# PUHLEEZE help me find a reputable breeder



## Agcorp (Jan 18, 2013)

Hi Everyone,

I'm a newbie to the forum.I've been doing my very best to find a good pet for us. I've been researching my brains out on breeders! It feels like I'll never find one that is a good match for me and my family.:help:

I want a family companion that will be protection for us. I would also like to do some obedience with him. I'm looking for an older dog or a puppy that would fit with my family of four year old triplets and nine year old lab. We are active, go swimming, camping, on nature trails, and just hang in the yard playing or gardening. My girls are excellent, loving, and gentle with our lab, they don't hit, or pull the tail to see what it does, or throw things at her, just to state a few examples. I haven't gotten very far on wanting a show line vs. working line, or this color vs. that, short hair vs. long, etc. 

I think most important are the dog's temperament or disposition (are those the same things?) and his health.

I had initially thought I would go to Heidelberg Kennels in Spring, but my dog came back from being boarded there with some issues that weren't quite clear why. have looked at RallHaus. Great lady!!! So helpful and cheery. She said we could go up to see the next litter. And that I could get a female shepherd and as long as she was spayed there would be no problems with my female lab. But it doesn't sound right. 

I've looked at Germelhaus, Gerdhaus, Rocky Mountain German Shepherd, Vom Tal der Schatten, 5 peaks GSD, Huerta, and Carmspack, Haus merkel.

I am looking among other things, for a breeder who is active with the pups as soon as the pups are able to be interacted with rather than not interacting with them at all, by socializing, changing the environment, exposing them/ surrounding them with pets, cats, dogs, children, etc. I would love if they had a test for temperament and came with a certificate that they are clear of DM. and that the hip/elbows are certified good, too. If they raw fed that would be bonus.
We looked at shelters, we looked at fostering, The shelter dogs don't have much history, so who know what could set them off. And the volunteer groups, well I honestly think they don't want to place a calm quiet dog in a house with triplets and and other pets. 
Some sites seem so high. My husband freaked when I told him 1500. for one. Other sites are listing at 2500. and 3000/ 4000/7500.
And I'm not finding all the breeders offer hip/elbow guarantees. I guess I have to do it but not until the pup is over two?
And what is limited registration?
And what do all this letters and numbers mean once I find the name? V SV Kk1, "a", etc.?
And I want a litter to be home bred, not in a kennel. I want my puppy to be raised in a home. I've read that that is done.
What do you do if you can't see BOTH parents, and only one? If the breeder tells me to go pic one out, does it mean he/she is not a good breeder because she didn't "match" me to my dog?
what are the most important questions to ask? I read the breeder questions to ask site which was great, but was wondering if anyone had anything else from an personal experience they could share with me. 
I'm really going to take my time. 
So, after I reread what I typed, I think I am sounding desperate here, lol, sorry. I just want to make the best choice with the breeder that will take the best care in my little guy before we bring him home. 
What advice to you GSD lovers have for a newbie freaking on the overwhelming amount of information?
I'm in Texas. Don't mind shipping. If I didn't give enough info to help you help me, let me know. 

Holy Moly! Sorry for the really super long post!!!! If you had time to read through it, thanks. If you have time to answer, You Rock! And me, well, I'm going to keep on trucking'...see what I can come up with, hopefully not without a little help from my k9 forum friendship. 

Thank you People!!!!!


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## robk (Jun 16, 2011)

Oh Gee. There are sooo many good breeders out there. Including some of the ones that you mentioned. Many good breeders do not own the father of the litter. Instead of just breeding their females to what ever male they happen to own, they carefully plan out their litters and select a male from the many many good ones out there that has the pedigree, confirmation, health, and titles that they think would make the best match for the female. Some times they are trying to produce traits in the litters so certain males may work better than other males. 

All the letters at the end of the end (and beginning) of the names do have meanings.

Here is a list of titles (someone else might be able to provide a better one)
German Shepherd Titles & Ratings

I do suggest that you get to know what they mean because it will help you compare the accomplishments of two different dogs and when a breeder mentions it, you will understand what they are talking about. Titles are not the be all end all to good dog breeding. Many good breeders can look beyond the titles to see what is really there with a dog and make very good breeding decisions base off more than just titles. However, titles are very important as part of the puzzle because it shows some of the accomplishments of the dog.

If you are unsure of what you want right now, then don't be in a hurry to make a decision. Just get to know the breed for a while. Go out to a few dogs clubs. Go to a schutzhund club and watch different types of German Shepherds working. Go to GSDCA club and look at and discuss the dogs there. Visit different breeders or speak to good breeders on the phone. Ask lots of questions.
Spend a lot of time on this forum. Eventually you will figure out what you are looking for.

By the way, what part of the country are you in?
Good luck!
Rob


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

Of the ones you listed, I'm most familiar with Robin/Huerta Hof...I would speak with her if I were you..she has posted some amazing pics here of her grandson (YOUNG!!) handling one of their dogs/puppies,,it is soooo cute ..

I am sure there are breeders in Texas that would match your criteria, but I'm not real familiar with any off the top of my head.

1500+ is the norm , you will most likely pay more for showlines vs working lines, but any "line" would fit what your looking for as long as you find a good breeder who can match a puppy to your lifestyle/wants/don't wants

Good luck in your search


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## nikko (Sep 10, 2008)

i just got my male Nike from robin/huerta hof.....there is not enough room here to post how wonderful this dog is or how great the experience with robin was/is!!!! i say is because she is extended family as far as i am concerned. this puppy is amazing....calm, strong, smart, and just amazing! i live in new jersey and had the dog shipped.....it was effortless. with robin i didnt worry about a thing. talk to her.....i am soooooo glad i went with robin/huerta hof!!!


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

> have looked at RallHaus. Great lady!!! So helpful and cheery. She said we could go up to see the next litter. And that I could get a female shepherd and as long as she was spayed there would be no problems with my female lab. But it doesn't sound right.


Many times two females will not get along when mature(spayed or not) I would go with opposite sex.


> What do you do if you can't see BOTH parents, and only one? If the breeder tells me to go pic one out, does it mean he/she is not a good breeder because she didn't "match" me to my dog?
> what are the most important questions to ask? I read the breeder questions to ask site which was great, but was wondering if anyone had


I trust the breeder and if I can't see the stud dog, usually there are video's up to view as most studs are chosen because they are special! And have accomplishments. Seldom do breeders have stud dogs in their program, they usually aren't on premesis. You could also contact the stud owner to find out how progeny is doing health, temperament wise and what they are accomplishing.
Trusting the breeder to pick out your pup is far better than going and picking one out from a short visit. If you are very clear in what you want, and communicate it to the breeder, then their decision should be trusted. They know the pups best! 
This site has some great puppy raising information, and is IMO one of the best ways to raise pups....my pup came home already crate trained, basically house trained and transitioned easily within 24 hours! He was the first of the litter to leave.
(Wildhaus Kennels Raising Working German Shepherd Puppies)

I agree about going to clubs and seeing dogs for yourself. You'll get much better info on different lines when you see the differences. Try to visit SchH clubs with the different lines working as well. GSDCA is dominanted by showlines. 
Some breeders have both SL and WL in their programs, and may possibly breed the lines together. 
Make sure you research the pedigree's before deciding on a particular breeding.


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## KB007 (Aug 27, 2003)

I found my breeder thanks to this board - so you are in the right place!!! 

Also - Gig 'em! :thumbup:


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

I can definitely vouch for Carmspack and Huerta Hof--while I haven't had a dog from either, I have heard nothing but good things about them, and both of these breeders are on this forum so I have had a chance to hear their breeding goals, methods, and philosophy. There is a basic difference in that Carmspack breeds working lines and Huerta Hof has show lines (mostly?), but either way, you could find a good solid companion dog. 

The differences between working lines and show lines are mostly important when it comes to higher levels of competition or real-life work. For a companion dog, you want a dog with strong nerves, moderate drive, and the ability to settle when in the home. I think either breeder or bloodline could give you that--it would be a matter of selecting the right puppy for YOU.

I would go with a male, since you already have a female. Some female-female pairs get along great; others, not so much. The problem with two females who don't like each other is that they NEVER forgive and forget, and if you have two very strong females, each will use any opportunity to take out the other, and the fights can be very serious.

Or they might get along great. I've had two females together and had it work out fine. But opposite-sex pairs are a much safer bet.



> And I'm not finding all the breeders offer hip/elbow guarantees. I guess I have to do it but not until the pup is over two?


Not necessarily. You can have a Pennhip done as early as 4 months (it's expensive) or a regular x-ray as early as 6 months. That will tell you whether the hips are normally formed. Most breeders worth their salt will give you a hip/health guarantee, but the terms may differ. Some will offer a replacement pup, others will offer a partial refund, etc. Be sure to ask. Some breeders offer NO guarantees because, well... there are simply no guarantees in life. No matter how many dogs in the pedigree have normal hips, your pup could still end up with dysplasia, because the genetics that cause dysplasia are not well understood. Breeding only good-hipped dogs will increase the chances of your pup having good hips, but it is not 100% effective. I have had 2 very well-bred pups with nothing but good hips all the way back in the pedigree, that have turned up dysplastic. Not trying to scare you, just understand that a breeder's guarantee only gives you some compensation should the hips turn up bad. It's not a "guarantee" in the strict sense of the term. I was recently talking with someone who has a very nice pup, out of stellar breeding, who came up with moderate dysplasia. The owner was shocked and furious at the breeder because it was "guaranteed" that the pup would have good hips. I had to talk her down and explain this whole concept to her... a breeder's guarantee is not an absolute GUARANTEE. Hope that makes sense.



> And what is limited registration?


Limited registration simply means you are not allowed to breed your dog, or show in AKC conformation (which you probably wouldn't be doing anyway). You can still compete in obedience, rally, agility, SchH, etc. should you so desire.



> And what do all this letters and numbers mean once I find the name? V SV Kk1, "a", etc.?


These letters and numbers are German show ratings. SV is the parent club in Germany (sort of like our AKC). VA, V, SG, and G are conformation ratings. G=good. SG=very good. V=excellent. VA=excellent select (cream of the crop). Kkl is a survey of breedability. Kkl1=recommended for breeding. Kkl2=suitable for breeding. The "A" stamp certifies normal hips. To receive the A stamp, hips can be normal, fast normal (near normal), or noch zuglassen(sp) which means "acceptable"--kind of like OFA's system of excellent, good, or fair. In Germany, a dog must get a passing conformation rating, pass a breed survey, get an A stamp, and pass a SchH trial before it can be bred. SchH1, 2, or 3 (or IPO1, 2, 3) are the working trials which encompass obedience, tracking, and protection. The dog must pass all three phases in order to be bred. 

While Germany's system is not perfect, it is miles above and beyond what the American system requires, so many American breeders follow the German system.



> And I want a litter to be home bred, not in a kennel. I want my puppy to be raised in a home. I've read that that is done.


Yes, many breeders raise their pups in the home. But there are good breeders who kennel their dogs also.



> What do you do if you can't see BOTH parents, and only one? If the breeder tells me to go pic one out, does it mean he/she is not a good breeder because she didn't "match" me to my dog?


Steer clear of any breeder that lets you pick your own pup. Some savvy puppy buyers know exactly what they want and know it when they see it; those buyers may be able to pick their own puppy, but generally, it is the breeder who knows the puppies best, and is best suited to matching the pup to its new owner.

It's very common for breeders to pick a stud dog that is owned by someone else, so it's often the case that you won't be able to see the father of the litter. If the sire has all the appropriate credentials, and you trust the breeder, you can go by what the breeder has to say about him and why they picked that particular dog.



> what are the most important questions to ask? I read the breeder questions to ask site which was great, but was wondering if anyone had anything else from an personal experience they could share with me.


I think the most important thing is to be honest with the breeder and tell them you are in the beginning stages of research, this is to be your first GSD, and what kind of dog you hope to have. Then they will ask YOU questions, in order to get a feel for what you need.


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## Agcorp (Jan 18, 2013)

WOW! You guys are SO AWESOME! THANK YOU! Yes, I have to agree, KB007, I did come to the right place!

You have NO IDEA how helpful you all are. "I can read! I can read!":wild: :wild::wild: (Now I know what the letters and numbers mean by the names)
RobK, I'm in The Woodlands, just north of Houston. 

I did get in touch and got immediate replies back from Rallhaus, Carmspack, Rocky Mountain GS, and Merkel Haus. Has anyone heard of them-Merkel Haus?

I think a family companion that will grow with us, develop a strong bond, with the instinct to protect and the intelligence to train is what we are looking for. 

We are just at the beginning of the road, here.. there is much to learn still, so much to learn...

Thank you for the support, information, and experiences you all have provided.


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## Xeph (Jun 19, 2005)

I've heard if Merkel Haus. You can get a dog of equal or better quality for half the price (Huerta Hof)


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

it's more important that you and your family fit
a puppy/dog life. you can train and socialize the 
pup to fit your life style and that's not GSD specific.
as far as protection i think we should protect our
dogs. whatever it is i want to be protected from
i want my dog protected from it also. some GSD's are
protective some not so much but with training and
the right dog you can have protection.


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## Anitsisqua (Mar 25, 2012)

I would definitely check out Rallhaus. I got my pup from her, and she has been wonderful.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

I've heard of Merkel Haus, I think she has showlines, but I don't know anything other than that, except that she has been breeding for some time and is very opinionated, as many breeders are.  She is on a facebook GSD breeders list that I am also on. Personally, I'd go rather with Huerta Hof if I was looking for a showline dog.


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