# Looking for a reputable breeder



## jzaman (Sep 3, 2013)

Hi all,

I'm a newbie to GSD and am overwhelmed by the number of breeders and frankly scared of ending up with the wrong one. Of course when the chips fall and there's a problem, I need a breeder that won't turn into an ****. 

We need a family companion/protection dog that has stable nerves and grows into a calm dog for our four young kids. I like show lines because I want a beautiful mahogany coat dog. Basically I want a beautiful, calm, bad ****. 

I've seen outrageous prices and I'm not that billionaire . Our budget is the best we can get under $2k.

I live in Houston and yes, I searched the forum extensively and found many old threads about this subject. I have made initial contact with several area breeders and I know the forum rules and really want people to PM me about who to stay away from as well as who to trust. I love that I found you guys and look forward to your feedback.


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

Hi,

Psuedo swearing is frowned upon on this board, just a heads up. 

As far as how 'bad' you want the dog to be when speaking with breeders you may want to clarify to what level you want the dog to respond to threats (i.e. bark to alert or bite if someone tries to attack you/your family).

Sorry I don't know any breeders in your part of the country to help more specifically. Good luck with your search!


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## GSDAlphaMom (Jul 20, 2010)

There's one in your neck of the woods. I have no personal experience with her but have heard good things. Home


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## zyppi (Jun 2, 2006)

call Andrew Masia. 

He's in Florida, but if he doesn't have a pup, he can help you find one.

Heres Jack at 6 months. 









good luck.


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

Vollkommen German Shepherds

Have worked with the owner of this kennel on shipping semen for a breeding - she is accomplished and well respected...

Lee


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## Heidigsd (Sep 4, 2004)

jzaman: *Check your PM*


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## Heidigsd (Sep 4, 2004)

Terry @ Vollkommen was on my short list of breeders a few years back when I was researching breeders. I do know one person who has a dog from her, she is 11 years old and still doing good :wub:

I would contact her and maybe you can go for a visit 

Michaela


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## Markobytes (Sep 11, 2012)

I could not give a higher recommendation for a breeder than Terry. She has some exceptional dogs and knows what she is doing.


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## DHau (Feb 24, 2007)

I have a recommendation for anybody looking for a dog from a reputable breeder. Have in your contact that you will be reimbursed for the price of the dog if it ends up with any life long health issues. 

My breeder stated that all his dogs are healthy. Well mine had allergy problems from the day I brought her home at 8 weeks. Over the 7 years I owned her, I spent more on vet bills than the initial cost of the dog. I know it's a crap shoot when getting a puppy. 

My dog is beautiful and has a great temperament, but dealing with allergies is painful for all involved because there is no cure. Ask for references and ask about their dog's track record regarding health. Many other bad things can be genetically passed other than bad hips and elbows.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

nice idea but I can't see that ever happening (getting a life long guarantee on health)

Genetic issues are one thing, but sometimes and probably most times, stuff happens, no way to predict an outcome with any living creature..

I do agree dealing with any health issue is painful not only financially but emotionally. 

If that ever happened (having a lifelong health guarantee), breeders might as well give their puppies away for free..


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## DHau (Feb 24, 2007)

I do not see what the problem is with that idea. If the breeder produced such healthy animals as advertised, then he/she would not have anything to worry about. I am aware of the costs to produce a litter, but if it's the occasional 1 or 2 that crops up out of X-amount litters, then the breeder is still ahead because some breeders charge outrageous prices. It would also be good PR which will encourage an owner to become a repeat customer and take another chance with that breeder.

As I have said, I noticed my dog scratching from the day I brought her home and did speak to my breeder about it. He suggested this and that and none of them worked. Here I am at $2,000 out of pocket for vet bills and foresee spending more over the lifetime of the dog. 

I have noticed that many dogs have allergies and why is that? Why are the immune systems so disrupted that they can't walk on grass? Eat simple animal proteins? Is it from the shots that we are supposed to give them as puppies? Consumers go to a reputable breeder so they are stacking the deck against health issues. Well, it didn't work for me.


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

DHau said:


> I have a recommendation for anybody looking for a dog from a reputable breeder. Have in your contact that you will be reimbursed for the price of the dog if it ends up with any life long health issues.
> 
> My breeder stated that all his dogs are healthy. Well mine had allergy problems from the day I brought her home at 8 weeks. Over the 7 years I owned her, I spent more on vet bills than the initial cost of the dog. I know it's a crap shoot when getting a puppy.
> 
> My dog is beautiful and has a great temperament, but dealing with allergies is painful for all involved because there is no cure. Ask for references and ask about their dog's track record regarding health. Many other bad things can be genetically passed other than bad hips and elbows.



This is a bit ludicrious....even cars do not come with life long guarantees and they are manufactured...

There is always a risk in any living creature....plenty of healthy parents have babies with birth defects - there is never any real guarantee (in the true sense of the word!) that any living creature will never have a health or temperament flaw...

A reasonable normal health warranty is common - rarely does a breeder offer full purchase price back for ANYTHING - a buyer needs to understand that the breeder does his best to produce healthy animals and it behooves him to do so....and the buyer also needs to understand that puppies are living creatures and thus not manufactured so that all is perfect to a blueprint and no matter how careful, there is always some risk.

Lee


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

That would never happen. Could you imagine the financial liability of the breeder if they guaranteed every single health issue for every single puppy they produced? Impossible.

As a puppy buyer, you take the financial risk of taking on a life. Just like you're taking on the risk of health issues by having a human child. Hope for the best, but stuff happens in life. There are options out there for you like pet insurance.


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## Heidigsd (Sep 4, 2004)

wolfstraum said:


> This is a bit ludicrious....even cars do not come with life long guarantees and they are manufactured...
> 
> There is always a risk in any living creature....plenty of healthy parents have babies with birth defects - there is never any real guarantee (in the true sense of the word!) that any living creature will never have a health or temperament flaw...
> 
> ...


I agree with most of this Lee  

But we have to be honest with ourselves that there are some breeders that are constantly being referred to as "reputable" that are not doing their best to produce healthy animals.

Maybe it would be better to charge less for the puppies and not provide any health guarantee. But when people pay $2000 or more for a puppy and the breeder claims "Health Is Guaranteed" and then you end up with a pup with serious genetic issues I can see where people get a little upset


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

Guarantees are fairly worthless. Some breeders tout that they have one, but since it's a replacement pup only, they are fairly confident that people aren't going to actually utilize it.


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## holland (Jan 11, 2009)

I think part of having a puppy and a dog is that you are going to experience some issues over the course of its life-if you don't want to deal with those don't get a dog


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## Chantald (Jul 23, 2013)

Galathiel said:


> Guarantees are fairly worthless. Some breeders tout that they have one, but since it's a replacement pup only, they are fairly confident that people aren't going to actually utilize it.


I think this is so on the mark. Our breeder has a guarantee for a replacement pup, but I'm so in love and have bonded with my Thor that even if I found out there was an issue with him, I wouldn't want to trade him in for another puppy unless it was something severe. If it was allergies or something along those lines, I would not want to give up a dog I have already bonded with.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## Heidigsd (Sep 4, 2004)

holland said:


> I think part of having a puppy and a dog is that you are going to experience some issues over the course of its life-if you don't want to deal with those don't get a dog


I am pretty sure most owners realize this  How many serious genetic issues have you dealt with so far? 

The point is that certain breeders don't have any problem charging thousands of dollars for a puppy and claiming that* "Health Is Guaranteed". *We all know that not all puppies from any breeder are going to be in perfect health but it's what breeders do with that information once they find out there are issues with a breeding that matters.

The lucky dogs end up with homes that will take great care of them but there are the unlucky ones that don't have such a happy ending


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## holland (Jan 11, 2009)

Heidigsd said:


> I am pretty sure most owners realize this  How many serious genetic issues have you dealt with so far?
> 
> The point is that certain breeders don't have any problem charging thousands of dollars for a puppy and claiming that* "Health Is Guaranteed". *We all know that not all puppies from any breeder are going to be in perfect health but it's what breeders do with that information once they find out there are issues with a breeding that matters.
> 
> The lucky dogs end up with homes that will take great care of them but there are the unlucky ones that don't have such a happy ending


It would depend upon what you considered a serious genetic issue-don't consider an allergy a serious genetic issue-certainly I wouldn't demand another puppy due to this...and if you believe health is guaranteed well that's just silly...seriously


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## Heidigsd (Sep 4, 2004)

holland said:


> It would depend upon what you considered a serious genetic issue-don't consider an allergy a serious genetic issue-certainly I wouldn't demand another puppy due to this...and if you believe health is guaranteed well that's just silly...seriously


How about EPI or DM? And by the way allergies are very much genetic.

You totally missed my point about "the health guarantee"...seriously!


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## holland (Jan 11, 2009)

I have dealt with DM in my 20 dollar rescue dog who didn't come with a health guarantee -and I 
\do understand allergies are genetic -lol-I guess even when I think of my dog with DM I am just really glad I had the dog ...so yes I am probably missing your point whatever it was


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

Semantics.... Nothing but misuse of the word Guarantee...My contract has a warranty, not a guarantee - because in reality no one CAN guarantee the health.....this is a common word and in the context of selling dogs is ambiguous....when you look at the breeder's contracts, 100% of them misuse the word and actually mean Warranty within the context of the contract. 

And anyone who is serious about breeding - who does not just have a few females and males on site and putting them together to make puppies - is not raking in huge profits even at 1500-2000 a puppy....I don't even want to think about the breedings done with frozen semen, transported semen, the expenses to title and vet dogs.....the BYB has a much higher profit margin on his $600 pups with two litters from his pets a year.

Lee


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## Heidigsd (Sep 4, 2004)

wolfstraum said:


> Semantics.... Nothing but misuse of the word Guarantee...My contract has a warranty, not a guarantee - because in reality no one CAN guarantee the health.....this is a common word and in the context of selling dogs is ambiguous....when you look at the breeder's contracts, 100% of them misuse the word and actually mean Warranty within the context of the contract.
> 
> And anyone who is serious about breeding - who does not just have a few females and males on site and putting them together to make puppies - is not raking in huge profits even at 1500-2000 a puppy....I don't even want to think about the breedings done with frozen semen, transported semen, the expenses to title and vet dogs.....the BYB has a much higher profit margin on his $600 pups with two litters from his pets a year.
> 
> Lee


We are not talking about whether a breeder uses *"guarantee"* or *"warranty" *in their contract. 

We'll just have to agree to disagree since this is a very personal subject to me


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## HeidiGS (Jul 8, 2013)

Back to the original question that the op asked, we should recommend breeders not argue over things we can't change and won't agree on. Sorry if I was rude, to the op: I would definetly check out Huerta Hof, you can't go wrong with Robin, she's also a member here on the forums if you have any specific questions. I don't have a dog from her, but I've contacted her multiple times and she's very helpful. Here's a link: Huerta Hof German Shepherds (she is in Illinois)

If you change your mind and want a working line, there's a breeder I would recommend above all others, I told her I wasn't looking for a puppy and stayed in contact with her for months asking various questions, she was always patient and helpful. This breeder was Germelhaus, in Texas. I wouldn't hesitate to get a dog from her at any point. Here's a link to Germelhaus: =:= Germelhaus German Shepherd Dogs =:= Breeding Top Working Schutzhund GSDs. Hope this helped.


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