# Von Rief GSD breeder in CO



## coulter (Oct 13, 2012)

I tried to Google it but there was little to no info availabl . 
Im interested in placing a deposit with them on a litter that's due in 5 days. But I wanted to see If any of you had any info on this breeder before I do so. Good or bad....

Please let me know 

Thank you 
Coulter


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## mnm (Jan 9, 2006)

I lived in the Colorado Springs area in the '07 and '08, was at a boarding kennel, trained and titledmy dogs and was involved with a Schutzhund club. Had never heard of them.... Just looking at their website, the breeding stock are health tested, but none of them have any type of titles or certifications. I always wonder about someone that has a bunch of females and one male, and they breed all their females to that one a male... Not every female matches up with the same male, and they currently have 3 litters listed... My personal opinion is the price is too high, but they are showline and that does tend to be the case, if they are showing and competing with their dogs, but it appears they are not.

I guess it all depends on what you are specifically interested in for your puppy. I would suggest that you go meet in person, the parents of the litter, the breeder, and ask lots of questions. It's better to get an impression and gut feeling about someone in person, and how their dogs respond to them.


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## coulter (Oct 13, 2012)

Thanks for your comment. I am going to see them this saturday. Is there a list of questions here on the forum or things I should watch out for? Thank you


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## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

There's a sticky up at the top of this Choosing a Breeder section about what to look for and what to ask.


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

This site also has great information: 

*Questions** &*Thoughts/Considerations:

"First and foremost, a responsible breeder of German Shepherds is educated and experienced with the breed. A responsible German Shepherd breeder can discuss the breed standard at length, understands the history of the breed, and has great knowledge of the breed's temperament, conformation and purpose. With this knowledge *they are able to produce a specific type of dog to which they hold high standards and expectations. There is purpose behind their breeding program and they do not simply breed two dogs together without concern for how they compliment one another or what those two dogs could produce. Knowledge of pedigrees and bloodlines within the breed comes into play when breeding. A responsible breeder knows the dogs they are breeding in depth, including those of which are in a dogs pedigree. This knowledge of the ancestors of two breeding dogs helps breeders determine the temperament, health, conformation, workability and nerve outcome of the puppies they strive to produce.*

Just as important as the aforementioned in-depth knowledge of the breed, *testing the breeding stock for quality is of vital importance. *If breeding dogs are not tested for breed specific and common health issues, there is absolutely no way to prevent puppies from developing these devastating and painful conditions. *Testing breeding dogs and their ancestors (other dogs in a dogs pedigree) for these issues ensures that there is a low chance of passing on any genetic diseases or conditions. *The best way to avoid bringing home a puppy who could develop hip dysplasia is to only buy a puppy from a breeder who has tested the sire (father) and dam (mother), certifying them free of dysplasia. *That breeder should also have the pedigree information of both dogs stating their parents, grand-parents, great grand-parents and so on are also free of hip dysplasia. This goes for every genetic disease and condition; Certification of health in both parents of the puppy AND their ancestors will lower the chances of these problems occurring in your puppy significantly.*

Temperament and working ability is just as important as health, especially in a working dog breed like the German Shepherd dog. Bred originally for herding, and later used heavily for police and military work, the German Shepherd dog requires a very special and balanced temperament in order to fulfill its purpose. *Temperament, workability, versatility, drives, nerves and all other aspects of the dog can be assessed and verified via training, competition and judgement from officials. *Even if you do not want to compete in any sports or work your dog, you still want a dog that is capable of it. Saying you "just want a pet, not a show or working dog" could leave you with an unsound dog who is not capable of doing the things it was bred to do. Just because your German Shepherd will be a family companion, doesn't mean you have to settle for anything less than a sound, healthy and trust worthy dog.

Be leery of breeders who breed for size, colour or anything superficial. Avoid breeders who claim to have "the best of the best" with zero evidence of such quality. Do not look at the impressive website using buzz words and claiming commercial fame, as many breeders will pretend to be the best and claim such while producing poor quality puppies. ALWAYS LOOK AT THE DOGS, never the website or the claims spread across the pages. *Verify OFA certifications, ask to see competition awards and certificates, ask to meet the dogs in person, ask for videos or to see the dog training or working. Do not take someone's word for it, see it with your own eyes.*

*Some [bad] breeders will "cut corners" with titles and health certificates in order to charge more money and sell more puppies, and this should be a red flag to puppy buyers. *Claiming to have x-rays of hips on file, but not having them certified by an official organization such as the OFA is not acceptable in terms of quality and health control. It is easy to certify hips and elbows, and if they are not doing so that could be a sign that the dogs have issues or are not good enough for breeding but the breeder doesn't want you to know. *Do not take the breeder's word for it, ask for evidence and verify with the organization they claim certified the hips or elbows.* Another way for [bad] breeders to cut corners is to place one or two "basic temperament" certificates on the dogs and no real advanced titles or significant training and claim that they are titled and ready for breeding. A "Canine Good Citizen" (CGC) certificate, "Herding Instinct" certificate (HIC) or the "Temperament Test" (TT) certificates are wonderful additions to a breeding dog *but those titles alone do not make a dog worthy of being bred. *Those "basic temperament titles" should not be all the dog achieves prior to breeding. *Look for ADVANCED sport titles or working CERTIFICATES that prove the dog has been trained and tested appropriately for breed worthiness.* Lastly, BOTH mother AND father should have their health certificates and titles."

Read more at: How to Select a Breeder - German Shepherd Guide

Best of luck with your search!

Moms


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## coulter (Oct 13, 2012)

Thanks guys. I definitely didn't do this much research when I bought my first 2 shepherds. But I loved the breeder and obviously love(d) the dogs. 
I'll be honest I'm a little nervous after seeing so many things you should be careful about. Honestly how many breeders match all of these "qualities" exactly? Seems like it would be tough. 
Thanks again! Keep the advice coming 
And I'd sure love to hear from someone who has felt with Kim from von rief personally!


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Coulter, if you do your research and TAKE YOUR TIME, there are plenty of breeders that are trying to do the right thing ---> http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/welcome-gsd-faqs-first-time-owner/162231-how-find-puppy.html and fit into the 'responsible' category.

Here's their website --> AKC German Shepherd Breeder & Puppies For Sale in Colorado Springs CO | Von Rief German Shepherds

German showlines if that's the 'flavor' you like. I like that it seems to be a smaller breeding program.

Keep in mind, the better the dogs, the better the breeder, the more they really want the BEST new homes for each and every puppy. So the more you read up on the link I have above (how to find a puppy) the more you will be prepared when chatting with them and they will be impressed you REALLY took the time/effort and care about the breed.


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## sarahmac (Apr 21, 2017)

I am looking into them to. So what happened with all of that? Good, bad anything helps and I would appreciate it. Thanks


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

The OP hasn't been on the board in over a year so they may not answer you. 

ADMIN Lisa


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