very best. They are best friends.

Tammy and Polly will be the first to tell you that without the love and support of their husbands they would never be able to participate in their hobbies. 

Five years ago I attended my first National in Lansing, Michigan.  I was a kid in a candy store, gathering Sheltie information like a sponge, graciously offered by Barbara Aulbach (Caledon Kennels) and her friends, all experienced breeders, basking in the joy of receiving this invaluable education. These special women introduced me to dreams I only hoped would someday come true.

Diligently marking my book at each day’s end I would return to my room and research the dogs I had highlighted.  The Jade Mist line kept popping up. The next day, at Barbara’s suggestion, I wandered into various grooming areas looking for the dogs of interest, including  Coastal Kennels from North Carolina. I was greeted by a mother/daughter team full of information and with beautiful dogs.  Little did I know I had just met two women that would become my mentors, my champions and two of my best friends.

The next day I watched a friend’s puppy place second in a huge 12-18 Sable Dog class, the future Am/Can/Int’l Ch Coastal Wyndsong’s Promise CD “Keeper”. I looked for Deborah Luper and found her sharing tears of joy and hugging the two women I had met the day before, Tammy and Polly. I found myself thinking, “I want a breeder that will care about me and my dogs in this way.” And I got my wish.

Showing animals competitively began 30 years ago with showing and breeding horses. Tammy had a wonderful pony named Dolly. Led by her mother, she excelled in horsemanship. What started as family fun developed into a family affair of raising and showing different breeds of horses. Their preferences leaned toward the more loyal and intuitive breeds, including Paso Finos and Arabians.

As with each dream, Tammy and Polly each had an important role.  Tammy excelled in showmanship, and Polly used her keen eye for structure, movement and beauty to continually select and breed a better horse.

Growing up in the Brolin home meant you had the pleasure of owning many pets. If it ran, walked, swam or crawled it was once a pet in their home.  The standing rule in the Brolin household was, “If you are too busy to take care of your animals, you are too busy to own your animals.” This valuable lesson at a very early age has carried throughout their whole lifetime.

Twenty-two years ago Tammy and Polly began a new dream . . . Shetland Sheepdogs. When it came time to choose a breed of dog to fill their lives, Shelties were the easy choice, with their natural tendency to thrive around human contact, drawing Tammy and Polly to this devoted, loyal and flashy breed.

With one Sheltie Champion under their belts, a tri-colored dog named Ch Kankun’s New Kid On The Block, they decided to change their direction in Shelties. Sables became their first love, and after observing and admiring many breeders they arrived at a decision.  The focus would be the beautiful dogs of Jade Mist to blend with the Coastal lines, with importance being placed on sweet faces and “fearless” personalities. Getting to know Carol Howell and bringing her dogs into the Coastal breeding program accomplished every part of this dream. Carol later told me, “I knew Tammy and Polly were special from the minute I met them.”

Tammy and Polly tell a wonderful story about one of their visits to Jade Mist. They had taken a dog to be bred to one of Carol’s males, and were returning to pick up their bitch. When they walked in, there was an ex-pen with a litter of puppies playing. Polly had been watching the puppies out of the corner of her eye as they talked to Carol. At some point Carol asked, “What do you think about these puppies?” Polly said, “I like the litter but I loooove this puppy.”  She picked up the puppy and proceeded to tell Carol why. Carol said “Would you like to take him home?”

“YES!!!!” No questions asked.  Tammy and Polly quickly got out their  stash of emergency funds (wouldn’t any husband understand that buying a cute, cuddly show prospect was truly an emergency?). They came up with the money to pay for 12-week-old future BISS Ch Jade Mist Coastal Cruiser “Chevy”. This was another dream come true, as Chevy has gone on to produce many gorgeous puppies for Coastal and others.

The first Coastal puppy sired by  Chevy was Ch Coastal Beach Bunny.  “Bunny”  is Tammy’s heart dog. She has fulfilled every dream Tammy has had for her, including finishing with a five point Specialty Major and placing at a National Specialty.

Every win is celebrated like it has never happened before, and every loss is met with understanding and the will to try again. Their motto: “Have fun no matter what. Win or lose we go out for Margaritas.”  The people that support this wonderful kennel, besides Tammy’s husband Mike, Polly’s husband Bob (pictured) are Tammy’s brother Todd and his wife Kim, who manage the web site.

Bob and Mike are always available for Sheltie projects that need construction, and both offer helpful solutions when needed. When Tammy was away at a National, Mike surprised her with a heated tile floor in her puppy area, a safe, warm place to keep the pups cozy.

The Brolin/Alden family has always been very close. In fact, they have enjoyed living next door to each other for many, many years in Swansboro, North Carolina on adjoining properties, complete with connecting gates.

Recently, following their dreams has included a move onto twelve acres in the country. The Brolin home will soon be complete, and they will once again live next door to Mike and Tammy.  The first Alden building is a small cottage/apartment home for Tammy and Mike. After the main home is built, this smaller home will remain the evening “hang out” place for Mike and Tammy to enjoy quality time with their “fur kids”.

Almost every morning begins with both women sitting out under the trees with the dogs. This is their special time for grooming, (ears, feet and brushing) and spending time with one another.

This is more than a hobby. These beautiful, intelligent dogs are the fulfillment of their dream to spend time together doing something they both love.

Priorities are expression, structure and temperament, plus testing. Each breeding is carefully planned with a clear vision of the finished “product” in mind. They are creating art . . . masterpieces, dreams.

At Coastal a tremendous amount of time goes into choosing the sire and dam that will make that magic combination. Polly loves pedigrees and research. She can be seen at every National “visiting hours” with stacks of pedigrees in her bag that she has collected throughout the evening, and studies them with great diligence. She moves the pedigrees around, matching them to the printed pedigrees of their own Coastal bitches, leading to many successful Coastal litters.

Polly is also famous for her “Mmmmmmmm” sound which interprets to “VERY, VERY, NICE”. I often send Tammy pictures of my young dogs and ask her to put the picture in front of her Mom and then to report back which sound Polly makes….if it’s an Mmmmmmmm I am very happy, and know I may just have a winner.

Tammy and Polly whelp all litters together, spending the day or night at each others homes. Together they keep an eagle eye on the mother-to-be, catching cat naps here and there and surrounded by clean towels, scissors, hemostats, dental floss, washcloths, KY lubricating jelly, iodine, clock and a handy notebook (detailed notes are taken from start to finish). They also have a small box with a heating pad and towels to keep the puppies warm.

Once the puppies are whelped and nursing, formula is given, which is helpful to prevent hypoglycemia. Just a few supplements for one to three days seem to give all the pups a boost. The feeding is continued if a pup is small or weak. Although there are different variations of formula used by breeders, they will gladly share their formula with anyone that asks.

The pups and moms spend the first few weeks in the master bedrooms with either the Aldens or the Brolins. (Another Husband of the Year award for Mike and Bob.)

Training begins immediately, holding and cuddling puppies every day builds a lasting human bond, whether a future show dog or a pet. The pups are encouraged to experience new sounds and surfaces.

When the pups are four to five- weeks-old they are moved to the puppy areas built specifically for this purpose.  Blank newspaper, purchased in 40-pound rolls, is used to line the pens. It’s clean, easy to use and easy to dispose of. The pups have toys, beds and fun obstacles. Each day’s free time is given to the nurturing of the pups.

The puppies are started very early on a high quality food. Spending plenty of time outside on the fenced acreage tones the dogs with proper exercise and conditioning.

After six weeks they get to romp in the back yard under watchful eyes. At eight weeks they start to play with some of the other dogs, once again under close supervision. By the time they go to their new homes they have experienced as much as possible.

All dogs used in the breeding program are tested for vWD, hips, thyroid and eyes.

Pet puppies are all sold on spay/neuter contracts, and all puppies are taken to the vet for a health exam before going to their new homes.  The pups that remain at Coastal continue to be socialized, moving between the two homes. Mike and Bob  further socialize them with a man’s touch. Tammy and Polly take the pups for long walks on the beach, meeting many new friends to help during the socialization period.

When the puppies are ready to be shown, Polly will groom and Tammy will handle. When they mature they are placed with a handler. But, not just any handler will do. Aleta Canady, professional handler and owner of Whisper-wind Shetland Sheepdogs, takes some of the young dogs for show training, preparing them for their debut.  Aleta recently finished Ch Coastal’s Salt Water Taffy. She has also pointed many other Coastal dogs.

Another trusted handler, Julie Desy, has also played a large part in Coastal’s success, finishing Ch Jade Mist Coastal Cruiser (in four shows with four Specialty Majors), Ch Jade Mist Coastal Country Girl, Ch Jade Mist Coastal Cowboy, Ch Coastal Beach Bunny and Ch Coastal Wintercreek Mas Tequila.  She has also put Specialty points on BPISS Coastal Wintercreek Island Tan and Coastal’s Champagne Kisses.

To Tammy and Polly, maintaining peaceful, happy relationships with others is a must! This strong belief is what continuously sends other breeders and new people to Coastal Kennels.

They frequently offer show prospect puppies to people just starting out and their guidance and care keeps them interested in the fancy.  They follow every puppy, pet or show prospect, offering help if needed, guiding them through every step of the way: housetraining, ear training, leash training and show training, encouraging everyone to send pictures - which immediately pop up on the Coastal website.  Continual encouragement is an accessory you receive with your puppy “free of charge”. Dog showing can be rough for a newcomer to the Sheltie breed. There should be an award for perseverance.

Another Coastal motto: “You can always find something nice to say to everyone. Every dog has a virtue. To tactlessly criticize is unnecessary.”

Visiting them, you will see a long driveway leading to the homes.  The land is picturesque. The large front yards are covered in a thick, fescue lawn with large pine trees and hardwood trees lining the back property.

Although both the Brolin and Alden homes are still under construction, the dream is alive and well. The new backyard area for the dogs is fully fenced and offers plenty of space for daily runs.  Together, both areas make up approximately four acres. There is another six acre parcel to take supervised runs and walks. A huge covered tile porch is for the wet weather days. The dogs have a protected fenced area with their crates for sleeping at night. More space doesn’t mean more dogs, as both Tammy and Polly keep their numbers down. This allows quality time with each and every animal.

The area they live in is beautiful. For those of you that have never been to the North Carolina coast, it should be a must-see. Every movie you watch with beach grass whispering in the wind, a worn picket fence framing sand dunes will be exactly what you see in North Carolina. The small coastal towns appear to be a flashback to the late 1880s, lined with antique shops and home-town restaurants. The sea-worn piers are filled with tall shrimp boats with masts reaching to the sky. The food is unbelievably good. Yes ma’am, yes, sir, it sure is!!!!  Just follow the winding country road and y’all will find Coastal Kennels, Tammy and Polly and a bunch of mighty fine Shetland Sheepdogs.

Possibly a Southern Belle or a Southern Gentleman, sipping mint juleps on the veranda . . . Noooo. I quickly learned that Scarlet O’Hara and Tara no longer exist in the south. But true southern hospitality is alive and well. Through knowing Tammy and Polly I have had quite a few lessons in the last few years about being southern, the correct spelling for y’all and ma’am.  How to eat southern “peel-and-eat shrimp”, a true southern BBQ’d rib, anything made with crab and of course greens and grits.

Spending any length of time with these two wonderful women will convert you to being southern if you aren’t already. You will walk away saying “Y’all come back now!” But - you are truly not an ‘honorable’ southerner until you have had a few glasses of  ‘Sweet Tea’.

SOUTHERN SWEET TEA
Bring one quart of water to a full boil.
Southerners add 1+ cups of sugar
(All others add 1 cup)
Stir until sugar is completely dissolved.
Southerners add one huge southern-style Lipton tea bag (yes, Costco 
sells  4”x4” tea bags)
(All others add 6 normal Lipton tea bags)
Let simmer 15 minutes, covered, remove tea bag/bags.
Pour sweet tea concentrate into a gallon container and add enough 
cold water to completely fill.
Sweet tea is best served cold with no ice.
And never ever drink it after 6 p.m. if you want any sleep that night 
(I learned this myself the hard way).

Tammy and Polly are continually thankful for the continued progress of their dogs and their breeding program. Their years of research and planning has given them multiple placements at the ASSA National. A Coastal-owned or bred dog has placed at the ASSA National every year since 2001.

But the most memorable moment so far was the 2006 National in Virginia beach. Their beautiful sable puppy was going to be shown in Winners Dog-–a dream come true, which was honor enough. “Flash” had taken first place in a huge 9-12 puppy class. Surrounded by their closest friends, Tammy and Polly dared to quietly say “He is the prettiest dog in the ring, but we might be biased.” When judge Linda Churchill finished awarding WD, she went back and pointed to Flash for RWD. The stands roared with applause, it was like no other experience they had ever had.

The quality of this puppy was obvious to Tammy and Polly when he was five-weeks-old. At eight weeks Flash also knew he was going to be a show dog, and everyone remained hopeful.  Then imagine his breeders, knowing this quality existed, placing this puppy clear across the country in Oregon, with me.

This is trust, caring and sharing in the most unselfish way.

So, a visit to Coastal Kennels does not include ruby slippers or a yellow brick road. There is no cowardly lion or even a tin man. What you will find at Coastal Kennels is two women very much in love with their Creator, with each other, with their families and friends, and with a very, very special breed to all of us, the Shetland Sheepdog!!  This is no fairy tale, but it is a dream come true, and it does have a happy ending….Follow Your Dreams!