Ester Atkins is the founder & owner of Capitol PWDS. Her introduction to breeding began with her family’s long standing commitment to purebred dogs, from her maternal great grandparent’s highly trained terriers to her paternal grandparent’s love of AKC conformation. So it was no surprise that from the age of two, Ester has been nurturing this passion for man’s best friend. As she grew older, the only question was what breed to commit to, until her father met Bo at the White House & returned home with stories of a beautiful, intelligent, impeccably well mannered, & unmistakenly presidential dog. The rest is history. With hard work & support from her family, Capitol PWDs was born almost 10 years ago.

Ester spent her childhood yachting on the Potomac River, paddle boarding alongside her Porties, and falling asleep beside them in the sun. As she matured, her academic pursuits in biology and physiology – paired with hands-on professional experiences – revealed a deep and enduring interest in medicine, particularly reproductive veterinary medicine. The precision and fragility of new life, along with the complexities of conception, gestation, parturition, and neonatal development, became the defining focus of her studies.

Capitol PWDs was founded to unite this scientific passion with Ester’s lifelong devotion to this exceptional breed, the PWD. In 2025, she earned her Biomedical Science degree from Texas A&M University. Even though Ester has already learned so much, she’s currently pursuing attaining a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine, with an interest in completing a residency in theriogenology. Ester remains steadfastly committed to advancing the health, structure, and longevity of the PWD breed, while contributing to the growing body of veterinary neonatal knowledge – ensuring the highest standard of care for the most amazing canine breed on the planet!