RockSteady Tibetan Terriers
Washington, D.C.
Honoring the past,
shaping the future —
one little Rock at a time.
RockSteady Tibetan Terriers is a small, home-based breeding program devoted to preserving the breed’s heritage. Every puppy is raised in our home with patient observation, thoughtful early training, and a foundation built to last a lifetime.
Why RockSteady
Three things every family asks about
Health before everything
Every dog in our program is OFA tested and CHIC certified before being bred — hips, patellas, hearing, eyes, and a DNA panel for the conditions known in the breed. Results are public, so you never have to take our word for it. Owner Deidre Philpot is also a TTCA Accredited Breeder.
Raised at home, not in a kennel
Our puppies grow up underfoot — on hardwood floors and carpet, around vacuum cleaners, doorbells, kids, and the ordinary noise of a city household, so they're already comfortable with daily life by the time they go home with you.
Decades of D.C. dog know-how
Our family has owned and run a dog walking, training, and pet-sitting business in Georgetown since 1997. That same hands-on experience shapes how every RockSteady litter is socialized from week one.
Our little French powerhouse
Elliott
Elliott came to us in December 2024 from Sylvain Cuvillier and Gauthier LeQuian, who live in Croix, France, near the Belgian border. We waited patiently for nearly five years to welcome him to our kennel. Born under the sign of the Dragon in the Chinese Zodiac, he is named for Elliott, the friendly dragon in the 1976 film “Pete’s Dragon.”
Elliott has accomplished a great deal in his two years. He earned his Championship and Grand Championship remarkably quickly, along with the title of Best In Specialty Show from his recent win at the Bay Colony Tibetan Terrier Club in Wrentham, Massachusetts — one of many impressive Best of Breed wins in his budding career.
At home, Elliott is sweet and playful. He loves romping with his brothers and sisters, hiking off-leash through the woods with me and the pack, running at the dog park, and simply being a dog. We are so lucky to have this gentle soul in our breeding program.
Meet all our dogs →The breed
The Holy Dogs of Tibet
For nearly two thousand years, Tibetan Terriers lived alongside Buddhist monks in Himalayan monasteries — treated as good-luck companions and traditionally given as gifts rather than sold. They reached the West in the 1920s and weren't recognized by the AKC until 1973, which is part of why they're still such a rare, well-kept secret.
“Family” — by Sheryl Getman.
Families
What it's like to bring one home
A family testimonial will go here.
A family testimonial will go here.
Thinking about a Tibetan Terrier?
Tell us a bit about your household and what you're looking for — we'll let you know where things stand with our current and upcoming litters.